University of Northern Iowa

Department of Communication Studies

48E:123g:04 Television Form, Content, Criticism: Music Video               Fall 2003

Instructor: Dr. Joyce Chen                                             Office Hour:  M 1-4 pm

Office: 321 LNG                                                                                  W 1-3 pm

Office Phone: 32574                                                                             or by appointment

Class meeting times:  T 6:00-8: 50 pm 222 LNG

Required Textbook:

            Goodwin, A. (1992). Dancing in the distraction factory: Music television and popular culture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. (GA, available in the bookstore)

            Banks, J. (1996). Monopoly television: MTV’s quest to control the music. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. (BJ, reserved in the library)

Class Objectives

Although its history is only about 25 years, music video has had a huge impact on mass media industry, popular culture, and society. There are a variety of ways to study music video. This course will employ a combination of two approaches: cultural studies of music video, and business tactics of the music video industry. By the end of this semester, you will be familiar with:

-- the historical development of music video industry;

-- the structure of music video industry;

-- the image presentation of music;

-- the structure of music video;

-- the production and promotional techniques of music video;

-- the relationship between MTV, mass media, popular culture, and society.

Class Organization:

In order to achieve the objectives, there will be varies class activities, including class discussion, research project, music star promotion, and music vide production. All these activities are inter-related together and must be conducted in accordance with theories and methods learned from the class. Since this is a class meeting once a week, we must make plans early in the semester. And, it is every student’s responsibility for making the plan work by meeting the deadline of each assignment.

The course will not be difficult but it needs substantial work to achieve the objectives mentioned above. Assigned readings, and individual conferences will be emphasized throughout the semester. Since my teaching philosophy is to promote students' learning processes, I would like to accommodate your learning needs based on your individual background. However, you need to let me know your needs, concerns, special learning styles, and problems as early as possible.

"The University of Northern Iowa is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Institution.  Students with disabilities and other special needs should feel free to contact the professor privately if there are services or adaptations which can be made to accommodate specific needs."

Leading Discussion:

The leading discussion is related to the textbooks. Each group will be responsible for presenting the content in one of the chapters in each textbook and leading the class discussion. You are required to read the materials in the chapter as the basic content and to find additional information to demonstrate music video as a cultural forum as well as its business goals and practices. The detail requirement will be described in a handout.

Research Project and Production

Based on the information regarding the structure of the music video business from Banks’ book, the class will conduct a project by playing a role of a record company, including searching artists, managing concert, working on media promotion, and making music video DVDs. We will discuss the details in the class.

In order to ensure the completion of the research project and production, a timeline needs to be determined at the beginning of the semester.

Midterm Exam:

There will be a midterm. The purpose of midterm is to examine your knowledge about music video businesses, and the relationship between music video’s economic function and its impact on culture and society. These are the guidelines that help you learn how to enter the music video industry.

Attendance and Participation:

Because music video business practice is part of important aspect covered by this course, it needs your active participation in class activities. You are expected to attend all the classes. The attendance/participation grade (15%) will be determined according to your attendance rate, active participation in class discussions and activities, respectful listening to other students and the instructor, and creative conduct business practices. Since this is a course meeting once a week and needing team work, you will lose 5% of the final score for missing one class with no legitimate reason. to be determined at the beginning of the semester.

Grading:

All the work turned in to this class should be your original work for this class. According to University policy, plagiarism will result in FAILURE of the course and further DISCIPLINARY ACTION.  Plagiarism includes "borrowing" other student's paper or other writer's work, submitting the papers or projects that you did for other classes.

The grades will be weighed by the percentages shown below and combined to result in your final course grade.  Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date, unless otherwise stated. The penalty for a late assignment is 1 percent deduction for each day late. Any late assignment accepted will be graded based on the reduced percentage. Before giving you the final grade I need to make sure that you achieve the objectives of this course.

The grading composition is shown as follows:

The letter grading scales are shown as follows:

Tentative Schedule:

8/26 Class orientation and discussion:

Syllabus, Project timeline, Facility orientation, Leading discussion assignment

Research project assignment

9/2 (BJ) Ch. 1: Constructing Video Dreams: Music Video in a Commercial Culture

Part I: The historical development of the music video business

Ch. 7: The record companies’ role in video music production and distribution

Discussion: the project

9/9 (BJ) Ch. 8: Video clip producers and directors

            Ch. 9: MTV as gatekeeper and censor

      (GA) Ch. 1: Silence! Academics at work

Discussion: the project

9/16 (BJ) Ch. 10: MTV, music video, and creative expression

        (BJ)  Ch. 2: The early years of music video

                Ch. 3: The growth of other video music program services

                Discussion: the project

9/23  (BJ) Ch. 4: Monopoly TV: A history of MTV’s anticompetitive practices

        (GA)Ch. 2: From Anarchy to Chromakey (Matt, Steve)

                Ch. 3: A musicology of the image (Jon, Jeff)

                Discussion: the project

9/30 (GA) Ch. 4: The structure of music video: Rethinking narrative analysis (Alissa, Jeannette)

        (GA) Ch. 5: Metanarratives of stardom and identity (Ann, Tonya, Leslie)

                Discussion: the project

10/7 (GA) Ch. 6: A televised context: MTV (Mikkel, Cameron)

        (GA) Ch. 7: Aesthetics and politics in music television: Postmodernism reconsidered (Jason, Greg)

                  Review for midterm

10/14 (Midterm Exam)

        (BJ)  Ch. 5: MTV and the globalization of popular culture 

                Ch. 6: MTV’s corporate intrigue and sagging ratings

              Discussion: the project

10/21 Preparation for production

            Research project due

10/28 Production

11/4   Production

11/11 Production

11/18 Production

11/25 (Thanksgiving)

12/2   Production

12/9   Production

12/16 (Finals week)