UNSPIN THE G8

What, Why, How?

UNSPIN THE G8 is a temporary toolkit for the analysis of media reports during the run-up to the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm, Germany (6-8 June 2007).

UNSPIN THE G8 focuses on the clashing discourses and media representations of the players: world leaders, issue celebrities, activists, social movements, security forces, industry leaders and lobby groups. What are all these actors telling us? And how do mass media cover the G8 Summit and the G8 protests?

During the run-up to the summit, UNSPIN THE G8 will serve as a collaborative blog deconstructing G8 PR and media coverage. Everyone can join. It’s simple: upload a piece of video, or audio, a newspaper clipping or a press statement. It can be an eight o’clock news report, a press statement, an interview with an official, a photo, a background article from a newspaper, or any other media product.

Then analyse: what’s the full story of the interview, statement, news item or article?

For video, you could look at what the images suggest. How do editing, voice over, framing, music, point-of-view, insert shots, etc. contribute to a story? What parts of a statement have been selected, and which have been left out? Who were interviewed, and what impression do these people leave on you? What do you sense when you look at the item? Do you believe the story? If several viewpoints are presented, which one seems more trustworthy and important to you, and why is that? What is the relevance of the item and why did the editors choose to broadcast this story?

For newspaper clippings, you could have a look at the headline: what does it suggest? On what page and in what section did the article appear? Have other papers covered the same story, and how do they present it? What sources are quoted and what opinions have been included and excluded?

Other users can comment on or add to the first analysis.

[http://www.unspintheg8.org/faq/what-why-how]

24.06.2007