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COMM 330: Critical Issues in Mass Communication. Introduction. Course Objectives. To introduce students to The media effects research tradition The political economy of media institutions in a global environment Ethical and policy issues associated with mass communication in culture.
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COMM 330: Critical Issues in Mass Communication Introduction
Course Objectives • To introduce students to • The media effects research tradition • The political economy of media institutions in a global environment • Ethical and policy issues associated with mass communication in culture
Assessment Goals • Comm 330 serves 2 assessment goals • “students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of communication theory and history and abstract thinking skills” • “students should understand the contexts (political, social, legal, and cultural) in which messages are produced, disseminated, and interpreted”
Syllabus topics • Media Effects Research • Political Economy and Cultural Analysis Approaches to the Analysis of Media • Business, government and freedom of speech • Ethical responsibility
The Media Effects Tradition • History of research • Methods of research • Time spent with media • Sexual content • Violence • News • Stereotyping
Media Business + Government and Freedom of Speech • Private enterprise vs. public interest • The Telecomm Act of 1996 • The dominant media conglomerates • Mega-media and the European Union • How media business shapes media content • How media business influences society • New technologies • The future of the Internet • The Internet in non-western countries
Ethics and the Media • The Greek Tradition • Aristotle • Utilitarianism • Bentham and Mill • Social Contract Theory • Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau and Rawls • Duty Ethics • Kant • Ross
Evaluation • Tests I and II • Three written assignments and discussion • Research paper • Category A of the Advanced W Portfolio