NAMAC

Got Beavis and Butthead?
As previously discussed, NAMAC and its members support the theory that all media are valuable and suggest many points of view. That said, it might be safe to assume that they would support the theory presented in Steinberg/Kincheloe about integrating Beavis and Butthead into media literacy criticism.

The text goes on to explain that while some parents and teachers have attempted to control children's viewing and protect them from the show's content, Kellner suggests using the program to teach media literacy and criticism, which would involving parents' watching and discussing the messages with their children. Such programs, as Kellner explains, not only provide a possible positive platform for media literacy education but also critical analyzes American culture. In turn, such an analysis of Beavis and Butthead may develop an alternative culture, producing critical literacy that empowers kids. Kellner argues that media culture needs to be taken seriously, and shows like Beavis and Butthead challenge the familiar pedagogy.

In essence, this ties into NAMAC's postmodern beliefs, as it is an organization rooted in cultural studies and the "alternative."

Commercialization in Schools
While NAMAC supports public television in schools, not much was said on their website about what programs would be shown to students, such as, for example, Channel One, which would, according to NAMAC's mission statement, be side-stepping their views of undermining the commercial media thirsting for profit.

In an article published in the International Journal of Media and Communication Studies, David Buckingham discusses Channel One and the commercialization of schools. Here are a few highlights:
Use of Channel One surrenders school's control as functioning as gatekeeper, which then requires one to question educators' professional ethics
Channel One has been shown solely so that schools may acquire materials/equipment

Three educational scenarios that could result with proper use and implementation of (and better news/advertisements) Channel One:
teaching through television
teaching about the media
free equipment used for other purposes, such as student-produced media