SN3R

=Advocating Broadcast News Literacy=

__Who We Are:__ || Sydney is from Maple, Ontario. She works with children as a gymnastics coach on the weekends and is a lifeguard at the University of Toronto Mississauga pool during the week. She has a passion for films and aspires to live in Los Angeles one day and work in the film industry. As part of SN3R, Sydney is responible for news articles, filming, editing and posters. ||
 * //**Sydney Pope**//
 *  **//Natalie Joudrey

//** || Natalie is currently working for [|CFRE] - the Erindale Radio station for UTM - as a DJ on Sundays from 4-5 PM. Natalie is from a little town called Vanessa, Ontario. Natalie's goal in life is to become a music video director, something that combines her two interests: music and film production. As part of SN3R, Natalie is responsible for filming, editing, making the PSA for CFRE and creating the YouTube account. || || Rasheed has parlayed his Radio Broadcasting Diploma from Humber College into a job as a radio traffic reporter, and has been on-air with stations in Toronto, Halifax, Moncton and Saint John. A news junkie, sneaker aficionado, and ardent supporter of the Arsenal Football Club, Rasheed still dreams of scoring goals for the [|Gunners] while wearing the new [|Mercurial Vapor Superflys]. As part of SN3R, Rasheed will be responsible for website creation and performance in the group's audio and video productions. ||
 *  **//Rasheed Clarke//**
 * **//Rita Fung//**

|| Rita hails from Vancouver, BC and is very proud that the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held in her hometown. She is passionate about all forms of dance and sings 'till her heart contents. She is currently a singer in the [|CUA] (Christian Unity Association) band at UTM. She has experience in many different fields from past jobs as a radio station helper, receptionist, saleswoman and waitress, but aspires to become a PR agent. As part of SN3R, Rita is responsible for poster design and filming. || || Reem is from Lebanon. She is currently unemployed but is depending on that to change by the time summer begins. She does not know what she wants to do with the rest of her life but figures she has about 60 more years to decide. She enjoys working on software programs such as Illustrator, Flash and Photoshop and has a passion for various social causes. As part of SN3R, Reem will be responsible for script-writing, making and hanging posters, editing and filming. || __Our Cause:__ The broadcast news media provides a vital link between its viewers/listeners and the world at large. Knowledge of events near and far from home creates a well-informed public, capable of well-versed political and civic engagement. The dissemination of this knowledge is the responsibility of the broadcast news media, which, supposedly, presents news worthy events in an objective manner. However, on occasion, such media outlets have permitted their opinions to intertwine with the stories they broadcast. On these occasions, the audience is presented with not only the facts surrounding an event or issue, but a way of thinking about the event or issue. This poses a threat to impressionable audiences who may have their opinions formed //for them// by the leaders of media outlets.
 * **//Reem Aziz//**

To ensure that the public is well-informed, while at the same time not subjected to biased information, it is imperative to hold news broadcasters responsible for any glaring deviations from objectivity. Our campaign seeks to promote awareness of the potential subjectivity of broadcast news and further the engagement of audiences in the production broadcast news by communicating with broadcasters and their governing bodies (such as the [|CAB] and [|CRTC]) when stories are perceived as biased.

__Our Media:__
 * Website:**

We will create a website that outlines our cause and provides examples of biased news presentation. In doing so, we hope to inform viewers of the potential lapses into subjectivity from what is the supposedly objective fourth estate. Further to the presentation of biased news coverage, we will provide information about - and links to - private and government agencies that oversee broadcasting practices to provide viewers with avenues to protest slanted coverage.


 * Viral Video:**

Posted on [|YouTube] (on our own soon-to-be-created channel), our informational video will poke fun at established news presentation practices while highlighting the elements of bias evident that may be present in some broadcasts. The video will direct viewers to our website for additional information about the cause and ways to get involved in combating broadcast news bias.


 * Posters, PSAs, Social Networking Sites:**

We will utilize posters, public service announcements to be aired on [|CFRE], and updates on social networking sites like [|Facebook], [|Twitter] and [|MySpace] to create awareness of, and direct traffic to, our website.

__Our Communication Strategy:__
 * Objective:**
 * To draw traffic to the website and video promoting our cause.


 * Goals:**
 * Create public awareness of biased coverage in broadcast news.
 * Encourage audiences to consume broadcast news with a critical mind.
 * Pressure news broadcasters to provide balanced and well-rounded coverage of news events.


 * Target Audience:**
 * Males and Females aged 18-30.
 * The campaign will primarily be aimed at students and staff at the University of Toronto Mississauga.


 * Key Messages:**
 * 1) News coverage can be biased.
 * 2) Commercial interests prevent broadcasters from airing certain stories.
 * 3) Viewers can pressure broadcasters to present more objective stories (i.e. via letter writing campaigns directed to specific media outlets, the CAB or CRTC).


 * Strategy:**
 * Raise awareness of the website through the use of our viral video and Public Service Announcements airing on the UTM campus radio station, CFRE.
 * Raise awareness of the website and video through the use of posters.


 * Tactics:**
 * Use a viral video (posted on YouTube) to illustrate the dimensions of our cause and direct viewers to our website for further information.
 * Use PSAs on CFRE (UTM's campus radio station) to promote our website.
 * To target UTM students and staff, we will place posters on bulletin boards in the Student Centre, South Building.
 * Promote the website and video through updates on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, MSN status.
 * Face-to-face promotion of our cause through Don Meetings at the UTM Residence Halls and an Information Booth set up in the UTM Student Center.


 * Measurement:**
 * Utilizing Google Analytics, we will track web traffic to our website.
 * We will monitor the number of views our video receives on YouTube.

__External Links:__ An example of the sort of news coverage we're opposed to - [|video of a delightfully biased FOX News anchor].