ZURn4104 Czech Media System in an International Comparative Perspective

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. et Mgr. Marína Urbániková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Petra Pichaničová (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Marína Urbániková, Ph.D.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Mgr. Boris Rafailov, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Prerequisites (in Czech)
TYP_STUDIA(MN)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to introduce students to comparative communication research, the basics of systems thinking about media, and the position of the Czech media system within the international arena. The course addresses questions such as how and why different national media systems differ, how these differences and similarities evolve, how they can be examined, and what the selected main features of the Czech media system are in the comparative perspective. The first block of lectures is devoted to the theoretical and methodological foundations of comparative communication research; the second block focuses on comparing media systems and journalistic cultures, while the third block deals in more detail with selected topics of comparative media studies. Throughout the course, students will acquire theoretical frameworks that will help them analyse increasingly complex and interconnected global media environments. Simultaneously, they will deepen their ability to think critically about the functioning of the media in the Czech Republic, to contextualize and evaluate national and international trends, and to engage in debates about key issues and areas of media functioning.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the students will:
- possess knowledge and understanding of the theoretical frameworks that can be used to analyse increasingly complex and interconnected global media environments,
- demonstrate the ability to think critically about the functioning of the media in the Czech Republic,
- exhibit proficiency in contextualizing and evaluating national and international trends,
- demonstrate the capability to craft a cogent argument with supporting evidence, as well as to prepare a presentation and a theoretical paper about a selected problem in media functioning.
Syllabus
  • Introductory lecture: the objectives and content of the course.
  • Comparative communication research: Why, what and how to compare? Where to find data?
  • Media system, field or culture? Functionalism, systems theory, field theory. Benchmarking. Legal regulation.
  • Categorizing media systems: From the four theories of the press by Siebert, Peterson and Schramm to the three models of Hallin and Mancini. Where to classify the media systems of post-communist countries?
  • Exploring the Worlds of Journalism: Insights from a global study of journalistic cultures.
  • Midterm. Discussion of the film The Post (dir. Steven Spielberg; 2017).
  • Public service media in comparative perspective.
  • Gender and journalism in comparative perspective.
  • Presentation I: The American media system and American journalistic culture. Presentation II: The Russian media system and Russian journalistic culture.
  • Presentation III: The British media system and British journalistic culture. Presentation IV: The German media system and German journalistic culture.
  • Presentations V and VI.
  • Final summary of the course. How to write a final essay - instructions and discussion.
Literature
  • • Downey, J. & Mihely, S. 2012. Central and Eastern European Media in Comparative Perspective. Politics, Economy and Culture. Ashgate.
  • • Esser, F. & Hanitzsch, T. 2012. The Handbook of Comparative Communication Research. New York: Routledge.
  • • Dobek-Ostrowska, B. & Głowacki, M. 2015. Democracy and Media in Central and Eastern Europe 25 Years On. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang Edition.
  • VOLEK, Jaromír and Marína URBÁNIKOVÁ. Čeští novináři v komparativní perspektivě : hybridní, virtuální a mizející žurnalisté v post-transformační fázi. Vydání první. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2017, 386 stran. ISBN 9788021085299. info
  • The global journalist in the 21st century. Edited by David H. Weaver - Lars Willnat. New York, NY: Routledge, 2012, ix, 585. ISBN 9780415885775. info
  • HALLIN, Daniel C. and Paolo MANCINI. Systémy médií v postmoderním světě : tři modely médií a politiky. Translated by Tomáš Trampota. Vyd. 1. Praha: Portál, 2008, 367 s. ISBN 9788073673772. info
Teaching methods
lecture, seminar, discussion, group presentation, reading
Assessment methods
test, group presentation, essay
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/ZURn4104