Evaluating messages behind what you watch

Faced with so much “spin” how can we evaluate the background and point of view of the news, the movies and contemporary music we watch? Lars Dahle offers the following guide to “develop a more critical awareness of the messages they receive, and of the worldview behind them”.

• NEWS: Questions to consider when watching the news(by Lars Dahle)
• DOCUMENTARIES: Questions to ask when watching a documentary(by Lars Dahle and Philip Lindholm)
• SOAPS / TV SERIES: Questions for reflections on soap operas and tv series(by Ingvild Thu Kro)
• TV COMMERCIALS: Questions to ask in the commercial break(by Eivind Algrøy)
• NOVELS: Questions to ask about a novel (by Mark Meynell)
• MUSIC: Questions to ask of albums(by Mark Meynell)
• MOVIES: Questions to consider when watching a film(by Tony Watkins)
• POPULAR HISTORY: Questions to ask of popular history(by Mark Meynell)
• COMICS: Questions to ask of comics(by Bjørn-Are Davidsen)
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Questions for exploring the implications of social media (by Krish Kandiah)

We recommend the use of these insightful and practical resources in families, churches, schools and other educational institutions. For further media awareness resources, please consult CultureWatch – a key resource from Damaris UK.