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With the White
House, the number one prize in all of politics, at stake,
the final leg of this year's history making race will be
closely watched and
scrutinized worldwide.
From cable news stations to Politico.com, YouTube and other
online information
sources, to traditional newspapers, magazines, local radio
and TV news, political
commentaries, cartoons and advertising, more people will be
exposed
to America's presidential contest than ever before.
A record-breaking number of Americans went to the polls from
January to June to
nominate candidates for the presidency. To everyone's great
surprise, the Republican
Party wrapped-up the GOP suspense well before the Democrats.
The battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is
already one
for the history books!
Their combined fundraising and expenditures, during the
first six months of 2008
exceeded $200
million dollars. No campaign in American history
has ever
generated and spent that much
money just to secure a party
nomination for the presidency.
Late this summer,
the Democrats will meet in
Denver during the last week in August for their national
convention. It's the same week SJSU begins its
fall semester.
One week later the Republican National Convention
convenes
in Minneapolis for their nominating session.
Then the eight
week "stretch run," featuring several candidate
debates
usually watched closely by millions, is also expected to
showcase
a daily, non-stop barrage of campaign charges and immediate
responses
only made possible by advances in media technology.
MCOM 139 students will have a front row
seat to it all!
They will be called on, each week in class, to candidly
discuss new
developments, listen and learn from an exchange of a variety
of points of view,
keep a running journal account of events, conduct research,
interact with
professional media people
covering the election,
evaluate the accuracy of content, identify 'media bias' in
how issues
and comments are being framed and perceived, and assess
how new
technology in 21st Century has changed campaign strategies
to
directly affect 'media news cycles,' and
outreach to key voter demographic groups.
 
  
This class will also monitor media on-air and online efforts
to report facts,
fiction, false statements and funny stuff about the
candidates on the internet.
ALL SJSU STUDENTS (ANY MAJOR) ARE
TO TAKE THIS
3 UNIT MASS COMMUNICATIONS ELECTIVE CLASS
When students enroll, they commit to
keeping up with current events, and volunteering news and information
during lively class discussions EVERY class meeting!
Periodically local and national
media guests may join us and/or
report on what we discuss and scrutinize about the fall
election campaign.
Be a part of history in the making in 2008.
You'll be telling you're grand kids about this election
for decades to come!
SIGN UP FOR
THIS FALL SEMESTER CLASS:
MCOM 139 - Specialized Writing
as soon as possible.
Any student on campus is invited and welcome to join us!
SJSU - School of Journalism
& Mass Communications
No class waiting list will be kept by Prof. Rucker
before the first meeting of this class
Tuesday, August 26, 2008.
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Fall Semester, join us for a
Specialized Writing
class on
