96373 - Television and Digital Media History. Fundamentals (1) (G-N)

Academic Year 2021/2022

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student: knows the fundamental notions of the history of television and digital media platforms from their origins to the contemporary years; understands the historical, economic, technological and social reasons that have influenced the development of television both as a digital media and a communication device; knows how to place representative products, genres and formats in their cultural context.

Course contents

The institutional part of the course will be dedicated to the evolution of television and digital platforms in Italy. The course will retrace the most significant stages of these processes, focusing in particular on the most relevant moments in the determination of the current structure of the media system, and will provide an articulated picture of the television and digital landscape from its origins to today. General notions (broadcasting, public service, programming, on-demand) will be added to the discussion, along with a comparison with television and digital media in Europe and the United States.

Readings/Bibliography

For this module, students must prepare the following bibliography:

  • Irene Piazzoni, Storia delle televisioni in Italia. Dagli esordi alla web tv, Carocci, Roma 2014.
  • Luca Barra, Palinsesto. Storia e tecnica della programmazione televisiva, Laterza, Roma-Bari 2015.
  • An anthology of essays on digital media that will be made available on the digital spaces of the course.

Teaching methods

Due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 emergency, teaching will be carried out in traditional mode: the teacher will always be present in the designated classroom, while students will alternate in presence according to a shift schedule (more detailed information will be provided in due course). It will be possible to connect remotely and follow live streaming of the lessons held in the classroom through the Teams platform.

The course includes frontal lessons with the support of slides, audiovisuals, digital sources, and other materials which will be shared with the students. The course also hosts meetings with experts in the television and media industry.

 

ATTENTION: Given the unpredictability of the emergency situation, and since this program is published in July 2021, it is possible that the teaching mode will change in the upcoming months. In this case, timely communication will be given by updating this program, as well as through notices published on the institutional channels: the faculty page, the website of the DAMS Degree Course and on the official Facebook page of the DAMS Degree Course. All students are encouraged to consult these resources periodically.

Assessment methods

The exam consists of a written test, during which the student's knowledge of the history of TV and digital media will be assessed. There will be no oral tests.


NON-ATTENDING STUTENDS

For non-attending students, the written test will consist of 21 31 multiple choice questions (1 point each) and 2 open questions (up to 5 points each). For those who take the entire examination of "Television and digital media", the evaluation of this part will be joint with that of the lab module, in one single test.


ATTENDING STUDENTS

For attending students, the written test will include 31 multiple choice questions, in a reserved roll call at the end of the weeks of lectures. For those who take the entire "Television and Digital Media" exam, the grade will be averaged with that of the lab module.

 

It will be assessed as excellent the performance of those students achieving an organic vision of the course contents, the use of a proper specific language, and the ability to connect the history of media with the social and cultural context. It will be assessed as discrete the performance of those students showing mostly mechanical or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, not articulated synthesis and analysis capabilities, a correct but not always appropriate language, as well as a scholastic study of the discipline. It will be assessed as barely sufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, lack of knowledge of the history of media. It will be assessed as insufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, no orientation within the recommended bibliography and inability to analyse the subject.

To take the examination, students shall register in the list by AlmaEsami service. Non-enrolled students will be excluded from the test. The exam will be held in well-equipped computer classrooms: to rationalise their use, if students registered decide not to sit the examination, they are required to cancel their name from the exam list. Students are also required to sit the examination with their UniBo credentials and a recognition document.

Students who have included this course in study programs of previous academic years are invited to contact the teacher to agree the test methods. DSA students with special needs are asked to contact the professor, with the dedicated office CCed.

Teaching tools

Presentations, projection of audiovisual material, use of clips and archival content, use of YouTube, Rai Play and digital platforms, links and resources available online, meetings with professionals.

Office hours

See the website of Paola Brembilla