ICC.

617 ISSUES IN MEDIA MANAGEMENT

This course is the introduction to the urgent issues in media
management today. A business once predicated on audience reach
measured in millions of readers or viewers has seen a fragmentation
of that mass audience into, much smaller, and more varied niches. CLASS INFORMATION
Media companies that used to enjoy near monopoly power in a de- ICC 617, Section 1
fined regional market are now competing with thousands of media Rm. 469, Newhouse 2
suppliers around the world, and a business once based on limited Monday—Thursday 14:00 - 15:45
supply is realigning to a world of almost unlimited supply.
INSTRUCTOR
This class is an exploration of the fundamental forces impelling the Weeks 1-5 - Gina Gayle, Ph.D. Student
creative destruction of the media we knew. At the end of this course, Mass Communication & Journalism
you will have a better understanding of the economic, regulatory Week 6 - S. Masiclat, Professor
and managerial imperatives that must inform thoughtful and effec- Director, Graduate Program in
tive leadership. The specific learning outcomes are: New Media Management
· Students will be able to list and describe the economic phases of
the Schumpeterian economic condition known as creative destruc- OFFICE
tion, and what this condition predicts for the movement of capital G. Gayle - 458 NH III
in various industries. S. Masiclat - 255a Newhouse III
· Ability to use user data to plan for and manage new product devel- 443-9243
opment around media content.
· Students will be able to describe the economic, technological and E-MAIL
social forces that shape—and obviate—the laws and regulations ggayle@syr.edu
governing the communications and media industries. masiclat@syr.edu
· Students will earn passing certification grades for online analytics
analysis. ATTENDANCE POLICY
Attendance is not part of your final
The discussion and exploration will be supported by a set of read- grade, but I highly recommend you
ings. In addition, you will have an intensive introduction to the pub- do not miss a class. If you contract
lishing platform we use to run content and business experiments, as the flu, do not come to class. If you
well as practice in consulting for an operating business. do miss class for any reason,
please inform me via e-mail.
The books to read this term are:
· Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital, Carlota Perez. CLASS SUPPORT
Edward Elgar Publishing. · Any lecture slides I use will be made
ISBN 1-84376-331-1 available to you on my web site.
· The Laws of Disruption, Larry Downes. Basic Books. ISBN 978-0- · There will always be time in every
465-01864-2 class for your questions.
· Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business
of Keeping People Hooked. A. Alter. Harper Business. ISBN- 978- DEADLINES
1594206641 I do not accept late or e-mailed
· Six Degrees: The Science of The Connected Age, DuncanWatts. assignments. If illness or a
W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0393325423 personal emergency prevents
you from completing an assign-
ment on time, advance notice
and written documentation are
required as proof.

OTHER CLASS POLICIES

Any mobile phone that rings in my
class is a call for me; I will answer
that phone. I will not be in a good
mood. If I find you checking or

PROJECT & GRADING INFORMATION
For each day’s reading everyone must write a one-
page summary of the key concepts that includes
an assessment of their relevance to the digital
communications industry, and practical steps to
operationalizing the key concepts in the form
of recommendations. All students should also
prepare a few PowerPoint slides with key points
from the reading. Two students will be tasked—at
random—with leading the class discussion using
their prepared slides.
Grades will be based on the quality of your sum-
mary papers, class preparation and the quality of
your class participation.
Grading Criteria
· Quality of writing. Did you clearly summarize the key
concepts, and demonstrate understanding of the key
arguments? Have you included examples from current
events that support your analysis?
· Quality of analysis. Does your proposal/recommenda-
tion for application of the lessons in the reading make
sense from a media business perspective?
· Presentation. Making a compelling presentation based
on your findings is a crucial skill.
Class Grading Components
· Papers & slides 30%
· Leading discussion 55%
· Other participation 15%
You were probably taught a writing method that in-
cluded introductory sentences, transition sentences, and
sweeping conclusions.
That method is at best tedious and at worst dishonest.
In this class follow these steps to writing:
• State your point as concisely as you can.
• Strive to be concise and express complete thoughts.
• Add sentences sparingly, only to bolster
the logic underlying your case or view.
• Document references as required.
COURSE SCHEDULE
TUE 7/3 Course & Class Introduction
Overview of course and syllabus; How the summer semester will go, how the class
will be run. Student reading and discussion assignments made.
Readings due next class on Blackboard under CONTENT:
- Two Forbes articles
-EC=MC 13 Rules of Leadership for Communication, Influence and Social Media
Strategy blog post
THU 7/5 Every Company is a Media Company discussion. Introduction to Google
Analytics Certification.
FRI 7/6 Excel self-paced instruction.
Readings due next class:
-The Laws of Disruption: Introduction, Digital Life, Private Life
MON 7/9 The revelations from Edward Snowden’s whistle-blowing have demonstrated how
little the public understands technological capability and how it can be used for
both good and bad purposes. Knowing what we know now, what are the strengths
and weaknesses of Downes’ analysis of technological forces with regard to civil
liberties, presumption of innocence and due process?
Readings due next class:
The Laws of Disruption: Public Life
TUE 7/10 Discussion of the days’ reading. Particular emphasis on the need for clear under-
standing of issues like net neutrality.
Readings due next class:
· The Laws of Disruption: Information Life
WED 7/11 Discussion of the days’ reading. Open source thinking is one of the most powerful
forces shaping modern media. Successful business models using open source
thinking exist—Google is the most powerful example—but traditional media
examples are rare. How might traditional journalism or entertainment companies
incorporate open source thinking?
THU 7/12 Excel self-paced instruction
Readings due next class: Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital, part 1
MON 7/16 Discussion of Perez’ model of capital flow.
Readings due next class: Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital, part 2
TUE 7/17 Discussion of the large-scale economic and social forces that shape the develp-
ment and movement of innovations through society at large.
Readings due next class: Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital, part 3
WED 7/18 According to Dr. Perez, we haven’t yet reached the Golden Age of Computing.
Given the ubiquity of integrated circuits, how can this be?
THU 7/19 Tech Thursday. Work through Digital Analytics Fundamentals. Complete the certifi-
cation by Monday 7/23
Reading due next class: Irresistible, Part 1
MON 7/23 Discussion of the readings. The essential question is whether or not digital media—
even news media—are made toxic by delivery on digital platforms.
Readings due next class: Irresistible, Part 2
TUE 7/24 Discussion of the detailed methods engineers use to hook users. Are there op-
portunities to innovate a new, less destructive digital media?
Readings due next class: Irresistible, Part 3
 Academic Integrity Policy
WED 7/25 Discussion of the final third of Irresistible. Alter discusses methods for reducing the addic-
At Syracuse University, academic integrity is
tive nature of digital devices, but don’t they all boil down to authenticity?
expected of every community member in all en-
THU 7/26 Tech Thursday. Work through Google Analytics Platform Principles. Complete the certifica- deavors. Academic integrity includes a commitment
tion by Monday 7/30 to the values of honesty, trustworthiness, fairness,
Readings due next class: and respect. These values are essential to the overall
·Six Degrees, chapters 1-4 success of an academic society. Each member of the
university community has a right to expect adher-
MON 7/30 Discussion of Six Degrees, chapters 1-4. Particular emphasis on the dynamics of bipartite ence to academic integrity from all other community
network nodes and their structural dynamics. members. Individual academic dishonesty threatens
Readings due next class: and undermines the central mission of the univer-
·Six Degrees, chapters 5-7 sity. It is unfair to other community members who
do not cheat, and devalues efforts to learn, to teach,
TUE 7/31 Discussion of Six Degrees, with particular emphasis on the robustness of social media and to conduct research. Violations of the policy can
networks and the mathematics of virality. result in expulsion.
Readings due next class:
·Six Degrees, chapters 8-11 Syracuse University’s full policy on
Academic Integrity can be found online at : http://
WED 8/1 Discussion of Six Degrees with particular emphasis on the dynamics of bipartite network
provost.syr.edu/provost/Units/academicprograms/
nodes and their structural dynamics.
academicintegrity/index.aspx#policies
THU 8/2 Tech Thursday. Complete one of the following Google Analytics Modules:
·Google Tag Manager Fundamentals
·Mobile App Analytics Fundamentals
·Ecommerce Analytics
Readings due next class:
·NPPA Site Optimization report
· 2013 Centerstate CEO Agenda Report
Students with disabilities including
learning disabilities
MON 8/6 Introduction to LivableCNY publishing platform on WordPress. Add class as site
users (personnel tier operations). Discussion of LivableCNY. http://disabilityservices.syr.edu
Readings due next class:
·NextAvenue Optimization Report Students in need of disability-related academic accom-
·Capitalize Albany Optimization Report modations must register with the Office of Disability
Services (ODS), 304 University Avenue, Room 309,
TUE 8/7 Discussion of the day’s readings. Understanding service design methods in application to 315.443.4498.
digital content as consumer touchpoint.
Readings due next class: Students with authorized disability- related accom-
·Content Operations whitepaper modations should provide a current Accommodation
Authorization Letter from ODS to the instructor and
WED 8/8 Discussion of the NMM keyword method, and strategic digital content marketing methods. review those accommodations with the instructor.
Accommodations, such as exam administration, are not
THU 8/9 Practice in keyword space development and strategic keyword analysis. provided retroactively; therefore, planning for accom-
modations as early as possible is necessary.

For further information, see the ODS web site, Office of

Disability Services at: http://disabilityservices.syr.edu or
contact the office directly at:
315.443.4498;

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf:

315.443.1371; E-Mail: odssched@syr.edu