6. Television

Drawing Fire is a documentary about the work of Paul Conrad, a three-time Pulitzer-winning political cartoonist- and one time entry on Nixon's "enemies list". (Aired on PBS as part of Independent Lens, it is currently available to view in full on youtube.)

Clip: Censorship and Corporatization
Length: 44:20-50:35 (6:15)
Description: Talk about changes in the newspaper environment for political cartooning.
Chapter 4- Newspapers

Quiz:
1. To what two causes does the video contribute the increasing censorship of political cartoons?
2. What is the importance of newspapers in a democracy?
3. Why does John Caroll say "a newspaper that gets zero complaints is a dying newspaper"?


*Alternate links (Part 1, Part 2) if youtube doesn't work for you- Realplayer or Quicktime.

Answers:
1. a) Post September 11, people feared any criticism of the government would be labelled "unpatriotic".
b) Newspapers have become interested in profit over other motives, increasingly conglomerized and afraid of offending corporations in their interest in profit.
2. The press is supposed to inform the public and check the government's powers, both as part of individual civic duty and as intended by the founders by "freedom of press".
3. Alternate voices need to be heard. And maybe the controversy (having something to say) would make more people want to pick up the newspaper.

Bonus clips: Mr. Rogers is called by a senator to help defend funding for public television. And talks about the color tv tests to choose a format.