by Joe Meyer

A Newspaper/TV newscast simulation.

Print these pages and bring them to class.  

IN YOUR GROUP:

First - your group has to decide if it wants to be the editorial team of a NEWSPAPER or a TV NEWSCAST (Six people in a group maximum.)

If you choose to be the editorial staff of a newspaper :        Chose five stories. "Set up" the front page of your newspaper using the five of the stories.   Choose which stories go where on your front page and write a headline for each. You must use only five stories.

If you choose to be the editorial team of a TV newscast :       You must pick the order or the top five stories and describe the video that accompanies each. (Assume you have any video you want). You must use only five stories. 

For Both: For the sake of this exercise, consider all stories "equally true." Of course, time is money, and you have less than twenty minutes to make your decisions and create your product. Each group will simply tell it's choices in order. The first group to finish goes first and like that...

Stories of the day:

IRAQ:   Another 2 US soldiers and a Marine were killed in action today in separate incidents around the country bringing the total US dead to 5000 since the invasion in 2003.

VATICAN CITY:   Pope Benedict XVI died today of a massive heart attack.

GERMANY:   Terrorists attacked a disco and exploded a bomb that killed 54 people.

NASA:   A robotic lander on Mars at the polar region that has tapped into a large reserve of frozen underground water. This lander is bigger and more powerful than all the others that have landed on Mars. It is the first step in setting up a "base camp" to land astronauts on Mars within five to ten years.

CAL-TECH:   The possibility of an earthquake tomorrow is about 28% - the epicenter is unknown, but will be some where in Southern California.

MALIBU:   Massive wild fires have led to floods and evacuations of hundreds of residents (and their pets and horses).

UN:   The seven billionth person was born somewhere in the world today.

TORONTO, CANADA: In a freak accident while on stage filming a commercial for Coke, Britney Spears was badly burned on her face and body. Doctors report she will live, but has third degree burns on over 75 per cent of her body.

NORTHERN IRELAND:   Terrorist attacks have killed ministers from both sides of the new "Unity Government," but the peace agreement seems to be holding.

CALIFORNIA: The divorce rate among homosexual couples has finally caught up with the divorce rate of heterosexual couples in the state (around 50%).

MIDDLE EAST:   Syria and Israel have carried out the first phase of a land for peace deal that seems to hold good news for continuing the peace process.

BRENTWOOD, CA :   Bill Clinton died today of a massive heart attack while on a fund raising speech.

WEST BANK (MIDDLE EAST):   PLO President Mahmood Abbas has announced today the creation of the Palestinian State, a move that Israel and the West say is premature and heightens tensions in the Middle East.

LA:   The Dodgers won a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, 35-4.   Three different Dodgers hit grand-slam home runs in the record setting game.

ALASKA:   A large oil tanker has run aground and is leaking oil.   This spill looks like it will be ten times larger than the previous spill in Prince Williams Sound.

MIT:   Scientists calculate that the global rate of deforestation and desertification is one foot a year and that within 50 years weather and rain patterns will have changed so much the continued existence of humanity is questionable.  

CHICAGO:   In a scene out of a Hollywood movie, four heavily armed men in body armor held up a bank, held hostages, fled on foot, and had a shoot out with police that left twelve people dead, including two police officers and all four gunmen.

NORTH KOREA:   Food shortages have led to massive riots through out the country.   The repressive government appears to have fallen and chaos seems to rule the country.   South Korea is poised to invade to "restore order."

ATLANTA:   The new Miss Teen Miss USA was crowned today.   She is the first beauty contestant to win while in a wheel chair.

RUSSIA: Over two divisions of heavy armor and assault troops invaded Dagestan, a break away repubic insouthern Russia. The Russians have said the acted to stop the violence and the Muslim terrorists who were forming camps there.

MONTANA:   A white supremacist anti-Federal Government militia group was served with a federal search warrant today and the group opened fire killing at least two federal agents and barricading themselves in their "ranch compound."

MEXICO:   A devastating earthquake hit northern Mexico just south of the US boarder.   Hundreds of people were killed, thousands may be wounded.

NEW YORK:  Oil prices sky rocket - the average price of oil is $350 a barrel.  The average price of gasoline will soon be $12.00 a gallon.