Intro Mass Media (COMM-1000-01) - Fall 2023
Classroom Building 310
MWF 12-12:50
Instructor: Margaret “Mitzi” Stewart email:
Office: Ross Hall 439
Student hours: M 1:30-3 pm, W 2-3:30 pm or by appointment
Syllabus:
● Grading:
○ COURSE EVALUATION [at least 500 pts]
■ Quizzes [ approximately 350-400 pts]
● TENTATIVELY:
● Unit 1 Quiz will focus on the basics of mass media, history, and change.
● Unit 2 Quiz will focus on media platforms.
● Unit 3 Quiz will focus on information and persuasion industries, media
bias and media industry.
● Final Exam (last exam of the semester) is on Friday, December 15th at
10:15 am. Plan your travel accordingly.
○ Reflection Writing Assignments [approximately 20 points each, a few will be assigned
throughout the semester]
○ Poll Everywhere [at least 50 points]
○ EXTRA CREDIT—Possible, but not guaranteed.
■ Up to 10 points of extra credit may be earned throughout the semester. These
opportunities will be announced in class.
● No late work.
● Chill to email her a lot and about whatever
● TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
○ Week 1
■ Mon. 8/28: Syllabus Review
■ Wed. 8/30: Introduction to the Mass Media Revolution
■ Fri. 9/1: Introduction to the Mass Media Revolution
○ Week 2
■ Mon. 9/4: NO CLASS - LABOR DAY
■ Wed. 9/6: Introduction to the Mass Media Revolution
● Poll Everywhere Registration DUE at 12:00 p.m.
■ Fri. 9/8: Introduction to the Mass Media Revolution
○ Week 3
■ Mon. 9/11: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
■ Wed. 9/13: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
■ Fri. 9/15: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
,○ Week 4
■ Mon. 9/18: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
■ Wed. 9/20: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
■ Fri. 9/22: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
○ Week 5
■ Mon. 9/25: Exam 1 – Introduction, History and Change
● Tentatively *Exam 1*
■ Wed. 9/27: Print Media
■ Fri. 9/29: Print Media
○ Week 6
■ Mon. 10/2: Print Media
■ Wed. 10/4: Print Media
■ Fri. 10/6: Print Media
○ Week 7
■ Mon.10/9: Print Media
■ Wed. 10/11: Print Media
■ Fri. 10/13: Print Media
○ Week 8
■ Mon. 10/16: Music and Radio
■ Wed. 10/18: Music and Radio
■ Fri. 10/20: Music and Radio
○ Week 9
■ Mon. 10/23: Music and Radio
■ Wed. 10/25: Film and TV
■ Fri. 10/27: Film and TV
○ Week 10
■ Mon. 10/30: Film and TV
■ Wed. 11/1: Film and TV
■ Fri. 11/3: Film and TV
○ Week 11
■ Mon. 11/6: Film and TV
■ Wed. 11/8: Exam 2 - Platforms
● Tentatively *Exam 2*
■ Fri. 11/10: New Media and Video Games
○ Week 12
■ Mon. 11/13: New Media and Video Games
■ Wed. 11/15: New Media and Video Games
■ Fri. 11/17: Advertising and Public Relations
○ Week 13
■ Mon. 11/20: Advertising and Public Relations
■ Wed. 11/22: Advertising and Public Relations
■ Fri. 11/24: NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING
○ Week 14
■ Mon. 11/27: Advertising and Public Relations
, ■ Wed. 11/29: Advertising and Public Relations
■ Fri. 12/1: Media Industry and Media Bias
○ Week 16
■ Mon. 12/4: Media Industry and Media Bias
■ Wed. 12/6: Media Industry and Media Bias
■ Fri. 12/8: Housekeeping and review
○ Finals Week
■ Friday 12/15 @ 10:15 – 12:15 p.m.
● Exam 3 – Storytelling and Industry Exam 3
Lecture Notes
August 28th:
● Ross Hall 423 is a computer lab (especially for comm and jr majors)
August 30th:
● Unit one: Introduction to the mass media revolution
○ Media in a changing world
■ Media literacy: The ability to understand and make good use of media
● Educated and informed media consumption
■ History is shaped by media
■ Public relations and advertising
■ Media and politics
■ Media economics and business
■ There is a huge difference between digital natives and those who have had to
adapt
● This is why grandma sends money to the Nigerian prince and I ignore it
completely
■ Media criticism: the analysis used to assess the effects of media on individuals,
societies, and cultures
■ Media practitioner: Writers, producers, publishers, or advertisers of information
that will be mass-distributed
■ Be open to all sides of media controversies
○ What is media?
■ Mediated Communication
■ Not live face-to-face communication
● Reading anything
● Watching anything
○ Even face timing mom
■ Anything communicated through a “filter”
, ■ 38% of the class consumed 11-14 hours of media
■ Media allows us to exchange ideas and information
● Between individuals or groups
● Across geographical barriers
● Across cultural barriers
○ Understanding media dynamics and media effects
■ Media dynamics: Processes and influences that shape media content
● Creative issues
○ Media has to make money so you have to cater to what your
audience wants, even if that’s not what you want creatively
○ Changing technology changes what’s popular
● Economic and business models
● Political influences
● Technological advances and limitations
● Social, cultural, and religious pressures and trends
○ Some countries don’t like the LGBT stuff so certain media isn’t
released there
■ Media effects: Refers to the ideas and theories about how media (news and
entertainment) influence us
● Individuals, families, communities, nations
● Affect (emotions)
○ Good Omens season 2 :(
● Behavior
● Cognition (thoughts)
September 1st:
● NO CLASS MONDAY
● Digital natives: grew up with technology and the internet
○ Regularly use social media, smartphones, and other devices to navigate daily life
● Digital immigrants: currently transitioning into the digital age
● Both digital natives and digital immigrants need to become media literate
● Media research:
○ Media gets blamed for real-world events
■ Grand theft auto is blamed for teen violence
■ Rock music also blamed for violence
● Personally, if I was going to go on a murder spree I would do it to
Tchaikovsky instead of AC/DC but go off I guess
○ How do we study mass media?
■ Active: substantial user control over content
● Internet, reddit, youtube, social media
■ Passive: little to no direct user input over content
● Movies, tv, books, music
● You can create active involvement in passive media
Classroom Building 310
MWF 12-12:50
Instructor: Margaret “Mitzi” Stewart email:
Office: Ross Hall 439
Student hours: M 1:30-3 pm, W 2-3:30 pm or by appointment
Syllabus:
● Grading:
○ COURSE EVALUATION [at least 500 pts]
■ Quizzes [ approximately 350-400 pts]
● TENTATIVELY:
● Unit 1 Quiz will focus on the basics of mass media, history, and change.
● Unit 2 Quiz will focus on media platforms.
● Unit 3 Quiz will focus on information and persuasion industries, media
bias and media industry.
● Final Exam (last exam of the semester) is on Friday, December 15th at
10:15 am. Plan your travel accordingly.
○ Reflection Writing Assignments [approximately 20 points each, a few will be assigned
throughout the semester]
○ Poll Everywhere [at least 50 points]
○ EXTRA CREDIT—Possible, but not guaranteed.
■ Up to 10 points of extra credit may be earned throughout the semester. These
opportunities will be announced in class.
● No late work.
● Chill to email her a lot and about whatever
● TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
○ Week 1
■ Mon. 8/28: Syllabus Review
■ Wed. 8/30: Introduction to the Mass Media Revolution
■ Fri. 9/1: Introduction to the Mass Media Revolution
○ Week 2
■ Mon. 9/4: NO CLASS - LABOR DAY
■ Wed. 9/6: Introduction to the Mass Media Revolution
● Poll Everywhere Registration DUE at 12:00 p.m.
■ Fri. 9/8: Introduction to the Mass Media Revolution
○ Week 3
■ Mon. 9/11: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
■ Wed. 9/13: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
■ Fri. 9/15: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
,○ Week 4
■ Mon. 9/18: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
■ Wed. 9/20: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
■ Fri. 9/22: Mass Media: A Brief Historical Narrative
○ Week 5
■ Mon. 9/25: Exam 1 – Introduction, History and Change
● Tentatively *Exam 1*
■ Wed. 9/27: Print Media
■ Fri. 9/29: Print Media
○ Week 6
■ Mon. 10/2: Print Media
■ Wed. 10/4: Print Media
■ Fri. 10/6: Print Media
○ Week 7
■ Mon.10/9: Print Media
■ Wed. 10/11: Print Media
■ Fri. 10/13: Print Media
○ Week 8
■ Mon. 10/16: Music and Radio
■ Wed. 10/18: Music and Radio
■ Fri. 10/20: Music and Radio
○ Week 9
■ Mon. 10/23: Music and Radio
■ Wed. 10/25: Film and TV
■ Fri. 10/27: Film and TV
○ Week 10
■ Mon. 10/30: Film and TV
■ Wed. 11/1: Film and TV
■ Fri. 11/3: Film and TV
○ Week 11
■ Mon. 11/6: Film and TV
■ Wed. 11/8: Exam 2 - Platforms
● Tentatively *Exam 2*
■ Fri. 11/10: New Media and Video Games
○ Week 12
■ Mon. 11/13: New Media and Video Games
■ Wed. 11/15: New Media and Video Games
■ Fri. 11/17: Advertising and Public Relations
○ Week 13
■ Mon. 11/20: Advertising and Public Relations
■ Wed. 11/22: Advertising and Public Relations
■ Fri. 11/24: NO CLASS-THANKSGIVING
○ Week 14
■ Mon. 11/27: Advertising and Public Relations
, ■ Wed. 11/29: Advertising and Public Relations
■ Fri. 12/1: Media Industry and Media Bias
○ Week 16
■ Mon. 12/4: Media Industry and Media Bias
■ Wed. 12/6: Media Industry and Media Bias
■ Fri. 12/8: Housekeeping and review
○ Finals Week
■ Friday 12/15 @ 10:15 – 12:15 p.m.
● Exam 3 – Storytelling and Industry Exam 3
Lecture Notes
August 28th:
● Ross Hall 423 is a computer lab (especially for comm and jr majors)
August 30th:
● Unit one: Introduction to the mass media revolution
○ Media in a changing world
■ Media literacy: The ability to understand and make good use of media
● Educated and informed media consumption
■ History is shaped by media
■ Public relations and advertising
■ Media and politics
■ Media economics and business
■ There is a huge difference between digital natives and those who have had to
adapt
● This is why grandma sends money to the Nigerian prince and I ignore it
completely
■ Media criticism: the analysis used to assess the effects of media on individuals,
societies, and cultures
■ Media practitioner: Writers, producers, publishers, or advertisers of information
that will be mass-distributed
■ Be open to all sides of media controversies
○ What is media?
■ Mediated Communication
■ Not live face-to-face communication
● Reading anything
● Watching anything
○ Even face timing mom
■ Anything communicated through a “filter”
, ■ 38% of the class consumed 11-14 hours of media
■ Media allows us to exchange ideas and information
● Between individuals or groups
● Across geographical barriers
● Across cultural barriers
○ Understanding media dynamics and media effects
■ Media dynamics: Processes and influences that shape media content
● Creative issues
○ Media has to make money so you have to cater to what your
audience wants, even if that’s not what you want creatively
○ Changing technology changes what’s popular
● Economic and business models
● Political influences
● Technological advances and limitations
● Social, cultural, and religious pressures and trends
○ Some countries don’t like the LGBT stuff so certain media isn’t
released there
■ Media effects: Refers to the ideas and theories about how media (news and
entertainment) influence us
● Individuals, families, communities, nations
● Affect (emotions)
○ Good Omens season 2 :(
● Behavior
● Cognition (thoughts)
September 1st:
● NO CLASS MONDAY
● Digital natives: grew up with technology and the internet
○ Regularly use social media, smartphones, and other devices to navigate daily life
● Digital immigrants: currently transitioning into the digital age
● Both digital natives and digital immigrants need to become media literate
● Media research:
○ Media gets blamed for real-world events
■ Grand theft auto is blamed for teen violence
■ Rock music also blamed for violence
● Personally, if I was going to go on a murder spree I would do it to
Tchaikovsky instead of AC/DC but go off I guess
○ How do we study mass media?
■ Active: substantial user control over content
● Internet, reddit, youtube, social media
■ Passive: little to no direct user input over content
● Movies, tv, books, music
● You can create active involvement in passive media
