Communication

Technological advances are rapidly redefining the news industry-and raising critical ethical concerns. Is the Internet's ability to deliver instant news and to track audience behavior resulting in lower news standards? And is TV news blurring the line between hard news and infotainment? In this two-part NewsHour program, syndicated columnist Richard Reeves; former broadcaster Marvin Kalb, of the Shorenstein Center; Ann McDaniel, Washington bureau chief of Newsweek; David Talbot, of Salon.com; and Fox news anchor Bill O'Reilly discuss these and other questions, as well as the intriguing view that today's ultra-vigilant media is actually raising the ethical bar, exposing scandals that formerly went unreported. (27 minutes)

In 1940s American cinema, they were made for each other. This magnificent program captures how Frank Capra used James Stewart to project a message of an ideal America, perhaps best illustrated in their 1946 collaboration, It's a Wonderful Life. It also details their biographies and first meeting on the set of 1939's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Stewart's later career is examined-primarily his collaborations with Hitchcock on Rope, Rear Window, and Vertigo-but the program argues that Stewart's time with Capra produced a cinematic ideal vision of what man could be." (27 minutes, color and b&w)"

After the veritable riot that ensued from his 1938 radio directorial effort, The War of the Worlds," Hollywood recognized the extraordinary genius of Orson Welles. A contract with RKO Studios and full creative control over his masterpiece Citizen Kane soon followed...and then he married Rita Hayworth. This robust program juxtaposes the biographies of Welles and Hayworth. Career pressure led to the end of their marriage: Hayworth's iconic portrayal in the title role of Gilda, and Welles' The Stranger are discussed, among others, as well as the testimony to their only collaborative effort, The Lady from Shanghai. (27 minutes, color and b&w)"

This program explores the characteristics that define a desirable audience, the history of audience ratings, and the ways in which audiences are assessed. Because the mass media is supported largely by selling time and space to marketers, it has evolved into the main delivery vehicle for advertising, in which the company offering a product or service is the true consumer and the attention of the viewer is the product that is being bought. With billions of advertising dollars at stake, marketers, social psychologists, and statisticians carry out sophisticated demographic and psychographic studies to narrow audiences into well-defined consumer groups. On the back end, the Nielsen television rating system uses people meters" on TVs to determine if viewers are in fact watching what advertisers thought they would. This program also debates the manipulative nature of television and includes a portion of Newt Minnow's "Vast Wasteland" speech. This video is an indispensable resource for understanding the dynamics of media/audience interaction. (30 minutes)"

What is it like to work in one of the world's most exciting communications industries? Going behind the scenes on the set of the TV show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, this program provides an inside look at careers in television and film. Interviews with industry professionals provide a clear picture of the training, duties, and job opportunities offered by the positions of producer, assistant producer, director, assistant director, stuntperson, special effects technician, makeup artist, wardrobe specialist, camera operator, lighting technician, audio technician, gaffer, grip, and best boy. A Meridian Production. (26 minutes)

The Bush administration marketed and sold the war in Iraq to the American people. How and why did the press buy it, and what does that say about the role of journalists in helping the public sort out fact from propaganda? In this program, veteran journalist Bill Moyers, award-winning producer Kathleen Hughes, and their investigative team piece together the reporting and political spin that shaped the public mind prior to, during, and following the 2003 invasion. Exposing the disappearance of a watchdog mentality in mainstream newspaper and TV journalism, the documentary also highlights the work of intrepid Knight Ridder reporters who dug beneath the surface of administration claims-only to be drowned out by the drums of war. Further insight comes from journalists Dan Rather, former anchor of CBS Evening News; Tim Russert of NBC's Meet the Press; Bob Simon of 60 Minutes; and Walter Isaacson, former chairman of CNN. (87 minutes)

Jon Stewart is considered one of America's top social and comedic voices. In this program, veteran journalist Bill Moyers interviews Stewart, the long-standing anchor of the award-winning Daily Show with Jon Stewart, about why so many viewers get their news and analysis from his fake news show. Does humor have a role to play in ensuring an informed public? Also on the program, Josh Marshall, influential political blogger, gives his perspective on the role of politics in the recent firings of federal prosecutors and Bill Moyers remembers David Halberstam. Broadcast date: April 27, 2007. (55 minutes)

Local news is the heartbeat of democracy, so why is it disappearing from communities around the nation? In this program, Bill Moyers talks with journalist Rick Karr and media activist Hannah Sassaman about the uncertain future of America's low-power radio stations, which in many cases are the last media outlets covering important local events. Also, Moyers and FCC Commissioner Michael Copps discuss regulatory rules being considered that will redefine the ownership and control permitted media conglomerates. What would an even stronger Big Media mean for objectivity and the marketplace of ideas, and what are the potential implications for the Internet-currently free and unfettered? Broadcast date: August 24, 2007. (58 minutes)

A pioneer of video art in the 1970s, Bill Viola has spent three decades creating evocative motion-picture and sound installations. This program gets inside his creative process, recording his reflections on his life and work. Exploring his childhood, his struggles as a student, and his feelings about his mother's death, the program focuses on Viola's intuitive sensibility and his approach to universal human experiences. His recollections of nearly drowning as a boy, and his statements on childbirth and its resonance in Medieval and Renaissance art, underscore the spirituality and scope of his vision. Also included is the bonus feature Bill Viola and the Making of Emergence, used with permission, (c) J. Paul Getty Trust. (75 minutes)

In 2005, a handful of Danish cartoons sparked a worldwide debate over freedom of expression-and the freedom to express religious outrage. Was a violent Islamic backlash against caricatures of the prophet Mohammed justified? Can democracy and fundamentalism coexist in the global community? This program travels to Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Qatar, and Turkey, as well as to France and Denmark, in search of answers. Viewers will encounter a wide array of perspectives from influential figures-such as Raed Hlayhel, the Danish Imam who moved to Lebanon to spearhead protests; Sheikh Yusef al-Qaradawi, the al-Jazeera Islamic televangelist who called for a day of anger" against the cartoons; and leading staff members of newspapers that published them. (54 minutes)"

Book publishing is both the oldest and the smallest of the mass media industries. With commentary by the president of Allyn & Bacon, a regional manager of Barnes & Noble, and the owner of the large, independent Tattered Cover Book Store, this program provides a detailed look at how trade and educational/reference books are made, sold, and marketed. Also discussed is the perception of book publishing as a glamorous career field, in spite of the hard reality of low profits and wages. In addition, talk-show footage of William F. Buckley, Jr., and Madeline Cartwright, author of For the Children, adds insights into the experiences of book authors. Despite competition from TV, magazines, and the World Wide Web, sales figures continue to show that books are holding their own as a method of mass communication. (28 minutes)

In 1927, Herbert Hoover made TV history by appearing in one of America's first experimental broadcasts; 33 years later, the televising of the Kennedy-Nixon debates changed the face of political history forever. This program covers the progress of broadcast TV, from experimental novelty, to its emergence as a mass media powerhouse, and on to its current state as an industry with declining audience-share. In addition, the growth of public television and the symbiotic nature of the network-affiliate relationship are discussed. Can this once-dominant medium, now eroded by cable TV, VCRs, the Internet, and Nintendo, regain its past glory? This program is a necessary resource for any study of the history of broadcast television and its role in American culture. (28 minutes)

This program details the history of this dynamic medium from its modest beginnings. In 1949, cable meant television for locations that had very poor reception or were inaccessible to broadcast signals. By the mid-1970s, cable service began to expand rapidly due to the easing of government restrictions and the use of satellite transmissions. Fiber optics, new cable-ready TVs, and an explosion of programming by an ever-growing number of networks helped to increase the number of available channels from a mere handful to hundreds. In the 1990s, with nearly 60 percent of American households wired for cable, it drew close to parity with the Big Three networks and PBS. More recently, cable has come to mean Internet access as well. For many people, the TV is now a source of personal communication, expanded learning and entertainment, and shopping as viewers use e-mail and the World Wide Web from their TVs. As the world reaps the possibilities of media convergence, what else will come down the cable pipeline? (28 minutes)

Can liberal talk radio succeed? What is the right mix of humor and political advocacy that turns airtime into market share? In this ABC News program, Chris Bury evaluates the liberal radio network Air America Radio-and the undeniably enormous success of conservative radio, an integral part of the Republican Party infrastructure. Will The O'Franken Factor beat Rush Limbaugh and his colleagues at their own game and balance the political airwaves? A panel discussion moderated by Ted Koppel follows the report. (23 minutes)

Furrowed brows, widened eyes, clenched teeth-such signals reveal a great deal about our leaders, and they also influence our reactions to media images. This program investigates ways in which facial expressions and nonverbal communication determine political charisma and power. Presenting examples from a wide range of historical and current sources, the film shows how psychologists diagram and analyze media images of politicians. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton are studied, as well as French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Commentators include the eminent psychologist Dr. Paul Ekman and renowned political philosopher Dr. Roger D. Masters. Not available in French-speaking Canada. (48 minutes)