JTC 412 International Mass Communication

Overview of Course

This course will expose students to the role of news media around the world, with emphasis on the countries we visit. We will learn to critique media using a five-step critical process ‒ describe, analyze, interpret, evaluate and engage ‒ and to critique media artifacts in our ports as symbols of culture. We’ll consider what makes something newsworthy and how that is influenced by the audience and culture. The class will identify the opportunities and threats to the media’s business model posed by changes in technology. It will document the threats to freedom of expression and democracy globally and why that matters. For example, what is the connection between mass communication and autocratization? How can we identify misinformation and disinformation in the age of AI? We will debate whether social media are good for democracy and how to fix the problems they cause. We’ll explore the top issues with online safety and privacy, and learn how to protect our own data. Other topics include the impact of America’s diminishing dominance of the worldwide movie market and the decline in foreign correspondents.