A compilation of 40 video excerpts selected for use in media literacy studies, Scanning Television is--like its ostensible subject--a mixed bag. The opener, Seeing Ourselves: Media and Representation contains 13 segments, ranging from 4-14 minutes in length, covering a variety of topics, including the portrayal of supermodels in a car commercial, controversial public service announcements on gangs and gay-bashing, minorities on television, and ad campaigns run by companies such as Benetton and Nike. Primarily drawn from Canadian television, the pieces date back to 1995 and earlier, making their relevance as a current snapshot of TV somewhat debatable. Some segments, such as "Cat Lovers Change a Car Ad" offer an interesting slice-of-life on consumer power; others are bafflingly content-less (the examination of an ad for Nike, for example, is--as near as I could tell--a puff piece on the ad for Nike). With the exception of a "violent" clip from the animated Batman series (which is nothing compared to a current show like South Park), you won't see much in the way of popular television here; in fact, most of the entries on the first volume come from Canadian Citytv, with an emphasis on Toronto-related material. The accompanying teacher's guide is comprehensive, however, and there is a dearth of decent material on media literacy, so consider this an optional purchase--particularly in Canada. Aud: H, C. (R. Pitman)
Scanning Television
(1997) 4 videocassettes, 41-88 min. each. $229 (teacher's guide included). PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 0-7747-0172-2. Vol. 13, Issue 4
Scanning Television
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