Who Controls the Media?

Subject

Mass Communication

Faculty

Professor Joan Wesman and Dr. Lee Ellis

Program Summary

Who Controls the Media? will be a fast-paced look at how media works—where we’ve been and where we’re heading in consuming information, news, and entertainment. We’ll explore the forces at play in how information is delivered, whose interests are served, and how to decipher fact from fiction through a variety of media platforms. The FYE will comprise two courses—MCOM 110 Intro to Mass Communication (the content course) taught by Joan Wesman and GEN 101/ILC (the literacy skills course) taught jointly by Joan Wesman and Dr. Lee Ellis.

MCOM 110: Intro to Mass Communication (3 SH, GESS) Provides exposure to today's wide range of mass media. Subjects covered include the history, organization, economics, and practices of mass communication - such as print, broadcast, film, Internet, and social media. A heavy emphasis is placed on the importance of developing critical thinking and media literacy skills, to help students interpret media messages in an intelligent, balanced, and realistic way.

GEN 101 WC: ILC Who Controls the Media? (3 SH) This foundational course is used to develop, practice, and apply college-level reading, critical thinking, writing, information literacy, and speaking skills. As part of each FYE program, this course serves as a bridge between learning skills and content. Students complete an annotated bibliography, a written research project, a reflection essay, other writing, and discussion assignments appropriate to the discipline emphasized in the content course.

Photo credits: NPR.org, Businessinsider.com, You Tube: The Joe Rogan Experience, NBC News, iconsportswire.com, C.J. Burton, Washingtonian, 22 April 2018.