In an era when almost everybody's a content creator and just about every company is connected with media, what makes mass communication different from other forms of message exchange? We'll examine journalism, advertising, public relations, video gaming, music recording, music and more. We'll think about issues like free speech, "fake news," censorship, social media, demographics, psychographics and graphic content. Hear from mass media professionals who provide real-world, real-time material for discussion and debate. This class covers ground that is shifting by the day and uses current cases to help you apply what you learn and sharpen your own media literacy skills.

In an era when almost everybody's a content creator and just about every company is connected with media, what makes mass communication different from other forms of message exchange? We?ll examine journalism, advertising, public relations, video gaming, music recording, music and more. We'll think about issues like free speech, fake news, censorship, social media, demographics, psychographics and graphic content. Hear from mass media professionals who provide real-world, real-time material for discussion and debate. This class covers ground that is shifting by the day and uses current cases to help you apply what you learn and sharpen your own media literacy skills.

The ability to acquire, evaluate, and use different information sources are essential skills for professional communicators and citizens. This course teaches the process of information gathering, evaluation, and implications through the lens of mass communication. A case study is used to study this process in depth throughout the semester. prereq: [JOUR 1001 or JOUR 100H], [JOUR major, Strat Comm major, Media and Information major or Media and Information minor or approved BIS/IDIM/ICP program]

The ability to acquire, evaluate, and use different information sources are essential skills for professional communicators and citizens. This course teaches the process of information gathering, evaluation, and implications through the lens of mass communication. A case study is used to study this process in depth throughout the semester. prereq: Honors, [JOUR 1001 or JOUR100H], [Jour major, Strat Comm major, Media and Information major or Media and Information minor or approved BIS/IDIM/ICP program]

This course is the foundation for training as a working journalist--students will learn how to write and report news accurately, quickly, fairly and with a clear, informative style that reflects today?s news demands. Its main focus is on news writing. Students will be expected to model proper journalistic forms and style, for a variety of platforms, as well as demonstrate proper English usage, grammar, spelling, and style. Students will also be asked to think about ? and analyze ? news and the varying ways it is presented in today?s media world. At the end of the course, students must demonstrate the ability to write clearly, report accurately, adhere to AP style, meet deadlines, and judge what is newsworthy. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H or concurrent registration], Jour major

The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech, and of the press. Does that mean that journalists can write anything they want, broadcast any video images they choose, or go wherever they like in order to gather news? In this course, we will examine significant court decisions that have defined the legal rights and privileges of journalists. We will look at statutes like the Freedom of Information Act and journalist 'shield laws.' We will consider how new technology raises questions, and challenges, about how to balance First Amendment freedoms with other interests, like privacy and national security. Learn legal rules and principles, and apply them in classroom debate and discussion and in written exercises and examinations. The goal is to understand how the First Amendment and other laws protect the rights of freedom of expression, not just for journalists, but for all of us.

The First Amendment protects the freedom of speech, and of the press. Does that mean that journalists can write anything they want, broadcast any video images they choose, or go wherever they like in order to gather news? In this course, we will examine significant court decisions that have defined the legal rights and privileges of journalists. We will look at statutes like the Freedom of Information Act and journalist "shield laws." We will consider how new technology raises questions, and challenges, about how to balance First Amendment freedoms with other interests, like privacy and national security. Learn legal rules and principles, and apply them in classroom debate and discussion and in written exercises and examinations. The goal is to understand how the First Amendment and other laws protect the rights of freedom of expression, not just for journalists, but for all of us. prereq: Honors

This course is an introduction to photography, video, audio, and slideshow storytelling and production; understanding the differences in content for different media; and understanding content management. Students will learn basic skills in understanding the differences in content for different platforms (Web, print, radio, mobile and television), in identifying, writing, and producing different story forms for video, audio, and social media and in understanding content management. Students will tell stories using a variety of technologies to gather, edit and disseminate information for journalism and strategic communication messages. We?ll work to understand how each technology has a particular audience or application, apply visual principles, and use the principles of visual grammar. Students will gain a basic proficiency in still and video camera operation, in video, audio and mixed media writing and production, in creating images for a video and social media or other mixed media story. They will also learn to manage and publish content in an organized manner. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H or coreq], [JOUR 3101 or coreq or JOUR 3279 or coreq or JOUR 3241 or coreq], [JOUR major or Strat Comm major]

This course teaches concepts, tools, and techniques for effective data journalism storytelling on digital platforms. Students will develop ways to display stories through the most important emerging tools for using structured information in journalism, including learning the fundamentals of gathering data and performing analyses to find stories and creating visualizations to illustrate trends and patterns. Students will use maintain a blog to curate their work, learning how to use what they build in one of the most common content management systems. Students will rely on open-source tools, but will also learn basic coding to customize those tools for more effective digital presentation. Students will also learn about and critique other digital storytelling formats, user experience concepts, and web analytics. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, JOUR major

This course is a skills-based course designed to teach journalism students how to report and write the types of stories that are central to the basic beats in most newsrooms. The course expands upon the competencies learned in JOUR 3101, but requires more in-depth records searches, interviewing, and writing. Students also learn the basics of such subjects as libel law, public records law, and media ethics. Students will learn in this course how to find news that matters to people, and how to write it so that readers understand it. Whether a student is planning a career in newspapers, television, or other media, they will learn enough to get started as a reporter and to understand how things work (or don't work) in a real newsroom. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, Jour major

In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of editing for print and digital publications. Students will learn to edit copy, to exercise news judgment and to improve the flow and accuracy of stories. The course will also cover how to write search-engine friendly headlines, to utilize online tools for fact-checking and to execute compelling visual designs for digital and print. Successful students will develop an excellent understanding of AP style, hone their ability to improve copy and learn to navigate legal, ethical and production challenges. These skills are particularly important in the modern newsroom ? where economic pressures have removed some layers of fact-checking and editing and forced traditional roles to shift and expand. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, Jour major

This course is about writing feature stories for magazines. You'll learn how that enterprise differs from newspaper writing. You'll also learn about the various types of magazines that exist as well as what constitutes a magazine in this digital age. We will focus on niche - on the importance of writing for the magazine's audience. You'll learn how to sell your work to different markets and platforms. You'll also discover, if you don't already know it, that the best magazine writing is rooted in solid reporting. You'll be doing more interviewing, fact-finding, and field work than you may have imagined, all of which will improve your writing. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, Jour major

This course will introduce students to basic skills in visual communication through hands-on projects, observation, discussion, and collaboration. Students will learn the vocabulary necessary to communicate effectively about graphic design processes. Students will develop a sense of their own design aesthetic and be able to talk about their solutions to design communication challenges by producing and presenting the projects assigned in the course. They also will learn to provide and receive constructive criticism and encouragement with their peers through both process and final class project critiques. Students will become familiar with the tools and processes necessary to execute simple design projects, from concept through production. Course projects will facilitate diversity through projects that reflect each students interests and research. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H or concurrent registration], [JOUR major or Strat Comm major]

This course is the introductory broadcast and digital writing and reporting course. It is the student's introduction to writing in broadcast and digital style, video photojournalism, and digital video editing. This is not a production class. It will apply journalism to the production techniques learned in JOUR 3102. Also included: source and story development, ethical decision-making, audio storytelling, and vocal and on-camera delivery. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, JOUR 3102, Jour major

As arts journalism continues to migrate from print to online media, the distinctions between entertainment and art have begun to merge, and the boundaries between professional journalism and promotion have blurred. Yet the task of the arts journalist remains an important independent voice for developing arts literacy on print and digital platforms. This course will not only develop practical and critical thinking needed to write about the arts as a journalist but will also do so via digital approaches to arts coverage. Accordingly, students will be immersed and engaged on a variety of platforms to produce relevant journalism about a wide variety of arts for 21st century readers. prereq: [Jour 3004 or 3004H], Jour 3101, [Jour major, Mass Comm major or approved BIS/IDIM/ICP program]

This course will cover game-story writing, multimedia/digital storytelling, interview/press conference techniques, sports-business reportage, data-driven journalism, effective use of social media and opinion/column writing. Top sports media professionals and other local sports personalities will come in periodically to tell their stories and teach students some of what they know about good sports journalism. The aim of this course is to provide first steps toward working in today's sports media environment. Some possible sports career destinations include becoming: an authoritative sports blogger; TV sports anchor, reporter, or sideline analyst; beat reporter or sports editor for a newspaper (and its website); team sports information director; writer of long, beautiful prose for a national magazine or website. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, JOUR 3121 or instructor permission, Jour major

Nieman Journalism lab declared Podcasting the last mass medium. WNYC invested $15 million in development on podcasts last year alone with the New York Times, the LA Times, and now the Washington Post not far behind. Whether it's for news and information, strategic communication messaging, or pure entertainment, podcasting has changed how the world seeks and delivers information. This class will take the mystery out of audio: what makes it different, where its challenges lie, and what makes it such an enticing medium to work in. Students will learn the basics of narrative audio storytelling, which is used extensively in some of the most influential podcasts including Serial, This American Life, Caliphate, Dirty John to podcasts like Target's Coffee and Crayons (produced in partnership with Slate Studios) and the Trader Joe's podcast Inside Trader Joe?s. Audio has the power to involve the listeners, to make them a part of the story - whether it's buying crayons or explaining an Islamic insurgency - the tools are the same: real voices, sound, and conversational writing. Students will learn how to harness sound, to use it to develop a narrative and tell stories with scope, sound, and texture. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, JOUR 3102, Jour major

Community journalism is arguably the most relevant source of news and information for our citizenry, whether in urban, suburban, or rural settings. That's still true today, but the nature of what we call community journalism is changing. For decades, community journalism has been defined by its geographical boundaries, concerning chiefly the institutions - schools, churches, businesses, or government - within those borders. While that traditional community journalism is certainly still alive today, the reach of digital journalism and social media has transformed the notion of community. New communities can define themselves beyond geography, a shift that creates opportunities for journalists to cover a broader sense of "where" people live. This course will explore this shift through practical, hands-on experience, and thoughtful consideration of the journalist's role in covering diverse communities. Through readings, lectures and discussions with professionals who do the work, students will consider the notion of community journalism and the best practices for it. Students will target a community in and around the University of Minnesota and develop cover that community on the student-run website AccessU. The goal is for those teams to publish relevant stories about the community on that site in text, photos, video, and visualizations. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, [JOUR 3103 or JOUR 3121 or JOUR 3155 or JOUR 3173 or JOUR 4302], Jour major

Students in this course can expect to learn skills in understanding convergence journalism and visual roles and responsibilities in newsrooms, understanding basic video news production using a DSLR, and using those to create a portfolio of still images with significant journalistic content. Students will study some concept and theory, plus approaches in covering story events and using a variety of technologies to gather, edit, and disseminate stories. Students will look at ways to tailor stories for print, broadcast, web, and mobile reporting, and talk about the differences in audience and will study ethics all along the way, too. Students will get photo-nerdy. They will learn production skills that include visual grammar and application, how to use a DSLR camera for both still and video images, and how to use light and color to tell news and feature stories. Plus, students will learn to edit photos and video for great images and for great stories. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, JOUR 3102, Jour major

Students produce in-depth multimedia stories, using photography, audio, video, text, and infographics, working both individually and in groups. Students will produce and participate in a completed multimedia project (with at least three story forms) by the end of the semester. Students examine the implications of differing approaches to multimedia production and consider ethical issues raised by it. Exemplary work of multimedia journalism is regularly presented and reviewed. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, JOUR 3102, Jour major

Emphasis in this course is on longer-form storytelling using video, audio, graphics and still photography, edited into multimedia presentations for journalistic and persuasive messages. Story conceptualization, enterprise, source development, access, narrative approaches and related issues will be addressed. Ethical and legal implications of multimedia storytelling in journalistic and strategic communications settings will be reviewed. prereq: [Jour 3004 or 3004H], Jour 3101, Jour 3102, Jour 3451 [Jour major, Mass Comm major or approved BIS/IDIM/ICP program]

The emphasis of the course is planning, writing, producing, and presenting live TV newscasts. Students will produce University Report newscasts during the semester. Much of the class will also be spent writing broadcast news copy. Students will also generate their own stories as needed and anchor newscasts or segments. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, JOUR 3102, JOUR 3451, Jour major

Journalism professional skills course not regularly offered.  Topics and prerequisites specified in Class Schedule.  Students must be Journalism majors and meet the prerequisites for the specific course offering.

The approach to the class is dual: First, there is an academic component - studying the best examples in-depth reporting from muckrakers to yesterday?s New York Times. This part of the course will be presented in a seminar style with a high-expectation for student involvement. Second, there is a hands-on component - giving students the opportunity to exercise what they learn in this class and elsewhere in their journalism program. This part of the course will require students to identify appropriate stories for in-depth reporting, outline the proposed stories to the instructor, thoroughly report the stories and go through the editing process. Students will also produce graphics and photographs, and might consider various multi-media possibilities. The class topics will be organized around essential social issues, such as health care, politics, poverty, business, or other topics. During some semesters, students will produce news stories for publication at a professional news organization, such as MinnPost.com. Such opportunities in past classes have allowed students to work with professional reporters and editors and get bylines stories read by thousands. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, JOUR 3121, Jour major

This course focuses on magazine and web writing, editing, photography, graphic design, and production. Students will study concepts of magazine and web communication with a special concern for how words, pictures, multimedia and design can be combined effectively. Over the semester, the class will create and produce a professional quality single-theme magazine and website. During this process, students will experience firsthand the organization and working of an editorial and production staff, and the implications of specific divisions of labor and working relationships. All students will write an article and/or produce web content as well as hold a staff job. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], [{JOUR 3101 and [JOUR 3155 or JOUR 3173 or JOUR 3321 or JOUR 4171 or JOUR 4302]}, Jour major. Strat Comm majors must have completed Jour 3279W and need to contact sjmcugs@umn.edu for a permission number.

This class will teach advanced reporting skills through hands-on experience, professional oversight and thoughtful discussions with working journalists. Classes will be held at news organizations, where students will also work directly with editors to produce news, features or other content. That work experience will be complemented in weekly sessions by readings, projects and discussions and with journalists. Students apply to this course and completion of Jour 3121 is encouraged. Applications are available in the HSJMC student services office about a month before registration begins. prereq: Jour major and instructor permission

Does the media cause social problems, or just reflect them? Why and how have mass media been feared, bemoaned, used, and dismissed as tools to change public beliefs, attitudes, and behavior? This course explores a century's worth of thinking as to how and when media might have such effects. We examine media influence in a range of contexts, including political advertising, health campaigns, video game violence, pornography, and educational television. We approach the topic largely from a social science perspective (for example, by reviewing experimental tests of the effects of media violence) but we will address some of the advantages and limitations inherent in looking for effects in that way. Although our focus is on mass media, interpersonal and digital media sources will be considered as well.

From Instagram to YouTube to memes-we live in a visual culture. How can we interpret this flood of images? Learn how to analyze advertisements, photographs, television, and social media from multiple perspectives. Historical, cultural, and ethical approaches unearth the changing role of visual media in society. You'll actively interpret current images to learn how to effectively communicate with visuals.

In this class, you'll study news media and their social, cultural, and political impact during a specific historical time period, based on the instructor's expertise and area of research. Examples include: Journalism during the Civil War; Mass media and the African American struggle for civil rights; the Sixties and rise of the New Journalism. Instructors of the course may vary from term to term and students may wish to contact the instructor for information on the specific focus of his or her section.

Strategic communication has been growing rapidly in the past two decades. In this course, you will be introduced to the two major fields of strategic communication, namely public relations and advertising. You will get fundamental understanding about the main theories, methods, and practices of strategic communication and engage with questions about the profession?s roles in society. Through the activities and assignments, you will gain entry-level skills such as handling consumer insights data, preparing creative briefs, designing ads headlines or thumbnails, and drafting campaign planning documents. These materials will help you build your strategic communication portfolio and explore your career paths and goals. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H or concurrent registration], [Jour major, Strat Comm major, Media & Information major or Media & Information minor or approved BIS/IDIM/ICP program]

Digital media enterprises have uprooted many established industries and continue to be among the most important factors shaping our economy and society today. Where do these innovations come from? Why do some startups prosper while others fail? How do legacy firms respond to disruptions to their business models? What makes adaptations possible? What makes them risky? Learn to analyze and evaluate the economic strategies of existing digital media firms across various sectors of society including news, entertainment, social media, mobile, and retail. Assess their impacts on cultural and civic life for better and for worse. Use these skills to incubate your own ideas for the next great media innovations of the future.

This course examines the various ways in which technology continues to evolve, and to have a role in ongoing societal changes. The course focuses on unpacking the specific ways in which technology are evolving, and connecting those changes to impacts on communication and media A variety of theories or perspectives relevant or related to technology use and global communication will be considered to help make sense of the interplay between the technology use and societies in a global setting. The course is divided into three main parts: first, understanding of the specifics of relevant technology; second, connecting the technical features to theoretical views of technology; third, examining global patterns of technology use in media and communication. The readings and discussions place special emphasis on specific forms of technology, including mobile phones, Web, and social media. Grounded in a global context, we will investigate the political, cultural, social, technological, and economic conditions that shape and are shaped by the presence of the Internet at the national and cross-national levels; the effects of technology use on the form and content of mass communication at the global level; and the implications of technology use for human and social relations across national borders.

In the past 20 years, mobile communication has emerged as a rapidly-growing, popular, and economically and socially significant mode of communication around the world. First as voice-only devices intended for business use, mobile devices have proliferated and gained new functionalities. Smartphones are now the most common means of internet access in many countries, and mobile devices have brought together the capabilities of watches, computers, GPS trackers, and many other specialized tools. Today, two-thirds of the world?s population has reliable mobile phone access, and there are more mobile devices in existence than there are people on earth. In light of these rapid developments, this course introduces students to scholarly analysis of mass mobile phone communication in the United States and globally. Beginning with a set of foundational discussions about mobile communication, the course moves through a series of thematic units examining mobile crowdsourcing, social movements, social life, development, media, and the future of mobile communication. Throughout, the course explores how mobile devices have been put to use and what new possibilities and risks lie ahead.

Context course not regularly offered. Topics specified in Class Schedule.

In the history of humankind, there have been five major changes in how we communicate and we're in the middle of the latest revolution. This class helps you make sense of these uncharted waters by exploring how humanity adopted, and adapted to, past disruptions. From the alphabet to the internet and social media, learn how technological innovations in the media have changed not only how people share information and values but also what people have communicated throughout history. We will learn about these five phases in mediated communication over 5,000 years, and how they relate to major changes in politics, society and culture. And then we'll use history's lessons to peek into the future: When presidents tweet and everyone's foodie photos are on Instagram, how does the world communicate?

How are our perceptions of crime been influenced by the news? How do social movements use media to share their messages? What can we as audiences do? Social media, news and entertainment media help shape our ideas about identity and differences. Learn how representation and inclusion have been negotiated through media with a particular focus on local case studies. Topics include race, ethnicity, social class, physical ability, and gender. Students will learn how to use media literacy to build a just and equitable society.

Popular culture is everywhere. Social media, film, music, video games, television, websites, and news bring popular culture into our daily lives. In this class, we will examine popular culture in modern and historical contexts through various mass communication, sociological, and cultural theories. Is popular culture of the people? or dictated by corporate interests? What social and commercial pressures result in stereotypes, misrepresentation and exclusion in popular culture? Does popular culture mirror or shape social reality? This course will provide you with the tools to become active and thoughtful consumers of media and popular culture.

How have digital media innovations like social media, mobile phones, artificial intelligence, drones and games shaped and been shaped by a culture and society globally? Learn to critically examine the function of digital media in your life. Take away a socio-historical understanding of digital media innovation, and the social, political, and economical impact of new media in creativity, industry, and culture from a cross-disciplinary perspective. Topics range from the concept of branding in an online context, to the varied uses of digital media in the context of journalism, social mobilization, law and privacy, business, globalization, content creation, and beyond. You will read, discuss, and debate cutting edge material from documentaries, podcasts, popular press, and academic literature. This course balances local contexts with global perspectives, and provides details into the practicalities of working and living in a new media environment.

Health information is in the news, nearly every corner of the internet, on your favorite television show, and advertising campaigns. Using principles of mass communication, public health, sociology, and psychology this course explores how mediated health content impacts students' lives at both micro- and macro-levels. We will explore questions such as: how do individuals use media to achieve health-related goals? What role does media and health literacy play in achieving these goals? What effect does health information in entertainment media or strategic public health campaigns, for example, effect your own health-related beliefs and behaviors? To what extent do media portrayals of health and illness impact society?s understanding of complex health issues such as mental health, substance use disorder, or cancers? What influence does news coverage of health issues have on health policy and health reform?

Citizens expect journalists to separate fact from falsehoods, opinion and propaganda. But is it possible for journalists to be unbiased and objective? Advertisers are expected to push products. But is it acceptable to mislead by exaggerating what the product can do? Public relations professionals must protect a company's brand. But what should they do when a company becomes entangled in a scandal? This course examines the ethical and unethical ways that communicators respond to such challenges, and uses real-life examples to identify values and principles that can lead to sound, ethical decisions under the most difficult circumstances. Learn about ethical communication on all platforms, from television to social media to newspapers and magazines. Build a solid foundation for your own ethical thinking that can guide you as a student and as a professional communicator.

Learn practical legal skills and ethics as they pertain to marketing, public relations and advertising by focusing on the actions of the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications, and the Federal Elections Commission. Learn about the administrative process including adjudication and rule making. Learn through a range of legal, policy and ethics discussions ranging from the First Amendment, the regulation of commercial speech, advertising deception, substantiation of material claims, digital privacy, contesting, political advertising, and controls on native advertising and social media influencers.

Do facts matter anymore? Is press freedom under threat? Are audiences trapped in filter bubbles? Why do people hate the media, and how can the news be improved to better serve citizens? Explore the historical and contemporary dynamics that shape the relationship between professionals in the media, the mass public, and political actors across different parts of government. Study major forms of mass media, including television and newspapers, alongside new forms such as digital and social media. Look at specific reporting rituals and practices, as well as issues involving media ownership, regulation, ethics, and press freedom. We will study politicians? efforts to craft messages, advertise strategically, and target select audiences for political gain. The course will focus primarily, but not exclusively, on the United States, and you will be asked to engage with current events and the role of communication technologies in political and civic life.

Do facts matter anymore? Is press freedom under threat? Are audiences trapped in filter bubbles? Why do people hate the media, and how can the news be improved to better serve citizens? Explore the historical and contemporary dynamics that shape the relationship between professionals in the media, the mass public, and political actors across different parts of government. Study major forms of mass media, including television and newspapers, alongside new forms such as digital and social media. Look at specific reporting rituals and practices, as well as issues involving media ownership, regulation, ethics, and press freedom. We will study politicians? efforts to craft messages, advertise strategically, and target select audiences for political gain. The course will focus primarily, but not exclusively, on the United States, and you will be asked to engage with current events and the role of communication technologies in political and civic life.

Ever wonder what your brain does when you see an advertisement? Ever wonder why advertisements work? And why sometimes they don't? How does advertising compel you to buy things you don't need and what strategies do you use to resist these messages? In this course we explore a range of theories that explain how advertisements influence memory, attitudes, emotions, and behaviors and how humans actively process and resist persuasive messages.

This course introduces you to the fascinating and ever-changing world of digital advertising and marketing. Learn its history and evolution, current trends, future possibilities, and legal/ethical issues. We'll study the innovative research and theories explaining the practice and effects of various forms, including social media, search marketing, gaming, native, viral, online video advertising, online behavioral advertising, and mobile. Through a combination of lectures, in-class discussions, and guest presentations by industry professionals, you'll learn the basic theories for developing effective and socially-responsible digital advertising campaigns in the increasingly diverse and global media environment.

Advertising in Society asks students to think about the ways that advertising intersects with cultural and political life in the 21st century, examining the influence of advertising from many perspectives?legal, constitutional, social and ethical. This course tackles a variety of current topics in advertising, including the many other powerful social institutions that advertising underpins (such as journalism and entertainment content), the role of American political advertising, the way advertising depicts gender and sexuality, the obligations of advertisers toward vulnerable audiences, and the ethics and impact of increasingly pervasive personalized hyper-niche ads on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This course helps students learn how to conduct thorough analyses of issues, develop positions on issues, and present coherent and convincing arguments for the positions they have taken.

Special context topics not regularly offered. Topics specified in Class Schedule.

Are the news media doing a good job? How can you tell? Does it matter? Is The Daily Show the best news program on television? Why or why not? Most people seem to have an opinion about all of these questions. Most discussions seem to center on one of four themes: 1) who owns the media and what they care about; 2) whether the news media are becoming more or less credible and/or biased; 3) whether entertainment is replacing or enhancing information in news programming; and 4) how much, if at all, is the Internet changing everything about the way the media work, including who we think of as a journalist. Mass Media and U.S. Society explores the validity and importance of these themes in terms of what roles can the media play in society, what roles does it play, and how have those roles have changed over time. The course draws on ideas from various social sciences to develop tools for discussing a number of specific issues related to these themes.

Are the news media doing a good job? How can you tell? Does it matter? Is The Daily Show the best news program on television? Why or why not? Most people seem to have an opinion about all of these questions. Most discussions seem to center on one of four themes: 1) who owns the media and what they care about; 2) whether the news media are becoming more or less credible and/or biased; 3) whether entertainment is replacing or enhancing information in news programming; and 4) how much, if at all, is the Internet changing everything about the way the media work, including who we think of as a journalist. Mass Media and U.S. Society explores the validity and importance of these themes in terms of what roles can the media play in society, what roles does it play, and how have those roles have changed over time. The course draws on ideas from various social sciences to develop tools for discussing a number of specific issues related to these themes. prereq: honors

The Honors Thesis Seminar is designed to help students write a thesis to earn a degree with Honors. By carrying out an individual?s thesis work with a set of other students doing the same thing, students will receive support, as well as feedback and ideas, from their peers. We will meet as a class and with subgroups who share a particular research need (e.g., how to develop an on-line survey or experiment, developing a content analysis coding system, learning how to carry out a quantitative data analysis). You will receive and give peer feedback. In addition to our seminar, you will have the chance to meet with the instructor to talk about your thesis, discuss ideas, research methods, and data analysis plans, and receive feedback on thesis drafts. The regular class meetings and outside meetings with the instructors are meant to hold you accountable to yourself and to the instructor for making progress towards completing a thesis on time. prereq: Honors, [Jour major, Strat Comm major, or Media and Information major]

How does communication affect international affairs? That's literally a question of war and peace, and this class guides you through the big theories and the real life stories of how news, information and entertainment travels around the world. Analyze the role of communication in globalization, addressing possible interpretations ranging from cultural imperialism to democratic development. Examine how different media cover foreign countries. What does it take to cover the world, historically and at a time of unprecedented challenges for professional journalism? What are the practices that have made international news what it is for the last century? Through theory and case studies from journalists and diplomats, examine the possible effects of international communication on international relations and policy making.

Sharpen your understanding of public opinion and its role in political and civic life: What does it mean? Where does it come from? How is it measured? What impact does it have? How are the public's preferences shaped by the larger communications environment and the strategic messages of politicians, interest groups, and other actors in society? What are polls really measuring, and why do they seem so unreliable sometimes? How are social media technologies giving voice to new segments and dimensions of public opinion? But how are they vulnerable to manipulation from bots and other efforts designed to alter perceptions of collective opinions? Examine the theories of communication, psychology, political science, and sociology that underlie these dynamic questions. We?ll consider cutting edge approaches used by market researchers, political analysts, and data scientists to harness new forms of data about what the public thinks. We investigate theories that explain how people form their opinions, deliberate with others, change their minds, and reveal their preferences, and we apply these frameworks to understand contemporary public opinion issues and campaigns.

This course provides an overview of theory and research that lies at the intersection of mass communication and public health. We examine the potential for media exposure to influence public health outcomes, both as a product of people's everyday interactions with media and the strategic use of media messages to accomplish public health goals. To this end, we will explore large-scale public health campaigns in the context of tobacco, obesity, and cancer screening. We also will explore news media coverage of controversial health issues, such as the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, and health information in entertainment media, such as smoking in movies. This course seeks to understand whether media messages have had intended and/or unintended effects on public attitudes and behavior. Although our focus is on mass media, interpersonal, medical, and digital media sources will be considered as well. prereq: JOUR 3005 or JOUR 3757 or Mass Communication grad

Digital communication technologies continue to raise a variety of legal issues, including whether and how (and which) traditional media and regulatory laws will apply, and how policy should be applied through regulatory law to enhance and regulate that communication. This course is conducted as a seminar, with an open discussion of legal precedent and the influence of policy on internet and digital communications. This course covers the First Amendment as it applies in a digital era as well as regulatory topics like net neutrality, broadband access, privacy, and copyright.

Journalism isn't fiction. Yet the relationship between what is true and what is artfully constructed toward a "larger truth" -- beyond the facts -- has a complex and intriguing history. This writing-intensive course explores that relationship through close readings of some the best writers of long-form nonfiction, starting with the birth of the novel from journalistic roots in the 18th century and ending with postmodern forms that challenge the notion of what we can ever know. Discover the literary devices used by Stephen Crane's reported street scenes or Nellie Bly's first-hand investigations into conditions for the mentally ill in the 19th century, and, later, Truman Capote's nonfiction novel about a Kansas farm family's murder. Readings include works by pivotal 20th-century writers such as John Hersey, Joseph Mitchell, Lillian Ross, Michael Herr, Norman Mailer, Gay Talese, Joan Didion, Tom Wolfe, and Hunter S. Thompson, and will trace how their pioneering methods influenced contemporary journalism as well as the documentary films of Errol Morris and contemporary nonfiction writers expanding into new forms.

What is (real/fake) news? Who's a journalist? What is journalism? How did we get to where we are today regarding journalism both as a profession and as an essential tool of democracy? Learn the fundamental chronology of the development of journalism in the United States from the Revolution to today, and then delve into the big quandaries: How free has journalism been? What have been its professional standards? How has journalism affected a diverse audience? What are the challenges of international journalism? And how have new communication technologies interacted with journalism?

The modern media industry is marked by complexity as new entrants compete for consumers, industry mainstays struggle to survive, and disruptions continue. Consumers are increasingly more educated and proactive about their media consumption, and organizations face a complex array of marketing and advertising decisions. This course introduces students to the organizational structure of media organizations, and of organizations at large. The course focuses on the business aspects of media and prepares students to navigate the complexities of working in modern organizations. The course is designed to expose journalism and strategic communication majors and other interested students to core concepts and principles of managerial and organizational theory as they apply to these organizations. Students will learn about the key management challenges facing media organizations today in the modern technological landscape. A variety of theories or perspectives relevant or related to management, communication, and technology will be considered to help make sense of the modern media organization's structure and competitive landscape.

Most of us use devices like Smartphones, GPS, streaming services, or hands-free speakers like Amazon's Echo that connect to online voice services like Alexa without thinking about them very much. But, what kind of information are they collecting? Are merchants allowed to gather your shopping history and use it to send you targeted advertising, or to sell it to other companies for profit? Should other people be able to post your personal information or photos online without your consent? Can the government read your emails, track your online browsing, or intercept your text messages? This course considers how growing concerns about privacy and national security affect the First Amendment and the rights of journalists to gather and report the news. We will read significant court decisions and take a look at current statutory and regulatory initiatives both in the United States and abroad. You can expect lively debates and discussion, and the opportunity to explore a privacy or national security issue in depth in a substantial research paper. prereq: Jour major, Strat Comm major, Media and Information major or Media and Information minor or approved BIS/IDIM/ICP program or graduate or law student status. Course is open to students have previously taken a relevant law course - contact instructor for permission.

JOUR 4999 is a one-credit course to round out professional career competencies for all the majors in the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Journalism, Strategic Communication, Media and Information). It is designed to complement and provide capstone reflection on a student's development through the Hubbard School's curriculum for journalism, strategic communication and media and information majors. Students enroll in this one-credit, seven-week course to be taken S/N along with an advanced skills course during their last semester. JOUR 4999 has three parts: professional competency evaluations of previously taken JOUR courses; translating those competencies for personal branding, networking, and professional development; and connecting your professional competencies with your career readiness.

This course is the foundation for training as a working journalist--students will learn how to write and report news accurately, quickly, fairly and with a clear, informative style that reflects today?s news demands. Its main focus is on news writing. Students will be expected to model proper journalistic forms and style, for a variety of platforms, as well as demonstrate proper English usage, grammar, spelling, and style. Students will also be asked to think about ? and analyze ? news and the varying ways it is presented in today?s media world. At the end of the course, students must demonstrate the ability to write clearly, report accurately, adhere to AP style, meet deadlines, and judge what is newsworthy. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H or concurrent registration], Jour major

This course is about writing feature stories for magazines. You'll learn how that enterprise differs from newspaper writing. You'll also learn about the various types of magazines that exist as well as what constitutes a magazine in this digital age. We will focus on niche - on the importance of writing for the magazine's audience. You'll learn how to sell your work to different markets and platforms. You'll also discover, if you don't already know it, that the best magazine writing is rooted in solid reporting. You'll be doing more interviewing, fact-finding, and field work than you may have imagined, all of which will improve your writing. prereq: [JOUR 3004 or 3004H], JOUR 3101, Jour major

Advertising in Society asks students to think about the ways that advertising intersects with cultural and political life in the 21st century, examining the influence of advertising from many perspectives?legal, constitutional, social and ethical. This course tackles a variety of current topics in advertising, including the many other powerful social institutions that advertising underpins (such as journalism and entertainment content), the role of American political advertising, the way advertising depicts gender and sexuality, the obligations of advertisers toward vulnerable audiences, and the ethics and impact of increasingly pervasive personalized hyper-niche ads on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This course helps students learn how to conduct thorough analyses of issues, develop positions on issues, and present coherent and convincing arguments for the positions they have taken.

What is (real/fake) news? Who's a journalist? What is journalism? How did we get to where we are today regarding journalism both as a profession and as an essential tool of democracy? Learn the fundamental chronology of the development of journalism in the United States from the Revolution to today, and then delve into the big quandaries: How free has journalism been? What have been its professional standards? How has journalism affected a diverse audience? What are the challenges of international journalism? And how have new communication technologies interacted with journalism?

Journalism isn't fiction. Yet the relationship between what is true and what is artfully constructed toward a "larger truth" -- beyond the facts -- has a complex and intriguing history. This writing-intensive course explores that relationship through close readings of some the best writers of long-form nonfiction, starting with the birth of the novel from journalistic roots in the 18th century and ending with postmodern forms that challenge the notion of what we can ever know. Discover the literary devices used by Stephen Crane's reported street scenes or Nellie Bly's first-hand investigations into conditions for the mentally ill in the 19th century, and, later, Truman Capote's nonfiction novel about a Kansas farm family's murder. Readings include works by pivotal 20th-century writers such as John Hersey, Joseph Mitchell, Lillian Ross, Michael Herr, Norman Mailer, Gay Talese, Joan Didion, Tom Wolfe, and Hunter S. Thompson, and will trace how their pioneering methods influenced contemporary journalism as well as the documentary films of Errol Morris and contemporary nonfiction writers expanding into new forms.