Global Media Industries

                                Autumn 2019 Wednesday 12:00 PM AVC


Lecturer: Tae-Sik Kim, PhD

Office Hour: Wed 1:30 – 4:00 PM & Thu 10:30 – 12:00 PM

Contact Information: beinkid@mail.muni.cz Office. 5. 50


Ø Course Objectives

This course is designed to help students develop an understanding media and culture as industries
in the capitalist world. Students will consider ‘media’ as culture industry.  The course will look
at the evolution of media industries over time to explore how media have been developed in relation
to sociopolitical and economic changes. This course will cover a wide range of media industries
including from Hollywood to East Asian media industry. The first half of the course will cover an
historical and theoretical overview of global media industry.  The second half of the course will
then focus on the structure and practice of multiple media industries in the world.

·        To understand the history and theory of media industries

·        To comprehend the role of media industries in shaping society and culture

·        To critically evaluate the political economy of media industries

·        To get informed about a variety of media industries in the world that hasn’t well been
known.


Ø Syllabus

Week 1. Introduction to the course

Week 2. Media as Industries

Week 3. Technology and Media Industries

Week 4. Culture Industry: History of Mass Culture

Week 5. The rise of media industries: US Media

Week 6. Transnational Media Industries


Week 7. Essay Writing

Week 8. Media Industries and Cultural Hegemony

Week 9. Midterm Exam

Week 10. Proximity, Hybridity, and Transculture

Week 11. New Media Industries: Google and Facebook

Week 12. Understanding European Public Media Industries

Week 13. Group Presentation


Ø Literatures

Havens, T., & Lotz, A. D. (2012). Understanding media industries. Oxford University Press.

Ø Supplemental Materials

Artz, L. (2015) Global entertainment media: A critical introduction. Wiley Blackwell.

Fuchs, C. (2013). Social media: A critical introduction. Sage.

McChesney, R. (1999). Rich Media, poor democracy—Communication politics in dubious times. Urbana:
University of Illinois Press.


Ø Teaching Methods

The format of the course is a combination of lectures and controlled discussions of assigned
readings.

All students are expected to read textbooks assigned and to develop appropriate discussion
questions.


Ø Assessment Methods


v  Attendance: 3 unexcused absences during a semester shall be denied academic credit


v  Midterm Examination 30%

TBA


v  Class Presentation 10%

·          Develop discussion questions on assigned week’s topic.

·          Introduce cases not included in textbooks


v  Final Group Project 40% (Due: 6^th of January, 2020)

·          Group with 2-3 colleagues

·          Find your topic by Week 10

·          Presentation in Week 13


v  Short Essay 20% (4 Pages – Choose one topic)

·        On Herman & Chomsky “Manufacturing Consent”: Reflect the new media environment that wasn’t
covered in their piece.

·        How Do Czech Media Cover 2017 the General Elections or 2018 Local Elections? (OR Use your
country’s case): Apply the concept, “Media as Industries”


Ø Readings

Week 1. Introduction to the course

Week 2. Media as Industries

·        Understanding media industries Chapter 1

Week 3. Technology and Media Industries

·        Understanding media industries Chapter 3

Week 4. Culture Industry: History of Mass Culture

·        Adorno, T., & Horkheimer, M. (2007). The culture industry: Enlightenment as mass
deception.

Week 5. The rise of Media Industries: US Media

·        Rich Media, Poor Democracy Chapter 1

Week 6. Transnational Media Industries

·        Artz, L. Global Entertainment Media Chapter 3

Week 8. Media Industries and Cultural Hegemony

·        Artz, L. Global Entertainment Media Chapter 5

Week 10. Proximity, Hybridity, and Transculture

·        Artz, L. Global Entertainment Media Chapter 6

·        Kraidy, M. M. (2002). Hybridity in cultural globalization. Communication Theory,12(3),
316-339.

Week 11. New Media Industries: Google and Facebook

·        Fuchs, Social Media

Week 12. Understanding European Public Media Industries

·        Bardoel, J., & d'Haenens, L. (2008). Reinventing public service broadcasting in Europe:
prospects, promises and problems. Media Culture and Society,30(3), 337.