Course 2021-2022 a.y.

The course main subject is essentially the relation of reciprocal influence between television and society. Built on a solid critical basis, mostly linked to cultural studies, sociology and journalism theories, the programme is designed under the theoretical umbrella of the most important medium scholars, from McLuhan to Beaudrillard, from Kellner to Dayan and Katz.

More specifically, the course texture is made by three conceptual layers:

1) The television communication in general, its main theories, its complex spectrum of meanings, its storytelling processes, its numerous social implications

2) The media events field, with ritual planned events (typically contests, conquests, coronations) and disruptive unplanned ones (disaster, terror, and war) – several examples will be shown, analysed and explained in class

3) The ‘trauma television’ of the last two years that is putting unexpected events in the television central stage as never before, even in some cases questioning their very notion – specifically the pandemic, the Capitol Hill riots, the various natural disasters caused by the climate change and the Taliban takeover of Aghanistan – ground-breaking examples of the link between medium, contemporary history and our everyday life

• Identify and illustrate the complexity of television communication spectrum
• Define and summarize the historical and actual role of television in societies
• Explore and explain the relation between television and audiences, politics, cultures

• Analyze, understand and possibly govern the ideological and symbolic architecture of television
• Evaluate and interpret opportunities, challenges and implications given by the social dimension of the medium
• Develop a full awarness of the potentialities of the medium and a full consciousness of the social and civil responsabilities involved in media production

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Individual assignments
• Interactive class activities (role playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)

The teaching style is characterized by the regular screening of audiovisual materials and a strong, continuous, meaning-creation oriented interaction between teacher-students. In addition to this:

• Guest speakers will provide a different (broader, narrower or lateral) perspectives on the course topics
• Case studies will be analysed and discussed through interactive orgnized class activities (e.g. workshop)
• Individual assignments will provide students the possibility to develop and express their own critical skills (for attending students)

Generally speaking, students’ contributes are important for the success of the course, and they could guide it to new, unexpected, welcomed didactical path.

• Individual assignment: a 2-pages critical essay - delivered some weeks before the exam - about one of the topics discussed in class choosen by the student, in order to evaluate her/his capabilities in: 
  • Evaluate and interpret opportunities, challenges and implications given by the social dimension of the medium
  • Analyze and understand the ideological and symbolic architecture of television.
• Oral individual exam about the course topics. The exam is designed to evaluate student capabilities in:
  • Identify and illustrate the complexity of television communication spectrum
  • Define and summarize the historical and actual role of television in societies
  • Explore and explain the relation between television and audiences, politics, cultures

• A final, oral exam about two books (more detailed aspects are included in the syllabus). It's designed to evaluate candidate capabilities in:
  • Identify and illustrate the complexity of television communication spectrum
  • Define and summarize the historical and actual role of television in societies
  • Explore and explain the relation between television and audiences, politics, cultures

Slides, personal notes and a bibliography as indicated in the syllabus at the beginning of the course.

Bibliography is indicated in the syllabus at the beginning of the course.