BROOKLYN COLLEGE
Department of Television, Radio & Emerging Media
INTRODUCTION TO MASS MEDIA
TREM 1165 TR2
Spring 2021, Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:15-3:30pm
Fully Online

Professor Brian Dunphy
Office:  My attic
Phone: 718-951-5000 x2797 (who uses a phone?)
E-mail:  Profdunphy@gmail.com – Do not use my Brooklyn College email.

Office Hours BY appointment ONLY:
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 12:15-2:05pm 

TAs: Nicole – nicolebensonta@gmail.com, Chaya – TAChayagurkov@gmail.com & Anonna anonna1165ta@gmail.com

Expected Outcomes

In this course students will become familiar with the history, current industry practices, and controversies involved in the mainstream mass media (newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, film, recordings, and the Internet), their information and persuasion industries (news, advertising and public relations) and media issues (including impact, legal, and ethical issues).

In doing so, students will come to understand the relationships among the history of the media, their current industry practices, and the controversies that arise from these practices.  A series of reading assignments, lectures, discussions (online, groups, pods) make up the course material.  You are expected to read the assigned material before class and bring any questions or items for discussion.  Following that discussion, we will explore areas in class that are beyond the readings.

Required Texts

Understanding Media & Culture. University of Minnesota.

Link: https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/

Weekly Readings sent via email/TA, etc.

Diana Hacker. A Writer’s Reference. Newest edition. New York: Bedford/St. Martins. 

This is a required text for all TV/Radio classes, so please retain it.

Required Site:

Class Blog: https://1165spring2021.commons.gc.cuny.edu/

All the information will be posted on this site. Check frequently, just in case! Emails from TAs as well!

Outcomes Assessment

Your comprehension of reading assignments will be evaluated through several areas of online interaction and participation.  Your synthesis of this material with our other class activities will be measured through the instructor’s evaluation your blog, pod/discussion work, and quizzes. 

Assignments & Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity: The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both.  The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site.  If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member MUST report the violation.

Class Structure

Since this is a decent sized class, we will have Tuesday lectures and Thursdays will be our “pod/discussion” days.

Blog Work

Due Thursdays BEFORE 2:00pm.

Your blog work is due even if you are not in a pod that week.

Pods 

Almost every Thursday there will be pods with about 15 students per pod. Every student will be in about 3 pods.

Exams & Quizzes

There are no full class exams in this class but there will be weekly quizzes either through email or on blackboard.

Extra Credit

You can earn up to 3 extra credit points per semester.

Extra Credit – TV shows (full seasons, 3 points), going to movies or watching films are 1 point. All extra credits have to be earned with the right amount of length and effort. Other opportunities for extra credit will be announced in class throughout the semester.

All ECs are due by end of semester —no later unless given specific permission.

If you are absent more than 5 times, you will not be allowed to do extra credit.

Extra credits help you “get over the hump” of a grade. Example is if you’re at a B+ and you do three extra credits that puts you in a position for an A- or even an A.

Extra credits do not help if you haven’t done any work. 

Grades

The following percentage/points will be assigned:

Blog Work: (30 pts blogs 1-9, 20 pts for final post) = 50%/50 points

Pod/Discussion Work: 25%/25 points

Quizzes: 25%/25 points

Total %/points = 100%/100points

***Rubric on grading to be posted online***

***The % change depending on overall effort, work, and discretion. ***

Working Fully Online:

Power Outage:

• I live in a town that frequently loses power
• If the power goes out:
  • Remain near your computer for updates on what is going on.
  • I will do my best to send something out.
    • It may be a 2 minute outage or something more significant.
  • Once the power is restored
    • Class will resume.
    • Return promptly. 
    • Depending on the time – I may just end class. 
      • If there’s 5 mins left in the class, I will call it a day. 
      • If there is 60 mins left… hang out, hopefully we’ll be back!
  • Take the opportunity to do work for the class.

Attendance/Lateness, Proper Etiquette & Cell Phone Policy

Attendance/Lateness:

• B.C. attendance policy states that students are expected to attend all scheduled sessions of every class.  
• Your name must be in “box” – this is how I will take attendance.
• The professor will try to consider emergencies, when they are documented, but the basic rule is that because class attendance is part of your grade, absences make the grade grow smaller.
• Lateness, eventually I will start to get angry, don’t be late. Be Kind, Be Online, Be On Time.

Proper Etiquette for Online Courses:

When Playing A Video:

• We will all watch them from a google drive or on YouTube, or a wetransfer file. 
• Please have the videos/links ready to go and easily accessible
  • Reason for this: 
    • The picture stutters on shared screens, delays etc.
    • Keep your video on makes everybody feel they are still together 
    • I get to enjoy seeing your reactions in real time.
• After watching a video, please be prompt and return as quickly as possible to the “room.” 

The etiquette of fully online classes:

• Your name must be in “box” – this is how I will take attendance
• Video must be on the entire class. Audio will be muted. 
  • this is to avoid distractions
  • Honor those who make an effort. 
• All students should be sitting up. 
  • Do not lay in bed under the covers.
• Please dress appropriately. 
  • Dress as you would to class.
  • No funny hats, lightsabers, etc.
• Please find a shady spot in your apartment/house/mansion/cottage/bungalow/castle – as in a private place for you to go. 
  • If you’re only spot is your bed. 
    • It would be great if we see less of it 
    • Make sure it’s made. 
    • Hospital corners not needed.
• Please keep your pets (dogs, cats, King Cobra Kais, Cheetahs), family members, etc out of the frame as much as possible. 
  • I know cats are annoying and crawl on your computer but then you should have gotten a dog that sleeps at your feet.
• All frames should be consistent 
  • Medium Shot
• Eyes should be framed along imagined upper third line (not middle that would be awkward and have too much head room). 
• Students should not sit in front of the window and their face should be the brightest spot in the frame.

Cell Phone Use

• **RULE ON CELL PHONES**
  • Please refrain from the using cell phones, including and especially texting during the class.  
  • Using a cell phone is rude and distracting. 
  • Class is ONLY 75 mins -. I think you can survive without checking your phone. 
• Warning System on Cell Phone:
  • Caught using you cell phone once= Warning
  • Second Violation= Last Warning
  • Third Warning= Points off class-work or points off exam/work.
  • Fourth & Fifth Warning = Absence for day of class or MORE points off exam/work.
  • Last Warning = Will consider failing for the class. 

**This will be a running list throughout the semester**

Schedule of Class Meetings:

The following is a list of class meetings for this semester.

Reading & Blog assignments are to be completed BY the class date listed.

SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Weekly Meetings:

Tuesday/Thursday:

Class 1 – Feb 2^nd  – Introduction Class

Class 2 – Feb 4^th – Chapter 1 & 2 – Media Culture and Media Effects

Class 3 – Feb 9^th – Chapter 1, 2 & 13 Finish

Class 4 – Feb 11^th – Blog #1 due/POD #1

Class 5 – Feb 16^th – Books

Class 6 – Feb 18^th – NO CLASS

Class 7 – Feb 23^rd –Newspapers

Class 8 – Feb 25^th – Blog #2/Pod #2

Class 9 – March 2^nd – Magazines

Class 10 – March 4^th – Blog #3/POD #3

Class 11 – March 9^th  – NO CLASS – EVENING GUEST SPEAKER (Double-Class) 6:30-830/9pm.

Class 12 – March 11^th – Blog #4/POD #4

Class 13 – March 16^th – Music & Radio

Class 14 – March 18^th – Blog #5/POD #5

**Guest Lecturer – 11:00-12:15** (Make up for Feb 18^th)

Class 15 – March 23^rd – NO CLASS

Class 16 – March 25^th – Blog #6/POD #6

SPRING BREAK

Class 17 – April 6^th – Radio

            Class 18 – April 8^th – Blog #7/ POD #7

Class 19 – April 13^th – Movies

            Class 20 – April 15^th – Blog #8/POD #8

Class 21 – April 20^th – Movies

            Class 22 – April 22^nd – TV

Class 23 – April 27^th – TV

            Class 24 – April 29^th – Blog #9/ POD #9A

Class 25 – May 4^th – Internet

Class 26 – May 6^th – News

Class 27 – May 11^th – Ethics & MM + Media & Gov’t (last quiz)

Class 28 – May 13^th – Media & Govt

Friday, May 14th — Final Blog Due – Details forthcoming!