Syllabus for Roster(s):
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The News Media Syllabus
THE NEWS MEDIA-SYLLABUS
Media Studies 3559 Section 008 Class Number 20659
Ruffner Hall G004 200-315 MW
Spring Semester 2016
Instructor Wyatt Andrews
Office Location 212 Wilson Hall
Office Hours Monday and Wednesday 345-545
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday By appointment, please use email.
Email wyatt@virginia.edu
Office Phone 434 243 1675
The News Media
Your generation probably consumes more news and information than any in history, with most of that information coming over a screen. We can spend time lamenting why most of you do not read handheld newspapers—or—we can study your news consumption for what it is; part of an information revolution of historic importance. The second option is what we will do in this course.
This course will take an analytical snapshot of the news media today, with the goal of giving you the skills and baseline knowledge needed to evaluate what you see and read. What news can you trust? How does the media choose to cover what we see? How can you spot bias? Or quality? How is the news paid for, and how does the money, most of which comes from advertising, influence what we read? What’s good and bad about the digital news revolution?
The course will challenge you to understand that free information is integral to freedom itself. The best reporting calls politicians, business leaders and public officials to account and gives citizens the information required to criticize and reward or punish those in power. There is nothing wrong with reading news online or on social media--but during this course you should examine if your own news consumption choices are preparing you as citizens —and as future leaders capable of governing.
The Basics.
There is a textbook: The Elements of Journalism, Kovach and Rosentstiel, 3rd Updated Edition. 2014 It’s inexpensive and easily available on Amazon. Digital versions like Kindle acceptable.
Important: because this is a course based in real time, there WILL be last minute reading assignments and there may be changes in the syllabus. Pay attention to COLLAB.
There will be two papers, 4-5, pages, written in very direct, no-extra-words style. More on this in class.
There will be a class participation grade and a final exam. The final will be in class, with open notes.
This next part is very important. This is an upper level Media Studies seminar, so there will be built in discussion time every day.
***Prior to every lecture, you need to read or scan one mainstream newspaper, one digital first news website and one 30 minute segment of broadcast or cable TV news. Reading, viewing or scanning these news sources online is fine. Prior to every lecture I will ask one or two students at random to describe what they viewed or read. As in: “Good morning random (and clearly awesome) student!..what broadcast/news site did you watch/read since last Wednesday and what did you learn?"
Why is this important? Because you need to leave this course with a higher level of news fluency—an emerging and important life skill-- and that can only happen if you get familiar with news outlets outside of your comfort zone. My random requests will not seek to embarrass you, I promise. The point will be to stimulate discussion about your choices and the evolving universe of news sources. That said, not being ready will reflect badly on your class participation grade. Important**Your class participation grade will be based on whether you impress me and the class with your preparation and observations during discussion.
I will not take attendance, but not being there, especially if I happen call you for discussion, will be noticed and will impact your grade.
No computers or cell phones may be on during class. This is your time to study and think about the media, not a time to be using media.
You may ask a question at any point in the class. I may need to delay the answer but you are encouraged and free to ask.
I plan to be available for office hours. Drop by or make an an appointment early in the semester and then as needed. Because I am new at this, it would help me to hear what you want from the course and your overall goals.
The papers. Just like in the news business, papers should be written with your points made and defended (with examples) as briefly as possible. Aim for 5 pages max. I don’t care what your opinion might be as long as you make your points succinctly with documented facts. Expanding a paper with useless stretch words will not go well for you. State your case and defend it.
I will help you re-write the first paper, just to make sure you understand the style and content required and if the re-write is better, it will improve your grade. You have to ask for a consultation and finish the rewrite within ten days of the original assignment.
Grading.
We will go over in class specifically how the papers and final will be graded.
Class participation will be more subjective, but the here are the criteria. Preparation. Going outside the assigned readings. Impressive command of the facts.
“A” work. You must consistently impress me and the class with your preparation and knowledge of the issues. You must demonstrate research done outside of the readings and reveal another level of work and analysis was applied to the topic at hand.
“B” work. You are consistently above average and often very good in your papers and discussions, but not consistent in your ability to impress the class or me with original insights.
“C” work. You did the work, and you knew the material, but very little about your work was original, new or thought provoking.
“D” work. You fail to demonstrate mastery over most or all of the material and failed to impact class discussion.
“F” work. You cannot demonstrate you know much at all about the topics identified at the beginning.
Grading breakdown.
Class participation 15%
Paper 1 20%
Paper 2 25%
Final exam 40%
The six major topics to constantly analyze and master. Consider this essentially the final exam.
Is the news media doing its primary job as watchdog?
Is news sponsored by advertising good for our democracy?
Is news on social media inherently corrupted?
What’s the worst form of news media bias?
Can news consumed exclusively online produce informed citizens?
Is TV news a public service or a disgrace?
Books and Websites
Book: The Elements of Journalism, Kovach and Rosentstiel, Updated 3rd Edition
Two chapter excerpts—ordered from UVa Copy.
- The Ethical Journalist, Foreman, Second Edition 2016: Chapter 11, “The Business of Producing Journalism.”
- Lapdogs. How the Press Rolled Over for Bush: Chapter 8 “This is Scripted.”
Main Website
The 2015 State of the Media report: http://www.journalism.org/files/2015/04/FINAL-STATE-OF-THE-NEWS-MEDIA1.pdf
--Assignments will refer to this as: State of the Media, 2015
A Sampling of Papers, Media Sites and Leading Digital News Sites
New York Times http://www.nytimes.com
Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Washington Times http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Wall Street Journal http://www.wsj.com
National Review http://www.nationalreview.com
Yahoo/ABC http://news.yahoo.com/abc-news/
Pro Publica http://www.propublica.org
Columbia Journalism Review http://www.cjr.org
The Poynter Institute http://www.poynter.org
On the Media http://www.onthemedia.org
Vice News http://vice.com
Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Gawker http://gawker.com
Buzzfeed http://www.buzzfeed.com
Media Matters http://mediamatters.org
Media Resource Center http://mrc.org
Fact Check http://www.factcheck.org
Politifact http://www.politifact.com
Facebook Your newsfeed
Twitter Your account
Course Outline
JAN 20 COURSE INTRODUCTION—WHY NEWS IS FREEDOM.
WEEK OF JAN 25 ITS THE AUDIENCE, STUPID (h/t to James Carville)
MON JAN 25 GUESS (and understand) THE AUDIENCE
Read
Elements of Journalism, Introduction and Chapter 1, What is Journalism For?
State of the Media: Overview
http://blog.chartbeat.com/2013/12/03/introducing-new-chartbeat-publishing-editorial/
Be familiar with this chart!!
http://www.journalism.org/media-indicators/digital-top-50-online-news-entities-2015/
WED JAN 27 HOW THE NEWS IS PAID FOR
Read
The Ethical Journalist, Gene Foreman Chapter 11
—The Business of Producing Journalism
State of the Media—Digital News Revenue Fact Sheet
The Basics on Digital Ads
https://moz.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sponsored-content
The Threat to Digital Ads—already
http://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/will_ad_blockers_kill_the_digital_media_industry.php
WEEK OF FEB 1 UNDERSTANDING THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA 1
MON FEB 1 HOW TO DECONSTRUCT TV /VIDEO NEWS
Read
The Elements of Journalism, Chapter 6 "Monitor Power and Offer Voice to the Voiceless"
WED FEB 3 BROADCAST TV NEWS
Read
State of the Media—Network News Fact Sheet
WEEK OF FEB 8 UNDERSTANDING THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA 2
MON FEB 8 CABLE TV NEWS
Read
Elements of Journalism, Chapter 4, Journalism of Verification
State of the Media—Cable News Fact Sheet
WED FEB 10 THE STATE OF LOCAL TV NEWS
Read
State of the Media—Local TV News Fact Sheet
WEEK OF FEB 15 UNDERSTANDING THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA 3
MON FEB 15, THE SHRINKING AMERICAN NEWSPAPER
Read
State of the Media Newspapers Fact Sheet
WED FEB 17 THE ROLE OF WIRE SERVICES
PAPER ONE DUE FRIDAY FEB 19****** IS TELEVISION NEWS MORE A PUBLIC SERVICE OR A DISGRACE? *****
WEEK OF FEB 22 UNDERSTANDING THE ONLINE REVOLUTION 1
MON FEB 22 THE NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA— FACEBOOK
Read
http://time.com/2936729/facebook-emotions-study/
WED FEB 24 THE IMPACT OF TWITTER AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS
Read
WEEK OF FEB 29 THE ONLINE REVOLUTION 2
MON FEB 29 VICE
Read
VICE http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/04/08/the-bad-boy-brand
WED MARCH 2 CUTTING EDGE OF DIGITAL
Buzzfeed, Gawker, Vox, HuffPo
Read
http://www.cjr.org/innovations/how_to_build_an_audience.php
WEEK OF MARCH 14 POLITICAL BIAS
MON MARCH 14 LIBERAL BIAS
Read
Blaming Whites http://www.nationalreview.com/article/243644/black-murders-eight-whites-media-blame-whites-dennis-prager
Blaming Guns
WED MARCH 16 CONSERVATIVE BIAS
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/anson-kaye/2013/02/28/the-media-arent-a-liberal-conspiracy
WEEK OF MARCH 21 EMBEDDED BIAS
MON MARCH 21 MARKET BIAS
WED MARCH 23 CONFIRMATION BIAS
Read
What Rolling Stone did wrong http://www.cjr.org/investigation/rolling_stone_investigation.php
Bernie Sanders http://www.cjr.org/analysis/bernie_sanders_underdog.php
WEEK OF MARCH 28 SATIRICAL AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
MON MARCH 28 JOHN STEWART’S INVENTION
WED MARCH 30 ENTERTAINMENT TONITE AND TMZ
WEEK OF APRIL 4 SPORTS AND BUSINESS
MON APRIL 4 SPORTS AND INVESTIGATIVE SPORTS REPORTING
WED APRIL 6 BUSINESS FOCUSED NEWS
PAPER TWO DUE THURSDAY APRIL 7 ***WHAT IS THE WORST FORM OF MEDIA BIAS****
WEEK OF APRIL 11 GLOBAL JOURNALISM
MON APRIL 11 WHERE THE PREES IS FREE, BUT DIFFERENT
WED APRIL 13 WHERE THE NEWS IS OPPRESSED AND COURAGEOUS
Read
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/03/liz-wahl-quit-russia-today-putins-pawn-104888
WEEK OF APRIL 18 THE IMPACT OF EPIC FAILS
MON APRIL 18 QUESTIONING THE IRAQ WAR
Read
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-iraq-war-and-stubborn-myths-1428087215?
From the book: Lapdogs. How the Press Rolled Over for Bush, Eric Boehlert
Chapter 8 “This is scripted”
http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-iraq-war-and-stubborn-myths-1428087215?
WED APRIL 20 FAILURE TO SPOT THE 2008 MELTDOWN
WEEK OF APRIL 25 WRAP WEEK
MON APRIL 25 WHEN THE NEWS IS DONE WELL
WED APRIL 27 COURSE AND FINAL REVIEW
MON MAY 2 FINAL EXAM 2-4 PM LOCATION TBD