"Media Project" series aims to train TV news viewers to question what they see - The Denver Post

"Media Project" series aims to train TV news viewers to question what they see - The Denver Post.

"Media Project" series aims to train TV news viewers to question what they see
Joanne Ostrow The Denver Post Article

It's easy to parody the familiar rhythms of TV news. Perky field reporters and self-important anchors—it's so much background noise, perfect for a "Weekend Update" sketch or "Ron Burgundy" bit. The more serious abuses of what passes for news are harder to spot. "The IFC Media Project," debuting Tuesday at 6 p.m. on the Independent Film Channel (Comcast channel 503), aims to promote media literacy, inspiring younger viewers in particular to question what they see.

The half-hour shows take the mainstream media to task for excesses and lapses and train viewers to detect spin. Among the topics on the six-part series' agenda:

TV news' obsession with abducted-white- girl stories.

 The winking propaganda disseminated by the Bush administration through the use of "embedded reporters" in Iraq.

 The failure of the media to adequately report the looming economic crisis on Wall Street.

The goal is admirable and the style is fresh, thanks to correspondent Gideon Yago (formerly of MTV), executive producer Meghan O'Hara (a longtime collaborator with filmmaker Michael Moore) and co-producer Nick McKinney ("The Daily Show" and Morgan Spurlock's "30 Days").

The execution can be problematic. As in Moore's earlier efforts, the tone is at times terminally hip and overreaching. O'Hara, who served as a producer on Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Bowling for Columbine" and "Sicko," is the creator of "The IFC Media Project." Her interest is encouraging consumers to look beyond the surface to decipher the agenda of what's presented as news.

Part of being media literate is knowing the origin of a message — is it corporate or government spin? Another part is not buying every criticism of big media. The series' animated segments about media motivations are calculated to appeal to young viewers. A recurring "media encyclopedia" offers tips on common practices, like use of the word "allegedly."

The idea is sound: Watch with a critical eye rather than let ideas wash over you in the mesmerizing blue light of the tube. O'Hara's stated goal is "to give a sobering wake-up call to anyone who takes the media at face value."