Attention is given to the construction of mass media messages intended to inform, to entertain, and to persuade. Students examine the techniques used to write news and documentaries, broadcast drama and comedy, advertising copy, press releases and public relations. The techniques are applied to supervised individual or group projects. This course introduces the fundamental techniques involved in radio and television broadcasting. Taking an audience-centred perspective, students learn how to research, structure, and deliver messages which are relevant to particular audiences and aim for specific responses from them.
Attention is given to the way communication processes are shaped by the media.
The course investigates the relationship between communication and the exercise of power by societies, institutions, groups or individuals over any other social category. Authority, bureaucracy, subordination, solidarity, categorization, stereotyping, identification and group communication are considered. Formal organizations and communication in hierarchical structures are also studied. COM 404 Senior Seminar 3 Semester Hours Provides an opportunity to make a supervised personal investigation into a topic of interest. In this course students learn to research media audiences, to analyse programme content, and to plan strategies that deliver appropriate messages to target audiences.