COMMUNICATIONS 483

TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATION

Section 201 Summer 2000 (6/26-8/4)

MTWHF, 8:00-9:15 a.m. Willard 151

 

 

 

Instructor: Justin Brown

Office: 302 James Bldg. (above the Collegian & WKPS offices)

Office hours: Tues & Thurs, 9:30-11:00, and by appointment.

Phone (O): 865-2178

Phone (H): 237-3501

E-mail: justinb@psu.edu

Listserv: send postings to l-comm483-201@lists.psu.edu

CourseTalk: http://projects.cac.psu.edu/ct

 

 

Course Objectives:

This course provides an introduction to a wide range of regulatory and policy issues affecting the telecommunications industries. Developments in social and cultural uses of technology, business practices, and regulatory philosophy are leading to dramatic changes in how broadcasting, telephony, cable television, wireless services and new technologies are regulated. Some of the questions we will focus on include:

 

• Why do we regulate telecommunications? Is there something unique to the nature of telecommunications as compared to other industries that warrants greater government involvement?
• What are some of the broader values and implications that are being promoted vis-à-vis government and the marketplace in a converging, new media environment?
• How does the regulatory process work? What role do regulatory, legislative and judicial bodies play in such a process?
• Who are the types of policy players and how do they as stakeholders attempt to create and implement change to their advantage?
• How do regulations affect freedom of speech, the public interest, and telecomm industries?
• How does the 1996 Telecommunications Act, as well as the Internet change the regulatory landscape and process?
• How may we choose the best policies for the future?
• The goal of this course is to help you understand the implications of telecommunications regulation, both in terms of business strategy and for society as a whole.

While this course will touch on other topics such as First Amendment law and the regulation of advertising, students interested in these topics are encouraged to take Comm 403 (Law of Mass Communication) and Comm 417 (Advertising Regulation and Ethics).

 

Prerequisite:

Comm 180. If you have not successfully passed Comm 180, you will be dropped from this course.

 

 

Course materials:

There is no textbook for this course. Instead, we will be using a reading packet, electronic reserve, the Internet and several handouts. The reading packet costs around $20 and must be purchased at the Student Book Store, 330 E. College Ave. The electronic reserve material is available via links on the class Web site or may be accessed directly online at: http://reserve.libraries.psu.edu/comm/483b/syllabus.htm. To take advantage of the cost savings associated with double-sided printing, it is highly advised that you print electronic reserve and Internet materials in the computer labs on campus. I also encourage you to keep a large binder to organize course readings and assignments.

 

The readings may be complex and difficult at times. There are study questions linked to the online class schedule to help you get the most out of each reading assignment. Answering these study questions before class will significantly enhance your learning.

 

 

Supplemental readings:

I strongly encourage you to read a major newspaper (New York Times, Wall St. Journal, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, etc.) every day. The telecommunications field changes rapidly and reading a daily paper is the only way to keep up. The residence halls offer free subscriptions. If you live off campus, see me for a discount subscription to the New York Times. You may also wish to periodically review and or subscribe to Communications-Related Headlines, a service provided by the Benton Foundation. You may learn more about this free service at: http://www.benton.org/News/ .

 

 

Attendance & Participation:

This course is discussion-based. We will be exploring very complex issues together as a community. Your input and active participation are required to ensure the success of the course and to help yourself and others learn more effectively. Therefore, attendance is required. You are allowed three absences ­ no excuse needed. The fourth absence will result in a 25 point deduction from your final grade. Every additional absence thereafter will result in an additional 50 point deduction. There will be NO exceptions for ANY reason. Remember, this course covers a large amount of very complex material in a relatively short, six-week time span. If you miss class, you will find it difficult to keep up and do well in the course. Note: because Independence Day falls on a Tuesday, July 3 & 5 attendance will only be recorded in a positive manner.

 

In addition to your attendance and contributions to in-class discussion, you will be expected to complete several short assignments. Some of these will consist of minute feedback papers at the end of class, while others may involve using the Internet to find specific data or contribute to an on-going, threaded discussion (e.g. CourseTalk). These short assignments are designed to encourage participation and will be included in the attendance & participation portion of your grade.

 

 

Quizzes:

There will be four in-class quizzes consisting of multiple choice, fill-in-the blank and short answer questions. The best three quizzes will be recorded for a possible total of 300 points. Quizzes will include material from lectures, discussions, and reading assignments, including team position papers.

Quiz One: June 30

Quiz Two: July 12

Quiz Three: July 19

Quiz Four: Aug 2

 

 

Absolutely NO make-up quizzes will be given without prior approval AND documentation of a medical excuse or other personal emergency. Make-up quizzes must be taken within 72 hours.

 

 

Internet Assignments:

You will be expected to use the Internet to complete two assignments aimed at enhancing your own understanding of the policy process and issues involving telecommunications. These assignments must by typed and meet guidelines as specified. Full descriptions are available from links below as well as the calendar portion of the course Web site.

Policy player assignment - Due July 7

Selecting a government site, industry site and consumer site, and answering questions about all three web sites.

 

Issue assignment - Due July 21  

Conducting research on the Internet to provide a summary of various stakeholders' positions regarding your own chosen telecomm law and policy issue.

 

Team project (click here for more info)

During the semester, students will be placed into small teams to research and present a particular stakeholder's view on a given issue. These "debates" between stakeholders will be presented to the class, which will act as the FCC, discussing the issue and then voting on a particular solution. Each team will turn in a position paper outlining its position, which will be made available to the rest of the class via CourseTalk. The team will be graded on both the paper and the presentation. Details of the team project will be reviewed in-class and made available on the course Web site.

 

Position paper: Due July 31 (all teams)

Team presentation: Aug. 3 (low-power FM teams), Aug. 4 (broadband open access teams)

 

 

Grading:

Assessment  Item Points     Attendance & Participation 150 Team Project 300 Policy player assignment 100 Issue assignment 150 Quizzes (best 3 of 4) 300 Total 1000

Overall Grade Scale  Points Earned  Grade 930-1000 A 900-929 A- 875-899 B+ 830-874 B 800-829 B- 775-799 C+ 700-774 C 600-699 D

 

 

Academic integrity:

Cheating, including plagiarism or turning in someone else's work, will result in an automatic zero for the assignment or quiz and possibly an F in the class and suspension from the university. You must abide by rules established in the Student Guide to University Policies and Rules, 1999-2000. These rules include but are not limited to 49-20, "Academic Integrity," available at: http://www.psu.edu/dept/ufs/policies/47-00.html#49-20. Please make sure you review the plagiarism guidelines at: http://www.psu.edu/dept/english/comp/plagiarism.html/ .

 

 

Addendums & Changes:

Through evaluating your input and our progress, I reserve the right to amend and change the syllabus, reading schedules, assignments and quizzes in this course.

 

 

Guidelines for written assignments:

All written work must be STAPLED, with one-inch margins and typed in a 10 or 12-point font. I encourage you to print on both sides of the page to conserve paper (but this is not required). All written assignments are due in class. Late assignments will lose TWENTY percent per day, even if you turn it in later the same day. There will be NO exceptions, so plan ahead and finish early. Printers run out of ink, computers crash, and computer labs fill up. It is your responsibility to make sure you finish the assignment early, so that if you run into problems, get sick, or break your leg, you can still turn in the paper on time.

 

Your written work will be graded primarily on content (relevance, understanding, insight, originality, and adhering to the requirements of the assignment) as well as form (grammar, spelling, punctuation, organization, and clarity of expression). You should strive for brevity and clarity in all your written work. Content and form typically are related. Vague and muddled writing is usually the result of a lack of effort in thinking through your ideas carefully. Remember: think before you write.

 

Spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors will significantly reduce your grade. What makes this more frustrating (for you) is that almost all of these errors could be avoided with a little bit of effort. Please proofread your paper and get a friend to proofread it. Getting someone else to look at your paper can help you spot problems with content and organization as well.

 

Grading standards for written work (Internet assignments & team position paper):

 

F paper: Shows no thought or effort. It is difficult to follow the ideas and has many mechanical errors. A plagiarized paper fits into this category because it demonstrates no thought and little effort. The same is true for an outstanding paper that does not address the assigned topic or adhere to the requirements.

 

D paper: A weak paper that vaguely relates to the assignment but doesn't demonstrate any real comprehension of the relevant issues. Typically has many mechanical errors or fact errors related to the content. Often contains much material not relevant to the assignment.

 

C paper: Completes the assignment in a routine way. This paper has few mechanical or fact errors and demonstrates a basic understanding of the topic. There is little evidence of original thinking but the paper adheres to the assignment well.

 

B paper: Addresses the assignment very well and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the topic. The writing is clear and concise with few errors. The paper shows that the author took the time to research and think about the relevant issues. This paper shows insight into the topic.

 

A paper: An outstanding paper that makes a perceptive and thoughtful response to the assignment. The paper is well organized and contains very few mechanical errors. The response to the assignment is a true synthesis of the material.

schedule/calendar

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