HonestReporting Canada conducts media bias workshops at parlour meetings, elementary/high schools, places of worship, universities and more. The goals of these workshops are to teach individuals how to identify media bias by exposing various media inaccuracies and to teach individuals how to combat media bias against Israel by mobilizing the community to take action. Our workshops can be geared for audiences of all size and age. To book a workshop or to find out more information, please contact us directly at (416) 915-9157 or by email at: info@honestreporting.ca

Some topics are:

• Media Bias and the Middle East: Is news coverage of the Middle East really biased? If so, in whose favour? An exploration of the “bias” claim from several perspectives – including the journalists’.
• Media Literacy 101: Reading between the lines of newspaper and TV news coverage.
• How to Identify and Counter Unfair Media Coverage of Israel: An activist’s guide to countering media bias against Israel: What is it, how can I identify it, and what can I do about it?
• An Activist’s Guide To Media Relations: A “how-to” primer on influencing the news media and impacting Canadians’ perceptions of Israel and the Middle East: Monitoring the media, writing letters, calling editors and organizing campaigns.

WORKSHOP ENDORSEMENTS

Judith Weinroth, Adath Israel Congregation

I am writing to commend your organization, Honest Reporting Canada, for the work that you do in fulfilling your mandate of ensuring fair and accurate coverage of the Middle East in Canadian media.As chair of the Dynamic Singles Committee of Adath Israel Congregation, I would like to thank you for the informative workshop session that your Executive Director, Dov Smith, recently led at our singles brunch. For many of those attending, this was a real eye-opener and we all left armed with new knowledge and abilities to address these issues in the media.I wish you further success in your good work and would recommend that other organizations invite Honest Reporting Canada to conduct workshops for them.

Andrea Levine, on behalf of the Richard Youngman Memorial Lecture Series of Beth Isaiah Synagogue

Dov Smith’s presentation to the annual Richard Youngman Memorial Lecture of “Media Bias and the Middle East” was extremely well received. Dov presented a very interesting and well researched lecture with topical information and relevant examples that were easily accessible to the audience.The topic of “Media Bias and the Middle East” was quite an eye opener to the majority of those in attendance as so many of us take the news we hear reported at face value and do not question their sources or the reporter’s own personal bias.In addition to Dov’s well researched and presented talk, he took time for a question and answer period following; he responded to numerous challenging questions with articulate and respectful replies.We have and continue to receive nothing but positive accolades for Dov Smith’s presentation and would highly recommend him as a speaker to anyone considering HonestReporting.

Rabbi Rabinowitzh, National Council of Synagogue Youth (NCSY)

Recently, NCSY Torah High and NCSY Jewish Student Unions across Toronto enjoyed the Honest Reporting presentation given by Mr. Mike Fegelman. Mr. Fegelman delivered an extremely thorough, well prepared, enjoyable and informative presentation to over 12 different groups of teenage students. His pleasant, easy-going style combined with his thorough knowledge of the facts combined to create an atmosphere of lively debate and discussion within every classroom. His open minded approach was appreciated by all attended. Additionally, he was very easy to work with. He came on time to every lecture, set up his own presentation, concluded on time and was extremely agreeable to changes in time, place and schedule.I heartily recommend Mr. Fegelman personally and this presentation to any teenage group. They will be informed and educated through his approach and character.

Rabbi Matthew Kaufman, Lodzer Centre Congregation

Our synagogue hosted a seminar provided by Honest Reporting Canada on Thursday September 8th 2005. The program presented was excellent, both in its content and delivery and our members are still talking about it some two months later.I would not hesitate to recommend this program to any group interested in learning to identify and combat media bias against Israel.

Rabbi Aaron Eisemann, Maimonides Leaders Fellowship Program Director

Thank you so much for taking the time to meet our students and tell them about the important work that you do at HonestReporting. It was very inspiring to hear how eloquently you communicate to the students.The entire Toronto trip was a huge success, mainly due to your own efforts and the way the wonderful Toronto community opened their arms and welcomed our students in.We look forward to working with you on future trips to Toronto.

Charlotte Amiga Benzwy, Caldwell Residences

It was a pleasure to have Paul Agoston, Assistant Director of HonestReprting Canada come to Caldwell Residences to present us with a very informative and interesting workshop. The tenants who attended the workshop were very amazed and startled to hear abut all the data you shared with them. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.

Rabbi Schachar Orenstein, Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue

We are so grateful to Paul Agoston who recently delivered a workshop in our synagogue on behalf of HonestReporting Canada. His professionalism, eloquence and knowledge, his attention to detail, as well as his commitment to the important cause impressed us greatly. At a time of so many media distortions, we need more people like him, who work to clarify the truth and who provide remedies for disturbing media bias and obfuscation.

Talya Shafir, Beth Shalom Synagogue

It is my pleasure to write this letter of endorsement on behalf of our synagogue, Beth Shalom of Edmonton for HonestReporting Canada. I commend your organization for the work you do in fulfilling your promise to ensure fair and accurate coverage of the Middle East in the Canadian media. Mike’s presentation was effective, professional and useful and our members left with important knowledge and the tools to spot and address these issues in the media. On behalf of myself and Beth Shalom Synagogue, I recommend that other organizations invite HonestReporting Canada to visit their community.

Rabbi David Appelrouth, Forest Hill Jewish Learning Centre

Mr. Michael Fegelman…was both engaging and prolific during his lecture. Between news clips, videos, and explanations, Mr. Fegelman did an excellent job of describing the media bias which currently exists against the State of Israel. It was very exciting to have such a program at our synagogue, and our hope is that we can educate our members, and the Jewish community in general, about the unfair representation that we may receive in the media. We appreciate Mr. Fegelman’s time and efforts, and our hope is that he will return once again to inspire and educate our group about the Middle-East Conflict and how it is waged via the media.

Marlyne Abramson, Beth David Synagogue

Beth David B’Nai Israel Beth Am Sisterhood and Continuing Educational Program would like to thank you for your informative presentation about Honest Reporting on Tuesday November 10, 2009. Through your power-point presentation we learned how both newspaper articles and television reports require a daily media watchdog to combat global bias against Israel. Recognizing that Honest Reporting is a professional organization that ensures fair and accurate media coverage of Israel and the Middle East, we as consumers acknowledge your hard work to rectify false information in the struggle to keep our country’s media honest.

Shirley Margel & Dasha Vinsky, Na’amat Toronto

Just a note to let you know how much we all enjoyed your most informative and very “special” talk and slides on Honest Reporting Canada. May you continue this most important work and continued success on all of your future endeavors.