COMMUNICATION 364 BROADCAST AND CABLE MANAGEMENT
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Jong G. Kang (Phone) 309-438-7610
Office: Fell 414 (Fax) 309-438-3048
(e-mail)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course deals with various broadcast management functions, models, and operations. In this course we study broadcast management as a multi-faced system. We will confront broadcast management from historical, theoretical,
administrative, humanistic, and practical perspectives. Our concern is with the approach taken by the economic impact on television, radio, and cable industries, but other frameworks will be examined through a variety of case studies designed to enable you to simulate the process of broadcast management. This course also examines the complex social and political environment in which the telecommunications manager operates and traces the impact of social change upon broadcast management.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course has three main purposes:
1. To introduce you to the managerial aspects of television, radio, and cable television industries.
2. To delineate the major management functions within television, radio, and cable television industries anddescribe the important issues that confront individual
managers.
3. To explore management career opportunities in television, radio, and cable television industries.
TEXT: 1. Pringle, Peter K., Michael F. Starr, and William E. McCavitt, Electronic Media Management (Boston: Focal Press, 1999).
2. Additional required materials at Pip Printing
COURSE ORGANIZATION: This course is divided into four substantive sections. Part one is an overview of broadcast management from a theoretical and professional point of view. It examines the structure of broadcast industries. In the second part of the course, we will deal with the social, economic, institutional, and technological factors which effect their policy implications for the practice of media programming. In the third part of the course, we will cover some of the legal and regulatory issues facing media managers. It focuses on the national, state, and local regulatory agencies and their impact on the establishment and operations of telecommunication enterprises. The final section of this course stresses the pragmatics of media management including marketing, promotion,
staffing, training, and audience and program research.
GRADING: You will be evaluated on the basis of two examinations,each of which will count 40 percent of your final grade. There will be several smaller assignments which focus on simulated projects and case studies. Grades will break down into the following percentages:
- Two Exams (80 percent)*
- Class Assignments (15 percent)**
- Class Attendance (5 percent)
* The final exam will be semi-cumulative, in the sense that it will emphasize the second part of the course, but it will also include major issues which have been stressed throughout. Attendance is required at each examination.
** Before each class assignment (programming practice and case study), I will give all the details of the assignment.
When percentages are utilized in exams and assignments, the following will apply:
> 90% = A; > 80% = B; > 70% = C; and > 60% = D.
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS: In addition to three exams, there will be several class assignments. You must complete all assignments to earn a passing grade.
Assignment Percent (15%)
1. Individual or Team Project(s)* 5
(Investigate a local media organization and prepare a report for class on its
structure and communication network, along with personnel/financial management,
staffing, compensation, and training.)
2. Class Assignments (Simulated Projects)** 5
3. Case Studies 5
* Twice during the semester, you will each make a brief presentation (e.g., 7 minutes or so) to the class in which you will address some points or issues in one or two of the readings (or projects assigned for the class). You may use your written commentaries as the basis for the presentation. Presentations will be assigned randomly, and scheduled once we know exactly who is and who is not in the class.
** From time to time, you may be asked to prepare paper assignments in or out of class. Paper assignments should be typed, double spaced, with reasonable margins. Please use a cover page with your name, and the title of your paper. Late papers will be penalized ½ grade for each day late.
THE COURSE and INSTRUCTOR: The course is comprised of lectures, discussions, presentations, readings, and assignments. The atmosphere is relaxed and informal--and often a lot of fun!; I encourage this. You should find the lectures supportive of the reading material, but not a substitute for them. There will be information in the lectures not available in the text, as well as elaboration on items that may need further clarification. I hope that you find me very approachable. I love questions in class, especially ones that force me to think quickly on my feet. Please do not ever hesitate to ask questions. Remember the old adage: "The only dumb question is one that goes unasked." I also encourage you to take advantage of my office hours. There are the times when I make myself totally available to you to discuss your progress in the course or any questions you are having with assignments, the material or whatever. If my office hours are inconvenient for you, please let me know and we can schedule another time to meet. I hope you have a fun and productive semester.
READING ASSIGNMENTS: It is expected that you will keep up with all the reading assignments. The text contains a good deal of specialized and technical information with which you are expected to become familiar. The text (and other readings that may be assigned from time to time) will be used as a springboard for either broader or more specific discussion topics. As you know, broadcast regulations and technologies are in a constant state of flux, transition, and development. Some of what is true today may well be false by the end of the course. Specific articles from the industry's leading trade publications provide updated information on current events in the field. Therefore,
reading of leading magazines (e.g., Electronic Media and Broadcasting & Cable) are strongly encouraged. Electronic Media and Broadcasting & Cable are available either in the library or in my office and can be obtained weekly on a discount student subscription basis throughout the semester. Information on subscriptions will be given to you.
ATTENDANCE POLICY (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY): Given the participatory nature of this course, it is absolutely essential that you plan to be here, on time and every day. Each unexcused absence beyond three will lower your final grade by one-half of one letter. You are given these three absences to use as you see fit, but be cautioned that you never know when you might need them, so don't waste them! Consistent tardiness will have similar consequences. Excused absences include university-approved activities or illness/death in your family. It is your responsibility to make up missed work and to keep up with class activities as they occur. It is to your benefit to inform me if you foresee an absence in order that I might better plan future class activities. Only in the event of an excused absence will a presentation be allowed to be "made up." There is no extra credit!
RELATED COURSES: A number of courses in the Department of communication will be clearly related to some of the particular material we cover in this class; e.g., introduction to Mass Communication, Broadcast and Cable Programming, Television
Production, Regulation of the Communication industry, and Communications Technologies and Impacts.
This syllabus denotes the subject areas, class activities, assignments (presentations, required readings and written work), and examinations which will occur during the term.
Keep your syllabus handy and refer to it often!
COURSE SCHEDULE: Outlined below are the discussion topics and reading assignments.
Week of: Topic* Reading Assignment**
Week 1 - Course Introduction Course packet
- Goals and Objectives
- Communication Process
Week 2 - Communication Networks
- Organizational Structure and
System
Week 3 - Broadcast Station Management Chapter 1
- Factors Affecting Media Management Course packet
- Class Exercise and Case Studies
(Organizing Process)
Week 4 - Perspectives on the Organizing Chapter 1
Process Course Packet
- Models and Theories
- Class Exercise and Case Studies
Week 5 - Financial Management Chapter 2
- Planning and Control Course packet - Class Exercise and Case Studies
Week 6 - Human Resource Management Chapter 3
- Personnel Management Course packet
- Class Exercise and Case Studies
(FCC EEO/AA Guidelines)
Week 7 - Class Presentation
Week 8 E X A M I
Week 9 - Broadcast Sales Chapter 5
- Systems and Functions Course packet
- Class Exercise and Case Studies
Week 10 - Broadcast Promotion & Marketing Chapter 6
- Promotional Campaign Strategy Course packet
- Managing the Cable Television System Chapter 8
- Video Presentation Course packet
Week 11 - Broadcast Programming Chapter 4
- Program Analysis Course packet
Week 12 - Class Exercise and Case Studies
(Network Affiliates, Independent Stations,
Radio stations, and Cable-TV Networks)
- Video Presentation
Week 13 - Broadcast Regulations Chapter 7 & 9
- FCC and Other Regulatory Agencies Course packet
- Case Studies
(Policies, Rules, and Regulations)
- Public Broadcast Station Management
Week 14 - Class Presentation
* Topics may change upon instructor's discretion.
ADDENDUM: A PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BOOKS RELEVANT TO
BROADCAST AND CABLE MANAGEMENT
Bittner, John R. Broadcasting and Telecommunication (Englewood, NJ: Prentice-Hall,
Inc., 1985).
Bittner, John R. Broadcast Law and Regulation (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall
inc., 1996).
Dominick, Joseph, Barry L. Sherman, and Gary Copeland. Broadcasting/Cable and
Beyond (New York: McGraw- Hill Publishing Company, 1996).
Eastman, Susan Tyler. Promotion & Marketing for Broadcasting & Cable (Prospect
Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1991).
Head, Sydney W. Head and Christopher H. Sterling, Broadcasting in America (Boston,
MA: Houghton, Mifflin Company, 1997).
Hilliard, Robert L., The Federal Communications Commission (Boston, MA:
Focal Press, 1995).
Hilliard, Robert L. and Michael C. Keith, The Broadcast Century (Boston, MA:
Focal Press, 1995).
Holsinger, Ralph L., Media Law (New York: Random House, 1997).
Keirstead, Phillip O. and Sonia-Kay Keirstead, The World of Telecommunication
(Boston, MA: Focal Press, 1995).
Marcus, Norman, Broadcast and Cable Management (Englewood,
NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1986).
O'Donnell, Lewis B., Carl Hausman, and Philip Benoit, Radio Station Operations
(Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1993).
Orlik, Peter B., The Electronic Media (Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 1995).
Smith, F. Leslie, Perspectives on Radio and Television (New York: Harper & Row,
Publishers, 1995).
Warner, Charles and Joseph Buchman, Broadcast and Cable Selling (Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth Publishing Co, 1991).