J. Bouknight, Spring 2001, 3 credits
Sp 241, Sec. 21999 et al TR 2-3:15, BEC 156 and Open Campus
Media, Communication, and Society
copyright 2000, Tom Tomorrow, permission granted
Course Description:
This course analyzes the social and cultural impact of mass media, including broadcast, print, film and cyberspace.
Course Goals:
1) Students will be able to define the term "media," and construct a chronology of the technical innovations of media from handwriting to digital communication forms.
2) Using key points in the history of media, students will be able to explain the impact of media on culture--particularly noetics, the transmission and storage of knowledge.
3) Students will be able to distinguish between the following functions of media: The informative and entertaining functions; the commercial and the public-service functions.
4) Students will be able to evaluate the impact of advertising on the content of media production.
5) Students will be able to evaluate the impact media in two or more political contests.
6) Students will be able to review the changing concept of the ownership of ideas and language through the history of media. Students will demonstrate a knowledge of current copyright laws and fair use guidelines for their own media productions.
7) Students will be able to list three or more transnational media corporations and be able to present arguments for and against the existence of such large corporations.
8) Students will identify three academic and/or governmental responses to the existence of transnational media corporations.
9) Students will be able to list three examples of reputable "alternative" media sources.
10) Students will be able to discuss the starting and middle level jobs in at least three branches of the media (e.g.: newspapers, web design, radio, etc.)
Office and Hours:
Jefferson 116 MW 1-2, W 5:30-6:30, TR 11-12 and by appointment. 330-4394; "jbouknight@cocc.edu"
Texts:
Vivian, John. The Media of Mass Communication, Updated Online Edition. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001.
Nichols, John and Robert W. McChsney. It's the Media, Stupid. New York: Seven Stories Press: 2000
"Media Change The Way We Think" Coursepack, avail at Bookstore
WebSites:
Syllabus and weekly study questions available at <<http://www.cocc.edu/jbouknight/sp241info.html>>
Our WebCT site is available at <<http://www.cocc.edu:8700/webct/public/home.pl>>
Assignments:
WebCT online quizzes: Each week a five to ten question quiz will be given on the readings. The questions should be no surprise because all relevant topics and/or potential questions to the quiz will be posted by Monday and the class will often refer to these questions as a basis for class discussion. The quiz will be available to students from Friday morning to Monday at midnight. Students will drop their lowest quiz score.
Midterm Project: Using two different media outlets, compare differing coverage of the same even. The media outlets may be radically different (such as a movie and a song) or may be from similar media with differing perspectives (such as a story reported in the New York Times vs. The Bay Guardian). Move the comparison toward a broader conclusion about media. The project may be a written paper of 2 1/2 pages (typed, double-spaced) not counting any bibliography OR students may make a 4-5 minute presentation from the Bend Campus, with notes and bibliography to be turned in to the instructor.
Final Paper: As a two-hundred level transfer course, SP241 satisfies some of its outcomes by means of a research assignment. The paper should be 5-8 pages, not including the bibliography. All students will give a 4-5 minute "sharing" of their work for the final. It is not necessary to do this sharing from the Bend Campus. The following additional criteria will be used for evaluation:
1. The author should clarify if the paper is primarily a report or an argument.
2. The author should use a reasonable amount of current sources in the paper's development.
3. The author should use a suitable style and demonstrate college-level writing skill.
Here is a sample of possible titles to suggest the rage of topics available:
A Comparison of Subway Graffiti and Old English Script
How the Internet is Changing Copyright Law
Types of Books Frequently Burned
A Set of Guidelines for Future CD Rating Systems for Parents
A Bibliography of Corporate Connections in the Media
A Defense of Napster-Style Sharing
Famous Faked Stories
A Brief Biography of a Historical (rather than just popular) Figure in Media, such as Ida Tarbell, Ida Well-Barnett, William R. Hearst, Alfred Hitchcock, Ronald Reagan, Helen Thomas.
Basically, the media field is pretty wide open, so it should be possible to find the area that interests you. Thus the first four weeks of the course should be used to cultivate your natural interests of look for directions in our readings.
Grading:
Students will be assigned points for major assignments. Letter grades may be determined by the percentage (your points divided by points possible). Thus an A = 100-93%, A-=92-90% B+ = 89 -87%, B=86-83%, B-=82-80%, C+ =79-77%, C = 76-70%. D, = 69-60% and so on. Assignments are weighted as follows:
Online quizzes (plus one bonus point) 9 at 11 points each
Midterm Project 40
Final Paper 80
Class Participation 50
Total 270 points
Course Calendar
Apr. 3: Notes; Introductory issues; Week 1 Study Questions
Apr. 5: Notes; "Introduction," Vivian 1-27
Apr. 10: Notes; Orality and Literacy from coursepack ; Week 2 Study Questions
Apr. 12: Notes; "Books," Vivian 28-50
Apr. 17: Notes; "Magazines," Vivian 50-70; Week 3 Study Questions
Apr. 19: Notes; Can't Buy My Love in coursepack
Apr. 24: Notes; "Newspapers," Vivian 71-97, 231-239; Week 4 Study Questions
Apr. 26: Newspapers, cont., Manufacturing Consent
May 1: Notes; Recording, Vivian 98-118, Grammy Article from course pack; Week 5 Study Questions
May 3: Notes; "Obsc. and Porn." Vivian, 444-446 "Copyright," Vivian 448-450
May 8: "Radio," Vivian 144-169; Week 6 Study Questions, Part 1
May 10: Notes; "Problem with the U.S. Media," Stupid, 27-52; Week 6 Study Questions, Part 2
May 15: "Global Media and Its Discontents," Stupid, 53-88; Week 7 Study Questions
May 17: Notes; "Mass Media and Governance," Vivian 405-428, Manufacturing Consent, Lines in the Sand
May 22: Notes; "Making Media an Issue in American Politics," Stupid, 89-120; Week 8 Study Questions, Part 1
May 24: Notes; "Movies," Vivan 119-143, Lyrics to "Cheepnis", "Time Was Unkind" in coursepack; Week 8 Study Questions, Part 2
May 29: Television, 170-205; Visitors Michael Garrett (Media services COCC) and Steve Huddleston (Media Activism--COFIC) Week 9 Study Questions, Part 1
May 31: Notes, TV Nation, Atomic Cafe, Edward R. Murrow, Week 9 Study Questions, Part 2
June 5: Notes, Read "Napster," "Lord of Rings," "Teen is villain…" in coursepack AND "The Web," Vivian 205-229 OR "Photography," Vivian Online; Week 10 Study Questions
June 7: Course Wrap-up
Final Exam: Thurs, June 12, 1-3 p.m., Sharing of Final Papers