Freedom of the Press

GRADE: 10

SUBJECT: U.S. History

DESCRIPTION: This lesson is to help students understand the idea behind and importance of the press playing the role of “watchdog”. It will also help students understand the different roles and viewpoints of the media and member’s of government.

OBJECTIVES: At the conclusion of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Explain the “watchdog” role of the press.
2. Identify varied roles that society, journalists, and editor’s play and the importance of the First Amendment.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:

Teacher:

• DVD player, TV, and a DVD of “All the President’s Men”.
• Text material about the Watergate incident.

Student:

• Pen/Pencil
• Paper

PREPARATION:

Teacher: In advance of the lesson, preview the movie. Cue it up about one hour into the film, to the scene where Carl Berstein confronts the public relations executive and secures information about Mr. Dahlberg. Plan to end the segment about 30 minutes later, with the televised clip of Attorney General denying the story. The scenes selected for analysis include the reporters arguing for the importance of the story, the interview of Dahlberg linking the burglary to CREEP, an editorial meeting in which various stories are evaluated for the front page, and a private discussion among the editors regarding the risks of running the story.

Student: Reading should be completed in advance so students have context for viewing the film.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Monday

Ask students to recall what is known about the Watergate affair. Review with students the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of the press: “Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.” Ask:

• Does this cover TV news?
• What other media are covered? (Movies, documentaries, videos, radio, tabloids, magazines, books, pamphlets, etc.)
• Ask students what they think a free press really means to them.

2. Tuesday

Explain that students will be viewing a segment of a film about the two Washington Post reporters whose stories prompted the congressional investigations that culminated with the resignation of President Nixon. Tell them that you want them to view the film from one of four perspectives: the investigative reporters, the editors, and the people being investigated (the President and his advisors, John Mitchell, the burglars, and employees of the Committee to Reelect the President), and U.S. citizens. Divide the class into four groups, assigning each a perspective. Each group should collect information for a large-group discussion following the viewing. Using the perspective assigned, students should collect information about:

• The techniques used by investigative reporters.
• What types of questions do they ask? How do they develop sources of information? What ethical standards do they follow?
• The concerns and work editors in contrast to the reporters. What risks are involved in running a controversial story such as this? What ethical standards do editors follow?
• How people being investigated respond to the press. How does it feel to have a call from reporters? Are people honest in their remarks?

Following the film segment, ask students to work individually or in their groups to develop the points they want to make during class discussion on the following day.

3. Wednesday

Post the questions from step 4 and have students share perspectives. What values seem to conflict with freedom of the press? (Individual’s right to privacy, trust in government, smooth operation of government)

Point out that in this case the press had an influence on the story they were covering. Could such influence ever be negative? (Possibly in cases of terrorism or revealing defense secrets) Would possible negative effects justify limiting press freedom?

4. Thursday

Divide the class into four groups, assigning one to newspapers, one to newsmagazines, one to television news, and one to radio news. Each group’s task is to determine what roles the press is most helpful to people in fulfilling. Groups may want to create a chart on which they can keep track of the stories, column inches, or minutes of news devoted to each area (note that the roles are not mutually exclusive; a story could be useful to a person in several roles). What kinds of stories do not seem to fit any role? Why do they continue to be covered? In what areas does the press do an especially good job?

Review for Quiz

5. Friday

Quiz student’s understanding of Watergate and the First Amendment.

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