Comm 3525 Deciding What's News

Spring 2009

Professor: D.S. Petersen-Perlman, Ph.D.

Class time: 12:30-1:45 Tuesdays and Thursdays in 425 ABAH

Phone: 726-7528 (direct line & 24 hour message line via voice mail)

Email: dpeters1@d.umn.edu

Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2-4 p.m. in 407 ABAH, or by appointment.

Required Text: News: The Politics of Illusion, 8th ed. by W. Lance Bennett. New York: Pearson, 2009.

Recommended Texts: Freedom for the Thought That We Hate: A Biography of the First Amendment by Anthony Lewis, New York: Perseus Books, 2007.

The Thirteen American Arguments: Enduring Debates that Define and Inspire Our Country by Howard Fineman, New York: Random House, 2008.

un*spun: Finding facts in a world of [disinformation] by Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson, New York: Random House Trade Paperback, 2007.

The New York Times--I recommend you read the New York Times for class discussion and assignments.

News media.

Course Description: This course will include a review of the history of news in the United States, an examination of definitions of news and practice in the critical evaluation of news in its various genres (news magazines, infotainment, investigative journalism, checkbook journalism, tabloid journalism, etc.).

Course Goals:

• Students will gain historical knowledge of the development of news media in the United States.



• Students will have clear definitions of news and a sense of the role of journalism within the United States.



• Students will understand the scope of the First Amendment as applied to U. S. journalism.



• Students will generate means of critically evaluating news messages by applying elements of news and news values to assessments of news stories.



• Students will examine current controversies associated with the news industry in the United States.

Examinations: We will have a midterm and final, each worth 15% of the final grade (60 grade points each). The format will include multiple choice, short answer and essay questions.

Assignments:

Response Papers: Students will write four papers based on the following four overarching questions (one paper per question):

Each of these papers will be worth 15% of the final grade, or 60 grade points each.

What is news? How has news changed in definition over the past 120 years?

National News comparison: A cross media examination of the New York Times, National Public Radio (either All Things Considered or Morning Edition), the News Hour with Jim Lehrer.

In what ways are journalists different from the rest of us?

What is the role of the journalist in a democracy?

In-class Discussions/Case Studies/Class Assignments:

Students will participate in in-class discussions/activities, complete assigned readings prior to class, and complete case study worksheets.

Students will complete weekly tasks as assigned.

10% of final grade (40 grade points).

400 grade points possible

Grading:

General Class Policies:

• Apply your very best writing and analysis to the completion of all assignments. Make sure ALL of your assignments are personally (i.e. not computer) proofread, spell-checked and grammar-checked. Sloppiness in editing will result in a lower grade.
• Individuals who have any disability, either permanent or temporary, which might affect their ability to perform in this class, are encouraged to inform the instructor at the start of the semester. Adaptation of methods, materials, or testing may be made as required to provide for equitable participation.
• Attendance: Students must attend class faithfully (at least 85% of the class periods--at least 24 class periods), complete all assignments, the midterm and final, in order to receive a passing grade for the class. If you do not come to class, you will not pass.
• Makeup exams are possible, but only on the basis of advanced personal consultation with the professor. Makeup exams will have an essay format. In those cases when advanced warning is not possible, every effort should be made to contact the instructor at the earliest possible opportunity. Verifiable illnesses and family emergencies are willingly excused; weddings and trips to the Bahamas (or fill in your favorite vacation destination) are not. Incompletes are rarely given because they are rarely completed.
• The University Bulletin outlines the policy on scholastic misconduct. Cheating on assignments, examinations, plagiarizing or any other "act which violates the rights of another student in academic work or that involves misrepresentation of your own work will result in a failing grade" for the work in question.

Class Expectations:

• I expect you to attend every class session.
• I expect that you will come to class on time and prepared for the session's assignments.
• I expect class to be conducted in an open and respectful manner.
• I expect you to give the class your full attention. This means putting away materials not germane to class, i.e., turn off cell phones and do not use headphones during class.

Assumptions and Ground Rules to Guide us in Class Discussion: The following is based in part on suggestions made by Lynn Weber Cannon in "Fostering Positive Race, Class, and Gender Dynamics in the Classroom", published in Women's Studies Quarterly, 1990: 1 & 2, pp. 130-132.

We can assume that discrimination exists in many forms (e.g. sexism, racism, classism, ageism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism, etc.). Any critical understanding of these various -isms means that we need to recognize that we have been taught misinformation about our own group as well as about members of other groups. This is true for both dominant (e.g. white, male, upper class, heterosexual, able-bodied, etc) and subordinate (e.g. people of color, women, poor and working class, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender, disabled, Jew, etc.) group members.

• Based on these assumptions then, let's agree that we cannot be blamed for the misinformation we have learned, but we are responsible when we repeat misinformation after we have learned otherwise.
• People and groups are not to be blamed for their subordinate positions.
• Let's assume that people are always doing the best they can.
• Let's actively pursue information about our own groups and those of others.
• Let us share information about our own groups with other members of the class, but never demean, devalue, or in any way put down people for their experiences.
• We each have an obligation to combat actively the myths and stereotypes about our own groups and other groups so that we can break down the walls which prohibit group cooperation and group gain.
• Let's create a safe atmosphere for open discussion.

Web page: http://www.d.umn.edu/~dpeters1

Departmental Home: Communication

Departmental Contact Person and Phone number: Sue Brockopp, 726-8576.

Readings and Assignment Calendar

(Subject to change)

January 20, 22: Introduction to class, review of syllabus

Here is a student information/grade sheet I'd like you to complete and return to me: Comm 3525 Student Information

Discussion regarding antecedents to modern journalism: John Peter Zenger, Nellie Bly (Pultizer, Hearst)/Around the World in 72 Days, Walter Lippmann, Definitions of News.

Case Study #1: What are the tenets of American Journalism?

Assignment: Read Chapter 1 in Bennett, The News About Democracy: An Introduction to Governing the American Political System

Assignment: Find examples of news from the Duluth Superior Community. Be prepared to explain what makes the story selected "news".

January 27, 29: Case Study #2: Edward R. Murrow and the development of broadcast news. Murrow takes on Senator Joseph McCarthy/McCarthy Years.

February 3, 5: Case Study #3: Pentagon Papers/News War. Here's a link to an archive about the Pentagon Papers: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB48/nixon.html (cut and paste into the search bar).

February 10, 12: Assignment: Read Chapter 2, Bennett, News Content: Four Information Biases That Matter

February 12: Submit "What is News?" paper for assessment

February 17, 19: Case Study #4: Watergate (materials to be distributed); All the President's Men (remember to complete viewing guides linked to film titles) Discussion on Sources. http://www.cjr.org/tools/owners/viacom.asp, and The Secret Story.

Search for: "'The Secret Man': The Insider" by Christopher Hitchens.

Search for: "Watergate: The Biggest Story -- And the Most Intense moment of Our Lives" by Benjamin C. Bradlee

Search for "We're Not in Watergate Anymore" by Frank Rich

Search for washingtonpost.com Watergate Chronology

Search for watergate.info

Assignment: Prepare case study and viewing guide for class discussion and analysis.

Assignment: Read Chapter 3, Bennett, Citizens and the News: Public Opinion and Information Processing

February 24, 26: All The President's Men, cont'd.

Assignment: Read Chapter 4, Bennett, How Politicians Make the News

March 3, 5: Watergate: The Secret Story

March 10, 12: Watergate, continued.

Assignment: Prepare case study for class discussion and analysis

March 12: National News Comparison paper to be submitted for assessment.

March 31: Midterm--Chapters 1-2 in Bennett, plus distributed readings, viewing guides and discussions for case studies (Nellie Bly, Walter Lippmann, Edward R. Murrow and the development of broadcast news, Pentagon Papers, Watergate)

April 7, 9: Case Study #5: Journalism: The Righteous Lens, Food Lion & ABC; Dateline and General Motors (materials to be distributed)

Assignment: Read Chapter 5, Bennett, How Journalists Report the News

April 14, 16: Case Study #6: Tabloid news, Infotainment, Journalistic ethics/Total Exposure; Case Study #7: Elian Gonzalez ;

April 21, 23: Case Study #8: on shield laws/News War; Case Study #9: The Insider (materials to be distributed in class)

April 23: Submit Paper #3: "In what ways are journalists different from the rest of us?" paper for assessment

Assignment: Read Chapter 6, Bennett, Inside the Profession: Objectivity, and the Political Authority Bias

April 28, 30: Case Study #10: Plagiarism and other ethical dilemmas/Shattered Glas.

Assignment: Read Chapter 7, Bennett, The Political Economy of News

May 5, 7: Case Study #11: Democracy on Deadline Use this link for a description of your case study for Democracy on Deadline

May 7: Submit Paper #4: "What is the role of the journalist in a democracy?"paper for assessment

Assignment: Read Chapter 8, Bennett: All the News That Fits Democracy: Solutions for Citizens, Politicians and Journalists

May 15: 2:00p.m.-3:55 p.m. Final Exam, 425 ABAH.

A number of extra credit opportunities will occur throughout the semester. Students can receive five points of extra credit each for no more than four short papers written about the extra credit events they've attended. These papers should address:

• The publicity for the events attended.
• The size and composition of the audience at the event.
• The interaction between the featured speakers/presenters of the event and the audience.
• Important points learned during the event/presentation.

No one is obligated to participate in these extra credit opportunities, but experience has shown that these short papers can make a difference between a higher or lower grade.

Quick look at due dates (record these important dates in your planner):