COMM 421: History of Journalism and Mass Media
(formerly COMM 436/636)

Instructor: Ross F. Collins, North Dakota State University, Fargo.

Class Resources

Quizzes.

Journalism history quiz: what do we know?

Journalism history quiz No. 2: what do we know?

More quizzes.

Why study history? A video.

Syllabus (pdf).

Class lecture synopses:

Introduction.
1991 Gulf War and censorship.
Vietnam.
Watergate.
Television.
Propaganda.
Radio/jazz journalism.
Historical interpretation.
Photography and photojournalism.
Public relations.
Muckraking and "yellow journalism."
Early photography.
U.S. Civil War.
Advertising.
Penny Press.
The "common man."
Partisan press.
American Revolution.
Conclusions.

Class readings:

• Introduction to mass media history.
• The press and war.
• Writing a historical biography or autobiography.
• The historical research paper.
• A short history of photography.
• Mass media history: conclusions.

PowerPoint presentations.

Midterm exam review.

Final exam review.

Final Lecture.

Assignments:

Watergate group assignment.

Penny Press exercise.

More information:

The press at last century's turn: Cultural icon, corporate behemoth, corrupted arbiter.

Journalism history research: the top five myths.

History show and tell: a picture gallery of famous journalism from 1974 to 1674.

Writing a historical research paper:

1. Topic ideas and sources.
2. How to write historical research.

How to read for historical research.

Writing history: what is plagiarism?

Informed consent document for oral history (interviews).

Interesting World War I illustrations.

A brief history of photography and photojournalism.

Gallery of famous photos.

Commercial and other web site resources:

• American Journalism Historians Association web site. Information on the world's best mass media history association. In my opinion.
• The PBS series: History of Photography.
• Listen to old radio programs on the net.

Return to class resources.