CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION MEDIA

COMM 494 Advanced Special Topics in Communication, Spring 2002
 Wednesdays, 1– 3:30 p.m. Call No. 33952 University of Illinois, Chicago, BSB 1169
http://blackboard.uic.edu/courses/1/comm494s02kb

Kevin G. Barnhurst, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Communication
Office BSB 1148A. Hours, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m., and by appointment
(312) 413-3231

description

This seminar examines the historical changes in the definition of news, including such topics as the expansion of visual techniques, the shift from event-centered to interpretative content, and the emergence of celebrity journalists, and the relationship among the press, broadcasting, and the Internet. The topics will be considered in light of the public mission of journalism and as related to civic engagement. Research methods discussed will include use of historical archives, content analysis, and qualitative interviews. Readings are drawn from sociology, political science, and media studies.

Rationale

The seminar has three goals: First, to understand the state of knowledge about news values and ideology; second, to acquire the media literacy of a critical news consumer, and, third, to understand qualitative and quantitative investigation by participating in research. To reach these goals, you will join in the following activities:

Lectures. Each class will include a formal, prepared lecture on a topic listed in the outline. To provide cross-stimulation, the lectures will not cover the same material as the readings or move in lockstep with other activities of the day. Lectures will be covered in detail by the exams.

Reading. This is a text-based seminar. Every class session will include readings (one topic we’ll return to often is how to read.) Your task will vary, according to the material.

Textbooks are resources to introduce you to researchers and journalists. Familiarize yourself with these recommended texts and be prepared to answer general questions about them on exams.

Ball, Michael, and Gregory Smith. 1992. Analyzing Visual Data. Qualitative Research Methods 24. Newbury Park: Sage.

Kovach, Bill, and Tom Rosenstiel. 2001. The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect. New York: Crown.

Reading packet articles are required and you should read each one in detail before class. Take notes for each reading on a separate sheet typed or written legibly enough to share. A reading form is available on line: In PDF format (.pdf) or HTML format (.htm) or in Rich Text (.rtf)

Reserve readings are additional resource materials, and are assigned reading for graduate students. Consult them before class and bring a summary sheet to share. They will be especially useful as templates for doing research and as sources to cite when writing papers.

Discussion. An important focus will be on discussions. These will be free-ranging, and personal examples are encouraged. Bring a question or two based on the assigned readings to each class. Discussion and attendance contribute to the participation grade.

Assignments. At each meeting of the seminar you will report on an assigned activity. Instructions for the new activity will be posted on the Blackboard CourseInfo site on Thursdays. Consult the following site:

Experience. The weekly assignments involve experiential learning — building understanding by doing. The tasks are designed to give you hands-on practice with the topics of the readings: participating in research, comparing news accounts, watching television and listening to radio news, recalling childhood memories of news, and interviewing a journalist.

Reports. Each week you’ll create a summary or presentation of some kind based on your experience. Please show your creativity and include lots of personal examples.

Exams. Two exams will help you review portions of the course. The first takes place after about two-thirds of the term and will cover all the lectures, required readings, and assignments for Parts I, II, and III of the semester. The second, smaller exam will cover only Parts IV and V. Both exams will be open book (but without collaborating with anyone else) and will take place on line at the following site: http://blackboard.uic.edu/courses/1/comm494s02kb

Students with disabilities who require accommodations for access and participation must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), by calling (312) 413-2103 or (312) 413-0123 TTY.

tentative outline

This outline is tentative; changes will likely occur as we move along. The assignments and readings are listed on the day they are due.

Part I. The Study of News

Jan. 9, Introductions.

Jan. 16, News Sociology. Lecture: “The New Long Journalism Hypothesis.” Readings: Tuchman, 1978, pp. 15–38 (reserve). Assignment 1: Sign on to the Blackboard CourseInfo site, read the syllabus, and send an e-mail message to the instructor.

Part II. Research

Jan. 23, Observation. Attend a candidate forum to observe journalists at work. Lecture: “Being a Realist.” Assignment 2: One event, two accounts.

Jan. 30, Content Analysis. Lecture: “Explaining Events (How & Why).” Reading: Ball & Smith, 1992 (textbook). Assignment 3: Two similar events a century apart.

Part III. Results

Feb. 6, Textual, Newspapers. Lecture: “Paying Attention to VIPs.” Readings: Schudson, 1982, pp. 97–112 (packet 1). Assignment 4: Sources on “NewsHour.”

Feb. 13, Textual, Television. Lecture: “Letting Big News Take Over.” Readings: Hallin, 1992, pp. 5–24 (packet 2). Assignment 5: Big news memories.

Feb. 20, Textual, Radio & Internet. Lecture: “Saying When.” Readings: Larson, 1989, 347–53 (packet 3). Assignment 6: Web time.

Feb. 27, Visual, Newspapers. Lecture: “Moving Away from Here.” Readings: Adatto, 1993, pp. 1–23 (packet 5). Assignment 7: Coding data.

March 6, Visual, Television. Lecture: “Grandstanding.” Readings: Graber, 1990, pp. 134–55 (packet 6). Assignment 8: Journalists on “West Wing.”

March 13, First Exam.

March 20, No class. Spring Break.

Part IV. The News Media as Political Institutions

March 27, Lecture: “Speaking Truth to Power.” Readings: Iyengar & Reeves, 1997, pp. 66–76 (packet 7). Assignment 9: Interview a journalist.

April 3, Lecture: “Talking Amongst Yourselves.” Readings: Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2001 (textbook). Assignment 10: NPR program log.

Part V. The Journalists & Audiences

April 10, Lecture: “Imagining the Audience.” Readings: Levy, 1981, pp. 24–31 (packet 8). Assignment 11: Audience membership.

April 17, Lecture: “Improving the News.” Readings: Commission on Freedom of the Press, 1947, pp. 1–29, 70–106 (packet 9). Assignment 12: Letter to journalist.

April 24, Second Exam.

April 26, Final deadline (no late work accepted after this date).

grading criteria

Now for the heavy stuff: rules and regulations. These aren’t meant as scare tactics, but you should be forewarned about things that I’m very strict about. So here goes . . .

Grades

The following formula will be followed to compute course grades. Any exceptions will require discussion with and the consensus of the class.

Undergraduate Students. Participation, 22 percent; Readings, 24 percent; Assignments, 24 percent; Exams, 30 percent (1st exam, 20 percent; 2d exam 10 percent)

Attendance. Class attendance is essential to your success in the course. If you aren’t able to come fully prepared to class, please come anyway. You’ll benefit. Please talk to me in case of illness or another verifiable emergency that prevents you from attending class. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class. The penalty for unexcused absences grows exponentially (one absence costs 2 percent of your course grade, two absences deduct 4 percent, three 8 percent, and so forth).

Because arriving late and leaving early are disruptive, each instance counts as one-third of an absence. If you come in after your name has been called from the roll, you are responsible immediately after class to arrange for the recorded absence to be converted into a late arrival.

Deadlines. Written assignments are due at the beginning of the period assigned. The penalty for late work is 20 percent of the grade. Be sure to make prior arrangements if you must turn in work in advance due to participation in a University sponsored activity or late due to a verifiable illness. No late work will be accepted after one week beyond the due date.

Tests, quizzes, oral presentations, and other examinations will be scheduled only once and cannot be made up. In cases of verified and excused absence, alternative testing (such as oral examination) will be arranged.

Accuracy. All assignments must be typed and proofread for errors. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and writing style are important factors in grading all written assignments. Be precise about citing the sources you draw from. Original work is expected from every student, and any plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the course. Please ask if you are in doubt about plagiarism.

readings

There are three recommended books and a readings packet for all students, and graduate students also have a list of reserve readings.

Copy Packet

1. Schudson, Michael. 1982. “The Politics of Narrative Form: The Emergence of News Conventions in Print and Television.” Daedalus 3.4 (Winter–Fall): 97–112.

2. Hallin, Daniel C. 1992. “Sound Bite News: Television Coverage of Elections, 1968 – 1988.” Journal of Communication 42.2 (Spring): 5–24. Republished in Hallin, Daniel C. 1994. We Keep America on Top of the World, pp. 133–52. London: Routledge.

3. Larson, M. S. 1989. “Presidential News Coverage and ‘All Things Considered’: National Public Radio and News Bias.” Presidential Studies Quarterly 19.2–3 (Spring–Summer): 347–53.

4. Singer, Jane B. 2001. “The Metro Wide Web: Changes in Newspapers’ Gate-keeping Role On Line.” J&MC Quarterly 78.1 (Spring): 65–80.

5. Adatto, Kiku. 1993. Picture Perfect: The Art and Artifice of Public Image Making. New York: Basic Books.

6. Graber, Doris A. 1990. “Seeing Is Remembering.” Journal of Communication 40.3 (Summer): 134–55.

7. Bagdikian, Ben H. 1997. “The U.S. Media: Supermarket or Assembly Line?” In Do the Media Govern? Politicians, Voters, and Reporters in America, pp. 66–76. Ed. Shanto Iyengar and Richard Reeves. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.

8. Levy, Mark R. 1981. “Disdaining the News.” Journal of Communication 31(3): 24–31.

9. Commission on Freedom of the Press. 1947. A Free and Responsible Press, pp. 1–29, 70–106. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press.

Reserve

Tuchman, Gaye. 1978. Making News: A Study in the Construction of Reality. New York: Free Press.