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TC 456. MULTICHANNEL TV. F99 .
Instructors: Tom Baldwin, MSU ( tbaldwin@msu.edu, phone 517-353-6336, fax
517-355-1292, office 413 CAS, office hours W 3-5 p.m.)
Anne Hoag, PSU ( amh13@psu.edu, phone 814-863-5678, fax 814-863-8161)
Assistants: Delphine Pouget, MSU ( pougetde@msu.edu, phone 517-355-4451,
fax 517 355 1292, office: 436 CAS, office hours: Thurdays, from 2pm to 4pm)
Technical Coordinator for E-classroom: Erik Wenzel ( exw147@psu.edu)
Course website: http://www.courses.psu.edu/comm/comm488_amh13/
This course is about the technology, economics, services, public policy and social impacts of the multichannel television industry. This means the cable business, and to a lesser degree, the DBS (or DTH), MMDS and SMATV businesses. The multichannel industry also includes television, movie and other types of producers of television programming; program distributors (programmers); equipment manufacturers; the computer software industry; and television broadcasters, telephone services and internet access providers; and of course, multichannel delivery systems and satellite companies.
It is an interesting time for the study of this area because the multichannel television industry is now making a transition from simple one-way transmission of video signals to an integrated telecommunication service with digital signals and high-speed data. In the last few months the value of cable systems has gone from about $2,000 per subscriber to about $5,000 per subscriber, reflecting market assessment of the prospects for the expanding industry. Consumers are using multichannel provider services more and paying more. International conglomerates are coming to dominate the industry.
We will be doing a major project on the introduction of digital television within a cable system in the fictional town of Greenville. You will work on this multistage assignment with students from Penn State University, online. In this work you will have e-mail access to several working industry experts and substantial background information. Therefore, you will also be learning to work with others is cyberspace--peers and professionals.
Text: Convergence: Integrating Media, Information and Communication by Baldwin,
McVoy and Steinfield.
Daily schedule
M, Aug 30 -- Introduction, Technology
W, Sept 1 -- Technology, Chs. 2 & 5
W, Sept 8 -- Franchising, pp. 341-349
M, Sept 13 -- Franchising
W, Sept 15 -- Programming, Chs. 4 & 7
M, Sept 20 -- Programming
W, Sept 22 -- Programming
M, Sept 27 -- Programming
W, Sept 29 -- Audiences/subscribers, Ch. 8
M, Oct 4 -- Business operations, Ch. 7
W, Oct 6 -- Marketing
M, Oct 11 -- Marketing
W, Oct 13 -- Marketing
M, Oct 18 -- TEST 1
W, Oct 20 -- Advertising sales, Ch. 9
M, Oct 25 -- Advertising sales
W, Oct 27 -- Advertising sales
M, Nov 1 -- Public policy and economics, Chs. 10 & 11
W, Nov 3 -- Public policy and economics
M, Nov 8 -- Public policy and economic
W, Nov 10 -- Public policy and economics
M, Nov 15 -- Public policy and economics
W, Nov 17 -- High speed data, Ch. 6
M, Nov 22 -- High speed data
W, Nov 24 -- Telephony
M, Nov 29 -- DBS, MMDS, SMATV
W, Dec 1 -- International, Ch. 12
M, Dec 6 -- Impacts, Ch. 13
W, Dec 8 -- Impacts
M, Dec 13 -- 10-12 a.m. FINAL EXAMINATION
PLEASE NOTE: This schedule is only tentative. Dates for topics may vary according with progress. If we get too far off this schedule, a new schedule will be distributed. Deadlines for project submissions will be added later.
Grades
Test 1 -- 20%
Final Exam -- 30%
MSU/PSU project -- 50%
Policies
Attendance is expected. The project grade will be affected by attendance and participation. Missing of project deadlines or examinations must be arranged in advance to avoid penalty, except in the case of documented emergencies.
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