Page 159 - The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: English, 2007 (Revised)

Grade 11, Open
2. Ownership and Control
THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | English
By the end of this course, students will:
Regulation
2.1 explain how government regulations and industry codes affect the way in which media companies operate (e.g., examine the role of the CRTC in promoting Canadian content on television and radio; compare and contrast the effects on media businesses of the regulations governing media ownership in Canada and in the United States; analyse several print adver- tisements to see how well they conform to the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards; explain how copyright law and guidelines for protecting intellectual property rights affect the media industry)
Teacher prompt: “How do programming requirements for children’s television shows in Canada affect what is produced and who is allowed to participate?”
Concentration of Ownership and Its Effects
2.2 research the current patterns of media owner- ship and explain the impact of these patterns on access, choice, and range of expression (e.g., identify the owners of each of the media outlets in the local community; identify the holdings of a major media conglomerate and explore the relationships that the holdings have to each other; research the advantages and disadvantages of the media being controlled by a small number of institutions in Canada and in the United States; explain how the concentrated ownership of media can privilege certain perspectives)
Teacher prompts: “Why is it likely that a news report that people read or view in one part of Canada will be exactly the same as in another part? How does that affect the quality of the information that the audience receives?” “What is the largest media company in Canada, what does it control, and how might this affect the choices available to consumers and produc- ers?” “If you were the owner of several media outlets, how could you use your vari- ous companies to promote your latest feature film? What advantages would that give you over an independent film producer?”
Technology and Perspectives
2.3 explain the impact of technology on the perspectives and voices available to media audiences (e.g., explain how the Internet has broadened access to alternative music; explain how computer technology has allowed individuals
and small organizations to publish sophisticated media texts; explain how blogs have provided access to divergent opinions on world events; explain how the cost of access to the Internet can exclude some perspectives from online communities)
Teacher prompts: “Whose perspective is presented in this blog? How does that per- spective differ from the one you hear on
the evening news?” “Why is this video only available online?” “Whose voice is heard? Why?” “How does digital photography allow a wide range of Canadians to share their stories and perspectives?” “Why do Internet ‘hackers’ target large media corporations?” “How does digital recording technology affect the sharing, distribution, and sale of cultural products such as movies and tele- vision shows among a global audience?”
Gatekeepers
2.4 analyse the factors that determine what media texts will or will not be made available to the public (e.g., research how newspapers determine which stories will appear on their front page; research how content ratings are applied to video games; debate controversial music lyrics and the limits on artistic expression; explain how commercial concerns may limit the range of choices available in a bookstore)
Teacher prompts: “Do you think this rap song is likely to be used in television shows or commercials? Why or why not? Do you agree with that reasoning?” “Who decides which video games will be made available to consumers in Canada?”
Impact of New Technology on Industry
2.5 analyse the effects of new technologies on the media industry (e.g., report on the ethical and economic implications of digital sampling in the music industry; examine the effects on the film and television industry of the online proliferation of amateur videos)
Teacher prompt: “How has the newspaper industry been affected by the emergence of online news providers and of ‘citizen journal- ism’? How has the industry reacted?”
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