COMM 245

Mass Communication and Culture

Elizabeth M. Perse Summer 2003

Office: 250 Pearson Hall M-F 10:10 - 11:45

Phone: 831-8041 Gore 102

email: eperse@udel.edu

Office Hours: M-F 12:00 - 12:30 & by appointment

Course Objective/Description: The course provides an overview of print and electronic media, film and advertising. We will consider history, structure, functions, and effects of the various media. The course material is designed to give students a comprehensive understanding of mass communication and its various applications in contemporary society.

Course Web Site: http://www.udel.edu/comm245/comm245.html

Textbook Web Sites: http://www.mediaculture.com/

Texts: Campbell, R. (2003). Media and Culture. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. [M]

Course Readings. [R]

Grading: Grading will be based on five elements: exams, presentations, projects, New technology assignment, class participation, and final paper.

Exams. Students will complete two exams, each covering half the course material (readings, lectures, and presentations). Each exam will have multiple-choice questions and short essays. Make-up exams will be given only (a) when arrangements have been made with the instructor in advance and (b) in case of illness verified by a physician's note. Each exam will count 50 points.

Presentations. Students will be organized into five teams that will make class presentations on five mass communication issues.

1. Mass Media and the Courtroom. Has media coverage changed our judicial system? Can defendants get a fair trial? Cameras in the court? How can we balance media coverage and defendants’ rights?

2. Book banning: in libraries and in schools. Any economic influences?

3. What is the history of music censorship? What is the state of current music? Are the lyrics too graphic? Should recorded music be labeled? What are the economic implications of labeling?

4. Images of alcohol in the media – advertising, movies, and TV. What are the possible socialization effects on children and adolescents? Should these images be regulated? How?

5. Indecency on the Web. Is this a problem? How to regulate? Children using the Web?

Each team will draw on information from class readings and library research (academic research and evidence from popular periodicals). Teams are encouraged to use audio-visual materials in their presentations. Check with the instructor to make sure that we have any equipment you need available the day of the presentation. The instructor will be available to help teams get leads and ideas.

Grading will be based on content and presentation (this is a communication class!), so comprehensiveness and creativity both count. Teams will be given the entire class period for their presentation. The presentation should involve the class in discussion.

The presentation is worth 15 points.

Projects. Teams will also work together to complete five projects through the course. Each project will relate to course material and be the basis for class discussion. The instructor will help students locate resources. Each project is worth five points. Projects are:

1. Detail the corporate activities/division of a media conglomerate.
2. Listen to 2 different radio stations for 1 hour. List everything that you hear – music, commercials, news, promotional messages. What is the stations’ formats? Who are the intended audience? How do you know? How do the stations differ?

3. The music of your generation: What are its roots? From what older forms of music have the various genres evolved? (I will assign music genres in class.)

4. Using magazine ads, create the image of the ideal man and the ideal woman.

5. Find advertisements (print or electronic) that illustrate five propaganda devices (there will be a handout).

New Technology Assignment. Each Team will be responsible for teaching the class what the newest technologies are for some specific mass media. What’s current? How do they work? Is it good? Will the public adopt it? Each team will take about 10 minutes. The presentation will be worth 10 points.

Class Participation. I hope that we can have a lively class with a lot of discussion of ideas and issues. Class participation will earn 10 points.

Issue Paper. Each student will compete a 4-page paper that takes a stand on one of the following mass communication-related issues.

Should government funding continue for PBS?

Should television violence be regulated?

Is there a significant liberal or conservative bias in the media?

Is advertising’s impact on U.S. society more positive or more negative?

Should all tobacco advertising be prohibited?

Are media messages about women improving?

Is the World wide Web a threat to traditional media?

Will Internet-based technologies increase citizen participation in politics?

Students may use the course textbooks for background material, but should based most of their arguments on evidence drawn from academic research and current media reports. I expect the typical paper to reference about 8 works. The paper is due on July 28 and is worth 20 points.

There will be a total of 200 possible course points. Grades will be assigned as follows:

186 points = A	140 = C
174 = A-	134 = C-
166 = B+	126 = D+
160 = B	120 = D
154 = B-	114 = D-
146 = C+	below 100 = F

Extra Credit: Because the Department of Communication is committed to advancing knowledge in our field, extra credit will be given only for participating in communication research. Research opportunities will be announced as they arise.

Course Schedule

Date	Topic	Readings
June 23	Intro to course
24	Mass and other communication	M1, M2, R1- 13
25	Media systems	M13, R 14-18
26	Economic and political constraints	M16, R 19-32,
27	Media monopolies Project #1 due
June 30	Presentation: Media and the Courts
July 1	Newspapers and Magazines Ungraded assignment: Bring a copy of Tuesday’s paper to class Bring a magazine to class Books-New Tech	M8, M9
2	Presentation: Book banning	M10
3	Movies	M7
4	NO CLASS
July 7	EXAM 1
8	Radio	M4, R 33-44
9	More Radio Project #2 due Radio-New Tech
10	Popular Music Project #3 due Music-New Tech	M3
11	Presentation: Music Censorship
July 14	Television TV-New Tech	M5, M6, R 45-57,
15	Ratings	R (pp. 58-71)
16	Effects of mass media Project #4 due	M15
17	Effects of violence
18	Presentation: Alcohol
July 21	Journalism	M14
22	Advertising Project #5 due Adv-New Tech	M11, R (72-76)
23	Politics
24	Presentation: Indecency on the Web
25	EXAM 2

Note: The dates on this course outline are approximate. You are responsible for any changes made in the schedule.