Media Deconstruction

Who produced this document, and for what purpose?

This document was produced by TheBlaze.com.  According to the website, the company is out to seek the truth and claims not to have political party affiliation.  The website does, however, mention God and faith.  Although it is unclear, it appears the goal of this organization is to report news with a Christian stance.  The magazine is produced to disseminate the information that is also found on the website.

When was this produced, and what was its historical context?

This document was published in May 2014.  At this time, the country had just begun to adopt the common core, so the program was very new.  It instantly has become a political argument, and this publication seems to be grabbing onto it and running.

Who is the target audience?

Theblaze.com was founded by libertarian Glenn Beck, so it is likely targeting other politically conservative people. 

What are the messages communicated?

The main message that I see when I view this cover page is that the common core is bad because it is associated with “collective” thought.  The magazine describes this as a threat to our children.  I also get the message that this publication has Christian influences, because there are other headlines related the Christianity.

What techniques are used to attract and hold attention?

The biggest attraction on the cover is the logo.  The Blaze is bright red and huge.  It draws attention and then immediately the cover is noticed.  The word “collective” is large and bright.  The graphic of a thought bubble connected to the children suggests they are all thinking the same thing.  This graphic is simple but attracts attention and tells a story.

How might people interpret this message differently?

I think a big difference in interpretation would depend a lot on political party affiliation.  I generally identify with more liberal ideas, so when I saw this cover I thought “Oh geez, here we go with the fear-mongering”.  However, someone who identifies with libertarian/conservative viewpoints may see this as information that confirms their beliefs.  They may be more receptive to the message.  Likewise, a teacher will view this message  very differently than a non-teacher, simply because teachers know and understand more about the common core than those who are not on the front lines of education in this country.

Who might benefit from (and who might be harmed by) this message?

This message seems to have the most benefit for anyone looking to attack the common core, or blame education woes on the current political administration.  However, it is clear that this message can cause harm to the most important people involved – the students.  If a student sees this message and gets the idea that what he is learning in school is “collective” thought, or that his education is not valuable due to changes in curriculum, he might be less likely to become involved or may grow skeptical and detached.  This message also directly harms anyone who is working hard to utilize the common core and help students learn.

What information or perspective is left out of this message?

This message does not include the perspective of the positive changes the common core seeks to create in the education system.  It does not seem to include the perspective of teachers.  It seems to falsely represent the perspective of students by creating the impression that the students are thinking about the headline.

Is this an accurate and credible representation?

I do not feel this is accurate, and I am not sure whether or not it is credible.  The website claims no political affiliation, yet the publication dances on topics that are clearly split on party lines.  The article attacks the common core by accusing it of endangering the independence of our children.  I do not feel this is accurate, because it is loaded with opinion rather than fact.  I don’t necessarily feel it is credible, because who is theblaze.com to be commenting on education in the US?

Text and Subtext

The text includes:

TheBlaze (title)

·         Headline: Collective: The common core’s threat to our kids, our freedom, and our future.

·         Sub headlines: Duck Dynasty: Willie Robertson on the testing of faith and purpose; Higher ed: the top five ways colleges waste your money; World: mapping the rise of Christian persecution around the globe; Energy: it's clean, powerful, and reliable.   So why do we fear nuclear power?

The subtext includes:

·         All children will think the same because of the common core

·         The common core is a bad thing

Language of persuasion

The language of persuasion that is most clearly used is fear and explicit claims.  The headline states that the common core threatens our kids, freedom and future.  That is a huge fear inducing statement.  Describing the common core as “collective” also be viewed as an explicit claim.  This could also be viewed as “The Big Lie”, because it is clear that the common core is NOT out to threaten these things.  Timing is also a factor, because this magazine was published right at the time that common core was brand new and the public was just beginning to learn about it.