Ithaca
College
Introduction
to Media Industries
TVR
124000
Spring
2015
Instructor: Dr. Jack Powers
Office: Park #368
E-mail: jpowers@ithaca.edu
Office Hours:
Mondays: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.;
and 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Wednesdays: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.; and 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Additional hours available by appointment.
Class website: http://ICmediaindustriesSpring2015.blogspot.com
Course description: Intro to Media
Industries is a course designed to introduce the communication student to the
vast and ever-so-pervasive world of the entertainment mass media. Through
lectures, class discussions, debates, videos, presentations, and assignments,
and projects we shall examine the impact the entertainment media industries
have had on American society. We’ll begin with a brief history of the
entertainment media industry followed by a more in-depth look at each industry
and how it has impacted society including how we spend our time, our
expectations, society’s emphasis on showbiz and celebrity, influence of entertainment
media as it pertains to socialization and politics, legal and economic aspects
of the industry, etc.
Course
Objectives/Goals: By the end of the term, students enrolled in Intro to Media
Industries should be able to:
- Recognize the elements of the
communication process in different settings and understand how these
processes play a role in entertainment media;
- Explain the implications of
“disintermediation” of the entertainment media;
- Understand and explain the concept
of convergence and critically analyze its impact on the entertainment
industry;
- Identify a variety of career options
in entertainment media;
- Know about and recognize the impact
of media regulation;
- Describe and recognize the major
events/developments of the entertainment media industry;
- Understand and explain important
ethical principles of entertainment media;
- Discuss the societal impact of media
in terms of social effects and how these effects are measured.
Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate the meeting of
these objectives/goals by performing well on exams, participating in
intellectual class discussions, completing assignment, and completing a final
project.
Required texts:
Dominick, J. (2013). Dynamics
of Mass Communication. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Mass
Media Group ProjectThe entertainment media
represent one of the few industries where those outside the profession consistently believe they can do a better
job than those working inside the
profession. The media are constantly under attack by different groups—including
college students. This group project offers you an opportunity to create
original entertainment media contact. The project typically offers students an
insight into the difficulty into creating original, entertaining media that
appeals to a wide audience.
Here is a list of projects your group may or may not want to consider:
- produce an entertainment magazine or newspaper that appeals to college students
- create an appropriate entertainment media web site
- produce a radio documentary (based on the industry)
- produce a radio/television webcast
- produce a syndicated radio program
- write and produce a 10-minute TV sit-com
- create an advertising campaign (complete with radio/print/TV commercials)
- create a new game show
- produce a new talk show
- produce an investigative report concerning a campus issue (security, drugs, sex, date-rape, STDs, HIV, fraternities, sororities, faculty, administration, athletic programs, cheating in the classroom, etc.)
- create a Public Relations Campaign for a local organization
- choose any other relevant topic (with approval)
Each group will make a formal (graded) presentation and the overall project (material + presentation) is worth 100 points to each student. Group members will be graded individually.
The projects will be evaluated as follows:
Project Content (media): 60 points
Presentation (physical/verbal) 20 points
Production fluency (video, audio, design, etc.) 10 points
Creativity 10 points Total: 100 points
Additional information regarding the group project will be provided in class. Group assignments will be made known in the second week of class.
Entertainment
Media Team Project: Building an App
Students, working in teams, will be assigned to complete a working
interactive media application for the Android and/or iPhone market(s).
Additional material regarding the project will be provided during the first few
weeks of class. Each project requires an accompanying written report.
Each team will make a formal 10-minute project presentation.
The overall project is worth 50 points to each student.
Team members will be graded individually.
The App Projects will be
evaluated as follows:
Overall app quality:
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25 points
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Written report:
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15 points
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Presentation:
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5 points
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Creativity:
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5 points
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Total: 50 points
All team members must present. Any team member that does not
present (or fails to show up to present) will receive an overall two-letter
penalty on the App Project. For example, if the App would have otherwise earned
a grade of “B,” a person who doesn’t show up to present the app would receive a
grade of “D.”
Again, more specific information regarding the App project will be
provided in class. Group assignments will be made known by the third week of
class.
Evaluation and grading:
Students will be evaluated on the following—
Exam 1:
|
100
points
|
Exam 2:
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100
points
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App
Project:
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50
points
|
Mass
Media Project:
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100
points
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Final
Exam:
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150
points
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Total:
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500 points
|
There is no curve.
Overall grades will be based on the following percentages:
93 – 100 A (465 – 500)
90 – 92 A- (450 – 464)
87 – 89 B+ (435 – 449)
83 – 86 B (415 – 434)
80 – 82 B- (400 – 414)
77 – 79 C+ (385 – 399)
73 – 76 C (365 – 384)
70 – 72 C- (350 – 364)
67 – 69 D+ (335 – 349)
63 – 66 D (315 – 334)
60 – 62 D- (300 – 314)
00 – 59 F (000 – 299)
Standards of Academic Conduct:
A.
|
Academic honesty is a cornerstone of
the mission of the College. Unless it is otherwise stipulated, students may
submit for evaluation only that work that is their own and that is submitted
originally for a specific course. According to traditions of higher
education, forms of conduct that will be considered evidence of academic
misconduct include but are not limited to the following: conversations between
students during an examination; reviewing, without authorization, material
during an examination (e.g., personal notes, another student's exam);
unauthorized collaboration; submission of a paper also submitted for credit
in another course; reference to written material related to the course
brought into an examination room during a closed-book, written examination;
and submission without proper acknowledgment of work that is based partially
or entirely on the ideas or writings of others. Only when a faculty member
gives prior approval for such actions can they be acceptable.
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B.
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It is the responsibility of
instructors to inform students clearly in writing specific rules, procedures,
and/or expectations pertinent to their particular course that differ from
those identified in paragraph A of this section. In those courses where
limited consultation among students is permitted in the preparation of
assignments, it is extremely important for instructors to clarify the
guidelines for appropriate conduct.
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C.
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In situations where a student may
have difficulty in distinguishing between acceptable behavior and
academic misconduct, it is the responsibility of the student to confer
with the instructor. This is particularly important for avoiding plagiarism
when written sources are used in the preparation of papers or take home
examinations.
|
Because Ithaca College is an academic
community, ignorance of the accepted standards of academic
honesty in no way affects the responsibility of students who violate standards
of conduct in courses and other academic activities.
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D.
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All members of the academic community
are expected to assist in maintaining the integrity of Ithaca College, which
includes reporting incidents of academic misconduct. Such instances may be reported
to a faculty member, the dean of the school involved, or the director of
judicial affairs.
|
Plagiarism:
Whether intended or not, plagiarism is a serious offense against
academic honesty. Under any circumstances, it is deceitful to represent as one's
own work, writing or ideas that belong to another person. Students should be
aware of how this offense is defined. Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of
someone else's published or unpublished ideas, whether this use consists of
directly quoted material or paraphrased ideas.
Although various disciplines follow styles of documentation that
differ in some details, all forms of documentation make the following demands:
- That each quotation or paraphrase be
acknowledged with a footnote or in-text citation;
- That direct quotations be enclosed
in quotation marks and be absolutely faithful to the wording of the
source;
- That paraphrased ideas be stated in
language entirely different from the language of the source;
- That a sequence of ideas identical
to that of a source be attributed to that source;
- That sources of reprinted charts or
graphs be cited in the text;
- That all the sources the writer has
drawn from in paraphrase or direct quotation or a combination of
paraphrase and quotation be listed at the end of the paper under
"Bibliography," "References," or "Works
Cited," whichever heading the particular style of documentation
requires.
A student is guilty of plagiarism if the student fails,
intentionally or not, to follow any of these standard requirements of documentation.
In a collaborative project, all students in a group may be held
responsible for academic misconduct if they engage in plagiarism or are aware
of plagiarism by others in their group and fail to report it. Students who
participate in a collaborative project in which plagiarism has occurred will
not be held accountable if they were not knowledgeable of the plagiarism.
What, then, do students not have to document? They need not cite
their own ideas, or references to their own experiences, or information that
falls in the category of uncontroversial common knowledge (what a person
reasonably well-informed about a subject might be expected to know). They
should acknowledge anything else.
Other
Forms of Academic Dishonesty
Other violations of academic honesty include, but are not limited
to, the following behaviors:
- Handing in to a class a paper
written by someone else;
- Handing in as an original work for a
class a paper one has already submitted to another course;
- Handing in the same paper simultaneously
to two courses without the full knowledge and explicit consent of all the
faculty members involved;
- Having someone else rewrite or clean
up a rough draft and submitting those revisions as one's own work.
These offenses violate the atmosphere of trust and mutual respect
necessary the process of learning.
Note: Students who would like help in learning how to paraphrase or
document sources properly should feel free to come to the Writing Center in
Smiddy 107 for assistance.
Attendance:
Students at Ithaca College are expected to attend all classes, and
they are responsible for work missed during any absence from class. At the
beginning of each semester, instructors must provide the students in their
courses with written guidelines regarding possible grading penalties for
failure to attend class. Students should notify their instructors as soon as
possible of any anticipated absences. Written documentation that indicates the
reason for being absent may be required. These guidelines may vary from course to
course but are subject to the following restrictions:
• In accordance with New York State law, students who miss
class due to their religious beliefs shall be excused from class or
examinations on that day. The faculty member is responsible for providing the
student with an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or
work requirement which the student may have missed. It is suggested that
students notify their course instructors at least one week before any
anticipated absence so that proper arrangements may be made to make up any
missed work or examination. Any such work is to be completed within a
reasonable timeframe, as determined by the faculty member.
• Any student, who misses class due to a verifiable family or
individual health emergency, or to a required appearance in a court of law,
shall be excused. The student or a family member/legal guardian may report the
absence to the Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life, which will notify the
student’s dean’s office, as well as residential life if the student lives on
campus. The dean’s office will disseminate the information to the appropriate
faculty. Follow-up by the student with his or her professors is imperative.
Students may need to consider a leave of absence, medical leave of absence,
selected course withdrawals, etc., if they have missed a significant portion of
class work.
A student may be excused for participation in College-authorized
cocurricular and extracurricular activities if, in the instructor’s judgment,
this does not impair the specific student’s or the other students’ ability to
succeed in the course.
For all absences except those due to religious beliefs, the course
instructor has the right to determine if the number of absences has been
excessive in view of the nature of the class that was missed and the stated
attendance policy. Depending on the individual situation, this can result in
the student’s being removed from or failing the course.
It is expected that students will regularly attend class, take
notes, pay attention, and participate in discussion/activities.
Students who miss class (unexcused) will not be able to make up
in-class assignments.
Students with disabilities:
In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
and the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodation will be
provided to students with documented disabilities on a case-by-case basis.
Students must register with the Office of Academic Support Services and provide
appropriate documentation to the College before any academic adjustment will be
provided.
Dealing with Stress while
at College:
Diminished mental health, including significant stress, mood
changes, excessive worry, or problems with eating and/or sleeping can interfere
with optimal academic performance. The source of symptoms might be strictly
related to your course work; if so, please speak with me. However, problems
with relationships, family worries, loss, or a personal struggle or crisis can
also contribute to decreased academic performance.
Ithaca College provides a Counseling Center to support the
academic success of students. The Counseling Center provides cost-free services
to help you manage personal challenges that threaten your well-being.
In the event I suspect you need additional support, I will express
my concerns and the reasons for them, and remind you of resources (e.g.,
Counseling Center, Health Center, chaplains, etc.) that might be helpful to
you. It is not my intention to know the details of what might be bothering you,
but simply to let you know I am concerned and that help, if needed, is
available.
Getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do -- for yourself
and for your loved ones.
Title IX:
Title IX is a federal act mandating that
educational institutions must provide sex and gender equity. All students thus
have the right to a campus atmosphere free of sexual harassment, sexual
violence, and gender discrimination. For questions about sexual misconduct, see
the Ithaca SHARE website (Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and
Education): http://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/share/). To report or discuss sexual assault or harassment, or
general issues, please contact Tiffani Ziemann, Title IX Coordinator; tziemann@ithaca.edu 607-274-3300.
Student safety:
You must respond to and report conditions and actions that may
jeopardize your safety, or that of other people and/or equipment. Report to the
responsible College employee. During class sessions that person would be your
instructor or lab assistant. Outside of class the person might be your
instructor, lab supervisor, co-curricular manager, equipment and facilities manager,
or one of the engineering support staff. You must be aware that misuse of
equipment or use of damaged equipment can create the risk of serious injury,
infectious contamination, and expensive damage. You may be liable for damage or
injury resulting from such use. Unsupervised use of facilities puts you at
risk. Failure to be alert to safety problems, or to report them, may have
serious consequences for you or others.
Course material:
Assigned readings should be completed prior to class. Lectures and
assignments are intended to enhance and/or supplement the readings. Some of the
material will come from sources other than the assigned readings. You are
responsible for this material as well as for the material in the readings—even
if it is not specifically covered in class. If you have any difficulty
understanding the material, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification.
Often, I will ask if anyone has any questions.
Make-up policy:
As a general rule, make-up assignments are not allowed except in
cases of emergency. It is your responsibility to complete the assignments. If
an emergency does arise, it is imperative for you to contact me PRIOR to the
scheduled due date. Do not expect to make-up a missed assignment without
clearing it with me ahead of time. Incompletes are rarely given. In fact, an
incomplete is only given if you are unable to complete the coursework because
of a serious illness, accident, emergency, or other crisis. A formal request
must be made prior to the end of the term. An incomplete can only be granted
with permission from the Dean.
Late Assignments:
As a general rule, late assignments are not accepted. In specific
circumstances, late assignments may be accepted, but with a substantial
penalty.
Course Schedule:
JANUARY
Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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28
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29
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30
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31
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1
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2
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3
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New Year's Day
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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22
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23
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24
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Martin Luther King
Day
No Classes
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First day of classes; Course Overview; Syllabus;
Introductions
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Entertainment Media Overview-
Television Systems
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25
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26
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27
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28
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29
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30
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31
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Television Systems, continued
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Television Systems, continued
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FEBRUARY
Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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Perspectives of Mass
Communication
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Perspectives of Mass
Communication, continued
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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Historical and Cultural
Context
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Historical and Cultural
Context, continued
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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Presidents' Day
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Online class assignment
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Exam #1
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22
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23
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24
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25
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26
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27
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28
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Entertainment Movie Industry
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Entertainment Movie Industry,
continued
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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MARCH
Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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Sound Recording and Radio
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Sound Recording and Radio,
continued
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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Spring Break-
No classes
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Spring Break-
No classes
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Spring Break-
No classes
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Spring Break-
No classes
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Spring Break-
No classes
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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Internet Overview
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Video Game Industry
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22
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23
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24
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25
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26
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27
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28
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Importance of Storytelling
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Importance of Storytelling,
continued
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29
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30
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31
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1
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2
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3
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4
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Intro to Media Law
Libel + Obscenity
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APRIL
Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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29
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30
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31
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1
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2
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3
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4
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Exam #2
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Good Friday
Passover begins at Sundown
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
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Intro to Media Law, continued
(possibly online)
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Intro to Media Law, continued
(possibly online)
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12
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13
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14
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16
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17
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18
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Social Effects of Mass Media
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Social Effects of Mass Media,
continued
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19
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20
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21
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22
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23
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24
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25
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Social Effects of Mass Media,
continued
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Social Effects of Mass Media,
continued
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26
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27
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28
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29
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30
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1
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2
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Miscellaneous Catch-up Day
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App Presentations
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MAY
Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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26
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27
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28
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29
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30
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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Last Day of Classes
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Final Exam for those enrolled
TR 2:35 p.m.
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
TR 10:50 a.m.
1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
|
Final Exam for those enrolled
TR 9:25 a.m.
10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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22
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23
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24
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25
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26
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27
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28
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29
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30
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Memorial Day
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31
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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