Date
In class
Due
Wed. 1/17
Introduction: media across time
Wed. 1/24
Language
Stephens, 1-39; *Wade, “The Leap to Language.” Also, make sure you keep up with the news throughout the semester. You are responsible for scanning the full screen worth of headlines on the New York Times online every day and reading any relevant news that pertains to our class. You are also responsible for the reading the top story of the day. Alternatively, you may read the articles on the front page of the printed edition. Quizzes will include questions about the news.
Oral versus written
Stephens, 43-68
Wed. 1/31
Printed news
Stephens, 71-128
The construction of news; Newspapers, incl. Publick Occurrences
Stephens, 131-201
Wed. 2/7
Reporting
Stephens, 205-262
Fri. 2/9
The explosion of the mass newspapers; reporting
*New York Times Online; *Echo; *Daily Show, and one other source of news. In the these four sources, read the top stories and be prepared to discuss any apparent biases that you find. Also: What works? What doesn’t?
Not following the news
Mindich, Tuned Out 1-76
Milgram and the persuasive message
Bring in advertisements
Fri. 2/16
Ads
Kilbourne, from Deadly Persuasion, 17-75
Ads: Dreamworlds
Fri. 2/23
Midterm
Wed. 2/28
In class: Discussion of Watergate
7 p.m. All the President’s Men(we supply the popcorn)
Bernstein and Woodward, All the President’s Men, Chapters 1 and 2; quiz on chapters and names and dates
Phonographs, movies
Jowett and Linton (handout)
Wed. 3/7
95 Triple-X, 95.5 FM 5:30-6pm, Mon. (3/5); National Public Radio 107.9 FM from 6-6:30pm, Mon. (3/5); NBC Evening News (channel 5) 6:30-7pm Mon. (3/5). If you miss any of this, all will be on reserve at the library Tuesday (3/6). Please create a detailed log of what happens on air, including commercials. Write two or three sentences after each log discussing the show’s demographics.
Television
Mindich, Tuned Out, 77-136
Spring break
Wed. 3/21
Television
*Stephens, “The New TV” (find in Stephens's article file) Malcolm Gladwell, "Brain Candy."
Television and politics
*Mindich, “Agran”
Wed. 3/28
Group projects
Group projects
Wed. 4/4
Photoshop
*Stephens, “Expanding the Language of Photographs
Easter break
Wed. 4/11
In class: Law and ethics
*Please research three important First Amendment cases:
Pentagon Papers. New York Times v. United States (decided by the Supreme Court, 6/30/71)
Jerry Falwell sues Hustler Magazine for pain and suffering. Hustler Magazine v. Falwell (Supreme Court, 2/24/88)
Supreme court limits nude dancing. City of Erie v. Pap's A.M. (Kandyland) (Supreme Court, 3/29/2000)
A good way to research these is to go to Lexis-Nexis and look at the news section, getting background on these cases. Make sure you get enough information to understand these cases thoroughly.
Then look at the actual cases themselves. They're long, so give yourself time to get through them.
3-sentence paper proposal to dmindich@smcvt.edu
Paper expectations
Wed. 4/18
Paper workshop
Paper draft is due
Paper is due (include worksheet, drafts)
Wed. 4/25
Imagining the future I
Stephens, 265-299
Imagining the future II
7pm: Cheray 101
Good Night and Good Luck
*Adversarial journalism:
*Seymour M. Hersh, "Torture at Abu Ghraib," New Yorker
*James Risen and Eric Lichtblau, Bush Lets U.S. Spy on Callers Without Courts, New York Times
*Dana Priest and Anne Hull, "Soldiers Face Neglect, Frustration At Army's Top Medical Facility," Washington Post
*Leverett and Mann "What We Wanted to Tell You About Iran," New York Times
*Rachel Smolkin, Judgment Calls
Conclusion
Final Examination