SCommunication Media TheorySample Presentations

David FengCommunication University of China, BeijingAcademic years 2012/13 and 2013/14

These are a small selection of all presentations given to students at the Communication University of China. They were either enrolled in the Mass Communication or Media Theory courses, or both.

This sample not necessarily for use in educational and research institutions.

Discussion:“Will the Weibo kill the

newspaper?”

The Internet can roughly be summed up in two different "eras", according to more modern summaries:—

the "Web 1.0" era, the name of which debuted after the social media-dominated Internet of the present day, was named "Web 2.0". In the Web 1.0 era, which was mainly around the 1990s, interaction was somewhat limited, in particular to comparisons to the present day. Communications was much more a case of "one to masses", which would be notably different to the flow of communications in the Web 2.0 era;

Exercise C.1 | eBooks

Should our university introduce eBooks in regular classes?

Get together in three groups.•One prefers the introduction of the eBook.•The other group is strongly against such an introduction.•To a third group, this doesn’t matter much.

Timing (30 minutes allotted):—• 15 minutes preparation• 10-15 minutes debate

Social media has four special characteristics which are of importance in this day and age. These characteristics are neither present nor comparable to that of traditional media.

The four special characteristics that solely social media has are:—

• Timeliness• Interaction

• Scope• Topic derivation & development

Social media creates a two-way or a more complex (multiple-way) dialogue. In any case, interaction occurs both or in many ways. Everyone taking part in social media can add their thoughts on such a platform. If debate continues, the so-called “butterfly effect” might happen. (If you know the phrase, Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?, then you must be quite familiar with the butterfly effect).

Public broadcasters are funded through several ways:—

• In some countries, a TV licence fee applies — this is most often seen in Europe, the UK and Switzerland being clear and current examples.• Government funding may apply for other countries — for example, in China, although CCTV is not a “full” public broadcasters (public broadcasting being just one of its missions), the central government channels a significant amount of financial resources — funding included — to enable CCTV to go on air, and to remain on air.• In other situations, public broadcasters may be (controversially, at times) funded by commercial organisations.

Economics8.1.1

Habermas & Public Sphere

In a contemporary context, to sum up Habermas:—

• Habermas’s public sphere does not allow anyone to be excluded;• Everyone is allowed to take part, at least in theory, even the poor or otherwise disadvantaged;• Politics is not allowed to interfere (otherwise the public sphere would not exist);• Big business (capitalism) is also not allowed to meddle in the public sphere (otherwise it would also not exist).

Exercise 1Create and complete a word list on the following topics (one per group) — you might also want to define terms:

LIBEL SCANDAL RUMOURS

(诽谤) (绯闻) (谣⾔言)

Exercise 2Think of the negative consequences that rumours propagated by people such as “Qin Huo Huo” might cause upon society at large. Write a list / hypothesise.

(Reference: 《⺴⽹网络红⼈人“秦⽕火⽕火”案开审》, news today)Rolling evaluation20 minutes thinking time per question

Content Not Permitted Under PRC Laws

‣含有法律、⾏行政法规禁⽌止的其他内容的‣ other content in violation of laws or

administrative regulations

Media Regulation - UK

• Laws in regard to libel and defamation (as an example here: The Defamation Act 1996) dealt with rumours, libel and defamation. Such laws were enacted to protect the public reputations of individuals. This law is binding on the media as well.

Exercise 7.1 | Ya’an Earthquake

The class presents on the Ya’an earthquake based on the following topics:—

A The reaction via WeiboB The “discrediting” of the Chinese Red CrossC Dealing with rumours and factual inaccuraciesD The active role authenticated media and government organisations had in the wake of the earthquake, and their efforts via social media

Time:—• 40 minutes preparation• 10 minutes presentation / group

Use Worksheet W7 as your notes page.