Spring 2010: Producers Create “Citizen McCaw 2 DVD Learning Resource” for Free Distribution to 500 Journalism Education Programs Nationwide
The Producers of Citizen McCaw (l to r) Chuck Minsky, Rod Lathim, Sam Tyler, Peter Seaman, and Brent Sumner have created and distributed for free to every journalism school in America a new ethics teaching resource.
“I have to say that I was truly impressed with the Citizen McCaw learning resource DVDs. I teach a senior level Media Ethics class and on the advice of one of my colleagues in film, I decided to base the first part of our term on the issues brought up in McCaw.”—Southern Oregon University Professor
After initial screenings of Citizen McCaw, we received numerous requests from educators asking if they could screen the film in their journalism classes. We made the film available to the University of California Berkeley, Southern Oregon University, and Santa Barbara City College, among others. The responses from both teachers and students - some of which are included on the FAQ page of this site - were so overwhelmingly positive that it encouraged us to expand the program. We developed a second learning resource DVD, as well as a companion teaching guide, and are now making them all available at no cost to every journalism school in the country. Hopefully, the hard learned lessons of Citizen McCaw will inspire future journalists for years to come.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE CITIZEN MCCAW STUDY GUIDE HERE
Educators: Contact Professor Susan Paterno of Chapman University, the guide’s author, for classroom ideas at paterno@chapman.edu
A note from the producers to journalism educators throughout America …
In 2006, a disturbing drama began to unfold in our hometown of Santa Barbara, California. The super rich publisher of our local newspaper declared ‘war’ on her editors and staff and embroiled the whole town in a bitter, litigious, and mutually destructive battle that continues today, years after it began. Big money, celebrities, demonstrations, 1st amendment rights, lawyers, trials, unionization by the Teamsters, more lawyers, even allegations of child pornography. The story had it all. Except one thing. Someone to tell it.
The Santa Barbara News-Press’ refusal to report on itself (at least in any meaningful, balanced way) was the motivation for us, a group of local filmmakers, to step forward and make sure the story got told. Citizen McCaw, which premiered in 2008, is the result.
We are giving our film and a companion learning DVD to 500 journalism programs all over the country in hopes that educators and students will use this ‘cautionary tale’ as inspiration. In the film, veteran reporter Sander Vanocur says about future journalists, “We need you. The country needs you.”
The crucial ethical issues involved in the News-Press story are textbook. But the personalities, passions, and dramatic turn of events in Citizen McCaw bring them to life in a real and compelling way. Every journalism student should have the opportunity to learn about and reflect upon what happened in Santa Barbara.
If you, as a journalism educator did not receive your free Citizen McCaw 2 DVD Learning Resource, or if you need additional copies, please contact us.
