CBC Archives

As a class, brainstorm the types of news-providing media from which students get their information. Ask: Which do you prefer? Why? What do you think makes that medium effective?

Direct students to The transition from writer to editor on the topic Peter Gzowski: Voice of Canada on the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site. Have them review it and the references to different types of media. Students then choose a current news story that appears in the newspaper and on television and the radio. They complete the download sheet Media Comparison to compare the way each medium treats the story. Using the information on the completed download sheet, students write a one-page report.

Assessment Tip
Be sure reports include an introduction, a body, and a conclusion, and that points made in the report are supported by details and inferences from the material that students examined. Their work should also include evidence of the writing process.

Have students revise and hand in their reports. As a class, revisit the brainstorming list from the beginning of the activity. Ask: Do you still prefer the same news medium? Why? What, if anything, changed your mind?

Students can examine Gzowski's comments that “newspapers really relate to what people do” and that the radio is a “village bulletin board.” How do these comments relate to the existence of the new medium of the Internet?