Media Management – COMM 3460
Course Description:
In this course, you will examine the various media that we consume multiple times daily from a traditional public viewpoint, but also research what happens behind the scenes. How do newspapers, magazines, radio and TV broadcasters and online outlets decide what stories to report? How do they make money? Are they managed efficiently? What role do advertisers play in newsrooms? Is the audience more involved because of social media? What are the ethics involved? Perhaps most importantly, what does the future hold?
To help answer these and other questions, you will read about media companies, media professionals, and analysts. You also will receive guest lectures from some local “media managers.”
Course Goals and Objectives:
By the time this class is over, you will have researched print, broadcast and online media management and heard from a variety of professionals who are actually making these decisions on a daily basis. In short, you will know what it’s like to help manage a media organization, and you should have crafted a vision for ways to improve upon the current models.
There could be a news quiz in every class. Every class meeting should be considered a board meeting. These are great opportunities to bolster that participation grade, bounce ideas off your colleagues, and get a feel for how media outlets are managed.
Students’ performance in attaining the course objectives will be assessed through participation in class discussion, writing assignments, quizzes, and group participation.
Required Reading:
The required text for this class is, “Media Management: A Casebook Approach,” by George Sylvie (4th Edition). The bookstore ordered the newest (5th) edition. The fourth edition is almost identical, but a fraction of the price. I highly recommend and encourage you to buy the 4th edition on amazon and save yourself a ton of money. All assigned readings should be done prior to the assigned class period.
A nonfiction book on media management, or by a media manager. These can be autobiographical or a broader examination of the subject. You will write a five-page book review on this book after I approve it. We will discuss this more later.
Lastly, it would be wise to occasionally read the online versions of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Spectrum, and Iron County Today. Other great journalism/media management resources include The Poynter Institute and Columbia Journalism Review. Read as much as you can from as many different sources as you can. The more you read, the better prepared you will be.
Class Policies:
1. Attendance– This is a face-to-face class for a reason: It is essential that all students attend class. Attendance will be taken at every class. Absences due to university activities (e.g., debate, sports, etc.) must be discussed with me no later than one week before the relevant class period(s). Written documentation for a university-sanctioned absence must be provided. Arrangements concerning absences are entirely at my discretion.
2. Participation– Participation and attendance also includes, but is not limited to: Attending class regularly and on time, participating in class discussion on concepts in the readings for that day, being focused and practicing good listening skills, contributing meaningfully to group discussion and exercises, relating class material to your own experience and the outside world during class discussions.
3. Academic Dishonesty– Cheating on quizzes and plagiarism of papers constitutes grounds for immediate failure of this course. See me if you need an extension on an assignment.
4. Cell Phone Usage– Electronic devices such as laptops and tablets are powerful learning tools in the classroom. Students are encouraged to use them at appropriate times. Cell phones, however, are not permitted to be used in my classroom. If I catch you using your cell phone, I will ask you to bring it to me. The second time I catch you with your phone, you will drop an entire letter off your final grade. If I catch you with your phone a third time, you will receive an automatic F. If anyone tries to catch a pokemon in class, I will lose my freaking mind.
5. Late Work– Unless we have made previous arrangements, late work will not be accepted.
6. Extra Credit– I was recently a student myself, so I know what it is like to be in your shoes. I also do not want any of you to fail my course. I will (likely) provide opportunities for students to earn extra credit throughout the semester. To be eligible for extra credit, you must have all coursework turned in.
7. Out of Class Contact– My office hours are determined by appointment only. The best way to get in contact with me outside of class is with a simple text message. Feel free to text, call, Facebook message, or email me at any time. I will respond at my earliest convenience, but am most likely to give you a quick response if you text me.
8. Grading– I use a standard grading scale (90-100% = A, 80-89% = B, etc.). Occasionally, students are unsatisfied with some dimension of the course. If you have a concern at any time during the course, please come speak with me directly. I enforce a “24/7 rule” when it comes to grade appeals. There is a 24 hour rule in effect for all papers and tests: you may not contact me regarding the grade you earned until at least 24 hours after the assignment is returned. Additionally, you must contact me within seven days of the assignment being returned to you. After a week has passed I will not be willing to discuss past assignments. If you want to appeal a grade, you must make the grade appeal in writing to me. It is my policy that I will not discuss grade appeals via email or in class. Prepare and submit a typed argument indicating what your specific appeal is, what grade you believe you deserved, and a justification for that grade. You must have a legitimate argument for the grade change. Turn in the appeal before or after class, or at a scheduled appointment within one week of the grade being returned.
9. Respect– Enjoy the readings, enjoy the class, enjoy the assignments, enjoy your instructor, and enjoy one another. It is expected that students will be considerate of the instructor and fellow classmates and act in a professional manner. Once class begins, students should stop talking, working on other class assignments, etc. Please be patient with me and your classmates; we are all in this together.
Assignments:
1. Blog & Case Studies- The majority of assignments in this class will be done in a group (don’t freak out yet…I promise it’s not going to suck). You will each be put into a group (of your choice) in order to simulate working in a media organization. Together, you will create a WordPress blog, which will be your platform for submitting assignments. Every Friday will be designated a “Media Day” which will allow you to work exclusively on these group assignments. If you are focused and stay on task, you shouldn’t ever have to meet outside of class (I told you it wouldn’t suck).
2. Participation- This grade is entirely determined by you and the amount of effort you put in to group assignments. Everyone will grade the other members of the group at the conclusion of each assignment.
3. Group Presentation- Each group will pick a major media company and present a roughly 30-minute presentation to the class. Possible companies include News Corp., Disney, and Gannett. The presentation should provide a complete overview of the company, what it owns, managers and management style, successes and failures, and future prospects. A multimedia element of these projects is required. Each person will submit a one-page paper explaining, in detail, your role in the group, what went well, and what could have gone better behind the scenes. As always, you will provide a grade for each member in your group.
4. Book Review- After I approve your book, you will write a 3-4 page review in AP Style. I don’t want you to simply regurgitate what you read, but instead take a stance on the book. Was the author effective? What were the strengths and weaknesses? Why or why would you not recommend the book?
5. Reading Quizzes- Every Monday before class, there will be a brief quiz covering your reading assignment to be taken on canvas. These quizzes are open note, open book and should be easy points if you did the reading.
6. News Quizzes- Periodically I will give an in-class pop quiz drawn from the news sources recommended. I strongly urge you to at least skim those various news sites at least once a day, and follow them on Twitter and/or other social media. News quizzes are necessary because you can’t understand the media, and how to manage it, unless you are consuming it.
7. Career Paper- Locate case study 8.5 “Your Career” in the textbook. Complete this assignment on your own. The paper is an analysis of the short and long-term labor market for the career you plan to have.
8. Midterm and Final Exam- If you come to class prepared and willingly participate in group work and class discussions, there will be no exams in this course.
Case Studies- The following case studies can all be found in your textbook, Media Management: A Casebook Approach. We will not do every case study in the book.
– Case 1.2 Specifying Goals & Developing Solutions
– Case 1.3 Improving the Web Site
– Case 2.1 Leading in a New Direction
– Case 3.1 Charles & Mae
– Case 4.1 Sizing Up the Newsroom
– Case 5.1 Planning Convergence I
– Case 5.2 Planning Convergence II
– Case 6.1 The Aggressive Legal Expert
– Case 7.1 Red Star: A Company in Search of a Plan
– Case 8.2 Doing Your Own
– Case 8.3 An Existing Market
– Case 8.5 Your Career
– Case 9.3 Developing a New Magazine
– Case 10.2 He Shoots! He… Airball!
Hayden Coombs 