How can an audience’s prior knowledge affect a speech? What percentage of an informative…

1. Visit an online news Web site such as CNN, MSNBC, or PBS NewsHour. Select a news video on a topic that interests you and watch it a few times. Identify the ways in which the speaker(s) adapt the presentation to be informative and frame the topic. Discuss your results with your classmates.

2. Watch a news program and write down the words that could be considered to communicate values, bias, or opinion. Share and compare with the class.

3. Watch a news program and find an example that you consider to be objective, “just the facts,” and share it with the class.

4. Note how television programs (or other media) use novelty to get your attention. Find at least three headlines, teaser advertisements for television programs, or similar attempts to get attention and share with the class.

5. How can an audience’s prior knowledge affect a speech? What percentage of an informative presentation do you expect an audience to remember? Why?