INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:Political Science 425
Mass Media and Politics
Spring, 2006
James M. Carlson, Professor of Political Science
Office Hours: 10:30-11:20 MWTh or by appointment
Office: Howley 310
Office Telephone and Voice Mail: 865-2624
Fax Number: 865-1222
E-mail: jcarlson@providence.edu
Angel Homepage: http://angel.providence.edu/frameIndex.htm
COURSE INFORMATION:
Credits: Three credits, one semester
Catalog Description: This course deals with the influence of mass media on politics. The political content of entertainment and news programming in both electronic and print media will be analyzed. Attention will be given to determinants of political messages in mass media and the consequences of those messages for political behavior.
Students for whom the course is intended: This course is open to all PC students. It satisfies the American Politics core requirement for political science majors.
COURSE PURPOSE, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES
Course Rationale and Goals: This course involves a study of mass media and politics. I hope that it makes you a more critical consumer of media messages and that you develop knowledge, research capabilities, and skills necessary to analyze them. In addition a general goal of the course is to increase sensitivity to problems related to the role of mass media in democracy.
Specific Objectives: Upon completion of this course students should be able to: (1) Critically analyze the content of media messages with regard to their reflection of reality and consistency with democratic politics, (2) Understand the forces that shape politically relevant media messages, (3) Understand and describe how media messages influence individual behavior and discourse concerning politics, and (4) Conduct a systematic analysis of the content of mass media and report the findings of the analysis.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Class Time and Assignments
We will be together for about forty class periods. Class will take the form of lectures, discussion of reading assignments, student reports on articles dealing with specific pieces of research or a controversial topic, and viewing and critically analyzing videos.
Written Book Review
A required paper will involve a written review of a book dealing with mass media and politics. In addition to assigned reading each of you will read an additional book chosen from a list I will provide. A brief (no more than six pages) review will focus on how the content of the book is related to theories of mass media and society.
Examinations
There will be a midterm and a final examination. The final examination will cover material following the midterm. The examinations will involve essay questions that I present to you well in advance of the exam date. On the day of the exam we will randomly choose two or three questions for you to answer. The idea is for you to cooperate with your classmates in preparing for the exam and to ultimately provide well prepared thoughtful answers.
Oral Reports on an Article
At least once (probably twice) during the semester you will read a short article concerning media and politics. You will very briefly summarize the results or arguments presented by the author(s) for the class so that we can discuss them.
Participation in Discussions
A premium will be placed on active participation in discussions of issues raised during the semester. Your participation grade will be based on the quality of your oral reports to the class, discussion of issues during class sessions, and contributions to discussions on-line on message boards created within the classroom management system, Angel. Nearly every week I will post a question or “quote of the week” for your consideration. You should offer your analysis and opinion of the issue and respond to what other members of the class have written.
Media Journal
During the semester you should pay close attention to a number of media outlets including a daily newspaper, television news, talk radio, and politically oriented web sites. Each of you will keep a journal that contains reflections on observations of media messages. Additionally there will be a number of videos required that will be viewed inside and outside of class time. The Journal is an appropriate place for you to describe your reactions to those videos. We all are exposed to media messages each day. The Media Journal should also be where you reflect on the political content you perceive in entertainment programming, biases in news reporting, and the agenda set by media message producers. In other words, the Journal should be a place were you relate messages you receive from the mass media in the daily course of life to explanations and arguments you encounter in class readings and discussions. Journals will contain description, analysis and opinion and will be a medium where you demonstrate learning throughout the semester. Entries in your journal will constitute evidence that you have viewed videos outside of class. You grade for your journal will reflect the number of videos you viewed as well as the quality of your entries. You can keep a handwritten journal in a composition book or construct a document with a word processor and submit it online. It is up to you.
Grading Distribution and Policies:
| Book Review | 20% |
| Midterm Exam | 20% |
| Final Exam | 25% |
| Media Journal | 20% |
| Participation | 15% |
| Total | 100% |
Attendance is strongly encouraged and absences will affect the participation grade. Oral reports on articles will be reflected in your participation grade. I expect all members of the class will participate in discussions of videos and assigned readings.
RESOURCES
Required Texts:
The following texts are available for purchase at the College Bookstore.
Matt Kerbel, If It Bleeds, It Leads: An Anatomy of Television News
Stephen J. Farnsworth an S. Robert Lichter, The Nightly News Nightmare: Television's Coverage of U.S. Presidential Elections, 1988-2000.
Linda Holtzman, Media Messages: What Film, Television, and Popular Music Teach Us About Race, Class, Gender and Sexual Orientation
Kim Fridkin Kahn and Patrick J. Kenny, No Holds Barred: Negativity in U.S.
Senate Campaigns
Larry Sabato, Mark Stencel, and Robert Lichter, Peep Show: Media and Politics in the Age of Scandal
Additional Reading Assignments:
In addition to material in the texts there will be some reading assigned in the form of articles from professional journals, portions of chapters of books, and on-line research reports. The additional reading will be placed on reserve in the Library, given to you in the form of a handout or available on-line.
Videos:
We will view a number of videos in class as well as videotaped examples of media messages. The videos should be considered the equivalent of assigned reading or lecture material in all respects. In addition you will view a number of videos outside of class time in either the Political Science Department or Academic Media Services. In the course outline below I have listed videos available for viewing outside of scheduled class time. You can decide how many you wish to view, but remember the number will be reflected in the grade you receive for your Media Journal.
CONTENT OUTLINE, CALENDAR, AND ASSIGNMENTS
Reserve Readings can be found at http://131.128.70.2/search/p?SEARCH=Carlson%2C+James
January 18 Introduction to the Course
January 20 Theory and Functions of Mass Media
January 23 Theory and Functions of Mass Media/Content Analysis
Reading: James M. Carlson and Mark S. Hyde, Doing Empirical Political Research, 264-271.
On-line: Examples from the Center for Media and Public Affairs
January 25 News Content
Reading: Matt Kerbel, If It Bleeds, It Leads
Lance Bennett, News the Politics of Illusion, Chapters One and Two (Reserve)
On-line: Journalism.org, The State of News Media--Television and Newspapers
January 27 News Content: Local News
In Class Video: Clips of local news stories
January 30 News Content: National News
In Class Video: Clips of national news stories
On-line: Journalism.org, State of the News Media 2005--National TV News and Magazines
February 1 News Content: Violence
In Class Video: NBC Special, Violence on TV
Outside of Class Video: Media Hype: When News Coverage Goes too Far
February 3 News Content (continued)
February 6 Election Content: Introduction
Reading: Kim Fridkin Kahn and Patrick J. Kenny, No Holds Barred: Negativity in US Senate Campaigns, Chapter One
Stephan J. Farnsworth and S. Robert Lichter, The Nightly News Nightmare, all
On-line: The Lear Center Local News Archive, Political Ads Dominate Local TV News Coverage
In Class Video: The Made for Television Election
February 8 Election Content: Free Media
In Class Video: Made for TV Election (continued)
February 10 Election Content: Free Media
Reading: Kahn and Kenny, ChaptersTwo and Three
February 13 Election Content: Campaign Commercials
Reading: Darrell West, Air Wars, Chapter Three (Reserve)
On-line Viewing: PBS, The 30 Second Candidate
University of Oklahoma, American Museum of the Moving Image,
University of Delaware, A Historical Look at Campaign Commercials
Stanford University, Recent Campaign Commericials
February 15 Election Content: Campaign Commercials (Continued)
February 17 Entertainment Content and AmericanCulture
Reading: Linda Holzman, Media Messages, Chapter One
James Carlson, "Television Entertainment and Political Socialization,"in In "Media Res: edited by Jan Vermeer (handout)
In Class Video: The Electronic Storyteller
Outside of Class Video: Advertising and the End of the World
February 20 (No Class--President's Day)
February 14 Entertainment Content: Gender and Class
Reading: Linda Holtzman, Media Messages, Chapters Two and Three
Michael Parenti (1992) Make Believe Media: The Politics of Entertainment, Chapter 5 (On Reserve)
February 24 Entertainment Content: Race
Reading: Linda Holtzman, Media Messages, Chapters Four and Five
In Class Video: Color Adjustment
March 1 Entertainment Content: Sexual Orientation
March 3 Entertainment Content: Violence
Reading: George Gerbner, et.al. "The Demonstration of Power: Violence Profile No. 10," Journal of Communication 29 (1979): 177- 196. (On Reserve)
On-line: Center for Communication and Social Policy, National Television Violence Study: Third Year Summary
In Class Video: Wrestling with Manhood
Outside of Class Video: The Killing Screens
March 13 Violence (Continued)
March 15 Entertainment Content: Law and Order
Reading: James M. Carlson, Prime Time Law Enforcement, Chapter Three (Reserve)
March 17 Midterm Exam
March 20 Shaping Content: Media Ownership
On-line: Journalism.org, State of the News Media 2005: Ownership of Newspapers and Network Television
Columbia Journalism Review: Who Owns What
Outside of Class Video: Rich Media, Poor Democracy
March 22 Shaping Media Messages
In Class Video: Leading Questions
March 24 News Production
Reading: Lance Bennett, News: The Politics of Illusion, Chapters Five and Six
Outside of Class Video: Fear and Favor in the Newsroom or Why America Hates the Press
March 27 News Production
On line viewing: PBS, Inside Local News
March 29 News Production: Setting Guidelines
Reading: Larry Sabato, Mark Stencel, and S. Robert Lichter, Peepshow: Media and Politics in the Age of Scandal
April 3 Shaping Messages About Elections
April 5 Determinants of Entertainment Content
Reading: James M. Carlson and Rebecca Trichtinger, “Perspectives on Entertainment Television’s Portrayal of a Racial Incident,” Communication Review 4 (2001): 253-278. (Reserve)
April 7 Determinants of Entertainment Content (Continued)
April 10 Taxonomy of Media Effects
April 12 Effects of the News
Reading: Lance Bennett, Politics of Illusion, Chapter Seven (reserve)
April 18 Effects of the News: Information, Opinion and Democracy
Outside of Class Video: Constructing Public Opinion: How Politicians and the Media Misrepresent Public Opinion
April 19 Effects of News: Foreign Policy
Outside of Class Video: The CNN Effect: TV and Foreign Policy
April 21 Effects of Election News: Free Media
Reading: Kahn and Kenny, Chapters Four, Five, and Six
April 24 Effects of Election News: Debates
Reading: Darrell West, Air Wars, Chapters Five through Seven (On Reserve)
April 26 Effects of News Paid Media (BOOK REVIEW DUE)
Reading: Darrell West, Air Wars, Chapters Five through Seven (On Reserve)
April 28 Entertainment Effects
Reading: James Carlson (1993) "Television Viewing: Cultivating Perceptions of Affluence and Support for Capitalist Values," Political Communication (July-September, 1993): 243-258.
George Gerbner, et. al (1982) "Charting the Mainstream: Television's Contributions to Political Orientations," Journal of Communication32: 100- 127. (On Reserve)
Jarol Manheim (1976) "Can Democracy Survive Television," Journal of Communication 26: 84-90 (On Reserve)
May 1 Entertainment Effects (continued)
In Class Video: Consuming Images
May 3 Entertainment Effects (continued)
Outside of Class Video: Does TV Kill?
May 5 Media and Democracy
Reading: : Symposium Discussion in Political Communication (April-June, 2003):
John Zaller, "A New Standard for News Quality: Burglar Alarms for the Monitorial Citizen"
W. Lance Bennett, "The Burglar Alarm That Just Keeps Ringing: A Response to Zaller"
Thomas E. Patterson, "A Search for a Standard: Markets and Media"
Doris A. Graber, "The Rocky Road to New Paradigms: Modernizing News and Citizenship Patterns" (All of the above on Reserve)
May 16 Final Examination 1-3 PM