Special Topics in Political Science (390-0-30)

Topic

Bad News

Instructors

Lawrence L Stuelpnagel
847/491-3468
McCormick Foundation Building/4-135
Office Hours: Gladly By Appointment

Meeting Info

Fisk Hall 114: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

Bad News. That is what Americans are experiencing as a result of the corporate media mergers that took place in the closing years of the last century. Today there are six major companies that control much of what people read, hear and see. Those firms are AOL-Time Warner, General Electric, Walt Disney, News Corporation, Viacom/CBS, and Bertelsman. This course will examine the monetary forces that are driving the industry away from its primary mission of information. Critics contend that the drive for higher ratings, circulation and web page clicks is coming at the expense of the quality of news on television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. Charges of Fake News combined with the ever-diminishing number of news providers is threatening democracy by limiting the number of voices that can be heard in our society.

Learning Objectives

Students will be expected to know the different economic, political and social pressures that the news business is experiencing and how that affects the information the public receives.

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for Political Science students who are Juniors or Seniors