Note:  This detailed outline elaborates and amends the pre-registration handout.

Prerequisite:  CMNS 235 (or instructor's permission).  CMNS 230 and 261 are recommended.

Office Hours: Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m - 5:30 p.m. Messages can be left in my mailbox, or e-mailed.

Format:  Two-hour lecture, followed by two one-hour seminars each Tuesday.  Lecture topics and required readings are listed below.
They are subject to minor revisions in light of students' interest and the pace at which we proceed, but should provide a basic "map"
of the course. Grading & Assignments are outlined in a separate handout.

Course Themes

The course builds upon some of the themes raised in CMNS 235, Introduction to Journalism in Canada.  Students who have not taken
this course are advised to read Peter Desbarats, A Guide to Canadian News Media.  Here are some of the main questions we'll consider:

1.  What are the structural characteristics of the newspaper industry in Canada? How does this structure compare with the newspaper
industry in other countries?

2.  How has this structure evolved historically? Specifically in Vancouver, what are the antecedents of the present newspaper ownership
and control?

3.  What economic factors have contributed to the concentration of newspaper ownership in Canada? How do corporate ownership and
commercial imperatives affect the editorial orientation of newspapers?  What are the main arguments for and against concentrated
newspaper ownership?

4.  How have technological factors contributed to the present structure and editorial orientation of newspapers in Canada?

5.  What are the public policy factors affecting the newspaper industry in Canada? What policy initiatives have been proposed in the past
to deal with concentration of ownership in the Canadian newspaper industry? To what extent did those initiatives succeed, and why?

6.  What public policy initiatives might be implemented in the future to regulate the newspaper industry in Canada? Or should the newspaper
industry in Canada not be subject to regulation any more than other businesses?

Course Readings and Texts

Students are asked to purchase three basic texts for the course.

        Ben BAGDIKIAN, The Media Monopoly, 6th ed. (Boston: Beacon Press, 2000)

        John MILLER, Yesterday’s News: Why Canada’s Daily Newspapers are Failing Us (Halifax: Fernwood, 1998)
 
        Arthur SIEGEL, Politics and the Media in Canada, 2nd ed. (Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1996)

Some other articles or chapters are also required reading; they are available in a Courseware package for sale in the Bookstore.
Courseware selections are asterisked (*) on the reading list below.  Other items are recommended as supplementary reading for
relevant term paper topics, and  are available either on Library Reserve, marked with a plus sign (+) or photocopied in the
Courseware package, marked with an asterisk (*). Books held on reserve for this course include:

        Charles BRUCE, News and the Southams (Toronto: Macmillan, 1968)

        Peter DUNNETT, The World Newspaper Industry (London: Croom Helm,1988)

        CANADA, Royal Commission on Newspapers [KENT Commission] (Ottawa, 1981)

        Gerard HEBERT, et. al, eds. Labor Relations in the Newspaper Industry (Ottawa, 1981)

        Helen HOLMES and David TARAS, eds. Seeing Ouselves: Media Power and Policy in Canada, 2nd Ed. (Toronto:
            Harcourt Brace, 1996)

        Robert MARTIN, Media Law (Toronto: Irwin Law, 1997)
 
        Andrew M. OSLER, NEWS: The Evolution of Journalism in Canada (Toronto: Copp Clark Pitman, 1993)

        Robert PICARD, J. WINTER, M. McCOMBS, S. LACY (eds), Press Concentration and Monopoly: New Perspectives
            on Newspaper Ownership and Operation (N.J.: Ablex,1988)

        Walter I. ROMANOW and Walter C. SODERLUND, Media Canada: An Introductory Analysis (Toronto: Copp Clark
            Pitman, 1992)

         Doug UNDERWOOD, When MBAs Rule the Newsroom: How the marketers and managers are reshaping today's media
            (N.Y.: Columbia University Press, 1995).

        James WINTER, Democracy's Oxygen: How corporations control the news (Montreal: Black Rose, 1997).
 

                             35% - Mid-Term Test (in class)
                             35% - Research Paper, between 2,000 and 2,500 words. (Due: Nov. 14)
                             10% - Tutorial attendance and participation.
                             20% - Collective Policy Brief, presented in class and forwarded as a submission to Heritage Minister Sheila
                                        Copps (students who wish to opt out may negotiate an alternative, e.g. Final Take-home Exam. Either
                                        way, final class attendance is mandatory.)
 

5 September: Introduction to the course.

          Recommended Reading (for students needing a "refresher"):

              - SIEGEL, Chap. 1, pp. 1-16.
              - Peter DESBARATS, A Guide to Canadian News Media 2nd ed. (Toronto: Harcourt Brace, 1996)

I.  OVERVIEW

12 September.: Theories of the Press

      - Normative models: market liberal vs. regulatory approaches
      - Media effects: Propaganda, agenda setting, cultivation

        Readings:  - BAGDIKIAN, Introduction, Ch. 1; pp. xliii-xlix, 3-26.
                         - SIEGEL, Ch. 2; pp.18-33.
                         * ALTSCHULL, Agents of Power, Ch. 10; pp. 253-276.
                          + KENT Commission, Ch. 8; pp. 135-144.
            Supplementary (as background for papers on these topics):
                         + OSLER, NEWS: The Evolution of Journalism in Canada, Ch. 2, pp. 28-46.
                         + WINTER, Democracy’s Oxygen, Ch. 5; pp. 71-82

19 September: The Canadian Newspaper Industry: Structural Characteristics

        Readings: - SIEGEL, Ch. 6; pp. 111-150.
                        - MILLER, Ch.1; pp. 8-32.
                        * Vancouver Sun clippings, May 3, 8 & 15, 2000.
                        * Jacques Poitras, “The little paper that makes people in power nervous,” Media, March, 1995, pp. 8-9, 21.
            Supplemental (as background for papers on these topics):
                        + WINTER, Ch. 1-2; pp. 1-41.
                        + DUNNETT, The World Newspaper Industry, Ch. 8; pp. 188-200.

26 September: The Canadian Newspaper Industry: Historical Development

        Readings: - SIEGEL, first part of Ch. 5; pp. 84-95.
                       - MILLER, Ch.2-4; pp. 35-101.
                       * Minko SOTIRON, “Concentration and Collusion in the Canadian Newspaper Industry, 1895-1920,” Journalism
                            History (1992), pp. 26-31.
                       * Gillian STEWARD, "The decline of the daily newspaper," in H. Holmes and D. Taras, Seeing Ourselves 2nd ed.,
                            pp. 273-284.
            Supplemental (as background for papers on these topics):
                       + OSLER, Ch. 4; pp. 76-102.

3 October: Newspaper Economics: The Urge to Merge

        Readings: - BAGDIKIAN Ch. 6-8, 11; pp. 118-151, 195-207.
                      * John BUSTERNA, "Concentration and the Industrial Organization Model," Ch. 2 in PICARD, Press Concentration
                            and Monopoly; pp. 35-53.
                      * James WINTER, “"Interlocking Directorships and Economic Power," Ch. 6 in PICARD, et. al., Press Concentration
                            and Monopoly; pp. 105-115.
            Supplemental (as background for papers on these topics):
                    + Barry Litman, "Microeconomic foundations," Ch. 1 in PICARD, et. al., Press Concentration and Monopoly; pp. 3-34.
                    + Robert G. PICARD, "Pricing Behavior of Newspapers," Ch. 3 in  PICARD, et. al., Press Concentration and Monopoly;
                        pp. 55-69.

10 October: Newspaper Economics: The Marketing Model for News

         Readings: - BAGDIKIAN Ch. 9; pp. 152-173.
                        * Doug UNDERWOOD, When MBAs Rule the Newsroom, Ch. 1, 4, 11; pp. 3-13, 38-54, 129-147.
                        * Marc EDGE, “And ‘The Wall’ Came Tumbling Down in Los Angeles,” in BERNT and GREENWALD, eds.,
                                The Big Chill: Investigative Reporting in the Current Media Environment (2000) Ch. 10; pp.197-208.
                        * Doug FETHERLING, “All the news that’s soft enough to print,” Maclean’s (Oct. 30, 1978) pp. 80-82.
                         * James RISSER, “Lessons From L.A.: The Wall is Heading Back,” Columbia Journalism Review, (Jan./Feb.,
                                2000) pp. 26-27, 29.
            Supplemental (as background for papers on these topics):
                         + OSLER, Ch. 8; pp. 194-212.
                         + Doug UNDERWOOD, When MBAs Rule the Newsroom, Ch. 2, 4; pp. 14-25, 95-105.
 
17 October: Mid-term exam, in class.

24 October: Vancouver: A Case Study of Concentration and Conflict

         Readings: * Ben METCALFE, “Late Editions,” Vancouver (June, 1986) pp. 48-57.
                         * Stuart KEATE, Paper Boy, Ch. 11; pp. 101-114.
                         * Pierre BERTON, “Vancouver’s Rising Sun,” Maclean’s, (July 1, 1948) pp. 7, 39-41.
                         * Charles BRUCE, “Vancouver: The Lively Coast,” News and the Southams, second half of Ch. 12, pp. 352-371.
                         * Scott YOUNG, “Newspaper Merger Unhealthy,” Globe and Mail, July 11, 1957, p. 21.
                         * Douglas COLLINS, “Press,” Saturday Night (August, 1965) pp. 69-73.
                         * Sean ROSSITER, “Pacific Pressed,” Vancouver (Feb., 1980) pp. 43-46, 64-75.
                         * Don MITCHELL, “Assault on the Dailies,” B.C. Business (Nov. 1986) pp. 13-18.
                         * Ian GILL, "Clouded Sun Today," Vancouver (Dec., 1987) pp. 63-67, 133-135.
                         * Don MITCHELL, “And Then There Was One?” B.C. Business (Sept. 1991) pp. 18-29.
                         * Martin DUNPHY, “How Much is Too Much?” The Georgia Straight (Dec. 6-13, 1991)  pp. 9-12.
                         * Daniel SHAW and Terence J. THOMAS, “Newspapers and Concentration,” Background Paper BP-311E, Library
                                of Parliament, Research Branch, Jan. 1994) pp.11-21.
                         * Daniel STOFFMAN, “A Licence to Lose Money,” Canadian Business (March, 1994) pp. 45-50.
                         * Jennifer PATTERSON, “What a Long, Straight Trip it’s Been,” Ryerson Review of  Journalism, Spring, 1996,
                                pp. 32-36.
                 Supplemental (as background for papers on these topics):
                        + Charles BRUCE, “Vancouver: The Lively Coast,” News and the Southams (1968) first half of Ch. 12, pp. 338-352.
                         + C.R.P. FRASER and Sharon ANGEL, "Vancouver: A History of Conflict," in Hebert, et. al, eds. Labor Relations in
                               the Newspaper Industry (1981) Ch. 2; pp. 23-49.

31 October: Davey and Kent: A Legacy of Failed Policy Initiatives

         Readings: + KENT Commission, Ch. 13-14; pp. 215-255.
                         * DAVEY, Ch. 3; pp. 63-79.
                        * LITVAK AND MAULE, “Competition policy and newspapers in Canada,” Antitrust Bulletin (1983) pp. 461-481.
                        * Tom KENT, "The Times and Signifance of the Kent Commission", in Holmes and Taras, eds. Seeing Ouselves: Media
                                Power and Policy in Canada, pp. 21-39.
                        * Oliver MCGREGOR, “Kent proposals would create press ‘censors,’” Vancouver Province, Oct. 26, 1981, p. B2.
                        * Tim Creery, “Out of Commission,”Ryerson Review of Journalism, Spring, 1984, pp. 7-8.
                Supplemental (as background for papers on these topics):
                         + ROMANOW and SONDERLUND, pp. 105-114

7 November: Legal constraints on the press

         Readings: - MILLER, Ch. 5; 104-124.
                         - SIEGEL, Ch. 3-4; pp. 36-81
             Supplemental (as background for papers on these topics):
                        + Gold, Mary, “The Media and Defamation Law in Canada,” in HOLMES & TARAS, pp. 118-137.
                        + Robert MARTIN, Media Law (Irwin Law, 1997).
                         + OSLER, Ch. 6; pp. 135-159.

14 November: Policy Alternatives

         Readings: - BAGDIKIAN, Ch. 13; pp. 223-237.
                         - MILLER, Ch. 6, first part of Ch. 11-12; pp. 126-145, 233-262.
                        * PICARD, et. al., “Policy Implications,” in Press Concentration and Monopoly, Ch. 13; pp. 197-208.
             Supplementary (as background for papers on these topics):
                        + John Herd THOMPSON, “Canada’s Quest for “Cultural Sovereignty”: Protection, Promotion, and Popular Culture,”
                                in Holmes and Taras, eds. Seeing Ouselves: Media Power and Policy in Canada, pp. 188-198.

21 November: New Directions for the Vancouver Sun (guest speaker)

         Readings: * Patricia GRAHAM, “How guilty are we of hiding behind the stories we write?” Media, July, 1994, p.38.
                         * Richard Littlemore, “The Daily Double,” Vancouver, Summer, 2000, pp. 26-31.
                         * Lee OLIVER, “He’s Hired, He’s Fired . . .” Ryerson Review of Journalism, Spring, 1995, pp. 46-53.
                         * Andrew WAHL, “Capital Offensive,” Ryerson Review of Journalism, Spring, 1998,  pp. 70-79.

28 November: In-class policy briefs presentation (see handout on Assignments)