A weblog for Pete Ellertsen's mass communications students at Benedictine University Springfield.

Friday, September 16, 2011

COMM 150: Assignment for Monday ... and some themes we'll follow throughout the semester.

PLEASE NOTE: At the bottom I've copied and pasted the themes I put on the projector in class this morning. These are things we'll take up this semester. Translation: Some of these themes have been known to reappear as term paper assignments and/or final exam essay questions.

For Monday, read Chapter 4 in John Vivian, "The Media of Mass Communication." As you read, ask yourself:
1. What would your day, your life be like in a world w/o media?

2. ... in a world w/o print media (books, magazines, newspapers) in dead tree format?

3. How do print media change the way we think?

Some themes to watch for between now and midterms finals

1. Entrepreneurs, "indies, etc.," vs. conglomerates, corporate “suits” - artistic freedom vs. the bottom line
2. Concentration of ownership
3. Market segmentation
4. Impact of digital technology, espec. internet
5. How do media change content [‘the medium is the message’]?
6. How do different media change the way we think?

4 comments:

MHovey said...

1. Without any sort of media stimulation, my life would be very boring. When I’m not at school or work, you can pretty much find me connected to my Wii, laptop, or ipod. It’s part of how I live.
2. The only sort of “dead tree” media I read would be the Illinois Times, and that’s just to see what sorts of events are happening in the area. So I don’t think I would be too broken up if we didn’t have them. Although I do enjoy reading my good ole printed books by the fire every so often. Nothing can beat that.
3. I don’t really think that there is much of a difference between print media and media presented through technology. Perhaps reading print media makes you feel old fashioned and having an ipad or kindle is more futuristic. Either way, you’re getting your information.

Haley said...

1. My life without media would be somthing like the cave-man days. Even during the colonial days, politicians created cartoons to sway community members to one party or another.And telegrams and early phones were used to deliver important messages or relay ideas.
2. books, magazines, and news papers are essential to our society. People use them for pleasue, political use, advertising and much more.

Haley said...

3.Although consumers have exchanged newspapers and magazines for quick and easy online forums, print media is still very important for guiding fashion statements, illustrating advertising, expressing view and ideas, and keeping other coutries up to date with yours. Print media is still very useful and effects the world and our society everyday.

L.Sullivan said...

There are days I could do with a little less media. I sometimes think we are over stimulated by media. Before computers and video games kids played outside. The terms adhd and add were not heard of by many.
Print media I realize is on its way out but I do enjoy it. Yes the same information is available on the internet or a kindle but it's just not the same. Print media is a way of relaxing, keeping up with current events, and studying for me. Most of my education has been from "booklearning" On the upside the newer technology is greener and cleaner.

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About Me

Springfield (Ill.), United States
I'm a retired English, journalism and cultural studies teacher at Springfield College in Illinois (acquired by Benedictine University and subsequently closed). I coordinate jam sessions for the "Clayville Pioneer Academy of Music" at Clayville Historic Site and the Prairieland Strings dulcimer club, and I sing in the choir and the contemporary praise team at Peace Lutheran Church in Springfield. On Hogfiddle I post links and video clips for our sessions and workshops on the mountain dulcimer (a.k.a. "hog fiddle"), as well as research notes on folklore and cultural studies, hymnody and traditional Anglo-Celtic and Scandinavian music. I also posted assignments and readings in my interdisciplinary humanities classes. The Mackerel Wrapper (now on hiatus), carried assignments and readings for my mass comm. students. I started teaching b/log when I chaired SCI-Benedictine's assessment committee, and reopened it as the privatization of public schools grew increasingly troubling and closer to home.