This activity will look at different types of sources that can be used to research specific topics for radio programmes.
Sourcing tends to reflect the distribution of power in society (Statutory bodies and governments institutions feature more than voluntary sector).
Play recordings from commercial and public service current affairs programmes. Ask your participants to note where the information is coming from and who is being interviewed or the information being attributed to.
Ask participants where most of the information comes from and list the source on a flipchart (usually will be reports, government sources, police reports, academics, journalists, lawyers, etc).
If this is the case, you can point out that despise working class citizens, the unemployed, youth, children, migrants making up for most of the population, it is rare to hear the voices in media, even when they are the subject of the news report. However, although those in government represented a tiny percentage of the total population, their views are widely represented by media. (see triangles in the picture).
The result is a reinforcement of the dominant ideology and to set the agenda.
Going back to the previous sources exercise, ask participants to list alternative sources to those used by commercial and public service media that might offer information on the same issue but from a different point of view. Distribute handout Alternative Sources and discuss it with participants.
Ask participants what they expect from the information being offered to them by media. Note it on the flipchart. (Trainer might prompt: Accuracy, Balance, Fairness)
Ask participants what skills would be required to become a good researcher.
GERMAN 140: IM FOKUS DER MEDIEN – MACHT UND REPRÄSENTATION
Room with chairs/studio.
Recordings from news items on commercial and public radio. Playback equipment
Flipchart and markers.