Cable, Broadband, & Interactive Digital Media

Course Web Sites:
General Public Site (http://excellent.com.utk.edu/~bates/b470home.html)
Online@UTK (Restricted) Site (must be registered student enrolled in class to access)

JEM 470, Fall 2004
2:10-3:25 p.m., TR, HSS 114

Instructor:

Benjamin J. Bates, Ph.D.
Office hours: TR 3:30 - 5 p.m. & by appointment
333 Communications Bldg.
ph: 974-4291 ; fax: 974-2814 ; e-mail: bjbates@utk.edu ; url: http://excellent.com.utk.edu/~bates

Catalog Description:

History and structure of cable television industry and other broadband delivery systems (DBS, Internet, etc). Development of digital broadcasting, interactive television, and other broadband media systems and digital technologies. Regulatory, policy, programming, and management issues arising from new media and digital technologies.

Real Course Description & Goals:

This course will examine a wide range of new and emerging telecommunications technologies, with a focus on developing wideband telecommunications systems. We will consider the historical and future impacts of these technologies on existing and emerging industries, the policy and economics driving the implementation of these technologies, and their adoption and use by consumers. It is hoped and expected that students will come out of this course with:

an understanding and appreciation for new technologies and their impact on media and society
an understanding of how historic social, political, and economic forces shape the introduction and impact of new technologies
an ability to critically examine the potential impact of new technologies and/or technological policy

Course Requirements:

Attendance and Discussion (10%):

While attendance is not strictly required, it is expected that students will come to class prepared, and will contribute to the lectures and discussions. This includes paper presentations (5%).

Tech Topic Report (10%)

Each student will be responsible for finding and reviewing at least two very current (within a few months) sources of info on some aspect of cable or emerging digital media, and prepare a short summary of the latest info. It is recommended that you use Internet resources. The report and sources will be posted on the course Blackboard website. Final deadline 1 November, but I encourage people to do this earlier. I may also call on you when we cover that technology/aspect to give a short summation in class.

Tests (50%):

There will be two tests given in class, each worth 25% of the final grade. The tests will combine multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.

Term Paper (30%):

A substantial paper (15-25 pages) examining and analyzing some scholarly or practical question related to cable or emerging technologies. This is a major research paper, with expectations that you will undertake an independent and original analysis of some topic. There are four basic options:

Option A:

A report on some existing or emerging application of cable or emerging technology. Provide a historical overview of that service or usage, a detailed consideration of the current applications and market, and critically analyze the future potential for that firm or service.
examples: use of video-streaming by UT, MP3 players and radio, viability of interactive TV, cable telephony

Option B:

An in-depth analysis of a specific technology or application of technology. This should provide a historical overview of the development of the technology, a report on the current level of development and use, and a critical analysis of its future potential (in general).
examples: future of HDTV, development of Information Superhighway, video dialtone, digital radio

Option C:

An examination and analysis of the social, political, or economic impact of cable or other emerging technology. This paper should set forth a thesis, and provide an extensive review of the relevant literature, and should include a thorough development of an argument in support of your thesis.
examples: impact of HDTV and satellites on movie theaters, the impact of new technologies on politics (here or elsewhere), impact of digital music players

Option D.

An examination and analysis of how social, political, or economic factors have shaped the development of some aspect of cable or new technologies. This paper should set forth a thesis, and provide an extensive review of the relevant literature, and should include a thorough development of an argument in support of your thesis.
examples: impact of 1996 Telecomm Act; economics and HDTV; impact of new content control legislation

The broad range of potential topics and perspectives is designed to allow students to pursue their own interests in this class. In addition, undergraduate students may approach the paper either individually or as a small group project. If you work in a group, the quality expectations will be commensurably higher, although the page requirements may not be. Graduate students must do either option C or D of the term paper, and must work alone. There are also higher expectations for graduate student papers.

You should approach the professor with a topic proposal or a book to review and a technology to report on by mid October. At this time you should also indicate whether you are interested in working solo, or in a group. You can change topic or focus after this point, but you will need to notify and talk with the professor if you do so.

You are encouraged to think about turning the paper in early. Every effort will be made to grade papers and return them quickly. If you turn them in early enough, you will have an opportunity to revise and resubmit the paper by the final deadline of 8 December 2004 at 5 p.m. Only the last grade on the paper will be used in the calculation of the course grade.

You will also be expected to make a short presentation of your paper's findings and/or conclusions at one of the class meetings. Early term paper presentations will be treated as works in progress (that is, students are not required to have a completed paper at the time of presentation if they are presenting prior to 8 December 2004.)

The presentation will count for 5% of the final grade.

General Requirements and Notices:

All materials to be turned in for this class must be typed, or printed on at least a NLQ computer printer. They should be double-spaced, with normal font sizes and margins. Short assignments may be sent via e-mail.
Papers and longer assignments will be accepted online, as attachments in either Microsoft Word or RTF formats. If you do submit only, make sure you get a confirmation of receipt. It is the student's duty to ensure that the paper gets to the instructor.
No extensions on the technical reports or the term paper will be given. Students with extremely valid excuses may be given an opportunity to make up tests and other assignments. The instructor is the final arbiter of excuses and their acceptability. You must contact the professor as soon as you are aware of any problems or conflicts.
While students are encouraged to study and work together, it is also expected that all work turned in will be original and individual-- plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a score of 0 on the plagiarized work and/or notification of appropriate authorities. If you still have any doubts as to what plagiarism is, consult your various handbooks and guides, or ask the instructor.
The instructor is willing to work with students with special needs, and make any necessary special arrangements possible to facilitate their learning experience in this class. However, those individuals will need to consult with the instructor about their needs as soon as possible.
The instructor reserves the right to modify the course schedule and requirements. Any changes will be announced during class meetings and on the official class website (under announcements).

Readings:

These books may be ordered from the professor's website, and are available at various campus bookstores.

Patrick R. Parsons & Robert M. Frieden. (1998). The Cable and Satellite Television Industries. Boston: Allyn and Bacon

Michael M. Mirabito & Barbara L. Morgenstern (2004). The New Communications Technologies. Boston: Focal Press.

NCTA. (2002). Cable and Telecommunications Industry Overview 2004 – Mid-Year. Available as free download at http://www.ncta.com/pdf_files/Overview.pdf

Tentative Course Schedule

The readings assigned for each class session should be completed prior to that session. Times, topics, and readings are subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and on the class listserv. Readings may be added over the term.

Session	Topic	Readings
19 Aug	Introduction to Class & General Housekeeping Matters
24 Aug	New Technologies and Society: Overview	PF: 1, MM: 1
26 Aug	Electronic Communication: Technological Basics and History	MM: 2
31 Aug	From Telephony to Telecomms/ Analog Foundations
2 Sept	Transition to Digital: Computers, Fiber, and Digital Signals Internet Assignment 1: Signing up for the on-line course	MM: 3-5, 7, 8
7 Sept	Broadcast Roots: Early Broadband?	PF: 2, 3, 4
9 Sept	From CATV to Cable to Broadband	Cable History Timeline
14 Sept	Cable System Design & Operations	NCTA
16 Sept	Cable Markets & Economics	PF 5 Bates & Chambers
21 Sept	Cable Programming & Advertising	PF: 6
23 Sept	Modern Cable Mgmt Issues
28 Sept	Cable's Multichannel Competition	PF: 7
30 Sept	Cable & Broadband Basics – The Future / Review	PF: 8
5 Oct	Exam # 1
7 Oct	The Digital Age - Emerging Digital Media	MM: 9-14
12 Oct	The Web as Media
19 Oct	The Future of Broadband Telecomm	Bucy I
21 Oct	Broadcasting Goes Digital & Interactive
26 Oct	To HDTV or Not to HDTV?	Kuhn
28 Oct	Interactive TV: Impacting Uses	Rose
2 Nov	Interactive TV: Content Impacts
4 Nov	Convergence & Competition	Bucy II
9 Nov	Shaping the Future Through Policy	PF: 7, 9 MM: 18-21
11 Nov	Cable's Future (guest speaker)
16 Nov	Catch-up & Review
18 Nov	Exam # 2
23 Nov	Future Thoughts / Presentations
30 Nov	Paper Presentations Term Paper Due
8 Dec	5:00 - 7:00 p.m. : Presentations