Weekly Assignments update

This is the post where all weekly assignments will be update. Due to our slow start, we are 1 week behind. We will catch up as quickly as possible. I will highlight the dates as we progress and note UPDATE on each date as we progress. Please call if you have questions. Please review blog frequently, especially this post.

WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS
(Note: The following schedule is subject to change. It is intended as a guide to help the student keep up with readings and the flow of the class. You are responsible for any reading assignment posted on this syllabus.)
Please note alternate class and blog dates on the top of each scheduled class meeting.

Class Meeting

· Thursday, Jan. 15: Introduction, get to know each other. Assignment: Do we have any cave drawings in South Texas? If so find them and let’s discuss, Thursday. Bring copies of samples of cave drawings to class. Assignment: Read Introduction: Why Study Media History, and Chapter 1: Origins of Mass Communication. View PowerPoint presentation on early communication efforts. Talk about cave drawings. Discuss Chapter 1. Assignment: Read Chapter 2: Printing in America, 1500-1690.

Class Assignment

· Thursday, Jan. 22. - Continue discussion of Chapter 1. View PowerPoint on Advances in Printing. Start discussion of Chapter 2. Continue discussion of Chapter 2. Show movie on Hispanics in Journalism. Assignments: Do an essay on Hispanic journalist in your area. Example: Pick a Hispanic media outlet or Hispanic media personality (i.e. in SA Henry Guerra, David Flores, Carlos Guerra, alumni Efrain Gutiérrez and in Kingsville or South Texas area Rudy Treviño, Marcy Martínez, Nick Jiménez, or any Hispanic alumni etc.)It can also be a radio or TV show like "Henry Guerra's San Antonio" or "Domingo Live" on Channel 3 in Corpus Christi. Essay should be no more than 350 words. Also, Read Chapter 3: The Colonial Press, 1690-1765.

Blog Assignment

·Thursday, Jan. 29 - Start discussion on Chapter 3. Review the work of pioneers like Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Assignment: Read Chapter 4: The Revolutionary Press. Discuss assignment on Hispanic Press. Presentations on Hispanic journalists due. This will be done discussion style but written work must be submitted and students must be ready to answer questions on their subject. Continue discussion on Chapter 3. Review thoughts of the Partisan press. Also, start discussion on Chapter 4. Assignments: Do we have a partisan press in America now? Be prepared to discuss this in next class. This is an oral quiz. You will be given credit for correct answers. Make sure I get you name right. Also, Read Chapter 5: The Party Press. This chapter relates directly to your assignment on the partisan press.

Class Meeting

· Thursday, Feb 5 - Continue discussion on Chapter 4. Discuss papers on the partisan press. Start discussion on Chapter 5. Assignment: Read Chapter 6: Freedom of the Press, 1690-1804. Continue discussion on Chapter 5. Start discussion on Chapter 6. View PowerPoint on Freedom of the Press. Assignment: Read Chapter 7: The Penny Press, 1833-1861.

Blog Assignment

·Thursday, Feb. 12 - Continue discussion on Chapter 6; start discussion on Chapter 7. Complete blog assignments.

Blog Assignment

·Thursday, Feb. 19 - Handout review for Test 1. Test 1 (Chapters 1-7) will be given via the blog. It will be posted soon. It's a take home test. Assignment: Read Chapter 8: The Antebellum Press, 1820-1861.

Class Meeting

·Thursday, Feb. 26 UPDATE - Class from San Antonio this day. Possible guest speaker: Gus Gonzalez, Media Consultant for the Associated Press. Discuss Chapter 8. Assignment: Read Chapter 9: The Press and the Civil War: 1861-1865. Also, go online and review the work of Frederick Douglass. Review handout on Spanish newspapers in the United States during the Civil War. Read: Chapter 10: The Frontier Press, 1800-1900. Discus Chapter 9 and Chapter 10. Be ready to talk about Frederick Douglass’ contributions to journalism and something called the development of the alternative press. Review some of the Spanish-language newspapers around during Civil War Era. Chapter 11: The Press and Industrial America. Remind students about Final Project Assignment.

Blog Assignment

· Thursday, March 5 - Discuss Chapter 11. Also, review Final Project assignment. By this date, post Frederick Douglass’ paper on blog. Assignment: Read Chapter 12: The Age of New Journalism. Review for Test 2. Read Chapter 13: American Magazines and Chapter 14: The Development of Advertising.

Blog Assignment

· Thursday, March 12 - Discuss Chapters 13, 14. Assignment: Read Chapter 15: The Emergence of Modern Media. Also, read handout on The Progressive Era and the Muckrakers. Prepare for class discussion on Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle and other work of that era. (TAMUK-SCSA Spring Break).

Blog Assignment

·Thursday, March 19- TAMUK Spring Break. Assignment: Read Chapter 16: Media and Reform. Read Chapter 17: The Media and National Crisis. Be ready to talk about media reaction after 9/11 disaster. Go online and find out about the impact of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “Fireside Chats” on the radio. How does our new president Barack Obama measure up in his radio address? Are people listening? Be able to discuss this during a future class.

Class Assignment
Class will be from San Antonio

·Thursday March 26: Discuss Chapter 15, 16. Possible guest speaker Gustavo Gonzalez, consultant for the American Press Institute, based in San Antonio. Be ready to discuss the muckraking era, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. Muckraking PowerPoint. Class discussion on Fireside Chats and 9/11 coverage by collegiate newspapers (pending). Assignment: Read Chapter 17: The Media and National Crisis.

Blog Assignment

· Thursday, April 2 – Take at home test on the blog. Test will be posted early that week. Due Thursday, April 9 via email, fax or delivered to the professor. Discuss Chapter 17 assignment on blog. Assignments: Read Chapter 18: Radio Comes of Age. Also, do you listen to radio? Be ready to discuss. What is “talk radio?” Read Chapter 19: The Entertainment Media.

Class Assignment

· Thursday, April 9 – Discuss Chapter 19. Possible guest speaker, Shane Fitzgerald, editor of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Class discussion on entertainment media. Assignments: Read Chapter 20: The Age of Mass Magazines. Be ready to talk about your favorite magazine and why. This is an oral discussion assignment. You will be given credit for answering.

Class Assignment

·Thursday, April 16: Discuss Chapter 20, 21. Class discussion on favorite magazines. View PowerPoint on PR. Possible guest speaker, Michelle Peters, director of public relations and communications for the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce. Assignments: Read Chapter 21: Modern Advertising. Also, review the ads of the last Super Bowl and others. Review PowerPoint on Ad Slogans. Read Chapter 22: Public Relations 1900-present. Turn in Final Project assignment. Read Chapter 23: The Media in Transition.

Blog Assignment

· Thursday, April 23: Discuss Chapter 22, 23 on blog. Assignments: Turn in Final Project. Read Chapter 24: The News Media, 1974-2000, and Chapter 25: The Contemporary Media, 2000-present.

Class Assignment

· Thursday, April 30: Selected students present book reviews.

Class Assignment

·Thursday, May 7: Selected students present book reviews. Prepare for comprehensive final exam.

· END OF THE COURSE! Final, to be announced.