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)
Copyright (pp. 299-302)
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