Annenberg Public Policy Center

APPC in the News: Report on the Civic Mission of Schools cited by National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools Report, published in September 2011 by the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools and APPC’s Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics, was quoted in a new report and call to action released yesterday at the White House by the United States Department of Education and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The government report, “A Crucible Moment: College Learning and Democracy’s Future,” can be found here along with a new Department of Education road map for advancing civic education that also cites “The Guardian of Democracy.”

FlackCheck.org launches today

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

FlackCheck.org, a counterpart to APPC’s award-winning program FactCheck.org, made its official debut today. The website produces original video parodies that debunk false political advertising, poke fun at extreme language, and hold the media accountable for their reporting on political campaigns. Among the newest additions to FlackCheck.org’s growing library of videos are the first two in a series of attack ads against Abraham Lincoln that raise questions about whether today’s attack tactics might have defeated one of our country’s more beloved presidents.

News Brief: Anderson Cooper twice cites APPC's FactCheck.org during his Dec. 12 "Keeping Them Honest" segment

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Anderson Cooper made two mentions of FactCheck.org during his "Keeping Them Honest" segment on the Iowa debate (Dec. 12). He singled out two claims and in both cases referred to FactCheck's article “More Baloney at ABC/Yahoo! Debate” to refute the candidates' claims.

View video of the program on the CNN website.

After 11 Years of Setting the Record Straight, Stories about Holiday Suicides Still Outnumber Those Debunking the Myth, APPC Study Finds

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Does the suicide rate go up around the end of year holidays? Since 2000, the Annenberg Public Policy Center has been tracking press reporting about this widespread belief. In the end of the millennium year of 1999, APPC identified over 60 stories that ran during that holiday period saying that suicides do indeed spike over the holidays. This prompted us to examine the evidence. As seen in the figure below based on official suicide deaths in the U.S., the months of November, December, and January typically have the lowest daily rates of suicide in the year. Despite what many believe, the holiday-suicide link is a myth.

APPC in the news highlights: Week of Dec. 5-9

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

USA Today interviewed Kathleen Hall Jamieson about President Obama’s Dec. 6 speech on economic inequality.

Kathleen Hall Jamieson and Annenberg alum Bruce Hardy penned an essay on political endorsements.

APPC’s preview of FlackCheck.org continued to receive media attention:

Revisiting Romney’s ‘deceitful, dishonest’ ad about Obama – (The Washington Post, Dec. 6)

Fact-checking the Chamber of Commerce – (Politifact.com, Dec. 6)

Sherrod Brown's fake beard now worn by CEO of Chamber of Commerce – (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Dec. 6)

APPC News Brief: Kathleen Hall Jamieson on political advertisements

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Today on The Takeaway (WNYC Radio/Public Radio International), Dr. Jamieson discussed recent political advertisements and the role APPC's new project FlackCheck.org has begun to play in deconstructing deceptive political videos and ads:

The Political Ads from the 2012 Race – (The Takeaway, Nov. 29)

Visit www.FlackCheck.org for FlackCheck's latest responses to political content in the presidential race.

FlackCheck.org will use parody and humor to debunk false political advertising

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

This week the Annenberg Public Policy Center previewed a new project – www.FlackCheck.org– a companion site to its award-winning FactCheck.org that will use parody and humor to debunk false political advertising in the 2012 campaign.

FlackCheck.org Director Kathleen Hall Jamieson spoke with ABC, MSNBC, The Washington Post, Miller-McCune, WHYY, and Minnesota Public Radio about the preview, which features a sample of FlackCheck’s video “takedowns” of problematic political ads, and what to expect when FlackCheck.org goes live in January 2012:

New Website Aims to Fact Check Campaign Ads (ABC, Nov. 2)

The Daily Rundown: FlackCheck.org Aims to Use Video to Engage and Teach Viewers (MSNBC, Nov. 7)

FlackCheck.org to use humor in tracking political rhetoric (The Washington Post, Nov. 8)

Political Fact Checking That Doesn't Amplify the Lie (Miller-McCune, Nov. 8)

FlackCheck.org: using comedy to combat lies in politics (WHYY, Nov. 9)

Looking for the truth in 2012 campaign advertising (Minnesota Public Radio, Nov. 10)

Dr. Hannah Faye C. Chua delivers second APPC seminar on the neuroscience of communication

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Photo by John Vettese

Dr. Hannah Faye C. Chua, Research Associate, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, delivered APPC's second seminar on the neuroscience of communication, "Neural Mechanisms of Persuasive Communications and Behavior Change," on Thursday, November 3, 2011.

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LAIC Is New Home for the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Annenberg Public Policy Center’s Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics is pleased to announce that it is the new administrative home of the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools (www.civicmissionofschools.org), a coalition of over 70 national organizations and scholars dedicated to strengthening civic learning in America's schools. The Campaign is co-chaired by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and former Congressman Lee Hamilton. This administrative move allows the Campaign to take advantage of the institutional association with the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics, providing stability to the Campaign's day-to-day operations.

Dan Romer Testifies at House Subcommittee Hearing on Internet Gaming

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

On Tuesday the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trades met to discuss the need for regulation to protect consumers from the risks associated with online gambling. Dan Romer, director of APPC’s Adolescent Communication Institution, shared research findings from the National Annenberg Survey of Youth on the adverse effects of gambling on youth. Dr. Romer noted that should online gambling be legalized safeguards, such as age requirements, must be put in place.