Course Purpose
The purpose of this course is to highlight to learners how influential the media is in interpreting and framing news stories; how the media shapes and reflects our cultural values and struggles and how the media negotiates the delicate balance between the need for governmental regulation and the desire for a vigorous and free press. The course highlights the development of electronic media genres in relation to the listening and viewing audiences and to address important questions about the role of the media in a dynamic society
Course Learning Outcomes
CLO 1: Describe fundamental aspects of media's role in shaping society identity formation
CLO 2: Discuss media ownership concentration affects content diversity on public discourse.
CLO 3: Analyze the impact of technological convergence on user-generated content in modern media practices.
CLO 4: Evaluate the effectiveness of different media genres in engaging audiences in addressing societal issues.
Course Content
Introduction to Media and Society: Information dissemination, cultural influence, socialization, agenda setting, media literacy, political influence, globalization, and media ethics, identity formation, societal roles, promote or challenge dominant ideologies. Mass Media as a Cultural Industry: Commercialization, standardization, cultural hegemony, ownership concentration, technological disruption, and regulation; challenges of media ownership concentration, the effects of technological innovation. Convergence and the Changing Media Landscape: Technological convergence, content convergence, industry convergence, user-generated content, and personalization, the integration of devices and formats, the role of user-generated content, the implications of personalized media experiences driven by data algorithms. Convergence as Culture: Hybridization, remix culture, participatory culture, digital identity, transmedia storytelling, and cultural diversity, producers and consumers, the global impact of digital storytelling. Media as a Public Sphere: Democratic discourse, civic engagement, pluralism and diversity, accountability and transparency, and the challenges faced by the public sphere, commercial pressures, political biases, and digital fragmentation. Media Effects and Cultural Representation; Representation of cultures, national and transnational identities, governmental and market forces, and media expression and freedom of speech, the relationship between media expression, censorship, the need for diverse viewpoints in society. The Responsible Media Citizen: Critical thinking, media literacy, digital citizenship, information literacy, media creation, digital empathy, and continuous learning, how to evaluate, create, and interact with media responsibly, ensuring ethical behavior and a positive digital presence. The Intersection of Media and Politics: Pop culture, political discourse, satirical programs, celebrity activism, and political infotainment, the impact of celebrities and political infotainment on public perception. Globalization and Media: Media globalization, cultural exchange, and cultural homogenization, loss of local traditions and the dominance of global media, the implications of cultural homogenization and the tension between global media flows and local cultural preservation. The Challenges of the Digital Public Sphere: Algorithmic bias, echo chambers, misinformation, and digital divides, limits access to media for some groups.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Synchronous Methods- Live Lectures,
Asynchronous Methods- Pre-recorded Lectures-.; Discussion Forums-.; Readings and Multimedia Resources-.; Tools: LMS, online libraries, You-Tube. Activities: Annotated readings, multimedia presentations, critical analysis assignments.
Instructional Materials / Equipment
Textbooks and Academic Journals; Case Studies and media plans; Online Learning Platforms and Databases; Equipment: Computers and Internet Access; Multimedia Projectors and Smartboards; Video Conferencing Tools
Course Assessment
The course shall be assessed as follows:
Type Weighting (%)
Continuous Assessment Test 50%
Examination 50%