Journal Entry Instructions Each Week Watch Read Or Listen

Journal Entry Instructions Each Week Watch Read Or Listen To A P

Each week, watch, read, or listen to a political broadcast of any kind for 15-30 minutes. This could be reading an article in the newspaper or online, watching the news on television, YouTube, or another source, and even watching political satire such as John Oliver or the Daily Show. So long as the source presents political information in an accurate way, it generally qualifies as a political source for the purposes of this assignment. If you are unsure if your source qualifies, ask me before using it.

Assignment Instructions:

  • Watch, read, or listen to a political broadcast of any kind for 15-30 minutes each week.
  • Using the template provided online, fill in the necessary information listed at the top.
  • Provide a 2-paragraph summary and a 2-paragraph personal opinion of the article, using your own words and quoting sparingly.
  • Sources may be used twice, regardless of format (e.g., article and video from the same outlet).
  • Formatting requirements: single-spaced, 1-inch margins, Times New Roman 12-point font.
  • Submission: All weekly journal packets must be compiled into a single document and uploaded online on the assigned due dates.

Guiding questions for journal entries include:

  • What was the main subject of the news?
  • Which government actors are involved, and how?
  • Which non-government actors are involved, and how?
  • Does this source seem to have a political bias? If so, what bias and how?
  • What terms learned in class help you understand the news?
  • What, if anything, is confusing about the news?

Paper For Above instruction

In this week's journal entry, I engaged with a political news segment from the online platform YouTube, focusing on a recent debate over immigration policies in the United States. The broadcast lasted approximately 20 minutes, during which various politicians, advocacy groups, and the media discussed proposed legislative changes and their implications. The primary subject of the news centered on the debate surrounding border security measures and the future of immigration reform, with particular emphasis on recent proposals to increase border patrols and modify asylum regulations. The main government actors involved were Congress members and the President, who are responsible for crafting and executing immigration policies.

Non-government actors involved in this story included immigration advocacy groups, political commentators, and the general public who voiced their opinions through comments and social media campaigns. These groups influenced public opinion and political pressure regarding the proposed policies. The source appeared to lean slightly conservative in tone, emphasizing national security concerns while referencing official statistics provided by government agencies. The bias was evident in the framing of certain issues, such as portraying stricter border controls as essential for national safety, which aligns with a conservative perspective.

Terms learned in class, such as "executive order" and "audience targeting," helped me understand the strategic communication techniques used in the broadcast. The discussion around legislative versus executive powers clarified how policy changes can be enacted through different governmental channels. However, I found the presentation of statistics somewhat confusing due to rapid delivery and lack of context, which made it harder to assess their significance fully.

Overall, this news segment illustrated the complex interplay between government branches, political parties, and media in shaping public policy debates. It underscored the importance of critically evaluating sources for bias and understanding the roles of various actors in the political process. The discussion reinforced my understanding of how political narratives are constructed and the significance of factual accuracy in informing public opinion and policy decisions.

References

  • Graber, D. A. (2010). Processing Politics: Learning from Media Events. CQ Press.
  • Mandel, D. R. (2015). Media, Politics, and Public Opinion. Routledge.
  • McNair, B. (2017). An Introduction to Political Communication. Routledge.
  • Stroud, N. J. (2011). The Dynamics of Political Communication. CQ Press.
  • Scheufele, D. A., & Nisbet, M. C. (2002). The Role of the Media in Environmental Issues. Journal of Communication, 52(2), 4-19.
  • Iyengar, S., & Kinder, D. R. (2010). News That Matters: Television and American Public Opinion. University of Chicago Press.
  • Entman, R. M. (2007). Framing Bias: Media in the Consumer Age. Journal of Communication, 57(1), 163-173.
  • Baum, M. A. (2009). The Republican Reinforcement of Partisan Polarization. Political Communication.
  • Boykoff, M. T., & Boykoff, J. (2004). Balance as Bias: Global Warming and the US Media. Global Environmental Change, 14(2), 125-136.
  • Herman, E. S., & Chomsky, N. (2002). Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. Pantheon Books.

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