Introduction

Given the focal position of the mass media in American society, there can be little argument about the relevance of mass media, especially TV, studies to the study of the English language. Media discourse is always a reflection of a society in which it is created. The purpose of this paper is to present a way of teaching American media discourse. I see such a course as aiming at:

1) developing students’ ability to understand and interpret American TV messages;
2) exposing students’ to the peculiarities of American media language;
3) increasing students’ political and social vocabulary;
4) broadening students’ knowledge of contemporary American culture;
5) developing students’ ability to create their own English language media discourses.

To meet the above-mentioned objectives the paper will consist of two parts. In its first part, geared to meet the fourth objective of the course, the paper attempts a contrastive study of American and Russian TV news discourses in terms of the following characteristics: 1) how the world is represented (selection of events, sites etc); 2) what identities are set up for those involved (role of anchorpersons, reporters, news editors). The second part will contain a sample lesson whose inclusion in the paper is warranted by my desire to show various activities a teacher of English can engage his or her students in both in and outside the classroom to fulfil the first, second, third, and fifth objectives of the course. Obviously, the format of the sample lesson is best suited for the treatment of extended reports on various issues, especially technical inventions, rather than for the treatment of current news programs. However, if rearranged, the activities can be used when teaching any video material.
 

A Contrastive Study of American and Russian TV News Discourses

In my comparison I will draw upon my experience as a viewer of CNN News and CNBC Nightly News (the latter is broadcast in Russia on Channel 6 at around 8.30. am on weekdays and 9.30 am at weekends). I would like to make some general remarks first. To begin with, American television is more dynamic and even aggressive in relaying information to the viewing audience than Russian TV. It has more commercials that are generally very fast, catchy, intruding. American TV has actually become more an advertising medium rather than a news medium. A news channel may only advertise its own programs during its news time but it will do it in the same dynamic manner as it would advertising any other commercial product.

1) How is the world represented? American TV news selects events to cover strictly according to their sensational value or their audience interest rating. While the Russian TV news programs are also directed towards meeting audience curiosity and interests they have a structure where the main chunks of news areas get covered anyway even if nothing particular sensational has taken place there. I mean here cultural life news, for example, such as theater, cinema, arts. American TV is more specialized in its coverage. One may learn what is happening in business from business news, what is happening in the world from CNN’ World Today, what is happening in cinema from a lengthy cinema review etc. In contrast, Russian TV news is more comprehensive than American TV news. It doesn’t confine its coverage to a hot domestic topic which may have been hot for the last three months and a half. Nor does it confine itself geographically to a particular region most likely the US itself. One can always hope to see a report from major parts of the world in every 8 or 9 o’clock news. Without making far-reaching generalizations, American mass media news discourse reflects American culture in that it is more specialized and Russian mass media news reflects Russian culture in that it is more comprehensive.

2) What identities are set up for those involved? The most characteristic difference between American TV news and Russian TV news concerns the identity of the anchorperson. The role of anchorpersons on American TV news is more rigidly regulated than on Russian TV news. The American TV anchorperson’s identity is that of an information conduit deprived of any freedom to show his or her personal attitude to what he or she is talking about. Neutrality of an observer is the key notion defining American TV news anchorpersons’ identity. They never comment on the information they are relaying or otherwise hint at whether they like or dislike the news. Russian TV news anchorpersons are also restricted in overtly showing their emotions. However, as we may often observe, through a slight change of tone, a smile or a short remark anchorpersons will express their approval, irony, even sarcasm. The same is true about Russian news reporters and even about news editors. Quite often a news text combined with a carefully chosen background picture make you smile or even laugh at the characters or/and situation described. A politically incorrect example would be this one: While talking about Ukrainian objections to Russian criticism of providing Russia with bad quality aircraft, which according to Russian aviation authorities caused an air crash, the picture showed a presumably Ukrainian factory worker with a huge sledge-hammer working on something that looked like a high-tech turbine. This bit of news discourse clearly indicated what the news crew’s evaluation was of the Ukrainian claims that they had sold Russia high quality aircraft. In short, the identities of Russian TV anchorpersons, reporters, and news editors are different from those of their American counterparts since Russian news people seem to be allowed more room to be subjective in their news coverage than their American colleagues. The latter undoubtedly blurs the distinction between news and opinion.
 

Sample Lesson

Walk Tall
From Tomorrow’s World
The latest news from the world of science and technology.
Duration 3 min 32 sec
Transcript

(An image of a shooting gun). The Colt Trooper: in the hands of an expert, deadly at 300 hundred yards-it’ll fire a bullet at over 1,000 miles an hour, with enough power to punch through a car door and devastate anything in its path.

(An image of a metal can pierced by a bullet that has already passed through a car door). Well, there is not much left of that. But if that’s what happens to a metal can after a bullet has already passed through a car door, then just imagine what effect it would have on the human body. But incredibly, this jacket that I am wearing holds the key to survival from any number of attacks from that weapon. It’s lined with a special material made from this stuff. It’s called Kevlar, a man-made fiber developed some years ago which in its raw state is so silky soft, that you can just push your fingers straight through it. But like any fiber it can be spun into a yarn and then woven into a fabric. This fabric can then be bonded together in layers to produce a material that’s actually stronger than steel and it’s the development of a new weaving and bonding technique that’s enabled a small British company to produce a bullet-resistant panel that’s actually lighter and more flexible than ever before. And it’s thinner than a ten pen’s piece.

But although this panel would stop the bullet dead in its path, the body itself would have to absorb the tremendous shock of the impact - some 800 pounds, resulting in severe bruising or indeed the odd broken rib.

And that’s where this little pillow comes in. It’s hardly more than a bag of air, and it’s placed between the panel and the body and it absorbs the impact of the bullet by distributing the energy.
Oh no, even I am not mad enough to stand in the way of a flying bullet, so I’ve got my plasticine stand-in. But in fact this is the usual sort of test for this kind of thing because the plasticine has a similar density to the human body. As you can see, it’s quite soft to the touch. So now let’s give it a go.

Let’s have a look.

Well, it hasn’t created much damage in the panel. As for the plasticine, hardly a mark, a mere indentation. But as for the bullet, it’s made pretty much impression on that.

So, I suppose, wearing one of these a guy can walk tall, and safe.

1. Before the video is shown, the teacher pauses the viewing. The students see the title of the video Walk Tall and the teacher asks these questions: What could the name of the video mean? What do you think the video could be about?

2. The teacher shows the video without sound. At certain points the teacher asks the students questions to test the students’ communication, prediction, and interpretation skills. What’s the man doing? What is going to happen? Why? What has happened? From which direction was the shot fired? What do you think the man is talking about? Why does he tap his jacket when he walks away from the car door? What could the rest of the video be about?

3. The teacher interrupts the viewing seconds before the video is over and asks the students to pair up and guess the ending and work out what they think would be the best ending.

4. The students are asked to work out lists of words that they think they will hear used in the video.

5. The teacher gives the students lists of words they will hear in the video arranged in groups. The students listened to the video without picture. They are asked to define at which points this or that group of words have been used.

6. The students watch the video with sound.

7. The teacher asks the students to:

    7.1. Answer these questions:
        a) Why does the man fire the bullet through the car door?
        b) What’s special about the jacket the man is wearing?
        c) What is Kevlar?

    7.2. Put the sentences in the right order:
        First , a) the fabric is bonded together in layers
        Then, b) the fiber is spun into a yarn
        Finally, c) this is woven into a fabric

    7.3. False or true qualities of Kevlar:
        a) brighter than ever before
        b) stronger than steel
        c) flexible, easy to bend
        d) tremendously thick
        e) lightweight
        f) easily broken
        g) as thin as a 10p coin
        h) silky soft
        i) thinner than a 10p coin.

    7.4.  Fill the gaps.
        a) A British company is now able to produce a … resistant … which serves as a … in the jacket.
        b) This pillow is hardly more than a bag of … . It absorbs the … of the bullet by … the energy of the blow.

    7.5.  Choose the right answers to the question How effective would be the jacket if it was made with the panel by itself, without the air pillow?
        a) The man would fall dead if he was in the path of the bullet.
        b) The panel would stop the bullet dead in its path.
        c) The bullet would injure the man.
        d) The shock of the impact would definitely break a man’s rib.
        e) The impact of 800 pounds would cause severe bruising.

    7.6.  Out of four pictures showing the design of a bullet-proof jacket choose the right one.

    7.7.  Write a report of the test rearranging these sentences (sentences describing the test are given).

    7.8.  Match the words in the first column with the alternative ways of saying the same things in the second column (two columns of synonymous expressions are given).

8. As a home or in-class assignment, the teacher selects one of the following:
    a) What incidents have you seen on TV or heard or read about, that have involved the use of bullet-proofing? Tell each other.
    b) Describe other test experiments you know about.
    c) Design an advertisement for the jacket (e. g. a whole-page advertisement for a police journal).
    d) Write your own commentary for the video, so that younger children could understand it more easily. Record it as an audio track.
    e) Record on an audiocassette a two-minute ‘news item’ to be broadcast on the radio on the occasion of the launching of the jacket onto the market. Record on audiocassette a local radio advertisement for a jacket. Time limit: one minute.
    f) What other specialist clothing can you think of. Make a list. For each item explain the following. Whom is it made for? Why is it made that way? How far is it effective? Design an advertisement for one of the items.
    g) What other uses of Kevlar are there? Do some research and find out.