I. ASCRC General Education Form
Group
VII
Dept/Program
Journalism
Course #
100
Course Title
Prerequisite
Credits
3
Intro to Mass Com
none
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Jerry E. Brown
9-25-08
2227/jerry.brown@
umontana.edud
Program Chair
Carol Van Valkenburg
Dean
Peggy Kuhr
III. Description and purpose of the course: General Education courses must be introductory
and foundational. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/gened/GEPreamble_final.htm
Instructor
Phone / Email
J100 is an introduction to concepts and methods of mass communication. It relates historical
and cultural phenomena to developments in the media, and it emphasizes the importance of
journalism to the principles of democracy. Content and ethics are stressed, as well as the
systems whereby content is conveyed. The course is required of all journalism students and is
offered as an elective to those students interested in the role of the media in society
IV. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
Students study the institution of the press, or the media, as it relates to social contracts and to
the democratic process. The development of the institution through all means of mass
communication forms the spine of the course. Data related to the various changes over the
years, as media have converged, from newspapers to Internet. Successes and failures of the
media are analyzed with respect to perceptions of the public and close scrutiny by analysts in
the disciplines of political science, sociology, psychology and history.
V. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. Learning goals are met in the combination of studies of history and statistical analysis.
Organizing principles are based on history and on the concepts that underpin the perception and
functioning of the press. Is the message the media? Can complex issues, the understanding of
which is critical to an informed electorate, be conveyed by electronic means? By the end of the
course, students should be able to see how media vary and how they exist in concert, in an
ever-changing environment.
See: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
Organizational principles of the media and how they relate to the mission of the media in a
democracy are stressed. So are the influences of the media on opinion, behavior and tastes,
Theoretical concepts are united to practical application and perception.
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 1
VII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form. ⇓ The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus
preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
*Please note: As an instructor of a general education course, you will be expected to provide
sample assessment items and corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.
The University of Montana
School of Journalism
Missoula, MT 59812
JOUR 100S - Introduction to Mass Media
Syllabus – Spring 2008 (subject to change)
Scope: This is a survey course of the eight mass media—newspapers, magazines, books, television, radio,
movies, music recordings, and now the World Wide Web—plus the media’s major “fuelers”—advertising and
public relations. The course traces the historical development of mass media into the multi-billion dollar
industries they are today. It also deals with serious issues facing the media today. JOUR 100S begins the core
for pre-journalism and pre-RTV majors who plan to apply for admission to any of the four options of the UM
School of Journalism’s professional program. The course has significant value to students of any major because
you will become better informed media consumers.
Grading options: This course must be taken for a traditional letter-grade. No credit grading is not permitted.
The Montana University System’s plus/minus grading system will be used in this class.
General Education Credit: As the S behind its number indicates, JOUR 100S fulfills one course and three
credits toward completion of the university’s Social Science general education perspective.
Class meets Mondays and Wednesdays, 3:10-4:30, in GBB 106.
Frequency of Offering: This course is offered autumn and spring semesters.
Instructor: Jerry E. Brown, Professor, School of Journalism.
Teaching Assistant: Kim Cosgrove, Graduate Student, School of Journalism.
Office: Don Anderson Hall 431Office hours The professor’s office hours are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays,
9-11:30, and by appointment.
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I’m also available at other times by
appointment.
Office phone: 243-4747; email: jerry.brown@umontana.edu. Kim is best reached at
kimberlycosgrove@gmail.com.
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 2
Required textbook: The Media of Mass Communication, 8th Edition, 2008 Update, by Prof. John Vivian of
Winona State University in Minnesota. The UC Bookstore has this book on the shelves. You can also find this
book on amazon.com. Read the assigned chapters before class. Textbook Web site:
www.ablongman.com/vivian8e.
Examinations occur on September 27, October 25, and December 10. Midterm 1 covers the course up to that
date. Midterm 2 covers the course since Midterm 1. The final covers the remainder of the course. Exams cover
lecture material, including main points from the video clips shown in class, plus corresponding textbook
chapters. Exams are machine-graded multiple-choice, plus some essay questions on the final.
Course Grading is on a point system. Maximum possible points:
Attendance………………………………………………… 50 points
First midterm exam ................................................................100 points
Second midterm exam............................................................100 points
Final exam (Parts A & B) .....................................................150 points
TOTAL POSSIBLE ...................................................... 400 points
A/AB+/B/BC+/C/C- 280-320
D
F
360-400
320-360
240-280
Below 240
No student may pass the course without taking all three exams.
Attendance and participation: Come to class and stay for the entire class period. We cover vast amounts of
material. A good portion of each lecture is video material that cannot be repeated. Most video clips shown in
class are not available in the library. Several times during the semester I will give you short,
topical writing assignments that will count toward your attendance grade. I will not
announce the dates of these assignments in advance. You will have about ten minutes to
complete the assignment. Be sure to write legibly and put your name on each assignment.
During some lectures I’ll ask questions for which I expect answers and general classroom discussion. If you
have questions, talk to me after class, visit during office hours, or email or telephone me personally.
Laptop Computers: GBB 106 is perfect for laptops although there are no AC plug-ins at your seats. Feel free
to bring your laptop for taking notes.
Cell phones must be off or on vibrate while you are in class and must be off and totally out of your sight during
examinations. Do not answer a call during class.
Academic Honesty
I expect your honesty in presenting your own work for this course. Academic misconduct at The University of
Montana is subject to an academic penalty ranging from failing the assignment to expulsion from the university.
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 3
Students need to be familiar with the Student Conduct Code.
http://www.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm/page/1321
Class-by-Class Topics and Assignments
SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Tuesday
Thursday
Aug 28 - Course Overview: Class requirements and
general goals of the course. Students fill out
demographic form. Buy your textbook and read Ch 1.
Aug 30 - Media Literacy: Definition and proper use of the
word media. Media categories and theories. Mainstream v.
New Media. Media consolidation.
Sept 4 – Books: Read Ch. 2. Development of the book
publishing industry. Importance of writing.
Comparative media power. Where do your textbook
dollars go? Trade books. J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter.
The amazon.com phenomenon. Promoting a best seller.
The hot used-book market. Contributions of one of
America’s historic major authors.
Sept 6 - World Wide Web: Read Ch 9. Newest of the
media. Fiber optics. Roadblocks on the information
superhighway. Brief history of the Internet. Protocols that
make the Web work. The Internet’s “killer application.”
Hotmail/Microsoft. Browsers.
Sept 11 - Web News, Information, Blogs and Issues:
The Web as a commercially viable news distributor.
Blogging as “citizen journalism.” Impact of blogging on
current events. Web issues: accuracy, porn, gambling,
hacking, censorship attempts, privacy
Sept 13- Journalism and the First Amendment: Read Ch
10 & 3. History and traditions of journalism. How and why
the First Amendment was written and passed. What it does
and does not guarantee. Legacies of Jefferson and Madison.
Sept 18- Newspaper History: The Penny Press.
Yellow Journalism. Comic strips. Interpretative
reporting. Anaconda Copper’s pre-1959 control of
Montana newspapers. Some of today’s best papers.
Issues with today’s journalism.
Sept 20- Photojournalism: Read Ch 22 online. Early
photography. Civil War photographs. Development of
photography as an industry/Eastman. Adams, Eisenstaedt,
Bourke-White and other major photojournalists. War risks.
The story of Dan Eldon.
Sept 25- Magazines: Read Ch 4. Demassification.
Historic magazines. Improvement of literacy. Creation
of Life, Time and Sports Illustrated. Women’s
magazines. Muckraking. Point of purchase issues. Top
50 American magazines.
Sept 27- MIDTERM EXAM #1:
100 multiple-choice questions. Bring a No. 2 pencil. We
provide the answer card.
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 4
Oct 2 - Recording Industry: Read Ch 13 & 5. From
piano rolls to compact discs. Impact of jazz, blues and
rock and roll on the recording industry. Louis
Armstrong, Little Brother Montgomery, Chuck Berry
and others set the stage for Elvis Presley.
Oct 4 - Recording Industry continued: The pivotal
moment: Sam Phillips discovers Elvis. Crossing of racial
barriers confuses audiences. Elvis hits the movies. The
Beatles phenomenon. Recording formats. MP3
development. Napster. File sharing arguments.
Oct 9 - Motion Picture Industry: Read Ch 6.
Nickelodeons. Silent films. D.W. Griffith. Charlie
Chaplin. The MGM dream factory. Development of
sound and color. Hollywood studio and star system.
First cartoon
Oct 11 - Motion Pictures continued: AFI’s top 100 films
of the 20th century. Turner colorizes classics. Analysis of a
classic motion picture: scriptwriting, music, casting, acting,
timing, luck.
Oct 16 - Radio: Read Ch 7. Marconi. Sarnoff. Early
stations. Comedy. Amos ’n’ Andy. Soap operas. The
legend of Uncle Don. Radio as an information medium.
Religion on radio. AM v. FM. Development of station
formats in today’s radio. Chain ownership. Emergence
of satellite radio.
Oct 18 - Television: Read Ch 8. Early pioneer inventors.
Technical standards. Famous WWII radio reporters become
TV news pioneers. Landmark TV programming. Audience
fragmentation. Sports.
Oct 23 - Television continued: Power of pictures. The
legacy of Edward R. Murrow. Murrow vs. McCarthy.
Harvest of Shame. Line between entertainment and
news (infotainment). Problems of 24-hour news
channels. Bias charges
Oct 25 - MIDTERM EXAM #2:
100 multiple-choice questions. Bring a No. 2 pencil. We
provide the answer card.
Oct 30 - Public Relations/Advertising: Read Ch 11 &
12. Information/ education vs. persuasion/ propaganda.
From outrageous press agentry to a communication
profession. Montana Power’s failed PR. Ivy Lee and
Edward Bernays. P.T. Barnum. Hill’s ten
commandments of advertising.
Nov 1 - Advertising continued: Eras of advertising. The
pioneer humorist. Controversy over children as ad targets.
Research and methodology of marketing to teens. Effective
slogans. Sex sells. Differences in international advertising.
Nov 6 - Media Research: Read Ch 14. Making news
with polls. Editorial problems with polls. The
mathematics of polling: Sample sizes and polling
accuracy. Computing TV ratings and shares. Challenges
to Nielsen research.
Nov 8 – Mass Comm Theory: Read Ch 15. More Marshall
McLuhan. Four levels of communication. Gatekeepers.
Lippmann’s pictures-in-heads theory. Two society
strongholds help explain mass communication theory.
Nov 13 - Media Effects on People & Society: Read Ch
16 & 17. Sex and violence in media. Real vs. acted
violence. Long-term studies of TV’s effect on children.
McLuhan, Eron, Gerbner, Paglia, Znaimer and other
theories of media effects on society.
Nov 15 - Global Media: Read Ch 18 & online Ch 23.
Media and political systems. Cultural imperialism. How
Hollywood plays in the Muslim world. Al Jazeera, etc.
Dubai, the emerging media headquarters of the Middle East.
Worldwide media empires. Rupert Murdoch, etc.
Nov 20 – TBA
Nov 22- Thanksgiving- No class
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 5
Nov 27 - Politics/Governance: Read Ch 19. Media’s
effect on politics. Kennedy-Nixon debate. Politicians try
to manipulate media. Political conventions. Talk radio.
Investigations of political advertising accuracy.
Nov 29 - Media Law: Read Ch 20. Camera in the court
arguments. Prior restraint. Libel definition and defenses.
Fault standards for public figures. Copyright issues. Acuff
Rose parody case. Privacy issues.
Dec 4 - Media Ethics: Read Ch 21. Historic ethics
traditions. Objectivity vs. fairness. Classic ethics cases.
The CBS Texas document case. Embedded reporters.
Conflict of interest. Advertiser pressure. Photo
manipulation. Codes of ethics. More privacy issues.
Dec 6 – Review for Final
Take-home PART B of Final Examination
passed out in class. Scope of PART A of Final
Exam explained. Students complete course
evaluation forms.
Monday, December 10, 10:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. PART A OF FINAL EXAM. 100 multiple-choice question
Bring a No. 2 pencil. We will provide the answer card. TURN IN TAKE-HOME PART B OF FINAL
EXAM [printed, not e-mailed].
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 6
Tuesday
Thursday
Aug 28 - Course Overview: Class requirements and
general goals of the course. Students fill out
demographic form. Buy your textbook and read Ch 1.
Aug 30 - Media Literacy: Definition and proper use of th
word media. Media categories and theories. Mainstream v
New Media. Media consolidation.
Sept 4 – Books: Read Ch. 2. Development of the book
publishing industry. Importance of writing.
Comparative media power. Where do your textbook
dollars go? Trade books. J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter.
The amazon.com phenomenon. Promoting a best seller.
The hot used-book market. Contributions of one of
America’s historic major authors.
Sept 6 - World Wide Web: Read Ch 9. Newest of the
media. Fiber optics. Roadblocks on the information
superhighway. Brief history of the Internet. Protocols that
make the Web work. The Internet’s “killer application.”
Hotmail/Microsoft. Browsers.
Sept 11 - Web News, Information, Blogs and Issues:
The Web as a commercially viable news distributor.
Blogging as “citizen journalism.” Impact of blogging on
current events. Web issues: accuracy, porn, gambling,
hacking, censorship attempts, privacy
Sept 13- Journalism and the First Amendment: Read C
10 & 3. History and traditions of journalism. How and wh
the First Amendment was written and passed. What it doe
and does not guarantee. Legacies of Jefferson and Madiso
Sept 18- Newspaper History: The Penny Press.
Yellow Journalism. Comic strips. Interpretative
reporting. Anaconda Copper’s pre-1959 control of
Montana newspapers. Some of today’s best papers.
Issues with today’s journalism.
Sept 20- Photojournalism: Read Ch 22 online. Early
photography. Civil War photographs. Development of
photography as an industry/Eastman. Adams, Eisenstaedt
Bourke-White and other major photojournalists. War risks
The story of Dan Eldon.
Sept 25- Magazines: Read Ch 4. Demassification.
Historic magazines. Improvement of literacy. Creation
of Life, Time and Sports Illustrated. Women’s
magazines. Muckraking. Point of purchase issues. Top
50 American magazines.
Sept 27- MIDTERM EXAM #1:
100 multiple-choice questions. Bring a No. 2 pencil. We
provide the answer card.
Oct 2 - Recording Industry: Read Ch 13 & 5. From
piano rolls to compact discs. Impact of jazz, blues and
rock and roll on the recording industry. Louis
Armstrong, Little Brother Montgomery, Chuck Berry
and others set the stage for Elvis Presley.
Oct 4 - Recording Industry continued: The pivotal
moment: Sam Phillips discovers Elvis. Crossing of racial
barriers confuses audiences. Elvis hits the movies. The
Beatles phenomenon. Recording formats. MP3
development. Napster. File sharing arguments.
Oct 9 - Motion Picture Industry: Read Ch 6.
Nickelodeons. Silent films. D.W. Griffith. Charlie
Chaplin. The MGM dream factory. Development of
sound and color. Hollywood studio and star system.
First cartoon
Oct 11 - Motion Pictures continued: AFI’s top 100 films
of the 20th century. Turner colorizes classics. Analysis of
classic motion picture: scriptwriting, music, casting, acting
timing, luck.
Oct 16 - Radio: Read Ch 7. Marconi. Sarnoff. Early
stations. Comedy. Amos ’n’ Andy. Soap operas. The
legend of Uncle Don. Radio as an information medium.
Religion on radio. AM v. FM. Development of station
formats in today’s radio. Chain ownership. Emergence
of satellite radio.
Oct 18 - Television: Read Ch 8. Early pioneer inventors.
Technical standards. Famous WWII radio reporters becom
TV news pioneers. Landmark TV programming. Audience
fragmentation. Sports.
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 7
Oct 23 - Television continued: Power of pictures. The
legacy of Edward R. Murrow. Murrow vs. McCarthy.
Harvest of Shame. Line between entertainment and
news (infotainment). Problems of 24-hour news
channels. Bias charges
Oct 25 - MIDTERM EXAM #2:
100 multiple-choice questions. Bring a No. 2 pencil. We
provide the answer card.
Oct 30 - Public Relations/Advertising: Read Ch 11 &
12. Information/ education vs. persuasion/ propaganda.
From outrageous press agentry to a communication
profession. Montana Power’s failed PR. Ivy Lee and
Edward Bernays. P.T. Barnum. Hill’s ten
commandments of advertising.
Nov 1 - Advertising continued: Eras of advertising. The
pioneer humorist. Controversy over children as ad targets.
Research and methodology of marketing to teens. Effectiv
slogans. Sex sells. Differences in international advertising
Nov 6 - Media Research: Read Ch 14. Making news
with polls. Editorial problems with polls. The
mathematics of polling: Sample sizes and polling
accuracy. Computing TV ratings and shares. Challenges
to Nielsen research.
Nov 8 – Mass Comm Theory: Read Ch 15. More Marsha
McLuhan. Four levels of communication. Gatekeepers.
Lippmann’s pictures-in-heads theory. Two society
strongholds help explain mass communication theory.
Nov 13 - Media Effects on People & Society: Read Ch
16 & 17. Sex and violence in media. Real vs. acted
violence. Long-term studies of TV’s effect on children.
McLuhan, Eron, Gerbner, Paglia, Znaimer and other
theories of media effects on society.
Nov 15 - Global Media: Read Ch 18 & online Ch 23.
Media and political systems. Cultural imperialism. How
Hollywood plays in the Muslim world. Al Jazeera, etc.
Dubai, the emerging media headquarters of the Middle Ea
Worldwide media empires. Rupert Murdoch, etc.
Nov 20 – TBA
Nov 22- Thanksgiving- No class
Nov 27 - Politics/Governance: Read Ch 19. Media’s
effect on politics. Kennedy-Nixon debate. Politicians try
to manipulate media. Political conventions. Talk radio.
Investigations of political advertising accuracy.
Nov 29 - Media Law: Read Ch 20. Camera in the court
arguments. Prior restraint. Libel definition and defenses.
Fault standards for public figures. Copyright issues. Acuff
Rose parody case. Privacy issues.
Dec 4 - Media Ethics: Read Ch 21. Historic ethics
traditions. Objectivity vs. fairness. Classic ethics cases.
The CBS Texas document case. Embedded reporters.
Conflict of interest. Advertiser pressure. Photo
manipulation. Codes of ethics. More privacy issues.
Dec 6 – Review for Final
Take-home PART B of Final Examination
passed out in class. Scope of PART A of Final
Exam explained. Students complete course
evaluation forms.
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 8
Monday, December 10, 10:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. PART A OF FINAL EXAM. 100 multiple-choice question
Bring a No. 2 pencil. We will provide the answer card. TURN IN TAKE-HOME PART B OF FINAL
EXAM [printed, not e-mailed].
JOUR 100 Syllabus - Page 9