BHUM 17A42 - History of the Media in the US

This course is designed as an introduction to various Medias in the United States in terms of

the evolution of the general communicational situation over time (from broadsides,

newspapers, the radio, and tv, to internet, and social medias). We use “media” as the

globalizing term, and “medias” to speak of the plurality of aspects. The course presents and

analyses key moments, landmark events and achievements in the history of the American

media from the beginnings (which we define as the Enlightenment period), with emphasis on

the twentieth century and the last few decades. At stake is an understanding of how the

major political, social, and technological evolutions have played out in the media.

The course is structured both on a chronological principle and featuring sessions on the

following questions: the particularisms of American medias; an introduction to the theory of

the medias; medias and genre; medias and politics; medias and representation; medias and

ecology; medias and control; social networks; and economic approaches to the medias.

Fashions, fads, outdoor media, and the evolution of entertainments are considered as full-

fledged features and signs of the evolution of the medias landscape.

30% formal oral presentation on a topic of the course

10% short presentation of idea for end-of semester essay

30% end-of-semester essay

20% In-class test (taking half of the last session)

10% active class participation