Research:

Investigate the details and context of the "quiz show scandals" in the U.S. television industry in the 1950's. Explore what actually happened in the quiz shows. (Find video if you can?) Who was Charles Van Doren and what was his role? Were there other key players? What brought about the quiz show affair? Then go beyond what happened to explain what effect the scandals had on government's relationship with the broadcast industry and what effect that had on the news divisions of the major networks. What was the role of Senator Warren Magnusen? Finally, see if you can draw any connection between the quiz show scandals and television news documentaries produced in the late 1950's and early 1960's.

Write/Present:

You may break this project down as you wish among you. Plan to make an oral (and, ideally, visual) presentation to class on Tuesday, February 20 explaining your findings. Summarize your investigation in a collaborative paper of about 10 pages.