Producing Participatory Media

H79.2482
Spring 2007
Tuesdays 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Room 447

Instructor: Shawn Van Every
Email: Shawn.Van.Every@nyu.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays and Thursdays 2-4 PM or by appointment
Office Hours Sign-up

Class Wiki
Class Listserv
Class Blog

Description

Traditional broadcast media (television and radio) are in a time of transition. Broadcast is being pushed in new directions by the increasing ease of producing compelling material, and by the interactive and social nature of the internet. Blogs and other internet based social networks have given rise to an audience that is eager to engage with and participate in the creation of media. This appetite is quickly moving into the realm of television and radio with new avenues for distribution and new means for audience interaction offering serious challenges to traditional broadcast.

The goal of this course is to introduce students to new technologies and methods for creating participatory media and making it available. Students will develop new ideas for helping this transition along both on the internet and in the traditional broadcast space. This course will have weekly assignments, student presentations, guest speakers and will culminate with group projects.

Grades

Grades will be determined according to the following breakdown:
-Regular Assignments 25%
-Mid-Term Paper 15%
-Participation and Attendance 20%
-Presentation 15%
-Final Project 25%

Weblog

It is expected that everyone in the class will create and maintain a blog for their assignments. Also, we have a class blog that I hope you will all contribute thoughts and interesting items to. This is a very fast moving space we will all need each others help to keep abreast of what is going on. Visit this page to setup a username and password on this for yourself. Once you have done that, drop me a note and I will give you posting privileges and link to each of your blogs in the "blog roll" so we have a quick reference.

Also, enter your name, preferred email address and the URL to your blog (you can always edit this later) on the class wiki

Listserv

This class is very participatory in nature and discussions will certainly take place outside of the classroom. Along with the blog, one of the primary vehicles for these discussions (as well as administrative issues) will be the listserv.

Signup for the class listserv

Laptops and WiFi

I love having WiFi available and I think it is a valuable tool for use in the classroom. Unfortunately, it can very easily be a distraction as well. ITP has instituted as default a no laptop use in the classroom rule. We are going to break that rule and instead stick to the following rule: No laptop use when other students are presenting and during discussions. At other times, following along with class notes and related activities is acceptable.

Weekly Assignments

We will have weekly assignments that are relevant to the previous weeks material. Due to the fact that we are exploring this material from both a production and audience standpoint. This means that for each assignment you need to both produce something and comment on other people's pieces (via their blog). Assignments are required and turning in an assignment late will adversely affect your grade.

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Please inform me via email if you are going to miss a class. Habitually showing up late for class or an excessive number of absences will adversely affect your grade.

Class Participation

As if I haven't said this enough. This class will be participatory, you are expected to participate in discussions and give feedback to other students both in class and via their project blogs. This (along with attendance) is 20% of your overall grade.

Paper

There will be a short paper, no more than 5 pages, due on March 6, the class before Spring Break. Although the specific topic is left up to you, some topic suggestions are as follows:
-A response to one of the assigned readings or suggested books
-A tool or project idea (relating to the class material)
-An idea for adding audience participation to an existing television or radio program

Presentations

Starting the 3rd week of class, we will have weekly student presentations. I will divide the class up into pairs or groups of three and each week one or two groups will give a 15 minute presentation about one of the following:
-A new participatory media technology (software, hardware or website).
-Content that is particularly compelling in the context of the class

If you are really stuck for ideas, we can do some brainstorming. Of course, the best ideas are those that relate to your background or interests. I will randomly select the groups and schedule the presentations.

Final Projects

This class will culminate with group projects. It is expected that these will be both technology and content driven. Projects such as the development of a tool or a vehicle for interaction will be considered but should be used in combination with content elements.

Books

The following two books are suggested reading for the class (I will assigne weekly readings via handouts and online articles rather than directly from these texts). They make great material for further study, papers and presentations:

  • We the Media, Dan Gillmor 2004 (Website/Blog) - (We the Media can be entirely downloaded for free: http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/wemedia/book/index.csp)
  • Darknet, J.D. Lasica 2005 (Website/Blog) - (A good portion of Darknet is available online: Mini-book chapters)
  • Television Disrupted, Shelly Palmer 2006 (Website/Blog)
  • Convergence Culture, Henry Jenkins, 2006 (Website/Blog)

    • There is also a peer created list on the wiki. Feel free to add to it.

    Websites, Mailing lists and so on..

    There are too many to list, here are a couple that will get you started:
    Unmediated.org
    Radio and The Internet Newsletter (RAIN)
    ITV Today

    There is also a peer created list on the wiki. Feel free to add to it.

    Although not explicitly required reading, the above websites (and in the case of unmediated, those that are aggregated) are essential for further understanding and will help immensely in class discussions. They also help in finding great material for papers and presentations.

    The class blog on the other hand is be required reading, keep an eye on it.

    Class Schedule

    The class will be structured as follows: The first half, exploring emerging media related technologies available on the internet. The second half, thinking about and developing new ideas for how these tools might be used.

    Week 1 - January 16

    Topics: Handout

    Assignments:

    Week 2 - January 23

    Topics: The current state of affairs. Emerging Practices of Internet based Media (Audio) Handout


    Week 3 - January 30

    Topics: The current state of affairs. Emerging Practices of Internet based Media (Video) Handout


    Week 4 - February 6

    Topics: The current state of affairs. What's Next in Video Blogging and Podcasting... Handout


    Week 5 - February 13

    Topics: Emulating broadcast on the net. The Nut and Bolts of Streaming Handout


    Week 6 - February 20

    Topics: Going beyond TV. Nuts and Bolts of Streaming Continued Handout


    Week 7 - February 27

    Topics: PHP 101 and Programming with phpBlip Handout

    Assignments:

    Week 8 - March 6

    Paper's Due
    Outside Guest: Nathan Freitas - Open Network Television

    Topics: Handout

    Assignments:

    NO CLASS SPRING BREAK - March 13


    Week 9 - March 20

    Outside Guest: Bill Swersey - WNYC

    Topics: Handout

    Assignments:

    Week 10 - March 27

    Outside Guest: Rick Mandler - ABC Enhanced Television

    Topics: Assignments:

    Week 11 - April 3

    Outside Guest: Andrew Barron - Rocketboom

    Topics: Interactive Television and Internet based interaction

    Week 12 - April 10

    Topics: Finalize it. Assignments:

    Week 13 - April 17

    Topics: Final Project Walk Through and Presentation Preparations Assignments:

    Week 14 - April 24

    Final Project Presentations (Expect guests)