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Video Links

• Video 1: Dee Snider’s PMRC Senate Hearing Speech: In 1985, a Senate hearing was instigated by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) that wanted to introduce a parental warning system that would label all albums containing offensive material. The system was to include letters identifying the type of objectionable content to be found in each album (e.g., O for occult themes, S for sex, D for drugs, V for violence, etc.). Dee Snider, John Denver, and Frank Zappa all testified against censorship and the proposed warning system. Such a system was never implemented, but the result of the hearing brought about what is now the generic “Parental Advisory: Explicit Content” label.

• Video 2: Frank Zappa at PMRC Senate Hearing on Rock Lyrics: The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual via labeling and censorship.

• Video 3: “Media Institution: Crash Course Government and Politics” by Crash Course: So today we’re going to look at the rather thorny issue of the media and its role in politics. Whether you’re talking about older forms of media like newspapers and radio or newer forms like television and the Internet, all media serves the same purpose--to provide information to the public. So we’re going to discuss their strengths and weaknesses and examine how both content creators and consumers play a role in the information that is told. It could be argued that because the media only relays information it isn’t important to the American political system, but when you look more closely at what and how this information affects voters as well as their elected officials, we can more clearly see its importance as a political institution.

• Video 4: “Net Neutrality is dead, now what?” by The Verge: The FCC’s Net Neutrality rollback officially went into effect on June 11, clearing the way for paid prioritization and lots of other sketchy behavior from telecom companies. So what does the Internet look like without net neutrality rules?

Web Resources

• Web 1: CrashCourse: High-quality educational videos used by teachers and learners of all kinds.

• Web 2: Media Burn, Rostenkowski: Political Documentaries, ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors in Congress? Cameras would never be permitted in closed door meetings today, but in 1981, we managed to shoot a rare peek at an orientation for newly elected House Democrats (including Harold Washington). In it, Majority Whip Dan Rostenkowski, with his typical tell-it-like-it-is attitude, explains to the freshmen how things are done in DC.

Audio Link

• Audio 1: Radiolab Presents: More Perfect--One Nation, Under Money: An unassuming string of 16 words tucked into the Constitution grants Congress extensive power to make laws that impact the entire nation. This seemingly all-powerful tool has the potential to unite the 50 states into one nation and protect the civil liberties of all. But it also challenges us to consider: When we make everything about money, what does it cost us?