Mass Communication Theories

Study Course Description

Course Description Statuss:Approved

Course Description Version:4.00

Study Course Accepted:26.10.2020

Study Course Information
Course Code:		KSK_259		LQF level:		Level 6
Credit Points:		2.00		ECTS:		3.00
Branch of Science:		Communication Sciences		Target Audience:		Communication Science
Study Course Supervisor
Course Supervisor:		Ilva Skulte
Study Course Implementer
Structural Unit:		Faculty of Communication
The Head of Structural Unit:		Anda Rožukalne
Contacts:		Riga, 16 Dzirciema Street, kfkorsu[pnkts]lv, +371 67409183
Study Course Planning
Full-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		8	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		16
Classes (count)		4	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		8
Total Contact Hours								24
Part-Time - Semester No.1
Lectures (count)		5	Lecture Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Lectures		10
Classes (count)		3	Class Length (academic hours)		2	Total Contact Hours of Classes		6
Total Contact Hours								16
Study course description
Preliminary Knowledge:
Introduction to communication theories.
Objective:
To provide a summary overview of the most important mass communication problems and theoretical approaches to their explanation, as well as possibilities offered by them in interpretation of the most important matters of journalism and multimedia communication and in the analysis of public relations.
Topic Layout (Full-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Introduction to mass communication theory. What is mass? Historical origins of mass communication theories.			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
2	Media and society. Policy.			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
3	Media and society. Diversity and media.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
4	Organisation of media work. Formats, genres. Elements of the media system.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
5	Regulatory theories.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
6	Media and culture.			Lectures		3.00	auditorium
7	Mass communication: prospects of new media and networks.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
8	Modern problems of mass communication. Presentation of final papers.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
Topic Layout (Part-Time)
No.	Topic			Type of Implementation		Number	Venue
1	Introduction to mass communication theory. What is mass? Historical origins of mass communication theories.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
2	Media and society. Policy.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
3	Media and society. Diversity and media.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
4	Organisation of media work. Formats, genres. Elements of the media system.			Lectures		1.00	auditorium
5	Regulatory theories.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
6	Media and culture.			Lectures		2.00	auditorium
8	Modern problems of mass communication. Presentation of final papers.			Classes		1.00	auditorium
Assessment
Unaided Work:
To read scientific articles on mass communication, society, culture from the point of view of different theories. To understand the specifics of each approach. To prepare the following questions: • What topics are discussed in the article? • What area of mass communication do the authors explain? • What can you learn from it? • How do theoretical considerations of the article fit into the context of mass communication theories? • What methods are used for data acquisition to justify theoretical considerations? To create an analysis on any of topical matters of mass communication. To write an essay and to present it to study peers.
Assessment Criteria:
Participation in lectures and discussions, analysis of theoretical texts, tests, essay and presentation.
Final Examination (Full-Time):		Exam
Final Examination (Part-Time):		Exam
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge:		Students can name and explain main theoretical approaches and topical matters in the field of mass communication, society and culture, and to build a foundation for the analysis within an independent research in the area of journalism, public relations or multimedia communication.
Skills:		Students are ready: • to identify and analyse processes and problems in different fields of mass communication and in different aspects – use, content of media organisations and systems, audiences and media, impact of media on society and culture; • to create messages and analytical works for public communication, taking into account the specifics of mass audience and mass communication; • to create a conceptual theoretical design for the Bachelor’s thesis.
Competencies:		Students are able to use their knowledge in the field of mass communication to develop independent research in journalism, public relations and multimedia communication in practice based on an accurately selected theoretical perspective with its conceptual and methodological apparatus.
Bibliography
No.	Reference
Required Reading
1	Curran, J., Gurevitch M (ed.). Mass Media and Society. – London: Arnold – Hodder Headlines Group, 2.ed., 1997
2	Hall, S. Encoding/Decoding.//Culture, Media, Language. (ed.by Hall, S.Hobson, D., Lowe, A., Willis, P.) 2nd.ed. – London: Routledge, 1992.
3	McQuail, D. McQuail's mass communication theory. – London:SAGE Publications, 2010.
4	McQuail, D., & Windahl, S. Communication models for the study of mass communications. Routledge. 2015
5	Jensen, K.B. Rosengren K.E. Five Traditions in Search of the Audience. Mass Communication. Ed.by McQuail, D. – London, Sage, 2006., IV., pp. 171 – 190
6	McCombs. M., Shaw, D. The Agenda- Setting Function of Mass Media. //Mass Communication. Ed.by McQuail, D. – London: Sage, 2006., IV., PP. 248 – 258
7	Noelle – Neuman, e. The Theory OF Public Opinion: The Concept OF Spiral of Silence. //Mass Communication. Ed.by McQuail, D. – London, Sage, 2006., IV., pp. 271 – 302.
8	Street J. Mass Media, Politics and Democracy. – Basingstone, New York: Palgrave, 2001.
9	Banks, J., Humphreys, S. The Labour of User Co-Creators : Emergent Social Network Markets?// Convergence, 2008, nr. 14: pp.401-418.
10	Rožukalne, A. Kam pieder Latvijas mediji?: Monogrāfija par Latvijas mediju sistēmu un ietekmīgākajiem mediju īpašniekiem. Rīga: Zinātne. 2013
11	DeFleur, M. L., & DeFleur, M. H. Mass communication theories: Explaining origins, processes, and effects. Routledge. 2016
12	Wei, R. (Ed.). Advances in Foundational Mass Communication Theories. Routledge, 2018.
13	Hanson, R. E. Mass communication: Living in a media world. Sage Publications. 2016
14	Curran, J., & Hesmondhalgh, D. Media and Society. Bloomsbury Academic, 2019
Additional Reading
1	O’Sullivan, P. B., & Carr, C. T. Masspersonal communication: A model bridging the mass-interpersonal divide. New Media & Society, (2018). 20(3), 1161-1180.
2	Hoffner, C., Plotkin R.S., Buchanan, M., Anderson J.D., Kamigaki S.K., Hubbs, L.A., Kowalczyk, Z., Silberg, K., Pastorek. A. The Third-Person Effect in Perception of the Influence of Television Violence.//Journal of Communication, Vol.51, No2, June 2001 pp. 283-296
3	McOmber, J. Technological Autonomy and Three Definitions of Technology. //Journal of Communication, Vol.49, No 3, Summer, 1999
4	Castells, M. A Network Theory of Power. - International Journal of Communication, Nr. 5 (2011), pp. 773–787
5	Ross. P. Is there an expertise of production? The case of new media producers.// New Media & Society. - September, 2011, no 13, pp. 912-928
6	Dahlberg, L. Re-constructing digital democracy: An outline of four ‘positions’. //New Media & Society. September, 2011, no 13, pp. 855-872
7	Liu, W., Sidhu, A., Beacom, A. M., & Valente, T. W. Social network theory. The international encyclopedia of media effects, 2017,1-12.
8	Couldry, N., & Yu, J. Deconstructing datafication’s brave new world. New Media & Society, 2018, 20(12), 4473-4491.
9	Chandler, D. Marxist Media Theory.
10	Couldry, N. Media, society, world: Social theory and digital media practice. Polity. 2012
11	Chandler, D. An Introduction to Genre Theory.
12	Couldry, N., Livingstone, S., & Markham, T. (2016). Media consumption and public engagement: Beyond the presumption of attention. Springer.
13	Castells, M. Networks of outrage and hope: Social movements in the Internet age. John Wiley & Sons. 2015
14	Andrews, Jim. McLuhan Reconsidered. URL: http://vispo.com/writings/essays/mcluhana.htm
15	Kerckhove, D.de. McLuhan and the Toronto School of Communication. -
16	Livingstone, S., Mascheroni, G., & Staksrud, E. European research on children’s internet use: Assessing the past and anticipating the future. New Media & Society, 2018, 20(3), 1103-1122.
17	Federman M. The Cultural Paradox of the Global Village
18	Ījābs, I. Argumentācija un manipulācija politiskajā komunikācijā: diskursa teorijas perspektīva. // Politiskā komunikācija ētika un kultūra Latvijas Republikas 9.Saeimas vēlēšanās. – Rīga, LU 2007., 164. – 186.lpp.
19	Juzefovičs, J. Sociālo priekšstatu veidošanās: politisko ziņojumu lietojums un interpretācija pirms 9. Saeimas vēlēšanām. // Politiskā komunikācija ētika un kultūra Latvijas Republikas 9.Saeimas vēlēšanās. – Rīga, LU 2007. 267 – 279.lpp.
20	Šulmane, I. Kurš uzraudzīs sargsuni: nacionālo dienas laikrakstu žurnālistu attieksme pret profesionālo ētiku Saeimas vēlēšanu kontekstā. //// Politiskā komunikācija ētika un kultūra Latvijas Republikas 9.Saeimas vēlēšanās. – Rīga, LU 2007., 207 .– 224.lpp.
21	Tunne, I. Zelče, V. Simboli un rituāli 9.Saeimas priekšvēlēšanu kampaņā. // Politiskā komunikācija ētika un kultūra Latvijas Republikas 9.Saeimas vēlēšanās. – Rīga, LU 2007., 113. – 131.lpp.
22	Storey, J. Cultural Studies and the Studies of Popular Culture. - Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1996.
23	Rožukalne, A. Kas? Kur? Kāda? Mūsdienu mediju auditorija. Rīga: Biznesa augstskola TURĪBA, 2011.