These quick exercises provide an opportunity for students to interact with the local community and to continue research of topics discussed throughout the chapter. 

1. Interview the editorial staff of your school newspaper. Ask the editor how decisions are made regarding the leading stories in the paper. What qualifies as news? Who makes decisions about the content of the paper and what appears as the lead story on the front page? Is it done by the entire news staff or by a small group?

2. Media watchdog groups such as the Center for Media and Public Affairs and Accuracy in Media track major news stories, checking reporters’ facts or exposing their biases. Select a current news story and observe how both groups examine it. Do they reveal any different or new information about the story?

3. Project Censored is a media research group founded at Sonoma State University in 1976. The group of faculty, students, and community members publishes an annual list of 25 news stories of social significance that have been overlooked, underreported, or self-censored by the major national news media. Go to the Project Censored website to review the most recent list of news stories. What social problems are identified by these stories? What might be done to promote these stories in mainstream media?

4. Research suggests that women’s magazines also promote a traditional gender ideology. Review four women’s magazines and identify the images of women presented. Through the articles and advertisements, how do these magazines promote feminism, independence, beauty, or social class?

5. File sharing is restricted by U.S. copyright law. Under this law, copyright owners have the right to control copies and distribution of their original material. Throughout the United States, colleges and universities have implemented policies for P2P (person-to-person) file sharing including documents, software, music, and movies. What is your university’s policy regarding file sharing? How is it enforced? Do you believe it is an effective policy? Why or why not?