Course Code
Academic Year
In this course students will be introduced to the historical foundations and purposes of modern media beginning with the emergence of rudimentary newspapers as purveyors of shipping schedules and trade data, and continuing through the rise of the free press as a bulwark of democratic societies. Emphasis will be given to examining the role of modern media as witness to events of historical moments and in exposing corrupt practices and violations of the public interest in both government and private sector contexts. Media will also be positioned as commercial enterprises with an historical interest in scandal and subject to their own deviations from their stated mandates to report with impartiality and balance. Contemporary developments to be analyzed include the impact on traditional media roles from 24-hour cable news, online news services and the increasing convergence between news media and the other industries of popular culture.