Using the news media as resource material in the classroom is an excellent and under-utilized way to bring the reality and diversity of external politics into the classroom. Using that external reality in combination with the internal reality of the schools as unique political communities can provide a more complete and realistic civic education. The development of civic competency in student-citizens requires not only an abstract comprehension of political systems, but also the generation of applied political and media skills. One major emphasis of citizenship education concerns the interdependence of peoples and political entities throughout the world. Television in particular brings the concept of a global village into the classroom and should be used to heighten students' interest in and awareness of civic education. Other major themes of civic education concern the use of the news media as an instructional tool for political systems education, the ubiquitous nature of politics in public affairs reporting, and the importance of teaching competency in coping with bureaucratic systems. (PPB)