OBJECTIVE

This course studies communication as it relates to culture, and as it occurs interculturally and internationally. In those contexts, questions and issues will be pursued which reveal processes, effects, methods, and critical norms for evaluating interpersonal, group, and mass communication.

EVALUATION

33% oral participation in class
33% taskwork and tests
34% final exam/presentation

CONTENTS

1. Introduction: What is News? A history of news in the Western World.
2. News in the 20th century. The Mass media in the new Millennium.
3. Key concepts in media studies: Language, Image, Representation, Genre, Audience.
4. Key concepts in television, radio and print media studies.
5. Media analysis techniques: Semiotic analysis, sociological analysis.
6. Media analysis techniques: Marxist analysis, psychoanalytic Criticism.
7. The Media in Great Britain: Newspapers and magazines.
8. Television.
9. Radio.
10. Group presentation and class discussion.
11. The Media in Spain: Newspapers and magazines.
12. Television.
13. Radio.
14. Group presentation and class discussion.
15. The media in France: Newspapers and magazines..
16. Television.
17. Radio.
18. Group presentation and class discussion.
19. The media in Germany: Newspapers and magazines.
20. Television.
21. Radio.
22. Group presentation and class discussion.
23. The media in Italy: Newspapers and magazines.
24. Television and radio.
25. Group presentation and class discussion.
26. A comparative analysis of the European media.
27. FINAL EXAM

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Basic Bibliography:
Euromedia Research Group: The media in Western Europe. The Euromedia Handbook. Sage Publications Editor: Bernt Stube Ostergaard.
Humphreys, Peter J: Mass media and media Policy in Western Europe. Manchester University Press, 1996.
Barrera, Carlos (coord): Historia del Periodismo Universal. Editorial Ariel, 2004.

Complementary Bibliography:
Stewart Colin, Lavelle Marc, Kowaltzke Adam: Media and Meaning, an Introduction. British Film Institute publishing, 2001.
Berger, Arthur Asa: Media Analysis Techniques. SAGE Publications 1998
Lacey, Nick: Image and Representation. Key Concepts in Media Studies. Palgrave, 1998.
Sarikakis, Katharine: British Media in a Global Era. Arnold 2004.