Level: Grades 9 - 12
Overview
| This lesson and all associated documents (handouts, overheads, backgrounders) are available in an easy-print, pdf kit version. To open the lesson kit for printing, click here. To print only this page, use the "printable version" link at the top of the page. |
In this lesson, students explore the issues surrounding representation of non-white people in the newsroom and in daily newspapers. The lesson begins with a class discussion about diversity and the ways in which visible minorities and Aboriginal peoples may be misrepresented or under-represented in mainstream media. Students examine diversity statistics of Canadian newspapers and respond to an article about the lack of diversity in Canadian newsrooms. Activities include creating a mainstreaming checklist for journalists; conducting a diversity audit of Canadian newspapers; and writing letters to the publishers of Canadian newspapers.
Learning Outcomes
Students demonstrate:
- awareness of the imbalance that exists in the representation of First Nations peoples and visible minorities in Canada's daily newspapers.
- understanding of the effects of under-representation, negative coverage and stereotyping on non-white people and on society's perceptions and attitudes towards them.
- awareness of the challenges facing visible minority journalists
Preparation and Materials
To better understand the ethical issues pertaining to inclusiveness in journalism, read Cultural and Cultural and Racial Diversity in Canadian Broadcast Journalism.
- Collect a week's worth of daily newspapers from four or five different parts of the country. Talk to the manager at your local magazine store and request back-dated, unsold issues, or visit your public library. Other members of the staff, or your students' families might also be sources. If this is not possible, a week's worth of your own city's newspapers will suffice.
- Download "Crime Not Black and White" to read to your class.
Prepare classroom handouts:
Procedure
- Do you think that First Nations peoples and visible minorities are well represented in Canadian newspapers?
- What are some of the problems surrounding representation of these people? (The problem surrounding the representation of ethnic minorities in Canadian newspapers is twofold: there aren't enough non-white journalists and newsroom staff, and there is bias in how minorities are represented in the news.)
- In which sections of the newspaper do we usually find stories about non-whites? (Non-whites are most represented in sports and entertainment sections. When stories about non-whites appear in the news section, most are negative, and few stories reflect the interests of Aboriginal and visible minority communities. Under-representation is most acute in business and lifestyle sections.)
- What perceptions does this bias create? Read "Crime Not Black and White" to your students and discuss the bias and assumptions within the article.
- Our newspapers are supposed to reflect the concerns of our society. How might you feel if you didn't see yourself in the newspapers? (Under-representation may leave individuals feeling marginalized when they don't see their concerns and interests reflected in the society in which they live. Negative representation and stereotyping can also lead to feelings of anger and frustration.)
- Ask students to respond to the question: “Can newspapers afford to be out of touch with their communities?”
Distribute Representation of Ethnic Minorities in Canadian Newspapers (Carleton University) and Diversity in the Newsroom (Ryerson Polytechnic University) to your students and discuss.
The Ryerson study was conducted in 1993. In 1995, the Canadian Newspaper Association issued a revised Statement of Principles. Although it makes no specific mention of the representation of visible minorities, the section entitled “Community Responsibility” instructs its members to treat all people equally. It states:
The newspaper should strive to paint a representative picture of its diverse communities, to encourage the expression of disparate views, and to be accessible and accountable to the readers it serves, whether rich or poor, weak or powerful, minority or majority.
- Comparing today's newspapers to the 1993 statistics in their handouts, do students think that the situation has improved?
Homework Assignment
Class Activities
Activity One
The Ryerson study recommends that Canadian papers should create a "mainstreaming" checklist. In their journals, have students create their own checklists to promote diversity in news coverage. Share these checklists as a class. (This list should include an action plan for reporters, assignment editors and senior management. For a master list of suggestions, see the Canadian Race Relations Foundation tip sheet Reporting on Diversity: A Checklist (at the bottom of the page))
Activity Two
- Divide class into five groups
- Distribute copies of the Diversity Audit to group members
- Distribute newspapers from one city to each group and have them complete an audit
- Have each group present the results of their audit. As a class, discuss the findings. Rank the newspapers according to diversity representation.
Activity Three
Guided Discussion: Earlier, we discussed what you would do if you didn't see the concerns of yourself or your community reflected in your daily newspaper. Often, Aboriginal and non-white people turn away from the big dailies to the smaller community newspapers that reflect their concerns. But it doesn't look as if the big papers are listening. The Ryerson study found that newspaper publishers ranked "managing and covering diversity" 19th on a list of 21 secondary issues affecting the industry, behind "circulation cost control" and "competing with Canada Post."
Amnesty International uses the slogan: "Stand up for rights – sit down and write." As concerned members of the public, it is important to let the publishers of our daily papers realize that this is an issue that concerns and affects all Canadians.
Homework Assignment
- Students are to compose letters to the editors of the newspapers audited by their groups.
- In their letters, they should express their concerns regarding this issue, in light of the results of their surveys (it is hoped that not all the letters will be negative – some students might congratulate a publisher on their newspaper's accurate, unbiased coverage.)
- One copy of the letter will be given to the teacher for evaluation, the second will be forwarded to the newspaper.
Extension
- The statistics used in the Ryerson study are from 1993. Interested students might like to update the statistics regarding the hiring of nonwhite journalists by contacting the Canadian Newspaper Association.
Evaluation
- Homework assignment
- Diversity audit and group presentations
- Letters to the newspaper and journal entries
