James A. Brown (jbrown@bamanet.ua.edu), Telecommunication and Film Department, P.O. Box 870152, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487.
TEXTBOOK
Joseph Dominick, Barry L. Sherman, & Gary Copeland. Broadcasting/Cable and Beyond: An Introduction to Modern Electronic Media. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1993.
CLASSES
Regular attendance and active participation count toward the final grade. After two absences, two grade points are lost for each further class missed. (Each "excused absence" loses 1 point.)
EXAMINATIONS
3 monthly exams and a final exam on the following tentative dates:
Exam #1 - Wednesday, September 14
Exam #2 - Wednesday, October 12 Final Exam: Monday, May 2, 8:00-10:30 AM*
Exam #3 - Wednesday, November 9 *[actually 9:00 exam takes under 1½ hours]
BOOK REVIEW & TERM PAPER
(a) Each student is to submit a carefully written 2-page review of a book related to any THEME or MAJOR TOPIC in this course (not film, mass comm, public relations, etc., but radio/TV!).
(b) A term paper is optional for extra credit (for students with no lower than a "B" grade to date in this course, and approximately 2.5 or better overall GPA). Upper-division students majoring outside the College of Communication are encouraged to do term papers. TCF majors are urged to concentrate on text/lecture material and exams--as foundation for further courses in the Telecommunication & Film Department. Check with instructor before selecting topic.
DUE: Deadline for book review (and term paper) is class time on Monday, December 5.
All assignments are to be typed or wordprocessed (proofread, corrected copy).
UNIVERSITY POLICY: "All acts of dishonesty in any work constitute academic misconduct, in which event the Academic Misconduct disciplinary policy will be followed." Such includes copying work from others, cheating in exams, etc.
GRADES The grade for the course is based on:
19%+ Attendance and participation (includes "mini-assignments")
51% 3 monthly exams, @ 17 points each
5% Book review
25% Final exam
+. Optional term paper (1-10 points, depending on topic, complexity, length, quality)
100% TOTAL possible points
INSTRUCTOR
James A. Brown, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Office: 432c Phifer Hall (Communication Bldg.) Phone: 348-6350
Office Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 9:30-10:00; Wed 3-4; other times by appointment. Most efficient procedure: make appointment in advance, preferably with me--at class time or by phone--or through Departmental secretary (same phone #).
INTRODUCTION TO TELECOMMUNICATION
DATE READING CLASS CONTENT (Tentative)
WEEK #1 Ch. 1 & 2 Introduction to course: syllabus,
assignments
Aug 24-26 pp 3-44 History: Radio
WEEK #2 Ch. 3 History: Radio (cont'd.) + History: TV
Aug 29-Sep 2 pp 45-73 History: Cable
WEEK #3 Ch. 12 & 13 Technology: audio
Sep 7-9 pp 273-330 Technology: video
WEEK #4 Ch. 13 (cont'd.)
Sep 12-16 REVIEW E X A M # 1 (Wed. Sep 14)
WEEK #5 Ch. 4 Contemporary status of broadcasting:
Sep 19-23 pp 77-102 Radio Today
WEEK #6 Ch. 5 & 6 TV Today
Sep 26-30 pp 103-148 Cable & Home Video Today
WEEK #7 Ch. 7 & 8 Corporate/Organizational Video
Oct 3-7 pp 149-195 International Media
WEEK #8 Ch. 8 (cont'd.)
Oct 10-14 REVIEW E X A M # 2 (Wed. Oct 12)
WEEK #9 Ch. 9 & 10 Radio Programming
Oct 17-21 pp 199-245 TV News Programming
WEEK #10 Ch. 11 TV News (cont'd.)
Oct 24-28 pp 246-270 TV Entertainment Programming
WEEK #11 Ch 14 & 15 Audiences / Ratings (quantitative)
Oct 31-Nov 4 pp 333-368 Non-ratings Research
(qualitative)
WEEK #12 Ch. 15 (cont'd.)
Nov 7-11 REVIEW E X A M # 3 (Wed. Nov 9)
WEEK #13 Ch. 16 Social Effects of Broadcasting & Cable
Nov 14-18 pp 369-395
WEEK #14 Ch. 17 Broadcast Law & Regulation:
Nov 21 pp 399-419 the Regulatory Framework
Nov 23 Optional Class (extra-credit attendance)
Nov 24 - Nov 27 * * * T H A N K S G I V I N G
B R E A K
WEEK #15 Ch. 18 & 19 Broadcast & Cable Law
Nov 28-Dec 2 pp 420-468 Self-regulation & Ethics
WEEK #16 Ch. 20 Self-reg/.Ethics (con't) + The Future
Dec 5-9 pp 451-478 2-Hour VTR program; Take-Home Portion
of Final
[Monday Dec 5: DEADLINE for: BOOK REVIEWS, PAPERS]
Tuesday, Dec. 13 -- 8-10:30 am F I N A L E X A M I N A
T I O N (Chapters 1-20)