American Media 4219-SD0090
The course presents a panorama of American media: from print to electronic and the Internet. It looks at their historical development discussing such phenomena as penny press, yellow journalism, networks, syndication, interactivity, etc. This approach will allow students to grasp the processes behind media creation and functioning and position them in a broader socio-cultural context. Presenting noteworthy, iconic TV and radio programs in the history of the media will acquaint students with American media culture. Moreover, the course attempts to look at the media as an institution of socio-cultural, economic and political life considering their relations to government agencies, market, interest groups, etc. The historic and institutional approach will be complemented with a discussion of the present media scene. We will try to trace the most popular media formats and titles and infer their role and impact on the audiences.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Students will have an in-depth knowledge of American media. They will be able to identify main stages in the development of the American media. They will be acquainted with main concepts, structures and working of the media industry. Students will be able to identify, describe and define main media formats, place them within the framework of the media history and trace their development or demise. The course will also serve the purpose of media literacy necessary for independent, informed and critical reception of media content and understanding of the contemporary media environment. In addition, students will be prepared to analyze, interpret and evaluate media content and formats. They will also practice expressing their critical opinions in spoken and written English.
Assessment criteria
Students will be graded on account of their active participation in the class discussions based on assigned readings (15 pt). Class work (in pairs and groups) will be assessed (15 pt). They will be asked to contribute three written responses on the media material discussed in class (working on primary media sources, 3 x 15 pt). There will be a written test during the semester (25 pt). No absences can be rewarded with 5 additional points.
Bibliography
Bliss, Edward. Now the News: The Story of Broadcast Journalism. NY: Columbia University Press, 1991.
Emery, Edwin, and Michael Emery. The Press and America: An Interpretive History of the Mass Media. 9th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2000.
Gomery, Douglas. A History of Broadcasting in the United States. Wiley-Blackwell, 2008.
Gonzales, Juan and Joseph Torres. News for All the People: The Epic Story of Race and the American Media. Verso, 2011.
Mass Communication, Media, and Culture: An Introduction to Mass Communication. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing, 2016.
Roman, James. From Daytime to Primetime: The History of American Television. Greenwood, 2005.
Sterling, Christopher H. Stay Tuned: A History of American Broadcasting. Lawrence Erlbaum Ass. 2002.
Sloan, David Wm., and James D. Startt, eds. The Media in America: A History. Northport, Al: Vision Press, 1996.
Sylvia IV, J.J. Introduction to Communication and Media Studies. ROTEL, 2024
Zamith, Rodrigo. The American Journalism Handbook: Concepts, Issues, and Skills. UMass, 2022
Additionally articles from journals and other media sources on current media affairs.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: