A Mystery Novel or a Novel Mystery?

In scanning the Wall Street Journal this morning, I found an article relevant to the book publishing unit we completed last week. Author Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code) is about to release a new blockbuster. If you are a fan, it has been a long three-year wait. If you are not a fan, then you must be hoping there will be something else replacing the Da Vinci paraphernalia on display at Barnes & Noble. Mr. Brown, who no doubt knows the incredible value of publicity, is keeping his readers guessing as to the release date of his next tome. Neither he nor his agent Heide Lange have said anything thus giving fans lots to speculate about. Those in the know say this next book is about Freemasons and the Founding Fathers. Public relations students: What would you suggest as a good tie- in release date? The pros at Bertelsmann, the European media conglomerate that owns Doubleday, are probably working on the very same task.

Amazon Kindle

Sold-Out Kindle Lacks Rave Reviews
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/347160_kindle14.html?source=mypi

This is an article I spotted after looking into the new E-Device that is an electronic book reader. It is Amazon's own product The Kindle that has been floating within the top three best selling electronic devices on their site.

Products like these (The Kindle, iPod, etc.) revolutionize not only the way we live but also shape the industries or Mass Media sectors involved.

Personally, the design of the Kindle isn't too appealing. I don't think I would order it right away on the Internet. I would probably wait until the second or third generation came out (like I did with the iPod) and then buy it.

What do you think?

Readings

During the first week of class we read Cass Sunstein's Polarization of Extremes in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Sunstein develops his ideas in a fuller piece at the Boston Review and if you are still interested in reading more, check out the book Republic.2 No discussion of media is complete without learning a little more about Marshall McLuhan who is known for coining the phrase 'the medium is the message.' Another name to know well is Ben Bagdikian, the famed critic of conglomeration of the media. Hear it from the man himself in this interview on PBS.

Welcome to Mass Media & Society

This course is an introduction to the electronic, film and print media and their functions. An examination of the background, organization, current influence and future trends of books, newspapers, radio, film, audio recordings, television and the internet. Contemporary problems of the media are covered such as the legal, social, economic and psychological implications of their relationships with society. Application of advertising and public relations and their use of the eight mass media outlets are addressed. This course tracks the overarching themes of demassification and globalization throughout the semester.

Syllabus

Week One
Jan 7 Intro to Mass Media
READING: 'The Polarization of Extremes' by Sunstein

Jan 9 Media Literacy
READING: Chapter 1 Vivian

Week Two Books
Jan 14 READING: Chapter 2 Vivian
Jan 16 Publishing in an age of conglomeration and global ownership

Week Three Newspapers
Jan 21 READING: Chapter 3 Vivian
Jan 23

Week Four Magazines and Photography
Jan 28 READING: Chapter 4 Vivian; Good magazine online
Jan 30

Week Five Sound Recording
Feb 4 READING: Chapter 5 Vivian
Feb 6 Spinning, censorship and the legacy of iTunes
DUE: Media Critical Analysis Paper #1

Week Six Movies
Feb 11 READING: Chapter 6 Vivian
Feb 13 GUEST SPEAKER: Indie film maker

Week Seven Radio
Feb 18 READING: Chapter 7 Vivian
Feb 20 DUE: Mini interactive project (group)

Week 8 Television
March 3 READING: Chapter 8 Vivian
March 5 MIDTERM EXAM

Week Nine Internet
March 10 READING: Chapter 9 Vivian; CNN, Slate, New Yorker online
March 12 Political campaigning; Facebook and YouTube debates

Week Ten News
March 17 READING: Chapter 10 Vivian
March 19 Telling a story; redefining news for 24 hour coverage


Week Eleven Public Relations
March 24 READING: Chapter 11 Vivian; PR Week online
March 26 DUE: Media Critical Analysis Paper #2


Week Twelve Advertising
March 31 READING: Chapter 12 Vivian; Advertising Age online
April 2 Seth Godin on why ‘small is the new big.’

Week Thirteen Mass Media Effects
April 7 READING: Chapter 16 Vivian
April 9 Socialization and Isolation

Week Fourteen Global Media
April 14 READING: Chapter 18 Vivian
April 16 Western Influence, Media in the Near and Far East

Week Fifteen FINAL EXAM