Syllabus for Roster(s):

  • 17J MDST 3809-1 (CGAS)
In the UVaCollab course site:   New Media in NY 2017

Course Description (for SIS)

New Media in NYC:
 
Why would any media professional want to live in New York City when digital media allows for low-cost production and distribution from any place on earth to reach a global audience? Why do so many media firms pay so much in rent, taxes, and labor costs to put up shop in Manhattan? Marketing, creative, and communication leaders must consider how e-Readers, smartphones, live streaming, and social networks diversify media consumption patterns.  Decisions about how (or if) businesses should modify their organizational structures and habits will determine those that prosper and those that perish. This J-Term course is designed to prepare the future media industry employees for the dramatic changes ahead.  
 
The first few days will be entirely digital, held virtually so students may participate in class discussion from anywhere in the world. The second week will transpire in New York City. Combining scholarly literature with exploratory site visits to television studios, book publishers, newspapers, radio stations, and music executives provides a pragmatic approach to learning. Students will walk away with a better understanding of how established media conglomerates avoid falling behind in the city that never sleeps. 
 

"New Media in NYC" Syllabus

 
New Media in New York
January Term 2017
 
 
Professor Siva Vaidhyanathan
sivav@virginia.edu
mobile 917-532-6043
 
Claire Maiers, teaching assistant
cdm6zf@virginia.edu
mobile 719-232-5546
 
 
 
Why does any media professional want to live in New York City when digital media allows for low-cost production and distribution from any place on earth to reach a global audience? Why do so many media firms pay so much in rent, taxes, and labor costs to put up shop in Manhattan? Marketing, creative, and communication leaders must consider how e-Readers, smartphones, live streaming, and social networks diversify media consumption patterns.  Decisions about how (or if) businesses should modify their organizational structures and habits will determine those that prosper and those that perish. This J-Term course is designed to prepare the future media industry employees for the dramatic changes ahead.  
 
The first few days will be entirely digital, held virtually so students may participate in class discussion from anywhere in the world. The second week will transpire in New York City. Combining scholarly literature with exploratory site visits to television studios, book publishers, newspapers, radio stations, and music executives provides a pragmatic approach to learning. Students will walk away with a better understanding of how established media conglomerates avoid falling behind in the city that never sleeps. 
 
Part 1: Reading Reactions 
 
On the first day of the course, Tuesday, January 3, please post 500-word introduction to yourself. Please also upload a photo of yourself so your classmates can get to know you quickly. You might want to answer the following questions:
 
• How do you pronounce your preferred name?
• Where did you grow up?
• What attracted you to this course?
• Which of the scheduled events interests you the most?
• What is your favorite extracurricular activity that you have done at UVA?
• What are your career plans and/or dreams?
• How much time have you spent in NYC and what have you done there? 
 
Every day from Tuesday, January 3 through Friday, January 6 students will post a reading- and viewing-reaction essays. The reactions are due by 11:55 pm each night and must reflect on the readings due for that day. Reading/viewing reactions should be approximately two pages (no more than 500 words) in length and demonstrate a clear understanding of the reading and videos. The goal is not to summarize the content, but rather think critically about the key points. In your essay, answer at least one of the following questions: 
 
• Why do creative and media people wish to move to New York City and why does anyone stay?
 
• Why did New York become the media center of the world?
 
• Is New York City prepared to think nimbly enough about the challenges to traditional models that have funded media enterprises and journalism?
 
Each reading reaction must contain one hyperlink to something outside of required readings that connect to the general ideas for that day. This could be a newspaper article, radio segment, clip on Youtube, Facebook post, etc.
 
In addition to your own postings you must comment on the posting of another classmate (be sure to rotate classmates, choosing a new person each day). A grade for the Reading Reactions will be posted to you in Collab by the morning of Monday, January 9. 
 
Part 2: NYC Musings 
 
Once arriving in New York you will continue your daily reactions but rather than reflect on the readings, reflect on your site visits and how it ties back to the readings from the week prior. Similar to the reading reactions, posting should be one-to-two paragraphs and you must also comment on the reactions of one other student each day. Your first NYC Musing is due Monday, January 9 by 11:55 p.m. and your last posting is due by Saturday, January 14th.  You will have posted a total of five NYC Musings and five Comments. 
 
Please note that Reading Reaction and Musings are to be posted to the WordPress blog available through Collab. 
 
It is very important that you TAG and CATEGORIZE your postings. Failure to categorize your postings may result in us not reading them. If you are unfamiliar with how to use Word Press, please visit SHANTI Support for Word Press (https://wiki.shanti.virginia.edu/display/KB/Create+a+Post+or+Page) 
 
Grading
 
Your grade will be determined based on the following:
 
Reading Reaction grade: 50 percent
NYC Musings cumulative grade: 25 percent
Participation (week two): 25 percent
 
Participation grades will be based on your willingness to ask pertinent and incisive questions of our hosts during our site visits. Siva and Claire will do their best to hold their own questions (not easy) to allow students to ask the best ones. Please come prepared with questions in mind for each of our hosts. 
 
Schedule for reading and viewing:
 
By January 3:  Watch Woody Allen, Manhattan (on Kaltura) and Network (Kaltura). Watch Siva's introduction video (on Kaltura)
Post your introduction essay (instructions above) on the Wordpress group blog.
Post your reading reaction essay.
 
By January 4: Watch Rick Burns, New York, Episode 7 (1945-present) (Kaltura) and On the Waterfront (Kaltura).  
Read a series of posts on Little Things.com 
Post your reading reaction essay
Comment on at least one other students' essay
 
By January 5: Watch Startup.com (Kaltura) 
Read Strangers on Seth Meyers and Dick Cavett 
Listen to Slate podcast on "Filter Bubbles and News Consumption."
Post your reading reaction essay
Post at least one comment on at least one other students' essay
 
 
By January 6: Watch Page One (on Kaltura) and Amy O’Leary’s Online Journalism keynote address (available http://ona14.journalists.org/sessions/friday-night-keynote/#.VH9xC4vy6Xv ).
Post your reading reaction essay
Post at least one comment on at least one other students' essay
 
 
By January 7:
Watch The Devil Wears Prada (Kaltura) and The Sweet Smell of Success (Kaltura)
Post your reading reaction essay
Post at least one comment on at least one other students' essay
Embed a video on the WordPress group blog with your favorite song about New York City.
 
 
Sunday, January 8: Arrive in NYC. Purchase one-week Metro Card. Check into hotel. Assemble in the lobby at 6 p.m. for roll call.
 
Schedule for site visits during week two: Posted on WordPress class blog.