Global Media Seminar: Post Communist Media Systems in the Czech Republic Syllabus Spring 2011

Transcription

1 Global Media Seminar: Post Communist Media Systems in the Czech Republic Syllabus Spring 2011 Professor name: Milan Šmíd Contact info: phone Office hours, location of hours: Wednesday, 2-4 p.m., Charles University, Celetná 20, Praha 1 Course description: The idea of the course is to inform students about European media in general, and about the transformation of the Czech media after the Velvet revolution in 1989 in particular. Czech developments will be presented against the background of a wider European perspective in order to acquaint students with the basic features of the European landscape of print and electronic media. Due to the lack of literature and printed sources in the English language on the subject, the course will use Internet sources related to the topics extensively. Grading policy Class participation/attendance: 30 % Paper or other assignment: 30 % Mid-term: 20 % Final: 20 % Schedule of classes Week 1 25 January - introductory meeting, overview of course 27 January - Resumé of November 1989 events the role of the media Watching video Jak nás viděl svět (How the world saw it) discussion on the media role in the Czech November 89 events Reading: Velvet Revolution < Velvet Revolution < Velvet Revolution Declassified Week 2 1 February - The role of media and television in the East European revolutions - (Czechoslovakia, Lithuania, Yugoslavia, Georgia, Ukraine), discussion based on the lecture and on reading from 29 January Homework (deadline 8 February) a short paper (about 500 words) explaining the basic difference between the Council of Europe and the European Union (see February - History of censorship in the Czech Republic. Reading: - Čulík Jan: History of censorship in Bohemia. In: Britské listy

2 Šmíd, Milan: History of the Czech Press Law. In: International Journal of Communication Law and Policy 2, Winter 1998/9. Week 3 8 February - Freedom of press two approaches to the issue. Presentation of homeworks (European Union, Council of Europe). The differences between European and U.S. media legislation. The European court cases involving some conflict of principles of the media freedom with others legitimate rights and freedoms (privacy, moral, national security, public safety, protection of sources etc.) Reading: - Article 10 in: Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms < - First Amendment of the US Constitution in: < - Freedom of Expression - A guide to the implementation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (pp. 5-25) < 10 February - Czech print media without censorship privatization of Czech publishing houses (spontaneous, regular). Reading: - Šmíd, Milan: Czech Country Report. In: Media Ownership and Its Impact on Media Independence and Pluralism (pp ) - recommended, not obligatory: Hanousek, Jan and Filer, Randall K.: Lessons from Czech Voucher Privatization. European Economic Review, < Homework (deadline 22 February): a brief written report on a given European periodical (daily, weekly) available in newsstands (British, French, German, Spanish, Italian), including description of its basic features (pattern, format, content, position in the local market) in comparison with a similar US periodical. Some data can be found at the webpage European media landscape < and in another online sources. Week 4 15 February - Czech print media and market economy advertising as a source of funding, the role of foreign investors. Reading: - Šmíd, Milan: Czech Country Report. In: Media Ownership and Its Impact on Media Independence and Pluralism - 17 February Visit of the Czech Press Agency Week 5 22 February - Print media in Europe - Discussion about the nature and development of print media in Europe (based on homeworks). Recommended, not obligatory: Daniel C. Hallin, Paolo Mancini, Comparing Media Systems. Three Models of Media and Politics. Cambridge University Press Homework (deadline 1 March): a short paper on a selected European public service broadcaster (based on information at or

3 24 February - Broadcasting in Europe in comparison with the U.S. how the private commercial TV arrived to Europe. Reading: Public Broadcasting: Why How? - World Radio and Television Council 2000, Recommended, not obligatory: Public service broadcasting, Doc. No , Report of the Committee on Culture, Science and Education, Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly Week 6 1 March Public Service Broadcasting in Europe and in the U.S. Discussion about the PBS homeworks Reading: Public Broadcasting: Why How? - World Radio and Television Council 2000, Recommended, not obligatory: - The Funding Of Public Service Broadcasting, EBU, Geneva 2000, (pp.1-22) webpage Museum of Broadcast Communications, Public service broadcasting, Public Television ) recommended, not obligatory: Television across Europe study by Soros Open Society Institute summary March - Visit of the Czech publishing house (newsroom of the dailies MF Dnes or Lidové noviny) MIDTEM PAPER! deadline 15 March The essay three pages single-spaced My opinion about the future of the television broadcasting and the existence of public broadcasters in the internet era in Europe, in USA based on the research and personal experience. Inspiration can be found in the publication of Council of Europe Public Service Media in the Information Society See Week 7 8 March Broadcasting in the Czech Republic past and present basic historical data, comparison of TV broadcasting in the totalitarian and democratic countries Reading: Development of the Czech television broadcasting in dates 10 March Road toward pluralism in the Czech radio and television broadcasting lone_ pdf

4 recommended, not obligatory: - Kaplan, Smid, Trager: The Czech Republic's Broadcasting Law: Provisions, Problems and Expectations < Radio Stalin to Radio One. In: Šmíd, Milan; Kroupa, Vladimír: The Limitations of a Free Market: Czech Republic. In: The development of the Audiovisual Landscape...London 1996 John Libbey Media, London 1996, p available at: chapter 2. only! Week 8 15 March Television broadcasting in the internet era Presentation of midterm papers, discussion 17 March Television broadcasting in the internet era Presentation of midterm papers, discussion Brief written midterm test Week 9 Spring Break no classes Week March Who shall control media? Metamorphosis of the Czech regulatory and controlling bodies. Czech TV crisis.. Reading: - webpage The Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting Television across Europe regulation, policy and independence Czech Republic lone_ pdf recommended, not obligatory: White, Aidan, IFJ. Czech Television and the Struggle for Public Broadcasting Stroehlein, Andrew: Made-for-TV Revolution March Visit of the newsroom of the CT (Czech Television) station Week 11 5 April Foreign owners of Czech commercial TV TV Nova and Prima TV story. lone_ pdf 7 April Cable and Satellite TV in the Czech Republic historical overview Lecture lone_ pdf

5 Week April European dimension of broadcasting origin of rules for transfrontier television broadcasting Lecture. Reading: - webpage of the European Broadcasting Union - European Convention on Transfrontier Television - Strasbourg, 5.V.1989 Text amended on 1 March < - EU Directive Television without frontiers consolidated version < 14 April - Double purpose of the TWF and AVMS directives (standards, audiovisual policy) Discussion based on reading and on the previous lecture. Reading: Television without frontiers EU Directive consolidated version < Audiovisual Media Services Directive without Frontiers codified version see the course pack FINAL PAPER EU Audiovisual Media Service Directive and regulation of online video does the Directive pose a danger to freedom of internet communication? deadline 5 May Week April - Specific features of the Czech radio and television market (cable, satellite channels). Lecture and video on measuring audience. lone_ pdf - Basic attributes of the Electronic television audience monitoring via TV meter network in the Czech Republic: see peoplemeter data at < Homework (deadline 26 April): A short paper with an attempt to put the contemporary Czech media system in relation to the three models of media and politics according to Hallin/Mancini theory () 21 April - Digital TV in Europe and in the Czech Republic. Overview of the development.. Reading: country report Czech Republic Television across Europe: regulation, policy and independence () lone_ pdf + Follow-up report /czechrep_ pdf

6 recommended, not obligatory:- - MAVISE. database of TV companies and TV channels in Europe + TV market overview - The International Communications Market 2010, chapter Television, Ofcom UK Week April - The Czech media system and three models of media and politics. Presesentation of homeworks. Discussion, Reading: Daniel C. Hallin, Paolo Mancini, Comparing Media Systems. Three Models of Media and Politics. Cambridge University Press (See the course pack chapters 2-4) - Kleinsteuber, Hans. J.: Comparing West and East: A comparative Approach to Transformation. In: Comparative Media Systems European and Global Perspective, CEU Press 2010, pp April - Transformation of broadcast media in Central East European countries.. Reading: Kleinsteuber, Hans. J.: Comparing West and East: A comparative Approach to Transformation. In: Comparative Media Systems European and Global Perspective, CEU Press 2010, pp Jakubowicz, Karol: Post-Communist Media Development in Perspective, Ebert Stiftung 2005, recommended, not obligatory: country reports Hungary, Poland, Slovakia in the Television across Europe 5 May NOTE: SEND YOUR FINAL PAPER TO THE LECTURER, PLEASE! Week 15 3 May Visit of the private news channel Z1 TV 5 May Presentation of final papers Week 16 - Exam week - Brief written final test - Final interview