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		MEDIA MANAGEMENT Dennis F. Herrick, M.A. C&J 362, Spring 2004 277-3437, C&J Room 241 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. herrick@unm.edu Tuesdays and Thursdays, C&J Room 131 Office Hours: C&J 241 11 a.m. to 1 p .m. Tuesdays, or appointment. Drop-ins welcome. A Course to Chart the Way for Future Managers and Entrepreneurs
		COURSE OVERVIEW: In every organization, leaders emergewhether they are groomed for management or have management thrust upon them because of circumstances. You could be surprised how your first management role might come totally unexpectedly. Many C&J courses are predicated on teaching you the skills needed to be a valuable media employee. The intention of this course, however, is to give you some early insights into the management and ownership aspects of running a media company. As we consider different media companies, remember that most principles are applicable to all firms in mass communications. Except for personnel issues, this course is not about newsroom management. We will look			instead at the business side of journalism, which will help you gain a better under-standing of what media managers do and why. This course is designed to provide you with a broader perspective of journalism, letting you see some of the challenges and practices in the business of journalism. As a former newspaper publisher and owner, the instructor hopes this course might stimu-late some of you to begin preparing early for the opportunity of owning your own news-paper, broadcast station, advertising agency, public relations firm, Internet or communi-cations company. Even if you do not pursue an ownership goal, this class will help you to better understand management, and to some day become a manager yourselfor perhaps even an owner.
		TEXT: Media Management in the Age of Giants: Business Dynamics of Journalism (2003) WEB SITE: http://www.unm.edu/~herrick/cj362
		COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course is to give you an understanding of the basic functions of management: personnel, finance, marketing, operations and ownership. The course will: Provide insights into the reasons behind management decisions. Orient students for an eventual management or ownership situation. Explain the complex business operations and relationships of media companies. Acquaint students with the specialized terminology used in business. Improve the ability of students to make critical assessments and solve problems.			COURSE REQUIREMENTS: The requirements are designed to bring us together as a class to accomplish the Course Objectives. A manager must be comfortable in sharing knowledge and speaking to others. To hone that skill, at each class two students will present an oral report of no more than ten minutes on a "Report of Discovery," from periodical readings relevant to issues being discussed in class. A copy of each presenter's report must be provided to the instructor. Periodic papers are assigned. A major research paper is due the 14th week of class. (Details on Page 2.) A mid-term exam will be the 8th week of class and a final exam will be at the end.



	Miscellany....
	CLASS WEB SITE: A web site is maintained for this class at the following URL: http://www.unm.edu/~herrick/cj362 The site contains class announcements, URLs for other relevant journalism web sites, and class information. ATTENDANCE: You can notify the instructor by e-mail, telephone or in person if an illness or emergency necessitates your absence from class. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed in any class you did not attend and to take appropriate action. Unless the instructor is notified ahead of time, you will not be allowed to make up any quiz or assignment that is missed because of absence or tardiness. PAPERS OF DISCOVERY: See the explanation on the front page of the syllabus. OTHER PAPERS: Short papers and homework projects will be assigned from time to time. POP QUIZZES: In each half of the course, one or more short and unscheduled quizzes will be held based on material from the main course text. ASSIGNMENTS: Reading and/or writing assignments will be required as assigned. These assignments will include reports on cases in the text or from elsewhere (see handout for tips on how to read and report on cases). Assignments must be turned in when due. As is often true in business, late submissions will not be allowed unless prior arrangements are made. GRADING: Grades will be as follows: Class reports, quizzes, projects.....30% (verbal, written and group) Mid-term exam............................20% Final exam..................................30% Semester research paper.............20% SEMESTER RESEARCH PAPER: Each student will complete a Semester Research Paperdue on the 14th week of classthat will examine a business, management or entrepreneurial issue relevant to one or more types of media companies. The paper must be at least eight double-spaced pages in length, with 1.5-inch margins all around in 12 point type. Subjects must be pre-approved by the instructor.		EXTRA CREDIT: There is no extra credit work available for C&J 362. You will be graded by the work you do for the class. Attendance and participation can affect this grade positively or negatively. TEXT: A copy of the textbook is available in the instructor's office for student emergency use. PLAGIARISM: A form of cheating, plagiarism is a serious offense and absolutely not acceptable in this or any other course. It can get you fired from a future joband can get you a failing grade on a test, project or the entire course here. ASSISTANCE? If you have any condition (such as a physical disability or employment conflict) which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work as outlined, please notify the instructor during the first two weeks of class. COMPLAINTS: Procedures for students with a complaint about any member of the teaching staff are described in the UNM Pathfinder. Basically, students should try to resolve the matter with the instructor first. If the complaint is not resolved to the student's satisfaction, the student can appeal the matter to the departmental chair and then, if necessary, to the Associate Dean of the College. ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Dennis F. Herrick is a lecturer in journalism at the University of New Mexico. He also taught journalism for more than two years at the University of Iowa. He was owner and publisher of weekly newspapers and a shopper in Iowa for 12 years before selling his company in 1997. His newspapers won several awards for news coverage, photography and newspaper design during his ownership. He also worked as a reporter for more than 11 years with daily newspapers in Michigan, and was chief of staff for a member of Congress in 1977-85. He served nine years on the board of directors of the Iowa Newspaper Association.

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		Lecture and Assignments Schedule

	First Week (Jan. 2022): INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE AND TO EACH OTHER The first session will focus on the course's requirements, and what you should expect to learn this semester. This will be an opportunity for some general thoughts among us about community journalism, the media in general, and preparatory steps toward management positions and even outright ownership. This week's sessions will clarify the parameters of the Media Management course, and set the tone for the rest of the semester. In class, each student will take 15 minutes to write an essay on what you expect to get out of the course, as well as your long-term career goals. (Hopefully, there will be a link between the two.) Students will sign up for a schedule for presentation of "Reports of Discovery" with the presentations beginning next week. Assignment for Jan. 22: Read handout. Assignment for next week: Read Chapter 1 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. Second Week (Jan. 2729): THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEDIA AND JOURNALISM "Reports of Discovery" presented. These usually will be given at the beginning of each class. Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 1 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. Throughout this course we will be wrestling with the often conflicting roles for all news-based media companies of simultaneously meeting: (1) the public trust responsibility that is encouraged and protected by the First Amendment, and (2) the fiduciary responsibility to achieve profits for the owners (who increasingly are stockholders). Third Week Feb. 35): PREPARING YOURSELF FOR MANAGEMENT Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 2 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. Written report on home assignment due. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. Why is it some people are promoted into management and others aren't? A lot of the answer is in how you prepare yourself, how you handle yourself on the job, and whether you even want to be promoted into the additional responsibilities of managerial positions. Fourth Week (Feb. 1012): MOTIVATION AND THE WORK FORCE Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 3 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. Write an analysis of case study "Shutting Down and Moving On," due at the beginning of class on Feb. 12. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. Our class on the work force will include the involvement of unions and the personnel role of management. We will discuss Management by Objectives (MBO), which you are sure to encounter in one version or another throughout the rest of your career, whether as a manager or as an employee. Fifth Week (Feb. 1719: QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 4 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. Not everyone can be a leader. It takes confidence, self-discipline and a desire to lead. We will discuss the characteristics that mark successful leaders, how you can improve your chances for being an outstanding leader, and the value of positive thinking. We will talk about leadership qualities and tactics in managementissues very much dependent upon the effectiveness of decision-making. Video: "The Art of Leadership in Media Organizations."

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	ALERT: A book review is due at the end of class Feb. 26. Sixth Week (Feb. 2426): DECISION-MAKING Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 5 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. A book review is due at the end of class Feb. 26. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. One of the most vital roles of a leader is to be a sound and effective decision-maker. We will talk about some of the analytical tools available for effective decisions, such as Critical Path Method, Program Evaluation and Performance Technique, Break-Even Analysis, and the dynamics of individual versus group decision-making. We also will explore the hidden traps within all of us when it comes to decision-making. Knowledge of these traps will enable you to be a more effective negotiator, decision-maker and leader. Seventh Week (March 24): MEDIA ETHICS, REGULATION AND LAWS Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 6 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. Entire courses are offered on media ethics, regulation and laws, but we are going to try to hit only the most germane aspects of these closely related topics. Perhaps all three could be lumped conveniently under the term "media responsibility." What do we mean by that term? And how do we see the aspects of ethics, regulationand laws affecting journalism in today's era of ownership by large and diverse corporations and by international conglomerates? A speaker is likely to be scheduled. Assignment for next week: Prepare for Mid-Term Exam. Eighth Week (March 911): MID-TERM EXAM on March 11 covering the first eight weeks. Ninth Week (March 16-18): No class because of Spring Break. Assignment for the week following Spring Break: Read Chapter 7 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. ARE YOU WORKING ON YOUR SEMESTER RESEARCH PAPER? Tenth Week (March 2325): OPERATIONS AND STRUCTURE OF NEWS MEDIA COMPANIES Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 7 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. Due at the start of class on March 25 is a one-page paper summarizing the subject of your pending research paper and explaining why you are interested in the subject. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. The way in which businesses are organized greatly affects the style of management that is the most effective in reaching that company's goals. There are several philosophies of organization that businesses customize to fit their particular needs and corporate culture. A speaker is likely to be scheduled. Eleventh Week (March 30April 1): BUDGETING/FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 8 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. Budgeting and financial decision-making will be examined all week. You should be intrigued to discover that a lot of management decisions are expedited by mathematical calculations. The use of balance sheets and of profit and loss statements will be explained, and there will be extensive discussion of the key business concept of "the time value of money." We will discuss the need to understand what business managers refer to as SWOT. You will see how SWOT enables you to plan successful ways to penetrate a market despite competitive pressures. ARE YOU WORKING ON YOUR SEMESTER RESEARCH PAPER?
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		Twelfth Week (April 68): SALES MANAGEMENT, MARKETING AND MARKET ANALYSIS Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 9 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. Case study "Escanaba in da Moonlight" will be completed by groups in class. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. Class discussion will be on the vital role of advertising and promotion in all media companies. It has been said the main reason for most business failures is, simply, lack of adequate sales. Though media companies depend on many sources of revenue, the most important source by far in newspapers, TV and radio, Internet and many magazines is the sale of advertising. How media managers respond to this need for ad sales is the difference between success and failure. A speaker is likely to be scheduled. Students will be given an assignment to determine ownership of local media outlets. Thirteenth Week (April 1315): CONSOLIDATION AND CONVERGENCE Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 10 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. Reports will be due at start of class April 13 on ownership of local media outlets. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. Class discussion will be on the rapidly changing nature of the media industrywith dailies increasingly coming under the ownership of publicly traded conglomerates, the development of the Internet, the buying up of radio stations since 1996, the dominance of television, the merging of public relations and advertising firms, the growth in suburban weeklies, and the organizational concepts of clustering and convergence. For better or worse, we are well into an era of consolidation with all of its accompanying strengths and weaknesses of chain ownership. A speaker is likely to be scheduled. ALERT: Semester Research Paper is due April 20. Fourteenth Week (April 2022): ENTREPRENEURSHIP / BUYING A BUSINESS / START-UPS Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 11 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. "Reports of Discovery" to be presented. All Semester Research Papers are due at the start of class on April 20. Work for the best person possibleyourself. Many managers go on to become owners. This week's classes will explore some ownership issues for a media company, such as a weekly newspaper, public relations or advertising firm, Internet operation or radio station. A speaker is likely to be scheduled. Fifteenth Week (April 2729): TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE Assignment for this week: Read Chapter 12 in Media Management in the Age of Giants. We will delve into the challenges facing managers in a world where computer equipment is out of date as soon as you buy it and yesterday's computer guru can be as bewildered tomorrow as the rest of us are today. Video: "The Tablet Newspaper: A Vision for the Future." Sixteenth Week (May 46): Review with in-class group projects on cases. Exam Week: CUMULATIVE FINAL EXAMINATION from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 11.

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