USC Field Trip, 7/7

The signup list for the USC tour is now closed.

Let Me Be Brief

White House press briefings are a longstanding tradition. Reporters shout out questions to the press secretary. The press secretary answers, always carefully. The administration always complains about the aggressiveness of the news media, and the news media always complain that not enough information has been disclosed.

Is this a tradition that has outlived its usefulness? NPR reports.

Questions...

•What responsibility does the president's administration have to share information with the media and the public?

•What does the news media get out of the press briefings?

•What does the administration get out of the press briefings?

•Why not just Tweet directly to the public what the President or the press secretary want to say?

Is Protesting Free Speech Free Speech?

The following is a MediaNote Classic. It was originally presented to MC101 classes in January 2017.

There is an old joke about book publishers. It goes as follows...

What's the best way to make a small fortune in publishing?

Start with a large fortune.

In other words, publishing is a tough business. Perhaps as a result, some publishers are in it as much for their love of ideas or the printed word as they are in it for money.

Today, publishers are under pressure as never before. One of the problems they must deal with is the ongoing controversy over what the line is between harsh rhetoric and hate speech. NPR reports.

Questions...

•When a publisher rejects your book, is that an example of gatekeeping? Why or why not?

•Is gatekeeping an expression of First Amendment rights? If so, how?

•Are Long Tail publishing options (like Kindle Direct Publishing) good or bad for freedom of speech--or do they make no difference?

•Is it consistent with the First Amendment to criticize a publisher's choice to publish a particular book? How about if the protesters call for a boycott?

•What First Amendment controversies do you see today?

Drop Date

The last day to drop this class is July 7. If you are no longer participating in this or any other class, it is your responsibility to drop because teachers cannot always tell when a student is no longer interested in the class. After July 7, students remaining on the class roster must be given a grade or (under some circumstances) an Incomplete.

Summer Office Hours

Summer 2017 office hours are

MW 1:30-2:30
TTh 9:30-10:30

Office: SG315
Phone: 818.240.1000 x5352
Email: meberts@glendale.edu

Podcasts Vs. Parents

It is a longstanding rule of successful parenting: Parents who read to their small children will result in children who have more vivid imaginations, do better in school and become more successful adults. But now parents may be relieved of at least some of their reading duties because an increasing number of children's tales are now available in podcast form. NPR reports.

Questions...

•Are we witnessing the death of reading? Why or why not?

•Can children--or people in general--learn as much through the spoken word as they do through reading? Is one superior to the other? Why?
•Are books in podcast form as good as books on paper? If half the MC101 class had the textbook on paper and the other half had the text in podcast form, would each half of the class do equally well on tests?

•Would you rather have your textbook in podcast, ebook or paper book form? Why?

Parting Shots for MC101 Survivors

Parting Shot Number 1: So close, and yet so far.

At least 10 students who were admitted to Harvard University (or about as close to a lifetime golden ticket and you will find in the U.S. in 2017) will not be accepted, due to offensive posts they made online. Here's the story.

Parting Shot Number 2: So Close, and Maybe Not So Far.

USC, sometimes thought of as a gated academic community for rich kids, is accepting a sizable number of community college transfer students, and helping them along with financial and academic assistance. The Los Angeles Times reports.

Final Exam Office Hours

During the final exam period, you are to show up at the designated day and time of your final. Follow this link to see when the final exam will be held for your classes.

Your Humble Blogger's office hours during the final exam period is as follows:

Wednesday, June 7 • Noon-1
Thursday, June 8 • 2:15-3:15
Monday, June 12 • Noon-1

Alternate Fact News

The Democratization of Information is a cool concept. It is rooted in the idea that we now have the power of a tiny online publisher in our smartphones or through our social media accounts and blogs (including this one!). But Democratization of Information also has an unfortunate side. It can spread rumors and--to use a current phrase--alternate facts. A current rumor concerns the murder of a Democratic National Committee staffer. NPR reports.

Questions...

•How is the Democratization of Information good for us? How is it bad for us?

•Who is a credible source if we want to report on the murder of the DNC staffer and the investigation that followed? How should the story be reported if investigators don't know who committed the murder?

•Is it good reporting to report the rumor? Is it good reporting to report who is spreading the rumor?

•Is there any way we can get back to agreeing on basic facts?