I've posted a PowerPoint for Chapter 3, Media Economics. We will have a quiz on Friday. It's more about my experiences working for newspapers as it is the content of the textbook. It's my take on some of the things I observed in 15 years in the business.
I hope you find it useful.
P.S. Many of you missed quizzes in the last few weeks. Touch base with me so you can make them up.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Olbermann takes on his critics
Keith Olbermann responds to his critics here. The link has both the text of his commentary from last night as well as the video.
Here's a link to the Ted Koppel column Olbermann references in his Special Comment.
Can both Koppel and Olbermann be right?
Here's a link to the Ted Koppel column Olbermann references in his Special Comment.
Can both Koppel and Olbermann be right?
Monday, November 15, 2010
Long post on the state of the class
As some of you have already noted, I've added to your kindle paper feedback a summary of your grade in the class so far.
At this point we have three major elements you will be graded on: quizzes, exams and your Kindle papers. The syllabus also lists blog posts, but after looking the blog I have made an adjustment on how I'm weighting grades. The syllabus states grades will be weighted as follows:
30 percent: Papers
40 percent: Exams
20 percent: Chapter quizzes
10 percent: Blog assignments
I would like to amend it to:
30 percent: Papers
40 percent: Exams
30 percent: Chapter quizzes
I’d like to count blog assignments/posts as extra credit. Basically, if you’ve been a frequent, intelligent participant on the blog that work will move your grade a few percentage points in the right direction. In other words, if you’re looking at 88 percent (B) but you have been on the blog a lot, I’ll consider that 88 a 90 and you will have earned an A instead.
Changing the weighting doesn't make a big difference, but FAVORS everyone in the class. Generally, everyone's quiz scores brought their grade up. If calculating your grade based on the weighting that's stated in the syllabus gives you a better grade, that's how I will calculate it. But right now that's not the case.
What I have learned from this experience is that I need a better way of evaluating blog posts for grades. BTW, if you are looking for extra credit there a few posts below you can comment on for points.
As previously mentioned, I will also offer extra credit for a second writing assignment. The topic will be the Long Tail, focusing on the retailing concept popularized by Wired editor Chris Anderson in his book, “The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More.”
Before signing off, I’d like to offer my sincere apologies for some of the problems we have encountered in the class this semester. I realize it has been frustrating for all of you, and for good reason. It has been frustrating for me as well. As I have been developing elements for the class I’ve run into some technical issues, and it has been difficult to find the help needed to correct them. The good news is that just this morning I was provided a copy of a user’s manual for D2L, the system FVCC uses for providing online instruction. I should be able to troubleshoot problems on my own in the future instead of having to track down support.
I don’t mean to whine (but I will whine anyway) but the lack of technical support really made it difficult for me to teach this semester. I have two other jobs and for about three or four weeks most of my efforts in this class were directed at trying to sort out technical problems rather than focusing on instruction.
We will keep things simple the rest of the semester. We have three more chapter quizzes to go: Media Economics, Public Relations/Advertising and Ethics and Media Law. We also have a final exam. And you will have the opportunity to earn extra credit either on the blog or with the Long Tail writing assignment. Give me a couple days and I’ll get that assignment to you. In the meantime, get some background on the Long Tail here.
Good luck with the rest of the semester,
Rob
At this point we have three major elements you will be graded on: quizzes, exams and your Kindle papers. The syllabus also lists blog posts, but after looking the blog I have made an adjustment on how I'm weighting grades. The syllabus states grades will be weighted as follows:
30 percent: Papers
40 percent: Exams
20 percent: Chapter quizzes
10 percent: Blog assignments
I would like to amend it to:
30 percent: Papers
40 percent: Exams
30 percent: Chapter quizzes
I’d like to count blog assignments/posts as extra credit. Basically, if you’ve been a frequent, intelligent participant on the blog that work will move your grade a few percentage points in the right direction. In other words, if you’re looking at 88 percent (B) but you have been on the blog a lot, I’ll consider that 88 a 90 and you will have earned an A instead.
Changing the weighting doesn't make a big difference, but FAVORS everyone in the class. Generally, everyone's quiz scores brought their grade up. If calculating your grade based on the weighting that's stated in the syllabus gives you a better grade, that's how I will calculate it. But right now that's not the case.
What I have learned from this experience is that I need a better way of evaluating blog posts for grades. BTW, if you are looking for extra credit there a few posts below you can comment on for points.
As previously mentioned, I will also offer extra credit for a second writing assignment. The topic will be the Long Tail, focusing on the retailing concept popularized by Wired editor Chris Anderson in his book, “The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More.”
Before signing off, I’d like to offer my sincere apologies for some of the problems we have encountered in the class this semester. I realize it has been frustrating for all of you, and for good reason. It has been frustrating for me as well. As I have been developing elements for the class I’ve run into some technical issues, and it has been difficult to find the help needed to correct them. The good news is that just this morning I was provided a copy of a user’s manual for D2L, the system FVCC uses for providing online instruction. I should be able to troubleshoot problems on my own in the future instead of having to track down support.
I don’t mean to whine (but I will whine anyway) but the lack of technical support really made it difficult for me to teach this semester. I have two other jobs and for about three or four weeks most of my efforts in this class were directed at trying to sort out technical problems rather than focusing on instruction.
We will keep things simple the rest of the semester. We have three more chapter quizzes to go: Media Economics, Public Relations/Advertising and Ethics and Media Law. We also have a final exam. And you will have the opportunity to earn extra credit either on the blog or with the Long Tail writing assignment. Give me a couple days and I’ll get that assignment to you. In the meantime, get some background on the Long Tail here.
Good luck with the rest of the semester,
Rob
Olbermann saga rages behind the scenes
Speaking of The Daily Beast and its growing stable of highly regarded writers, Howard Kurtz has a follow up to the controversy surrounding Keith Olbermann's suspension and reinstatement at MSNBC.
Kurtz is well known in journalism circles as he was formerly the media critic at the Washington Post.
Kurtz is well known in journalism circles as he was formerly the media critic at the Washington Post.
Match made in heaven?
Last week it was announced the Newsweek, the venerable ink-on-paper news magazine, was merging with The Daily Beast, an upstart news Web site that has been attracting attention and a number of big-name journalists (including editor Tina Brown). But this writer argues it's a match made for disaster.
I tend to agree.
I tend to agree.
Ebooks could be big for Christmas
It looks as though retailers are expecting big sales for ebooks this holiday season.
Also, some signs of life in the retail world that the economy is slowly turning around.
Also, some signs of life in the retail world that the economy is slowly turning around.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Grades so far
I have added information regarding your overall grade so far to the feedback I left for you Kindle paper. The info includes your overall average, as well as your quiz score averages (minus your lowest score) your exam grade and your paper grade.
I will post some more information about the remaining material to cover and extra credit hopefully by tonight.
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