Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle, is an investigative look at the life and mysterious death of pioneering journalist Ruben Salazar. At the heart of the story is Salazar’s transformation from a mainstream, establishment reporter to primary chronicler and supporter of the radical Chicano movement of the late 1960s. Killed under mysterious circumstances by a law enforcement officer in 1970, Salazar became an instant martyr to Latinos – many of whom had criticized his reporting during his lifetime. Adding to the Salazar mystique is that the details of how he was killed have been obscured in the ensuing four decades since his death.
Using excerpts from the documentary film Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle, students will: learn about the life and journalism of Ruben Salazar; consider the principles of journalistic objectivity and advocacy journalism and the social, economic, and political factors that contribute to journalistic bias; and examine the current state of journalism and the role that objectivity and bias play in reporting.
