FUNDAMENTALS OF BROADCASTING

RTV 1013 Fall 2004 9:00-9:50 Mon-Wed-Fri

Instructor: Steve Adams

Office: SD 103; 581-2477 E-Mail: stevea@cameron.edu

Office Hours: 9:00-9:30, Tue & Thur; 10:00-11:00 Mon, Wed, Fri; 2:00-4:00 Mon, Wed, Thur.

Catalog Description: Survey of components of broadcasting and other electronic media systems in America, including technical aspects, history, legal and social issues.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: At the conclusion of the course the student should be able to:

*Name significant events in radio/television history

*Explain the development of radio and television and cable

*Describe how radio, television and cable has had an impact on society

*Describe the different types (or classes) radio and television stations

*Understand how broadcast rating information is gathered and interpreted

*Discuss past and current legal issues confronting the broadcast industry

*Analyze one aspect of broadcasting through the writing of a term paper

*Understand the use of library computer based indexes and how to identify quality web sites to use as references

TEXT: Telecommunications, 8th edition by Lynn S. Gross

GRADING:

1. There will be four exams during the semester, each worth 100 points.

2. Students will be required to write a report on any aspect of broadcasting. The report, which is described on page 2 of this syllabus, will also be worth 100 points.

The grading scale will be as follows:

A = 90-100%

B = 80-89%

C = 70-79%

D = 65-69%

F = Below 65%

Any exam which is missed on the announced exam day will be subject to a 20% penalty unless the student and instructor make arrangements in advance of the exam day. Any missed exams must be made up within one week of the exam date.

ATTENDANCE: You cannot learn if you are not in class. Be advised that each days lecture will contain about 10% of the material which will comprise the next exam. About half of this material is non-text information. Class begins at 9:00. You are expected to be here at that time. Be sure to turn off cell phones before class begins.

CLASS DECORUM: Students causing distractions in class will be required to leave. Distractions include, but are not limited to eating, drinking, talking to others or being disrespectful. If you are required to leave class you must see the instructor before returning to class. Being required to leave class will count as one absence. There is no food or drink allowed in the classroom.

WRITTEN REPORT

This report may be on any aspect of broadcasting that is of interest to you. The paper must be in your own words and not copied from a book or article. You must cite at least five sources in your paper, at least two of which must come from somewhere other than the internet. (The internet is not required for your research, however you must have other sources.) Papers on current topicsmust have current sources. A standard end noting system must be used. (In other words, when you cite material from another source, you must indicate what that source is.) Use of MLA, APA, or other writing style is required.

The papers must be typed with one-inch margins and 12-point type and doubled spaced. If you do not have a computer there are computer labs in Burch Hall, the Music Building and Shelper which are available to students. The length of the paper needs to be 4-8 pages.

A one-half page typed synopsis (or thesis statement) of your paper/topic must be submitted for approval no later than Friday, September 24. Be sure your synopsis is specific in stating what you are going to write about. Don't be too general. On Monday, October 11th you must bring your bibliography and the actually source material (marked up and obviously "looked at") to class.

An original, typed, full-sentence outline needs to be turned in no later than Wednesday, November 3. The outline should indicate each main division of the body as well as indicate supporting material (and works cited) which goes with each main division. This should be in outline form and each point of the outline should be complete...not just 1 or 2 words. An introduction should be included with the outline.

The papers will be due Friday, December 3, at 9:00 a.m. (All papers must be original typed copies). Your outline, bibliography and sources should be turned in with your paper. Late papers will be accepted up to Friday, December 10, but will carry a 20 point LATE PENALTY.

Grading will be on length (5%), grammar and spelling (15%), bibliography & end noting (10%), content (60%) and on successfully meeting the first three deadlines (10%).

FUNDAMENTALS OF BROADCASTING Fall 2004

UNIT ONE

Chapter 11 Ethics and Effects

Chapter 9 Children's Programming (pp. 279-282; 334-337; 360-362)

Violence (pp. 283-285)

Chapter 10 First Amendment (p. 295)

Indecency & Obscenity (pp. 296-298)

Political Advertising (pp. 308-311)

Fairness Doctrine (pp. 311-313;) & Editorializing (p. 313)

EXAM 1 on or about Friday, September 17

UNIT TWO

Chapter 14 Distribution (pp. 402-416)

Chapter 1 Chaos & Govt. Action (p. 21)

Chapter 10 Ownership (pp. 303-308)

(Synopsis for paper due Friday, Sept. 24)

(Bibliography with sources due Monday, Oct. 11)

EXAM 2 on or about Tuesday, October 13

UNIT THREE

Chapter 1 Radio

Chapter 8 Programming (pp. 234-240)

Chapter 2 Broadcast Television

Chapter 8 Programming (pp.240-246)

Chapter 9 News (pp. 273-277)

(Outline due Wednesday, Nov. 3)

EXAM 3 on or about Wednesday, November 17

UNIT FOUR

Chapter 3 Cable Television

Chapter 13 Audience Feedback

Non Commercial broadcasting (sections 1.15, 1.16, 2.14, 2.15 & 12.7)

(Papers due Friday, Dec. 3 at 9:00 a.m.

FINAL EXAM: Tuesday, December 14 10:00-12:00