Level: Grades 11 - 12
Overview
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To introduce students to the organizations, codes and guidelines that govern the broadcasting industry in Canada and to familiarize them with the regulatory process that exists to deal with complaints and issues within the industry. Learning Outcomes
Students demonstrate:
- an understanding of the roles of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), and the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) in the Canadian broadcasting industry
- an understanding of the codes and guidelines that govern the Canadian broadcasting industry
- an awareness of the procedures that have been established to receive and resolve consumers' complaints
- an understanding of how audience negotiates meaning
Preparation and Materials
The following handouts support this unit:
You Be The Judge case studies:
Source: Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
The Lesson
Day 1
Writing their answers on the blackboard, ask your students:
- what are your favourite television programs?
- what are your parent's favourite television programs?
- what do you think of the shows that your parents watch?
- what do they think of the shows that you watch?
Guided Discussion: An important element in media literacy is the concept of Audience. A room full of people can watch the same program, but how we interpret what we see depends on our individual backgrounds and attitudes. Think of your own homes. Shows that you find enjoyable, your parents might find offensive and shows that your parents enjoy, you might find boring. Every day, millions of Canadians — many from very different cultures and backgrounds with different perspectives — watch and listen to the programs that are offered on radio and TV. Not everyone is going to like what they see. People are entitled to their own opinions, but there are times when personal opinion becomes a matter of personal rights.
Ask your students:
- what do you think of the programs that your parents watch?
- generally, what do your parents think about the programs you watch?
- are there a program you enjoy that really offends your parents? Why?
- has there ever been a television program that has offended you? Why?
- what did you do about it? (If one of your students has registered a formal complaint, use his or her experience to lead into the lesson. If none of your students has ever launched a formal complaint, ask your class, "What can you do about material that you find offensive on TV or radio?")
Canada is unique in its regulation of the Canadian broadcasting industry because it uses voluntary codes and guidelines. To ensure standards of quality and fairness, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has developed broadcasting codes as guidelines for radio and television stations across Canada. Although private broadcasters are self regulating, they must adhere to the Violence Code, the Sex-role Portrayal Code and the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children as a condition of licence. But who decides what the rules are, and how they should be interpreted? Let's look at the players in Canada's broadcasting industry. (Distribute and discuss The Players handout.)
Now that we understand the three main players, let's take a look at the complaints process. (Distribute and discuss The CBSC Complaints Process handout.)
Day 2
Guided Discussion: Last class we identified the agencies responsible for broadcasting in Canada and reviewed the complaints process. Today, we are going to review the codes and guidelines that determine the "rules" that the industry must observe when airing programs in Canada.
These codes and guidelines are surprisingly recent, they are:
- The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming (1993)
- The Canadian Association of Broadcasters Sex-role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming (1990)
- Radio and Television News Directors Association Code of Ethics (1986)
- The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) Ethics Code (1988)
Distribute copies of these codes to students to review during this class. Students are to summarize the main points of each of these codes in their workbooks. Remind students that an understanding of these codes is essential for the coming class assignment.
Days 3 and 4
- As a class, review and discuss the students' summaries of broadcasting codes.
Group Assignments
Divide the class into five groups.
Groups will have two classes to complete this portion of the assignment.
Note: If you wish to replace any of these case studies, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council Web site includes a wide variety of decisions.
Day 5
At the beginning of class, each group will submit a copy of their decision and its supporting codes to the teacher, who will then give the group the CBSC's actual verdict. Groups will be given the rest of this period to compare their findings to the CBSC's, and to prepare for their presentation.
Day 6
Each group will present to the class:
- a summary of the complaint
- their decision and relevant sections of the codes
- a summary of the actual CBSC decision and supporting code information
After each presentation, the teacher will ask students if they can think of any other codes that might be relevant to this case study.
Evaluation
- Group marks will be awarded on the basis of the group's Decision Sheet and presentation.
