PRK 3520 Media in Modern Society

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

PRK 3520 Media in Modern Society

Responsible for the course
Tor Bang

Department
Department of Communication - Culture and Languages

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
7,5

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
The media set the agenda in most arenas. The contemporary media spectrum is very diverse. Social actors have to relate to media logic,media diffusion and media influence. The course will also look at computer- mediated communication as a complex and powerful new channel available to individuals and organizations. An analytical approach to the field of media is not possible without an in-depth understanding of communication.

Learning outcome
Aquired knowledge
  • On completing the course the students will understand communicative complexity, and comprehend sender-, channel- and receiver perspectives.
  • Comprehend the importance of freedom of expression, as a common good per se, as well as a fundamental good for mankind's deliberative political, economic and cultural socialization.
  • Understand media as agendasetters in contemporary political, economic and cultural discourses.
  • Understand media organizations and media markets on local, regional, national and global levels.
  • Be aware of various communicative strategies for the contemporary media channels.
  • Assess a medium's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, on micro as well as macro levels in the digital social spheres as well as more traditional mass media channels.
  • Be aware of socialpsychologial, sociological and anthropological influence on audiences' qualitative and quantitative media choices.
  • Understand implications and diffusions of social media, and be able to contribute to a blog, a wiki or to twitter.

Aquired skills
  • On completing the course the students will be able to advise organizations in the civil and public spheres (private, public and also non-profits) on media issues, such as freedom of speech, agenda setting and news stories.
  • Analyze the financial logics of media ownership and media entrepreneurship and assess issues of economy and distribution for media organizations (for instance questions regarding press support and public service broadcasting).
  • Navigate in available databases, i.e. TNS Gallup, ssb.no, offentlighet.no as well as other international databases in relation to audiences' qualitative and quantitative media choices.
  • Assess media message and publishing ethically and analytically.

Reflection
After completing the course, students shall be able to critically reflect on the importance of media organizations and mass communication locally, regionally, nationally and globally.

Prerequisites
None

Compulsory reading
Books:
Bang, Tor. 2006. Makt og spinn i mediene. Abstrakt forlagt
Gripsrud, Jostein. 2011. Mediekultur, mediesamfunn. 4. utg. Universitetsforlaget. Kapittel om semiotikk og retorikk 107-137 og 160-192
Levinson, Paul. 2012. New new media. 2. utg. Allyn & Bacon. kapittel 3, 7 og 8
Seib, Philip & Kathy Fitzpatrick. 1995. Public relations ethics. Harcourt Brace College Publishers. (Utsolgt fra forlaget). kapittel 2. Publiseres på It's Learning

Articles:
Brønn, Peggy Simcic & Carl Brønn. 2003. A reflective stakeholder approach : co- orientation as a basis for communication and learning. Journal of Communication Management. 7 (4). 291-303

Other:
Krumsvik, Arne og Ragnhild K. Olsen. Entreprenørskap i mediene. Publiseres på It's Learning. (Upublisert bokkapittel)
Solvoll, Mona. Medieøkonomi. Publiseres på It's Learning. (Upublisert bokkapittel)
Solvoll, Mona. Sosiale medier. Publiseres på It's Learning. (Upublisert bokkapittel)


Recommended reading
Books:
Kjeldsen, Jens E. 2006. Retorikk i vår tid : en innføring i moderne retorisk teori. 2. utg. Spartacus. 396
Vivian, John. 2012. The media of mass communication. 11th ed. Pearson Education. 1-24, 77-104, 151-316, 373-457. For studenter som ikke behersker norsk
Waldahl, Ragnar. 2007. Opinion og demokrati. Universitetsforlaget. 256

Course outline
  • Linear and circular communication.
  • Coorientational models of communication.
  • Social and humanistic fundaments for media and media organizations.
  • Freedom of speech.
  • Print media.
  • Dynamic media.
  • Massmedia, social media, convergens of media channels.
  • Media economy.
  • Qualitative, quantitative and economic audience studies.
  • Entrepreneurship in the media sphere.
  • Socialpsychological, anthropological and sociological perspectives on media and media audiences.
  • Global media organizations.
  • Diffusions of innovations, knowledge, and knowledge gaps.
  • Ethical issues in the media industry.

Computer-based tools
Word for windows. Computer with access to the Internet.

Learning process and workload
The course will be taught over 45 hours of lecturing and advising. The course content is theoretical.

During the progress of the course, there will be classes given in relevant methodological approach to developing an academic paper. This will include classes in documenting, as well as current standards of references. The students will submit a paper on a given topic.

Recommended use of hours:
Activity
Hours
Attendance in lecture
36
Preparations for lectures
37
Individual and group home work
70
Discussions and peer review, - advise
26
Litterary studies, preparations for exam
31
Total use of hours recommended
200

E-learning
The e-learning platform It’s learning is used by the e-learning centre to administrate the mandatory exercises, and make students able to communicate with each other ant the Lecturer. 2 module sessions are carried out at the beginning of the semester and before exams. The e-learning students are also offered a study guide which is an educational guide to the syllabus.

Recommended use of hours:
Activity
Hours
Participation in lectures
8
Preparatory to class
10
Work with study guide, submitting assignments, activities It'slearning
45
Exercises and groupwork
70
Study groups and peer counseling
27
Self study / reading literature / exam preparation
40
Anbefalt tidsbruk totalt
200


    Examination
    Students will submit a written assignments and pass a control exam.

    1) A assigned topic term paper that can be developed individually or in groups of two or three. The topic will be given about four weeks into the term. The given topic home exam counts for 100% of the course grade.

    2) All students must pass an individual control exam. The control exam questions are taken from the course's theoretical content. Control exams are graded pass/fail. In order to obtain a grade in the course, students must pass the control exam.

    Examination code(s)
    PRK 35201 - Term project, counts 100% to obtain final grade in PRK 3520, 7,5 credits.
    PRK 35202 - Control exam. Must be submitted to get a grade.

    Examination support materials
    All aids forTerm project.
    No aids for control exam.

    Re-sit examination
    A re-sit in Term project is held in connection with the next scheduled course.
    A re-sit in Control exam is held every term.

    Additional information

    Semester

    Oversettelser