MDIA 1004 - Exploring TV & Radio

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2018

This course explores the history of television and radio, and develops an understanding of the impact of digitization on these traditional broadcast media. It compares public, commercial, and community models of broadcast media with newer multiplatform modes of distribution by examining ownership and the range of audiences, formats and content typical of each institution. National broadcast regulation and policy-making is considered in relation to the forming or sustaining of communities. The course also considers the production, reception and distribution of broadcast content, nationally, and globally. Celebrity-based programming and genre traditions, such as reality television, live radio talkback, news, sitcoms, drama and gameshows are studied as ways of understanding the mobilisation of audience share, content flows, and revenue. Students may take a practical option of writing for a television or radio genre as part of their assessment.

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Course Details

Course Code	MDIA 1004
Course	Exploring TV & Radio
Coordinating Unit	Media
Term	Semester 2
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Assessment	Participation & Attendance 10%, Weekly online quiz (weeks 3-7) 15%,Review essay 25%, Script or Essay 50%

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Peter Pugsley

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course students will have:

1. Been introduced to academic approaches to broadcast television and radio.

2. Gained familiarity with traditions of broadcast studies including the key literature and language used.

3. Developed a historical and critical orientation to studies of contemporary television and radio institutions – providing understandings of the origins and legacies of antecedents like the telegraph, film and photography.

4. Been prepared for upper level studies through the development of core study skills (critical reading and research) and knowledge of key concepts such as mass media technologies, sound and vision, national regulation, policy, mediation, genres and global format trade.

5. Developed scholarly research and writing skills (including essay and script writing), policy and analysis techniques.

6. Demonstrate competence in reading relevant academic literature and in reflecting critically on that body of literature.

7. Demonstrate conformity to appropriate forms of written presentation in academic work.

8. Demonstrate a general awareness of the role of broadcast television and radio in understanding social life.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	4,5,6,7,8
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	7,8,3,4,5,6

Learning Resources

Required Resources

The required readings for each week are all included in the Course Reader available from the ICC. Any additional readings will be available electronically via the MyUni course site. You need to read the relevant sections each week before the lectures and tutorials. You must always bring your Course Reader to tutorials.

Recommended Resources

Any additional materials will be posted on MyUni.

Online Learning

Students will be expected to utilise facilities in MyUni to keep informed of the course and its activities. Online quizzes and all assignment submissions to be submitted electronically through MyUni.

Learning & Teaching Modes

Lectures supported by problem-solving and analytic tutorials that develop material covered in lectures plus tutorial readings from the Course Reader

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

1 x 2-hour lecture (or equivalent) per week	24 hours per semester
1 x 1-hour tutorial (or equivalent) per week	12 hours per semester
4 hours assignment preparation per week	48 hours per semester
3 hours tutorial preparation per week	36 hours per semester
3 hours reading per week	36 hours per semester
TOTAL WORKLOAD	156 hours per semester

Learning Activities Summary

Schedule
Week 1	Introduction: Exploring TV & Radio
Week 2	Changes in Broadcast Technologies
Week 3	Conceptualising The Broadcast Audience
Week 4	Alternative Broadcasting
Week 5	Global/local Broadcasting
Week 6	Moral Debates and Celebrity Culture
Week 7	Genre Traditions
Week 8	Representation and Identity in Sitcoms
Week 9	Representation and Identity on Reality TV
Week 10	Writing for Broadcast
Week 11	From Drama to Dramedy
Week 12	Conclusions: Overview and Further Reading

Specific Course Requirements

None

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Participation and Attendance (10%)
Continuous formative assessment from Week 1.

First Assignment
Online Media Journal
Formative assessment.

Writing and text-based assignments
Informed Program Critique
Critical Listening & Viewing
Summative assessments (worth up to 45%).

Final Essay or script assignment (up to 45%)
Summative assessment.

Assessment Related Requirements

Students must complete and submit all assignments by the due date and meet the university requirements for attendance to be eligible for assessment.

Assessment Detail

1. Participation and attendance.

A continuous assessment of active participation in lectures and tutorials.

2. Online Media Journal

A critical reflection of your broadcast consumption. (Formative assessment)

3. Informed Program Critique

Written critique to develop skills in reflective listening/viewing and use of course reading, lecture and tutorial materials.

Every student will be provided with a copy of the assessment rubric informing them of how their work was assessed, Students will receive assignment feedback and comments and their grade via a completed Assignment Rubric. The rubric template is available on MyUni and students encouraged to consult this while completing their assignment

4. Critical Listening/Viewing

A series of weekly quizzes (over 3 weeks) based on clips or podcasts.

5. Major Assignment: Script or Essay

Choose to write a TV or radio script in a particular genre as explored in the course, or write a critical academic essay on a topic provided.

Submission

Assignments to be submitted electronically through the Exploring TV & Radio page on MyUni, and Online Media Journal and Weekly Online Quiz completed directly through MyUni.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
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Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator