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Newspapers and Magazines

Purpose: To help Scouts gather information on a topic, consider how the topic is presented in the media (local, national and/or international) and the impact this has on the opinions that will be formed in the public.

Development Stage:
• Identifying the problems
• Developing Awareness
• Measuring change

Instructions:
• The Scouts and leaders should bring in a wide variety of newspapers and magazines relating to aspects of their Gift for Peace.
• Leaders prepare a list of key topics to be investigated in pieces of cards
• Each topic card is placed in the centre of a display board.
• Scouts then look through all the papers / magazines and cut out anything about the topics that they find – eg articles; headlines; stories; photos; adverts etc.
• The relevant items are then placed on the board around the topic card and added to as more develop.
• Once all of the publications have been looked at / the time for the task is up, Scouts discuss the results of their findings by considering the following questions:
– How are different topics viewed by different media?
– How much coverage is given to different topics?
– Is there a difference of opinion in locally, nationally and internationally?

Alternatives: One topic could be chosen to be followed over several weeks in the media so that changes in attitudes / reporting of the topic can be traced. This can also help the Scouts to explore papers and magazines that they would not normally read.

Equipment Needed: A wide range of newspapers and magazines, display boards and cards with topics on.

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© World Organization of the Scout Movement - 2008

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