FND114 Media Communications – Weeks 1 – 3

Today, we took a look at quite a few items. fnd114-wks1-3 is the file. I’d like to offer a recap here:

1. We discussed the “Tea Day” tax protests and the implications of cable news media on this event
2. We chatted about Twitter
3. We discussed books and their relevance to media studies
4. We discussed newspapers, their evolution, and the current state of newspapers in light of the growth of the Internet

I’d like to offer an updated description of Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man. The story is about the journey of the narrator as he moves from the South to New York’s Harlem district, and while I mentioned that the story dealt with the narrator’s struggle in being “invisible” to the world, I confused one of the main themes: At one point in the novel, the protagonist impersonates “Rinehart,” a streetwise African-American. He does not impersonate any other character in the novel, but is enabled by his metaphorical “invisibility” to impersonate another man. Read more @ Google Books and pick up a copy for yourself!

The “Must List” for Mass Media History

This is a list of recommended viewing or reading based on conversations from my Fundamentals of Media course at AIP

I’ve been wanting to start this list as the essential reading and viewing list for anyone interested in media studies and I figured a blog post would be the first way to get it started. Eventually, this will make its way into becoming a page and should remain a static reference for those who have any interest in the history of the media. As always, comments and suggestions are welcome.

The List:
• Network [film], the 1976 film featuring the character Howard Beale and the line, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore!”
• Citizen Kane [film], the 1939 film featuring Charles Kane and his quest to dominate the newspaper industry … a thinly-veiled reference to William Randolph Hearst
• The Battle Over Citizen Kane [film], an award-winning directory that chronicles the lives of William Randolph Hearst and Orson Welles, culminating with the fight over whether the film Citizen Kane should be released. It tells the story behind the power that media moguls can wield when confronted.
• 1984 [book], the story of Big Brother.

Post your suggestions in the comments!