Date
In class
Due
Wed. 8/30
Introduction: media across time
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 top two screens worth of headlines on the homepage of 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. Pop quizzes will include questions about the news.
Wed. 9/6
Oral versus Written
Stephens, 43-68
Printed News
Stephens, 71-128
Mon. 9/11
The Construction of News
Newspapers, incl. Publick Occurrences
Stephens, 131-201
Reporting
Stephens, 205-262
Wed. 9/20
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
Mon. 9/25
Milgram and the persuasive message
Bring in advertisements
Wed. 10/5
Ads: Dreamworlds
Wed. 10/11
In class: Discussion of Watergate
7pm All the President’s Men(we supply the popcorn)
Phonographs, Movies
Jowett and Linton (handout)
Wed. 10/18
95 Triple-X, 95.5 FM 5:30-6pm, Fri. (10/13);
National Public Radio 107.9 FM from 6-6:30pm, Fri. (10/13);
NBC Evening News (channel 5) 6:30-7pm Fri. (10/13).
If you miss any of this, all will be on reserve at the library Tuesday, 10/17.
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
Mon. 10/23
Television
*Stephens, “The
New TV”
Television and politics
*Mindich, “Agran”
Wed. 11/1
Group projects
Group projects
3-sentence paper proposal to dmindich@smcvt.edu
Wed. 11/8
Photoshop
*Stephens, “Expanding the Language of Photographs"
Paper expectations
Wed. 11/15
Paper Workshop
Paper draft is due
Paper is due (include worksheet, drafts)
11/22, 11/24
Thanksgiving; no class
Wed. 11/29
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.
Imagining the future I
Stephens, 265-299
Wed. 12/6
Imagining the future II
*Adversarial journalism
Seymour M. Hersh, "Up in the Air" in the New Yorker
Dana Priest, Long-Term Plan Sought For Terror Suspects
James Risen and Eric Lichtblau, Bush Lets U.S. Spy on Callers Without Courts
Rachel Smolkin, Judgment Calls
Conclusion
Final Examination