Research:

Investigate the social and political "scene" of the 1970's, especially noting themes and events which had an impact on the television news industry. Discover trends in the news business which coincided with the political and social developments you explore. For instance, as we will have seen in class by then, the Vietnam War experience resulted in documentaries critical of the government's handling of the war. What else was going on (in politics, civil rights, energy, world affairs, news media)? Assume the beginning of your discussion to be the election of Richard Nixon in 1972 and the "endpoint" to be the conclusion of the Iran hostage crisis on January 20, 1980. Consider the relationship between government and the media at key points during the decade.

Write/Present:

You may break this project down among you as you wish. Plan to make a presentation to class on Tuesday, April 24 outlining your findings. Feel free to use videos to illustrate key points. Summarize your investigation in a collaborative paper of about 10-12 pages.