“The
country’s
democracy may belong directly or indirectly to its citizens, but the
democratic process can only be truly meaningful if these citizens
are informed. Journalism’s
job is to inform them." (Herbert
J. Gans, Democracy and the News)
"In America the President reigns for four years,
and
Journalism governs for ever and ever." (Oscar
Wilde)
ABOUT THIS COURSE: A polarized, and energized, electorate. An ongoing
war. The potential for a massively lethal attack any time, anywhere.
Political
journalists struggling to retain both audience and credibility, while
non-journalists – bloggers,
comedians, movie producers and others – capture the first and
claim the second. Hundreds of millions of dollars poured into political
advertising,
and hundreds of millions more still to be spent. Welcome to Campaign
2004!
In this class, we will monitor, analyze and discuss media coverage
of this year’s campaign, the November 2 election and its aftermath.
Our books provide context for this assessment and a way to compare
current decisions
with long-term issues, trends and concerns. Supplemental readings,
many from you, connect the present with the past. Throughout the semester,
we will talk together about our observations and insights. We will
focus
on
the presidential campaign but incorporate coverage of congressional
races as appropriate. Think of this class as a large focus group charged
with
a 16-week task: to explore the quality, utility and effectiveness of
media coverage of the 2004 election.
Course goals relate to the “Iowa Dozen” list of core School
principles and values in several ways, including the stated commitments
to First Amendment principles and to journalistic precepts of truth,
accuracy, fairness and diversity; and the emphasis on exploration of
media institutions
and practices, as well as the role of the media in shaping cultures.
Specifically, you can expect this course to help you:
- More
fully understand the role of the media in our democratic society,
including how media practices both enhance and encumber democratic
ideals, particularly in connection with elections.
- Amid
the torrent of daily campaign coverage, make sense of what the media
are doing and why they are doing it, looking beyond
simplistic ideas about
motives tied to ideological bias and the bottom line.
| REQUIRED
BOOKS: |
News:
The Politics of Illusion
W. Lance Bennett (Pearson Education, 6th edition, 2005) |
| |
Uncivil
Wars: Political Campaigns in a Media Age
Thomas A. Hollihan (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2001) |
RECOMMENDED
BOOKS
(pick one): |
The
Boys on the Bus
Timothy Crouse (Random House Trade, 1972/2003) |
| |
Oh,
Waiter! One Order of Crow!
Jeff Greenfield (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2001) |
| INSTRUCTOR: |
Dr.
Jane B. Singer
W423 Seashore Hall
335-3431
jane-singer@uiowa.edu |
| Office
Hours: |
2:30
to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays
Or by appointment |
| About
your instructor: |
Jane
has 15 years experience as a print and online journalist. She worked
as a reporter and editor at three East Coast newspapers before
joining CBS in 1982 as an editor of its fledgling online service.
That project evolved into the Prodigy Services Company, and she
was Prodigy's first news manager. Jane holds a Ph.D. in journalism
from the University of Missouri, an M.A. in liberal studies from
New York University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from
the University of Georgia. She came to Iowa in 1999. |
| SCHOOL
INFORMATION: |
School
of Journalism and Mass Communication
Main office: W615 Seashore Hall
Office phone: 335-3401
(Patty Gereau or Rosemary Zimmerman)
Director: Pam Creedon, W612B Seashore Hall
335-3482; pam-creedon@uiowa.edu |
| LEARNING
ENABLEMENT: |
Jane
would like to hear from anyone who has a disability that may require
some modification of seating, grading or other class requirements
so appropriate arrangements may be made. Please see Jane after
class or during office hours, or make an appointment for an alternate
time. |
| CLASS
POLICIES: |
Attendance: Failure to attend class regularly may adversely affect your grade.
In case of a dire emergency that prevents your being with us, you
must let Jane know the reason for your absence within 24 hours
of the missed class period. (E-mail is fine.) |
| |
Academic
integrity: Please refer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Student Academic Handbook (available online) for information about
academic honesty. University penalties for plagiarism -- defined
in Webster's New World Dictionary as taking ideas, writings and
so on from another and passing them off as one's own -- range from
grade reduction to dismissal from the University. For journalists,
plagiarism or other dishonesty is a sin deadly to any career. Don’t
do it. |
| |
Student
rights and responsibilities: You have the right to expect an environment
that enables you to learn. You have a responsibility to colleagues
and instructors to help create an environment in which others may
learn. If you have a complaint against any member of the College’s
teaching staff, you are responsible for following the procedures
described in the Student Academic Handbook. In summary, the manual
advises you to try to work out a solution with the instructor first;
please come talk with Jane. If the complaint is not resolved to
your satisfaction, it should be taken up with the School’s
director, Pam Creedon. If the matter is still unresolved, you may
submit a written complaint to interim associate dean Helena Dettmer
at 120 Schaeffer Hall. |
| |
Time
allocation: College policy states that for each semester hour of
credit in a course, students should expect to spend two hours per
week in out-of-class work or preparation. This is a 3 s.h. class,
which means an average six hours a week of outside-of-class work. |
| |
Cross
enrollment: This course is given by the College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences (CLAS). Class policies on matters such as requirements,
grading and sanctions for academic
dishonesty are governed by CLAS. Students wishing to add or drop this course
after the official deadline must receive the approval of the CLAS Dean. Details
of the University cross-enrollment policy are available for download at: www.uiowa.edu/~provost/deos/crossenroll.doc |
GRADING
A total of 1,000 points will be possible in Electoral
Politics and the Mass Media. All work must be completed on time
to be eligible for full
credit. Below is the breakdown for undergraduates. An additional
assignment will be required for graduate students.
Details about each
graded component
will be provided in
class.
PLUS-MINUS: We will use plus-minus indications for final grades.
GRADE CHANGES: If you believe a grade is wrong, you
must see Jane within one week after the graded item has been returned
to you. After that, the grade stands.
MAINSTREAM
MEDIA MONITOR
400 points total |
Between
Labor Day and the week after the Nov. 2 election -- 10 weeks total
-- you and two or three other people will be responsible for monitoring
one mainstream media source of political information. We will switch
media sources (and, if you choose, teams) once. Your team must
identify one interesting article related to politics from your
media source every day. A team member will then post a brief (one-
or two-paragraph) commentary, ideally incorporating a link to the
item, on our class blog (iowajournalism159.blogspot.com). I will
check periodically to assess the quality of your contributions,
reading each blog post and spot-checking the links. Each checkpoint
offers an opportunity to earn as many as 100 points for the team.
All team members will receive the same grade. (Why is this a team
assignment? Because it is labor-intensive, and you will benefit
from being able to divide up the workload.)
Checkpoint dates: Sept. 24, Oct. 15, Oct. 29, Nov. 12 |
CONTEXTUAL
ANALYSIS
250 points total |
You
will write two analytical essays, each at least three but no more
than five pages, connecting media coverage of the 2004 campaign
and election to ideas raised and issues discussed in your textbooks
and/or supplemental readings (Crouse, Greenfield, syllabus readings).
These analyses are in lieu of the usual midterm (100 points) and
final (150 points) exams.
First analysis due: Oct. 21
Second analysis due: Dec. 15
(our final exam date…earlier is always delightful) |
QUIZZES
200 points total |
We
will have four short-answer quizzes, each worth 50 points, over
the assigned readings.
Quiz dates: Sept. 2, Sept. 30, Oct. 28, Dec. 7 |
CONTRIBUTIONS
to READINGS
and DISCUSSIONS
150 points total |
You
will provide one supplemental reading for the class during the
semester. And you will read and join in a conversation (in class
and/or online) about the articles that everyone else provides.
- Your
article: You will choose an article** that you find especially
valuable and make it available to the class (either
by giving me a hard copy to put on reserve or, better, posting
a link on our blog). You also will provide at least three written
questions, designed to stimulate discussion, about course-related issues
or ideas raised
in the article. Most Thursdays, we will take all or part of the class
period
to discuss these timely and topical materials; that means you must select
and provide the item no later than noon Tuesday of your assigned week.
On “your” Thursday,
you will lead discussion of your article. You can earn up to 50
points based
on the quality of your article and your prepared questions about it.
- Your
participation: On other Thursdays, you will participate in
the in-class discussion. Beginning and/or continuing the discussion
online through our blog is strongly
encouraged. You can earn up to 100 points based on
the quality of your contributions to our discussions over the course
of the semester.
** If you would like to have us look at something other than a single article – at
a political blog, say, or a candidate Web site or…whatever – that’s
very doable. Please talk with Jane about your idea ahead of time if you go
this route, though.
|
PROPOSED SCHEDULE of CLASSES, READINGS and ASSIGNMENTS
Here is a tentative outline of the topics we will cover this semester,
open to change as events and your interests dictate. After the first
week, please complete
the readings by Tuesday. Reserve materials are in the Journalism Resource
Center on the 7th floor of Seashore Hall.
Readings outside the two
textbooks are subject
to addition and/or substitution as new materials become available.
| FIRST
SEGMENT: SETTING THE STAGE |
| WEEK
ONE: INTRODUCTIONS and ELECTIONS OVERVIEW |
Aug.
24
Aug. 26
|
Introductions
to the course, the campaign, the coverage
Campaign 2004 overview: The media and the message
READ:
Bennett, Foreword (Graber, vii-xiii), Preface (xiv-xxiv), Chapter 1 (1-35)
Hollihan, Preface (iii-vii), Chapter 1 (1-22)
“Tsunami”; Bryan Keefer
Columbia Journalism Review, July/August 2004
Online: cjr.org/issues/2004/4/keefer-tsunami.asp
WANT MORE?
“Putting a Spin on the News”
Holston, Newsday, Aug. 15, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail
IN CLASS:
Tuesday, Aug. 24, Whaddya know about U.S. politics? |
| WEEK
TWO: THE GOP CONVENTION |
Aug.
31
Sept. 2 |
Political
conventions
Discussion: GOP Convention coverage
READ:
Bennett, Chapter 2 (36-73), Chapter 3 (74-112)
Hollihan, Chapter 2 (23-39), Chapter 3 (41-54)
“Election Interest Is Up Sharply, But Convention Interest Is Not”
Vanishing Voter Project, Shorenstein Center, Harvard University
Online: http://www.vanishingvoter.org,
follow links
“What We Missed In Boston”
Stanley, The New York Times, Aug. 1, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s
archived online)
“Blogged in Boston: Politics Gets an Unruly Spin”
Williams, The New York Times, Aug. 1, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s
archived online)
WANT MORE?
“GOP 'War Room' Is On-Site”
Kurtz, Washington Post, July 26, 2004
Online: washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A16218-2004Jul26
QUIZ:
Thursday, Sept. 2
Readings from weeks one, two (50 points)
Political event this week:
GOP convention, New York, Aug. 30 – Sept.
2
|
SECOND
SEGMENT: WITH TWO MONTHS TO GO,
WHAT ISSUES ARE on the MEDIA AGENDA? |
| WEEK
THREE: HEARTSTRINGS (RELIGION, PATRIOTISM, CHARACTER, FAMILY…) |
Sept.
7
Sept. 9 |
Image
construction and the tug on voters’ heartstrings
Discussion: This week’s readings (led by Jane)
READ:
Bennett, Chapter 4 (113-150)
Hollihan, Chapter 4 (55-72)
“Character” and “Private Lives”
Janeway, from Republic of Denial (74-105)
On reserve (Journalism Resource Center, 701 Seashore Hall)
“Character and the Campaign,” Overview, Major Themes, Late Night
Project for Excellence in Journalism
Online:
journalism.org/resources/research/reports/campaign2004/character
Read “Overview,” “Major Character Themes,” “Late
Night Shows”
“The Faith Factor”
Gibbs, Time magazine, June 21, 2004
Online for Time subscribers,
or Jane will e-mail you this article.
"Deploying Children as Weapons of Mass Affection"
Dewan, The New York Times, Sept. 5, 2004
Online through
Sept. 11; after that, ask Jane for it by e-mail
WANT MORE?
"How Kerry Became a Girlie-Man"
Rich, The New York Times, Sept. 5, 2004
Online through Sept. 11; after that, ask Jane for it by e-mail
“Churches See an Election Role and Spread the Word on Bush”
Kirkpatrick, The New York Times, Aug. 9, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s archived online) |
| WEEK
FOUR: WAR, TERRORISM and FOREIGN AFFAIRS |
Sept.
14
Sept. 16 |
Covering
the politics of fear, fighting and foreign relations
Discussion: This week’s readings
(led by Ellen B., Courtney C., Ashley
and Andrew)
READ:
Bennett, Chapter 5 (151-179)
Hollihan, Chapter 5 (73-93)
“Kidnappings, Beheadings and Defining What’s News”
Steinberg, The New York Times, Aug. 1, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s archived online)
“And Now, Here’s Wolf Blitzer,
Fresh Back from a Sitdown with bin
Laden!”
Pein, Columbia Journalism Review Campaign Desk blog, Aug. 12, 2003
Online: campaigndesk.org/archives/000816.asp |
| WEEK
FIVE: DOMESTIC AFFAIRS (The ECONOMY, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE…) |
Sept.
21
Sept. 23 |
Coverage
of politics on the home front
Discussion: This week’s readings
(led by
Julie, Melody, Laura, Erin and Stephen)
READ:
Bennett, Chapter 6 (180-207)
"Answer the &$%#*
Question!"
Lieberman, Columbia Journalism Review, January/February 2004)
Online: cjr.org/issues/2004/1/question-lieberman.asp
WANT MORE? This one is now optional:
“ It’s the Economy, Right? Guess
Again”
Uchitelle, The New York Times, July 4, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s
archived online)
CHECKPOINT: Friday, Sept. 24
Mainstream media monitor (blog) (100 points)
|
| WEEK
SIX: THE HORSE RACE and OTHER HANDY MEDIA FRAMES |
Sept.
28
Sept. 30 |
Polls,
surveys and why the media dwell on them
…Plus a word or two about the congressional elections
SPECIAL GUESTS:
Dave Franker, candidate for U.S. Congress, Iowa 2nd District (9/28)
Pete Jeffries, national communications director for U.S. House Speaker Dennis
Hastert (9/30)
READ:
Bennett, Chapter 7 (208-234)
Hollihan, Chapter 7 (115-138)
“The Press as Amateur Psychologist, Part I” and “…Part
II”
Jamieson and Waldman, from The Press Effect (24-73)
On reserve (Journalism Resource Center, 701 Seashore Hall)
“Of Schemas – Game and Governing”
Patterson, from Out of Order (53-93)
On reserve (Journalism Resource Center, 701 Seashore Hall)
“Do Poll Stories Help Voters?”
Trombly, Quill (Society of Professional Journalists), April 2004
Online for SPJ members, or Jane
will e-mail you the article
“Hit or Miss: Campaign Coverage”
Vinson, from Local Media Coverage of Congress and Its Members (143-167)
On reserve (Journalism Resource Center, 701 Seashore Hall)
WANT MORE?
"
How Will Encroaching Campaign Sophistication Affect
The Health of Democracy?” (about
changes in local campaigning)
Strachan, from High-Tech Grass Roots (69-103)
On reserve (Journalism Resource Center, 701 Seashore Hall)
QUIZ: Thursday, Sept. 30
Readings from weeks three, four, five, six (50 points)
Political event this week: Presidential debate, Sept. 30 |
| THIRD
SEGMENT: WITH ONE MONTH TO GO, AMERICA TUNES IN…BUT TO WHAT? |
| WEEK
SEVEN: CANDIDATE DEBATES |
Oct.
5
Oct. 7 |
Is
it what they said that matters -- or what pundits said they
said?
Discussion: This week’s readings
(led by Beth, Katie, Jack, Jessica and Cristin)
READ:
Hollihan, Chapter 9 (164-176)
“Viewer Reactions to the 2000 Presidential Debates”
McKinney et al., from The Millennium Election (43-58)
On reserve (Journalism Resource Center, 701 Seashore Hall)
Political events this week:
Vice presidential debate, Oct. 5; presidential debate,
Oct. 8 |
| WEEK
EIGHT: ALTERNATIVE SOURCES |
Oct.
12
Oct. 14 |
The
decreasing impact of mainstream news coverage
Discussion: This week’s readings
(led by Kevin, Ellen D., Allie, Rachel and Vanessa)
READ:
“ Cable and Internet Loom Large in Fragmented Political News Universe”
Pew Research Center for People and the Press, Jan. 11, 2004
Online: people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=200
"`Fahrenheit 9/11': Will it change any voter's mind?"
Kasindorf and Judy Keen, USA Today
E-mail: Jane
will send you this article by e-mail
"The
Week That Wasn't"
St. John, The New York Times
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail
WANT
MORE?
“
How
to Make a Guerrilla Documentary”
Boynton, The New York Times, July 11, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s
archived online)
Political event this week:
Presidential debate, Oct. 13
CHECKPOINT: Friday, Oct. 15
Mainstream media monitor (blog) (100 points) |
| WEEK
NINE: THE INTERNET |
Oct.
19
Oct. 21 |
The
Internet as a political force
Discussion: This week’s readings
(led by Andrea B., Abby, Andrea C., Sarah and Tina)
READ:
Hollihan,
Chapter 8 (139-163)
“The Expanding Blogosphere”
Smolkin, American Journalism Review, June/July 2004
Online: ajr.org/Article.asp?id=3682 (or go to ajr.org and search)
“The Web’s Campaign Contributions”
Palser, American Journalism Review, August/September 2004
Online: ajr.org/article.asp?id=3715 (or
go to ajr.org and search)
“EchoChamber.com: Is the Net Polarizing U.S. Political Dialogue?”
Glaser, Online Journalism Review, April 22, 2004
Online: ojr.org/ojr/glaser/1082521278.php
WANT MORE?
"Fear and Laptops on the Campaign Trail"
Klam, The New York Times Magazine
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s
archived online)
“The
Internet and Political Campaigns”
Pogue (Trippi interview), The New York Times, March 11, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s
archived online)
“`Watchblogs’ Put the Political Press Under the Microscope”
Glaser, Online Journalism Review, Feb. 11, 2004
Online: ojr.org/ojr/glaser/1076465317.php
DUE: Thursday, Oct. 21
First contextual analysis (100 points)
|
| WEEK
TEN: POLITICAL ADVERTISING and OTHER FORMS OF PERSUASION |
Oct.
26
Oct. 28 |
Special
Guest: Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA)
Political ads and campaign money trails
READ:
Hollihan, Chapter 6 (94-114), Chapter 11 (195-219)
“Follow the Money”
Smolkin, American Journalism Review, August/September 2004
Online: ajr.org/article.asp?id=3732 (or go to ajr.org and search)
“Americans Say They Don’t Learn From Ads But…”
Annenberg Public Policy Center, May 12, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article in a .pdf file by email
“Campaigns Use TV Preferences to Find Voters”
Rutenberg, The New York Times, July 18, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail (it’s archived online)
QUIZ: Thursday, Oct. 28
Readings from weeks seven, eight, nine, ten (50 points)
CHECKPOINT: Friday, Oct. 29
Mainstream media monitor (blog) (100 points) |
| FOURTH
SEGMENT: THE 2004 ELECTION AND ITS AFTERMATH |
| WEEK
ELEVEN: ELECTION 2004 |
Nov.
2
Nov. 4 |
Election
Day: No morning class. Class meets 7 to 11 p.m. at Vito’s.
Debriefing: Election Night coverage 2004
READ:
“ Can We Get Election Calls Right This Time?”
Hill, Quill magazine (Society of Professional Journalists), April 2004
Online for SPJ
members, or Jane will e-mail you the article
"Networks
Vow Caution in Calling Election"
Kurtz, Washington Post, Oct. 12, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail
"Imagining
the Danger of 2000 Redux"
Broder, The New York Times, Oct. 17, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail
WANT
MORE?
Prologue (starting on page xi)
Part of Chapter One (bottom of page 38 to page 61)
From
Greenfield, Oh Waiter! One Order of Crow! |
| WEEK
TWELVE: A LONGER LOOK at HOW and WHAT WE LEARNED |
Nov.
9
Nov. 11 |
Red
and blue: The morning after
Discussion: This week’s readings
(led by Mary, Rebecca, Clare and Jeff)
READ:
"A Polarized Society Leads to Polarized Journalism"
Shaw, Los Angeles Times, Oct. 24, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail
"Bush
vs. Kerry vs. the Media"
Poniewozik, Time magazine, Nov. 3, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail
"They
Don't Declare: The Vote-Callers Who Lost Their Voice"
Kurtz, Washington Post, Nov. 4, 2004
E-mail: Jane will send you this article by e-mail
"Exit
Polls Bring Traffic Deluge, Scrutiny to Blogs, Slate"
Glaser, Online Journalism Review, Nov. 5, 2004
Online: ojr.org/ojr/glaser/1099616933.php
CHECKPOINT: Sunday, Nov. 14
Mainstream
media monitor (blog) (100 points) |
| WEEK
THIRTEEN: CAMPAIGN 2004 ANALYSIS |
Nov.
16
Nov. 18 |
Whew – it’s
over! How did the media do?
Discussion: This week’s readings
(led by Amanda, Courtney H., Jayne, Martha and Michael)
READ:
Hollihan,
Chapter 10 (177-194)
CJR Campaign Desk "Report Card" on the media
Read intro and first three parts of six-part series
Online: campaigndesk.org/archives/cat_report_card.asp |
WEEK
FOURTEEN: Thanksgiving Break -- enjoy the stuffing.
Is this a great
country or what?! |
| FIFTH
SEGMENT: GOVERNING the NATION |
| WEEK
FIFTEEN: PRESS, PRESIDENTS and POWER |
Nov.
30
Dec. 2 |
Special
Guest: Mike Glover, AP
Discussion: This week’s readings
(led by Emily, Bridget, Pete, Laura T. and Danielle)
READ:
Bennett, Chapter 8 (236-262)
Hollihan,
Chapter 12 (220-251), Epilogue (252-266)
"News: What Might Be Done”
Gans, from Democracy and the News (91-112)
On reserve (Journalism Resource Center, 701 Seashore Hall)
CJR Campaign Desk "Report Card" on the media
Read fourth, fifth and sixth parts of six-part series
Online: campaigndesk.org/archives/cat_report_card.asp
WANT MORE?
“Citizens
Democracy: What Might Be Done"
Gans, from Democracy and the News (113-125)
On reserve (Journalism Resource Center, 701 Seashore
Hall)
|
| WEEK
SIXTEEN: SIX WEEKS to INAUGURATION DAY… |
Dec.
7
Dec. 9 |
From
campaigning to governing
Press,
politicians and public
READ:
Finish reading either Boys on the Bus (Crouse)
or Oh, Waiter! One Order of Crow! (Greenfield)
QUIZ: Thursday, Dec. 9
Readings from weeks eleven to end of the semester (50
points) |
FINAL
EXAM WEEK: DUE Wednesday, Dec. 15, no later than noon
Second contextual
analysis (150 points)
|
ONLINE
RESOURCES about POLITICS and the MEDIA
These represent only the tiniest fraction of good stuff out there.
A “*” indicates
Jane’s pick-of-the-litter.
|
|