Good Night & Good Luck

Reflection Post Into a KEY POST


Key points from our in-class discussion on the proper role of the press in a democratic system:

  • government should not control the press
  • press and government should be separate
  • press should act as check on government
  • press should critique the government
  • press should help protect dissent
  • press should perform its "watchdog role"
  • press should be adversarial, as in "adversarial journalism" (look it up)



Terms to describe government efforts to thwart the press:

  • chilling effect
  • stonewalling
  • sandbagging
  • news black-outs
  • influence peddling
  • denying public records

Try Googling some or all of these terms and concepts as you expand your movie reflection from 300 words to 500 words — while broadening the scope by using the movie as
a jumping off point to a broader discussion
of the press-government relationship.

Do you see any parallels between the "red scare" era of the film and today?

Thinking about the time lines we've been constructing — something *new* to this semester — do you see any similarities between the press' performance today and earlier eras? If you had to give the current era a name, what would it be? And why? 

If you had finished your movie reflection post as a regular post, no worries. You could add a subhed like this ...

Considering the Bigger Picture

 ... and keep going!

This post will stand in for a final exam — and act as a jumping off point for a final presentation/discussion on Final Exam Day.

 

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