Highly recommended books:
Robert W. McChesney, "The Political Economy of Media: Enduring issues,
emerging
dilemmas" (May 2008)
Robert W. McChesney, "Communication Revolution: Critical Junctures and the
Future of Media" (December 2008)
Other recommended books and readings:
Julia T. Wood's "Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender and
Culture" (8th edition, 2009 -- 9th edition out soon); Robert McChesney's
'Rich Media, Poor Democracy"; Kristina
Borjesson's "Into the
buzzsaw; leading journalists expose the myth of a free press"
Students should also
consider "Best Democracy Money can
Buy: An Investigative Reporter Exposes the Truth about Globalization,
Corporate Cons and High Finance Fraudsters" by Greg Palast: "The Shock
Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" by Naomi Klein and
"Democracy for the few" by Michael Parenti.
Recommended reading in mass media:
Students should read regularly from the online democracy resource list
provided and from a
variety of
magazines, such as Harpers, Time, Z, Utne Reader, Mother Jones, The
Nation,
New Republic, WWU's Klipsun and
Planet, along with newspapers such as The New York Times, The Wall Street
Journal, The Seattle Times, The Herald (Everett),
Bellingham Herald, free area weekly, Cascadia Weekly -- and Seattle-area
online news sites, such as
Seattlepostglobe.org, Seattlepi.com and crosscut.com.
Also, students should read widely from the alternative media resource
list on Pilgrim's Website.
Note: Except for exams, NO PAPER COPIES OF CLASS MATERIAL WILL BE
HANDED OUT.
The J190 syllabus, along with outlines of important points to study in the
text, summaries of outside readings, summaries of some of the videos
viewed during the quarter. Also, some sample questions similar to those
on the two exams are available on this Web page.
Each student will be assigned to an online discussion group and
must participate several times weekly in online discussion to fulfill
class requirements.
NO CELL PHONES, IPHONES, BLACKBERRIES, PALM PILOTS, IPODS, ETC. IN CLASS
-- NO
TEXTING, NO TWEETING, NO CHECKING FACEBOOK. PLEASE TURN ALL DEVICES
OFF UPON ENTERING! IF YOU BRING YOUR COMPUTER FOR CLASS
USE, SIT IN THE BACK TWO ROWS, AND
USE THE COMPUTER ONLY TO TAKE NOTES OR BRING UP MATERIAL BEING PROJECTED
ON THE LECTURE HALL SCREEN. DO NOT GAME, E-MAIL OR SEARCH THE
WEB, ETC. Knitting is permissible, however. Take notes.
And, of course, no cheating of any kind (see the penalties in the WWU
catalog -- the penalty for video sign-in fraud is 100 points).
J190 students must use this Web page often to
complete assignments and to obtain class materials.
Students will see from material on the Introduction to Mass Media web page that the course helps them develop critical thinking skills regarding media and mass communication, as well as improve writing and information-gathering skills.
The course is not a course cheerleading for mass media. Instead, it focuses on the ownership patterns (structure) of media (mainstream media are owned mostly by huge corporations) and explores the kinds of influence on society, culture and the self-governing process.
During the quarter, J190 will examine the impact of mass media in the United States on society, culture and democratic society but will touch on other systems in the world too.
Diversity -- including race, gender and "isms" -- and the relationship to media and media content are also an important part of the J190 exploration.
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The relationship of democracy and media (how well media do their job of providing adequate information and knowledge so that citizens may govern themselves effectively) is also a crucial element of the J190 examination of media.
J190 has three primary objectives:
2) Students should be able to analyze the various media messages and their portrayal of people, events, issues and ideas, especially in light of those people, institutions and corporations producing, controlling and influencing media messages.
3) Students should develop an ability to evaluate the structure, interests, motivations and content of mass media, and evaluate their impact on society, culture and the political process, especially regarding whether media provide citizens with all relevant information so that they may govern themselves effectively.
The hope for J190, therefore, is that class members will come to understand the tremendous impact media institutions have on them and will gain media literacy and leave the class with a more critical understanding of media structure, workings and impact. Of course, in the best of all worlds, such knowledge will be used to make a difference in students' own lives -- and in society.
We will follow the schedule below for the most part, but because we are dealing with the here and now of media, Pilgrim reserves the right to change directions (with fair warning to students) if other important media issues arise. Also, students should bring news stories pertaining to media they find relevant to the focus of the class.
About 24 videos will be shown in class and will either take up the entire class period or be sandwiched around mini-lectures (many of the videos shown are from the Media Education Foundation -- go to http://mediaed.org to see more about this media literacy clearinghouse). Also, J190 may have an occasional guest media professional.
Videos shown are of equal importance to class readings and lectures, which focus on important concepts.
Pilgrim urges students (he will beg on his knees in class) not to be judgmental of older videos, which have been determined to have much value in terms of current media issues.
Students should take careful notes as directed on the videos and study that material carefully when preparing for exams. Also, outlines of most lectures are posted weekly and should be used as guides for taking notes in class.
Students should be prepared for part of exams to be written answers and essays demonstrating understanding of concepts and analysis and evaluation of them as they relate to media and the primary J190 objectives and themes. The questions can come from any of the material presented in class or viewed or read (including Wilson Library Reserve Room readings).
Your are asked to expand and monitor your media intake and discuss it. Be willing to participate. At appropriate times, ask relevant questions or make thoughtful observations, but please do not monopolize discussions.
The class is large, and in-class discussion needs to be orderly. Pilgrim PREFERS students who are courteous to others, who are tolerant of a WIDE RANGE of ideas and opinion and who do not disrupt the learning of others.
Also, Pilgrim has a HEARING DISABILITY, so please, if you must talk during class, move to the hallway for your private discussion, which also interrupts the learning of those around you if you have it in class.
Any quarter when serious amounts of snow falls, students are urged not to take risks getting to class in spite of the ongoing announcement from Western that the "university remains open." Pilgrim will work out makeups on a case by case basis. If the day in question is an exam day, makeup exams will be at his office at 7:45 a.m. the following Monday.
Also, for exams please turn off your cell phones, palm pilots, blackberries, iPods, etc. -- no computing or texting allowed.
By using laptops in class during regular sessions, students are pledging they are using them ONLY to access class material being projected in class or to take notes -- not to Skype, twitter, text, surf the Web or do e-mail or play games. Because of the distraction of the monitors, students using laptops should sit in the BACK TWO ROWS.
Students should note if the chair they are taking is designed for a left-handed person and leave it vacant if they are not left-handed. Thanks.
Finally, please do not cheat -- and that includes asking others to sign in for you at town hall meetings and videos. Those who do usually find themselves to be treated with disdain by others who see you. See the WWU catalog for penalties from the university. Also, note the university definition of disruptive behavior (on the pamphlet circulated in class -- and including behaviors such as repeatedly answering cell phones in class, talking in class, entering and leaving and entering class).
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A) Two exams (Exam #1 on Thursday of Week 4 -- Oct. 22) covering all
material
through and including Week 4; Exam #2 on Thursday of Week 8 -- Nov. 19)
covering material Week 5 through and including Week 8. Each exam
will be worth 315 points).
Total points for both exams: 630.
B) TAKE-HOME, EVALUATIVE, TYPED ESSAY PROJECT (assigned Week 7) DUE
Wed., Nov. 25 at noon (students may arrange for later deadline -- anytime
before noon on Tues., Dec. 1 -- sign up with Pilgrim --and, remember,
no in-class final during the final exam period because of the
take-home essay).
Total points for the essay: 140.
C) Attendance at videos shown (about 24 videos are scheduled) in class
(attendance at a video can be as much as 15 points -- or higher). Students
must arrive on time and REMAIN IN CLASS FOR THE ENTIRE VIDEO in order to
receive video credit. STUDENTS SHOULD SIGN ONLY FOR THEMSELVES -- AND
NOT SIGN IF THEY ARRIVE LATER
THAN 10 PAST THE HOUR OR IF THEY LEAVE EARLY OR IF THEY LEAVE FOR AN
EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME (longer than five minutes).
PILGRIM COUNTS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ATTENDING; IF MORE STUDENTS
SIGN THAN ARE PRESENT, HE RESERVES THE RIGHT NOT TO AWARD VIDEO POINTS
BUT INSTEAD INCREASE THE POINTS AWARDED FOR VIDEOS WHEN THOSE PRESENT
MATCHES THOSE SIGNING. After Week 4 and/or 4 videos with non-matching
counts, Pilgrim switches the points not awarded for videos with
non-matching counts to the final and/or Exam 2 (and, on the exam,
emphasizes the missed videos more heavily).
Concepts and other information from the videos are a SIGNIFICANT part
of Exam 1 and Exam 2. Prior to video viewing, note the concepts and
lists specified at the bottom of each week's Web site and then during
the video, take good notes on those items.
Total video attendance points: 140.
D) Online discussion participation during weeks (Wk #6; and Wk #7
of J190-related questions posed by Pilgrim and other J190 students -- 60
points possible for four
thoughtful entries over two weeks (Week 6 and 7), with all entries being
"fat
paragraphs" in length -- Pilgrim will begin the discussion with a
question -- see details below and on the main
discussion Web page. These discussions, which take several hours of
reading responses by others and thoughfully composing your own
entries each week, are MANDATORY and replace several Friday meetings.
Online postings must be WITHIN your ASSIGNED GROUP -- students must
respond to Pilgrim's initial question by the end of Wednesday of Week 6.
Total points: 60.
E) Two "town hall" meetings held in the regular classroom at the
regular hour on Friday of Week 1 (Oct. 2) and Friday of Week 5 (Oct. 30).
Attendance will be worth 10 points each.
Total points: 20.
F) First-week and last-day in-class written analysis of media's impact on
society, culture and self-governance. 5 points each.
Total points: 10.
Total possible points for the quarter: 1,000
Notes:
The WWU provost is allowing students to self-report cases of swine flu.
Students missing J190 because of this illness may bring afterward
to Pilgrim such a self-written note and be able to make up missed
videos.
To make up the points, they should view the missed video in Wilson Library
--
all videos are on reserve there -- and bring a half-page typed
summary to Pilgrim. No e-mails. No attachments. Of course, they should
take careful notes on concepts required for exams.
Similarly, students missing exams because of swine flu may take a makeup
exam. They should see Pilgrim when they are well (& bring their note).
Pilgrim may offer a 5- or 10-point extra-credit opportunity during
the quarter.
If so, details will be posted under Assignments at the top of the main
J190 Web page.
NOTE: A video attendance sheet will be passed around class in the middle of each in-class video. To "sign," PRINT your LAST NAME and then SIGN your first name in the appropriate alphabet section of the sheet.
It is ACADEMIC DISHONESTY to sign for an absent student (Pilgrim counts those present) -- see the WWU catalog about academic dishonesty (sign-in fraud is penalized 100 points).
Web summaries of some videos will be posted by Pilgrim. For all other videos, concepts and other information to note during the video will be posted at the beginning of the week the video is shown in class. Students should be ready note this material -- and may re-view videos in Wilson Library, where all the videos are on reserve.
Class ATTENDANCE is MANDATORY; Video attendance CANNOT BE MADE UP if in-class viewing is missed (the only exceptions are university-excused absences and medical/emergency absences -- all substantiated by official written documents).
If you need extra time on exam days, exams will handed out as soon as the classroom is available.
ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE AS SPECIFIED. LATE final essays WILL BE PENALIZED UP TO 10% PER DAY (weekends count as 1 day).
Online discussion
Pilgrim will begin the two weeks of online discussion (Week 6 & 7) by posting a question by Monday of Week 6. All students must respond to this question by Tuesday of Week 6 at midnight with an entry that is at least seven sentences long.
The remaining three responses -- spread over Week 6 and 7 -- should be made to other students within the assigned discussion group. Each should be a "fat paragraph" (around seven sentences) that is thoughful and well-supported.
No more than 1 response for points during any 24-hour period (extra non-point entries are welcome).
Students should place the number of the response after their name (1, 2, 3, 4).
Each of the 4 responses are worth up to 15 points -- 15 points for a "fat paragraph"; 8 points for a short entry; 0 points for no entry or for any entry beyond the first two during a 24-hour period.
All assigned online discussion must be completed by Friday of Week 7 at noon. In these discussions students should NOT ATTACK other writers. Students who don't like written viewpoint should respond with an argument that is compelling (and logical). No name-calling; no threats.
Students should strive for civility that Alexander Meiklejohn would be proud of and should strive to develop each argument with adequate support for each assertion.
Important grading information
During the quarter, "points" are given for attendance, assignments and exams. The only "grade" students will be assigned is at the end of the quarter after all points have been awarded. These final grades will be determined by a "loose curve." This system tends to help students achieve higher grades than they would under a regular "curve." For example, under Pilgrim's loose curve -- depending on all students' performance during the quarter -- the "grade" of A and A- usually begins at 92% of the total possible points. That percentage may be a bit lower or higher, depending on the point distribution during a particular quarter. Other + and - grades similarly vary. For example, grades of B-, B and B+ usually ranges betweem 79 and 90 percent.
Thus, a "loose curve" is, for the most part, benign to students and allows Pilgrim freedom NOT to give equal and offsetting numbers of grades (for example, instead of 7 A's and 7 F's, he may give 12 A's and 2 F's) and may alter traditional percentage cutoffs (for example, a D- some quarter may be below 60%).
Make-up exams -- after the exam time, not before -- will given only in cases of medical emergency (accompanied by notes from physicians) or excused university functions. Make-up exams will be a different exam, with more short-answer questions. The exams will be given at 7:45 a.m. on Monday following the exam -- at Pilgrim's office in CF 265.
In case of exams falling on days of university closure because of adverse weather, the scheduled exam will be given the following Monday.
. Make-up of video attendance is permitted only for university activities or for medical or family emergencies (an official, written document is required).
Pilgrim uses the plus and minus system for J190 grading.
NO SPECIAL EXAM TIMES. Honesty in exam-taking, video attendance signing and writing is required. Do your own work -- SEE WWU CATALOG FOR THE POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY. NOTE ALSO THE POLICIES ON DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT, INTERFERENCE WITH FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS, AND MISUSE OF COMPUTERS, ETC. A 100-point penalty is levied for video attendance fraud in J190.
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Readings in Bagdikian's "New Media Monopoly" and all other RESERVE ROOM chapters should be completed by the BEGINNING of the week assigned below.
BECAUSE OF COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS, LIMITED RESERVE ROOM
READING COPIES of Postman
("Amusing Ourselves to Death") IS AVAILABLE, so the bookmay not always be readily
available.
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL JUST BEFORE THE EXAM TO READ RESERVE
MATERIAL.
Required reading of online summaries of several chapters in
"Media/Impact," 6th edition, by Shirley Biagi are
listed below during various weeks. The material is PASSWORD PROTECTED.
Pilgrim provide the password in class -- make certain you note it.
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