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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CMS 200"
COURSE NAME: "Media Industries"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2025
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Gaia Casagrande
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: COM 111 or permission of the Chair
OFFICE HOURS: by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course offers a historical overview of the mass media communication industries, including print, visual, electronic, and digital media. It looks at issues such as the institutional, social, and technological histories of the media, the impact of economic factors and business models in shaping content, and regulatory policies. It introduces students to the study of the political economy of media, offering a critical understanding of the ways in which contemporary creative industries function.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The course is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on print, audiovisual, and electronic media offering a historical perspective on their development, and looking at their infrastructure, business models, regulations.

The second part explores the political economy of media industries by examining audiences, concentration of ownership, emerging business models, and how the impact news, democracy, and the public sphere. Through the analysis of compelling case studies, students will gain a critical understanding of how media industries operate, and how their political economy shapes the content we consume daily.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

- Develop an understanding of the origins, forces, and principles that helped to shape today’s media industries.

- Develop a critical understanding of key issues and current debates around media industries.

- Assess and critically discuss available literature on topics related to media industries.

- Understand key debates and show ability to critically discuss a contemporary issue or event in today’s media industries.

- Examine current and future trends in media industries and how technological change affects infrastructure, ownership, regulations, etc.
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Revolutions in communication: Media history from Gutenberg to the digital age (2nd edition)Bill KovarikBloomsbury Academic9781628924787     
Questioning the media: A critical introduction (2nd ed.)John Downing; Ali Mohammadi; Annabelle Sreberny-MohammadiSage Publications978-0803936423 Selected chapters   
The media studies toolkitMichael Z. NewmanRoutledge978-0-367–44115-9 Selected chapters   
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Mid-Term Exam  30%
Research Project / Presentation  30%
Final Exam  25%
Attendance and Participation 15%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

COURSE SCHEDULE

 

 WEEK 1. INTRODUCTION: TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION (MEDIUM, TECHNOLOGY, AND COMMUNICATION )

 

 SECTION I: MEDIA REVOLUTIONS (A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW)

Textbook: Kovarik, B. (2016). Revolutions in communication: Media history from Gutenberg to the digital age (2nd edition). Bloomsbury Academic.

 

WEEK 2. PRINTING REVOLUTION PART I (WRITING, BOOKS, PRINTING PRESS)

WEEK 3. PRINTING REVOLUTION PART II (NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, JOURNALISM)

WEEK 4. VISUAL REVOLUTION PART I (PHOTOGRAPHY, FILM)

WEEK 5. VISUAL REVOLUTION PART II (ADVERTISING, PR, CRAFTED IMAGE)

 WEEK 6. ELECTRONIC REVOLUTION (TELEGRAPH, RADIO, TV)

WEEK 7. RECAP & MIDTERM

WEEK 8. THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION (COMPUTERS, DIGITAL NETWORKS)

 

SECTION II: POLITICAL ECONOMY OF MEDIA INDUSTRIES

Select chapters from: Newman, M. Z. (2022). The media studies toolkit. Routledge + Downing, J., Mohammadi, A., & Sreberny, A. (Eds.). (1995). Questioning the media: A critical introduction (2nd ed.). Sage Publications 

 

WEEK 9. MEDIA INDUSTRIES

WEEK 9. AUDIENCE

 WEEK 10. IDEOLOGY AND HEGEMONY

WEEK 11. NEWS AND PROPAGANDA

WEEK 12. POLICY AND REGULATION

WEEK 13. CITIZENSHIP AND THE PUBLIC SPHERE

WEEK 14. WRAP UP & FINALS