Do you believe what the media is telling you about the September 11 attacks, the war on Afghanistan, the anthrax outbreaks and everything else that has happened over the last six weeks? Are you getting the whole story from CNN and The Boston Globe?

A group of students at the College of Public and Community Service think we all need to “read between the lines” of the mass media coverage to begin to understand the crisis and its aftermath, and they will be holding a workshop for November 16, 9:00-11:00 am, in the CPCS Atrium on the 4th floor of Wheatley Hall.

Using examples from the media coverage we see and hear every day, students and participants in the workshop will look at a few of the many ways in which the mass media “spins” the news, limits the viewpoints offered to the public, fails to examine the context of the attacks and the consequences of the US war, and in general sensationalizes issues rather than getting to the root of them.

“Can I trust the media? When I’m listening to Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings, I have to read between the lines to understand what is happening,” said Constine Mattier, one of the students.

“If they say this isn’t a religious war, then why are they calling it ‘good vs. evil’?” asked another student, Sandra Reilly. “I hope this workshop will open up peoples’ minds and make them think.”

“In order to participate in a democracy and make informed decisions, people need to receive all the information about issues effecting our lives, and right now people are being deceived by the mainstream media,” said Jane Regan, teacher of the Media Literacy/Community Action class which decided to hold the workshop as part of a series looking at Sept. 11 and the aftermath. “Through this workshop we hope to provoke discussions that will help us all be more critical of the mainstream media.”

Come and participate on Nov. 16 and help fellow students, professors and staff dissect the coverage and read between the lines. The workshop runs from 9 to 11 am. Refreshments will be served.