1. Bearing the concept of cognitive frameworks in mind, watch a story on the news or read a story in a newspaper. Consider how someone with cognitive frameworks different from yours might interpret the story and compare that with your own interpretation. Try this approach for both national and international news items.

2. Consider the ability of news media set the news agenda and frame news stories, compare and contrast a national or international news story as depicted in a United States National Newspaper such as the New York Times or Washington Post and an International Newspaper, access newspapers around the world from http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/. 

3. Think of an example in which a politician framed a news story so that the public reached a conclusion that the politician desired. What skills do you need to be a critical consumer of the news? Do you have these skills?

4. Considering that most news outlets are commercial enterprises, what makes one news story preferable to another?

5. Discuss media ownership as a component of a new story. What influence, if any, do media owners wield in the news cycle?

6. How can the journalistic norm of objectivity and the dramatic imperative lead to distortions of the news?

7. Discuss the evolution of journalism and journalist norms with the advent of the internet and social media.

7. What is the mutual exploitation model, and how do economic forces and self-interest drive the media and elites to choose to cater to each other’s needs?