Quick Thought: One of my favorite stories in media. Going from a magazine article that was featured on 60 Minutes and then turned into a full length feature film called “The Insider.” You’ll see how the story is released in magazine form, becomes a HUGE scandal (TV), then evolves, changes, and becomes an entertainment product (film). While the idea of cigarettes are bad for you is obvious to your generation, without this story… maybe it wouldn’t be.

Links:

https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/1996/05/wigand199605

Prompts:

Required: Vanity Fair – it ain’t short! But was read earlier.

Required: Watch the 60 minutes piece and the film, The Insider.

Required: Would you do what Wigand did knowing what happened to him? Would you blow the whistle?

Required: What three questions would you ask Wigand?

Required: Any overlap and comparison to Ellsberg?

Consider using the Media Law & Media Ethics chapters at the end of the textbook to inform your work.

Can you understand the points of view of CBS? 60 Minutes? Lowell Bergman? Jeffrey Wigand? Can you approach it from a media law & media ethics POV?

Should artists take creative license to tell a true story?

There are so many other questions and ideas I have but with only one more to go after this… I want to see what you can do.

Word Count:

1000 words but if you’re struggling my suggestion is to really go further.