Global Media: September 2009

What is media?

Media are simply tools of communication from a printed word to a music note. When thinking globally, media is also meta-language, meaning it is not language specific but can operate across cultures through signs and symbols hat are relevant to many languages. An important part of this course is gaining global media fluency to better understand communication in France and Europe specifically.

How can our personal thinking both inform and limit our approach to media?

As educated adults, we receive most messages with a pre-existing degree of familiarity. We recognize the label on a Coca-Cola and already know what the contents are like. We are informed receivers. The same informed perspective can also overdetermine a message, meaning that what we expect can determine how we receive a message and possibly cause us to limit or ignore certain messages. Part of living and learning in Europe is exposure to new media in different languages, preventing the normal practice of overdetermination.

What are some common American perceptions of European media?

Many Americans immediately think of European media as more restrained, serious and intellectual. Europeans are also seen as more liberal with nudity and the arts. While there is evidence for these perceptions, the EU actually has nation specific regulations that means the media vary from country to country.

Globsl viewers and readers

The European Media Landscape, Southern & Northern Europe

For the first section of the class we will simply get a lay of the land and look at regional differences and similarities across Europe. While there are many language specific news sources, Euronews leads the pan-European market reaching 250 million homes in 8 languages.

Media Research

You will choose a research topic related to French and European media. You may consider a historic topic, for which you can use your birth year as a starting place for checking events. There are many other options.

Sarkozy, or any previous French leader, and the media

Any major French or European news network or web news resource

Any major French or European entertainment network or news resource

Al Jazeera in France

Advertising regulations in France and Europe

Paparazzi in France, or Europe

Formula One Media

The World Cup Media

The Cannes Film Festival

New trends in Reality TV in France or Europe

The Old Guard / European Royalty and the Media

The Swedish Royal Family bestow the Nobel Prize in a ceremony covered by countless global media

Political Uses

We will look at how media can be used to promote political groups and the privacy regulations in France.

Scandal & Misinformation

These are examples of campaigns to stop scandal and misinformation.

Economics

Whoever pays for media supports its agenda.

The American film Network responds to privately funded media but many European networks are funded at least in part by the state.

Economics of Advertising

We will look specifically at European advertising in print, television and the internet, some from international companies such as Nike, Lego and others.

Social & Cultural Dynamics

Because the EU includes different nationalities, languages and faiths, conflict is ever present.

Parisian riots in 2005

The Culture Industry

We will look at the importation of American media to Europe, the dubbing business and re-creation of foreign films.

"I think we were directly or indirectly responsible for the fall of the Soviet empire," Larry Hagman on the television show Dallas coming to Eastern Europe.

European Entertainment Media