This document provides an overview and syllabus for Professor Eric Luther's COMM 101: Understanding Mass Media course. It outlines the course objectives to introduce students to the basics of mass media and develop their media literacy skills. The document discusses the course topics, assignments, grading structure, materials, and policies. It also provides background on mass media channels and messages, the influence of technology and convergence on media, and possibilities for future media channels.

1. COMM 101:
UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
Professor Eric Luther
• TX Community College transfer student
• SMU: Dallas, TX – Bachelors of Humanities
• NYU: New York, NY – Masters in Arts & Humanities Education
• 10 years in media production (mainly TV news)
• Taught communications and media courses as adjunct at other
community colleges, but came full-time to WCC as of Fall 2010
• Curriculum Chair, Journalism

2. COMM 101:
UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
Students:
• Who are you and what brings you to
this class?
• What are your communications &
media interests?
• What do you expect/hope to get out
of this class?

3. COMM 101:
UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
TODAY’S OVERVIEW:
• Go over Course Outline + Book +
Blackboard
• Discuss Course & Mass Media Basics
• Discuss Project #1
• Remember - Class Materials are posted on
Blackboard prior to meeting

4. COURSE OUTLINE HIGHLIGHTS:
BLACKBOARD
SECTIONS:

5. COURSE OUTLINE HIGHLIGHTS:
WEEKLY CLASS FOLDERS

6. COMM 101:
UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
• This course has four distinct graded/credit parts:
• COURSE REFLECTIVE PROJECTS: Three Written Reflective Projects =
25%
• COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
CONNECT Chapter Quizzes/Online CONNECT Assignments/In-Class
Media/Study Focus Questions = 25%
• COURSE PAPER: Semester Research Paper = 25%
• COURSE FINAL: Final Exam (online-cumulative from chapter quizzes +
in-class media work) = 25%
• Total = 100%
• UP TO 20% EXTRA CREDIT = Learnsmart Reading Modules (by due
date only - cannot get the extra credit after the due dates)

7. COMM 101:
UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
3 PURCHASING
OPTIONS – ALL
INCLUDE CONNECT
COMMUNICATION
Introduction to Mass Communications-
Media Literacy and Culture
Baran, Stanley
McGraw Hill

8. COMM 101:
UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
LATE WORK POLICY:
No late projects or papers are accepted. Extra Credit
LearnSmart Reading Modules are also not accepted late.
Quizzes completed after the posted due date will result in
5% penalty per day. Material covered in class will always be
posted in the appropriate area/weekly class folder on
Blackboard so physical absences are not an excuse for
falling behind when completing work. You are held
responsible for the material whether you are physically
present or not.

9. COMM 101:
UNDERSTANDING MASS MEDIA
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Students are allowed to miss a total of 2 class
periods (approximately six hours of instruction)
before being penalized. After that, each absence
will result in a 5% reduction of your final grade. In
addition, there will be in-class work that is not
available beyond the day/time of assignment and,
therefore, unavailable for later completion.

10. What is “COMM 101: Understanding Mass
Media”?
•COMM = Communications, the
general field of study.
•How would you generally define
“communication”? What does it
mean to “communicate”?

11. What is “COMM 101: Understanding Mass
Media”?
•Communication (dictionary)
• the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to
express or exchange information or to express your ideas,
thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else
• communications : the ways of sending information to
people by using technology

12. What is “COMM 101: Understanding Mass
Media”?
•101 = Introductory College Class
•The beginning of a course of
study; the basics.

13. What is “COMM 101: Understanding Mass
Media”?
•Understanding
•What does “understanding” mean?
•Understanding (dictionary)
•the knowledge and ability to judge a
particular situation or subject

14. What is “COMM 101: Understanding Mass
Media”?
•How will this class foster your
understanding of mass media?
•Provide history/context
•Provide opportunity for knowledge
application
•Provide opportunity for personal
reflection

15. What is “COMM 101: Understanding
Mass Media”?
•MASS MEDIA
• What does “Mass Media” mean?
• (dictionary) any of the means of communication, such as
television or newspapers, that reach very large numbers of
people. <an event that has attracted a lot of attention from
the mass media> <the dissemination of news by mass media>
<The mass media have/has ignored this important issue.>

16. MASS MEDIA ASBOLUTES
•“Mass Media” channels always use
technology of some kind to deliver
the SAME message to a great
number of people at widely
separated points who typically
don’t know each other.

17. MASS MEDIA ASBOLUTES
•What does “technology” mean?
• (dictionary): the use of science in industry, engineering,
[media], etc., to invent useful things or to solve
problems

18. MASS MEDIA ASBOLUTES
•“Mass Media” is basically the
opposite concept of
“interpersonal”
communication.

19. Why study “MASS MEDIA”?
•We need to understand it because it
informs and shapes just about every aspect
of our daily lives – it’s all around us, like
oxygen. Mass Media can be thought of as
the “nervous system” of society.

20. MASS MEDIA AS SOCIETY’S
“NERVOUS SYSTEM”
• The nervous system is a
complex network of nerves
and cells that carry messages
to and from the brain and
spinal cord to the body.
• Mass Media is a complex
network of technologies that
carry messages to and from
the brain to and from
various parts of society.

21. MEDIA LITERACY
•What does “Media Literacy” mean?
• Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate,
and create media. Media-literate youth and adults are
better able to understand the complex messages we
receive from television, radio, Internet, newspapers,
magazines, books, billboards, video games, music, and all
other forms of media.

22. MASS MEDIA CHANNELS
•A Mass Media “Channel” is the delivery
system by which we get mass media; it’s how
we receive mass media information and
messages – specifically the technology
involved.
• REMEMBER: “Mass Media” channels always use technology of
some kind to deliver the SAME message to a great number of
people at widely separated points who typically don’t know each
other.

23. MASS MEDIA MESSAGES
•A Mass Media “Message” is the
content/message itself rather than
the delivery system/technology; it’s
what we receive via mass media
delivery system/technology
• e.g. “Modern Family” is the Mass Media
Message and Television is the Mass Media
Channel.

24. MEDIA LITERACY
•We’ll be looking at Mass Media (channels +
messages) of all kinds and examining how
we interact with them as both a society and
individuals so we can sharpen our “Media
Literacy” skills.
•Your feedback and input is crucial to getting
the most out of this class – I want to learn
from you, too…

25. •Print from the late 1400s
~ books, pamphlets, newspapers, magazines,
etc.
•Recordings from the late 1800s
~ records, tapes, cassettes, 8-track
cartridges, CDs, DVDs, Blu-Ray
•Cinema/Film from about 1900
~ feature films, short films, documentaries –
all shown in theaters
MASS MEDIA CHANNELS

26. •Radio from about 1910
~ news/talk shows, music programs, live
concerts…(BROADCAST MEDIA)
•Television from about 1950
~ news, dramas, sitcoms, educational,
reality… (BROADCAST MEDIA)
MASS MEDIA CHANNELS

27. • By and large the previous 5 mass media channels were
clearly defined. TV and Radio programming were
broadcast through your TV & Radio, books and
newspapers were printed, movies were shown in theaters,
albums were played on your stereo, etc. In other words,
you didn’t go to one Mass Media Channel expecting
anything OTHER than what it specialized in and the
channels were distinct and different…but something
changed all that…
MASS MEDIA CHANNELS

28. MASS MEDIA CHANNELS
•Internet: from about 1990
~ websites, email, webisodes, chat rooms,
streaming audio/video, online
newspapers/magazines (DIGITAL MEDIA -
including video games)
•Mobile: from about 2000
~ text messaging, video, photos, music -
cell phone transmissions of all kinds
(DIGITAL MEDIA)

29. MASS MEDIA CONVERGENCE
•With the advent of DIGITAL MEDIA, mass
media of all kinds are converging into
one type of channel – you can now
watch TV, read a book, listen to music,
see a movie, play a game, and check in
on your favorite radio station all in the
SAME MASS MEDIA CHANNEL. This is
called “MEDIA CONVERGENCE”.

30. MASS MEDIA CONVERGENCE
•The merging of previously distinct
media technologies and media forms
resulting from digitization and
computer networking

31. 7 MAJOR MASS MEDIA CHANNELS
•Print=from the late 1400s
•Recordings=from the late 1800s
•Cinema/Film=from about 1900
•Radio=from about 1910
•Television=from about 1950
•Internet/Digital=from about 1990
•Mobile/Digital=from about 2000

32. FUTURE OF MASS MEDIA CHANNELS
•What will be the 8th, 9th, 10th, etc.
Mass Media Channel?
•REAL WORLD EXAMPLE:
The Future of Google
• “Looking to the future, the next big step will be for the
very concept of the “device” to fade away. Over time, the
computer itself—whatever its form factor—will be an
intelligent assistant helping you through your day. We will
move from mobile first to an AI first world.”

33. FUTURE OF MASS MEDIA CHANNELS
•GOOGLE IN 2020?
•GOOGLE IMPLANT
•GOOGLE EYE