Citizen Television

In 1999, eighteen months after the broadcast of Ofra
Bikel''s documentary, The Case for Innocence on PBS''s
current affairs program, Frontline three
men wrongly accused for crimes they did not commit
were exonerated. Similarly, in 2002 Bikel produced
another exposé entitled, An Ordinary Crime about a
young man who spent four years in jail for an armed
robbery he did not commit. A new trial was ordered
less than a month after the documentary''s air date on
Frontline. The district attorney ultimately
dismissed the charges, and released Terence Garner
from prison. Mass media has the power to galvanize
public opinion, as evidenced in these examples. The
television current affairs documentary in particular,
because of its accessibility has the potential to
educate in the grand tradition of the Griersonian
documentary and bolster civic engagement. Can new
technologies mushrooming in the 21st century have
further potential in harnessing intellectual freedom?
Can they become additional vehicles in helping to
build democratic societies? This book explores
several themes, including informal modes of learning,
social movements and mass media, and their
implications for democracy.

Autorentext

Rosa has earned a graduate degree in Journalism, as well as anM.A. in Educational Studies from Concordia University (Canada). She is particularly interested in the juncture between media,human agency, and the collective action for social change. She lives in Montreal with her husband and three children.

Klappentext

In 1999, eighteen months after the broadcast of Ofra Bikel's documentary, The Case for Innocence on PBS's current affairs program, Frontline threemen wrongly accused for crimes they did not commitwere exonerated. Similarly, in 2002 Bikel producedanother exposé entitled, An Ordinary Crime about ayoung man who spent four years in jail for an armedrobbery he did not commit. A new trial was orderedless than a month after the documentary's air date onFrontline. The district attorney ultimatelydismissed the charges, and released Terence Garnerfrom prison. Mass media has the power to galvanizepublic opinion, as evidenced in these examples. Thetelevision current affairs documentary in particular,because of its accessibility has the potential toeducate in the grand tradition of the Griersoniandocumentary and bolster civic engagement. Can newtechnologies mushrooming in the 21st century havefurther potential in harnessing intellectual freedom?Can they become additional vehicles in helping tobuild democratic societies? This book exploresseveral themes, including informal modes of learning,social movements and mass media, and theirimplications for democracy.