Media Management/Econ (LV / Übung)

FORMAT

In-person, potentially guest presentations & interviews,

10 am – 2 pm, April 17 to June 5, HBS 4.06 MA-MED 7/2

COURSE LANGUAGE

This course will primarily be held in English, however, with a bilingual and integrative approach. Guest speakers may present in English or German. Your instructor may switch to German as needed for clarification; you may ask and comment in German as you wish; student tasks (presentations, exams, quizzes etc.) can be completed in German upon request. The general credo will be that English is the new ‘lingua franca’ while bearing in mind that only a minority of the world’s population are native speakers of English!

COURSE CLASSIFICATION

Module: Medien und Organisation (MA-MED 7/2); 3 CTS / 3 ‘Leistungspunkte’

This course introduces economic perspectives to analyze change and contemporary issues in mediated communication. Through a mix of German and English readings, the course will first introduce key definitions and economic principles. It will then discuss these principles across key media industries/platforms - broadcasting, print, and online – and business models (non-profit, publicly funded, for-profit).

Change in media economics and industries will be analyzed considering media history, political and legal matters, recent evolutions and current issues. Guest speakers from media companies may present in person or virtually; furthermore, students may conduct & record interviews with experts to write a summarizing statement of the interview or to describe a brief case study/application for their ‘examination’ (Prüfungsleistung).

The purpose of this course is to teach communication students about some of the most important issues across the core media industries by examining critical political and economic factors that shape them. The course will increase the economic literacy of the participants and provide a consistent set of core questions and concepts – a tool kit – to help analyze, innovate, lead, and be successful in these and other industries. The students will leave the class equipped to understand the political and economic dynamics that are shaping the evolution of communication and media.

LEARNING GOALS (based on module MA-MED 7/2)

• knowledge of the conditions and effects of communication that result from the economic requirements and goals of organizations (e.g., companies, parties, cultural institutions).
• understanding systems and distributions of mediated messages as they are characterized by economic processes and related legal aspects 
• ability to identify and reflect on the specific implications and problems associated with the economic challenges of organized communication.
• Ability to develop own strategies for the use of media in organizations and implement them in an exemplary manner: set goals, use and adapt content to different distribution media.
• problem-solving, conceptual and design skills as well as teamwork skills in addition to methodological and analytical skills.
• Skills in presenting research, design and other work results in oral (e.g. group discussion, presentation) and written form (paper, text submissions).