Introduction to Mass Communication

Course Description
College of the Bahamas

This course focuses on the role of Mass Communication in contemporary society and the relation-
ships between the Social Sciences and the Mass Media.
MAJOR GOALS
1 - To help students use the Mass Media of communication more effectively
and to better control their impact on the students and others.
2 - To achieve these goals students must understand both the media and human behavior.
OBJECTIVES
1 - To increase student's understanding of how each medium operates and why it operates as it
does, both historically and in the present-day society.
2 - To help the student understand how each medium shapes the materials that it presents to us.
3 - To help the students to understand how society uses the media and the possible effects those
uses have on them and society.
LECTURES : WEEK # 1
How Mass Communication works. Different ways to think about
Mass Communication and it's roles in our lives.
LECTURES : WEEK # 2
How media are regulated; current issues in the regulation of media;
the influence of rating and other forms of research.
LECTURES : WEEK # 3
Various ways in which news can be defined. Discussions of some current stories in the media and
the different ways in which each might be treated. Problems and practices of deciding which sto-
ries to put in the paper and the treatment each will receive.
LECTURES : WEEK # 4
Ways in which we study media audiences, the results of audience research; reasons for different
sizes and kinds of audience for different media and for different content within each medium.
LECTURES : WEEK # 5
How we construct meaning and ways in which our meanings are shaped by various media; illustra-
tions from newspapers of how headlines can shape inter-relation; illustrations from television and
movies of how editing can shape our perceptions.
LECTURES : WEEK # 6
The importance of books in a society; problems of the book industry today. Contemporary newspa-
per operation; the impact of newspaper chains; other trends in the industry.
LECTURES : WEEK # 7
Content and operation of magazines; new types of magazines.
The contemporary motion picture industry; film criticism and theory.
LECTURES : WEEK # 8
The operation of a contemporary radio station: economics, programming, audiences & regulation.

As taught by George Lessard in 1990 & 1991

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 Introduction to Mass Communication
Course Description
College of the Bahamas

LECTURES : WEEK # 9
Trends in television programming; the threat or promise of cable;
the debate about television content & regulation.
LECTURES : WEEK # 10
The impact of public relations and advertising agencies.
LECTURES : WEEK # 11
How the mass media serve our needs and the needs of our society.
LECTURES : WEEK # 12 / 13
The effects of Mass Communication on individuals and our society; methods of studying these
effects; the reliability of this research. New developments and trends in Mass Communication.
REFERENCE LIST
Edwin Emery, Introduction to Mass Communication - D. Mead 1980
Robert D. Murphy, Mass Communications & Human Interaction - Houghton Mifflin Inc.
Wilbur Schramn, Men, Messages & Media - Harper and Row, 1983
Marshall Mcluhan, The Medium is the Message - Bantam, 1967
TEXTBOOK
Discovering Mass Communication by Samuel L. Becker - Scott Foresman & Co., 1983
TAPES TO BE SCREENED FOR THE COURSE
INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING - 30mins VHS-PBS-ADAM SMITH'S MONEY WORLD
IMAGE & REALITY IN AMERICA - 60 mins VHS PBS-BILL MOYERS-THE PUBLIC MIND
LEADING QUESTIONS-THE POLLSTERS - 60mins VHS-PBS-BILL MOYERS-THE PUBLIC MIND
THE ILLUSION OF NEWS - 60mins VHS PBS - BILL MOYERS-THE PUBLIC MIND
THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES - 60mins VHS - PBS - BILL MOYERS - THE PUBLIC MIND
1989 DUPONT NEWS AWARDS - 90mins - PBS
SPIKE LEE & CENSORSHIP - 60mins VHS - CBS - 48 HOURS
NIGHTLINE - SPIKE LEE - 30mins VHS - ABC NEWS
2 LIVE CREW FACE THE NATION - 30mins VHS - NBC NEWS -Face The Nation
THE WORLD IS WATCHING - 90mins VHS - CBC TV
The above VHS tapes are from Mr. Lessard's private collection.
Copies are not available for student home use.
SUPPLEMENTARY READING
To be assigned

EVALUATION
Research and Discussion ------- 30 %
Discussion and Presentation ----20 %
------------------50 %
Two examinations
Mid-term ------------------------------ 20 %
Final ------------------------------------30 %
Total ------ 100%

As taught by George Lessard in 1990 & 1991

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