Sources: To answer the following question satisfactorily, you must draw on at least two chapters of Michele Hilmes’ Only Connect and one non-textbook article/book chapter from the syllabus. No outside non-syllabus research. See instructions below about citing sources; failure to cite sources may result in a failed grade.* I WILL GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THIS BOOK
Format: You must use Word or PDF format, plainly readable font, size 11 or 12, one-inch margins, double or 1.5 spaced.
PLEASE FOLLOW EXACT INSTRUCTIONS
Essay topic: Discuss the period that Michele Hilmes refers to as the “classic network system.” How did it differ from the preceding early television era? How did it differ from the “neo-network” (1985-1995) era that followed? And how did the “neo-network” period differ from the “web 2.0” era sparked by internet technologies and the rise of social media (mid-2000s to present)? Be specific about when each of these eras begin and end. What remains the same and what changes, in terms of: structure of the industry, regulating the industry, popular genres and innovative programming, how networks target audiences, and competition to the dominant television networks, if any. Be sure to address key concepts of the chapters covering these concepts (e.g., “age of relevance,” “narrowcasting,” “web 2.0”).
Grading criteria
A-level essay responses explain points and concepts with illustrative examples from the COURSE READINGS and use quotes appropriately and thoughtfully. Using quotes or directly paraphrasing an author’s point is particularly important when articulating historical arguments about key moments of change. C, D and F-level responses sound like a personal essay or opinion piece and are light on concrete, reading-specific points and examples and do not adequately engage course texts. In short, the main objective of your final exam is to demonstrate you’ve done the readings.
You will also be graded on the formal quality of your writing; thus, it is critical to sufficiently edit your paper before submitting. Plagiarized writing will result in an F grade for the assignment and an F score for the course. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE.
Quote (must be exact and enclosed in quotation marks): Hilmes argues that “one key idea in the social discourse of the 1920s…was the desire for national unity” (2014: 57).
Paraphrase (restating in your own words): In the 1920s, there was widespread interest in unifying the nation, and many observers saw the new medium of radio broadcasting as a tool that could be used to achieve this goal (Hilmes, 2014: 57).
Summarize: Hilmes shows that the quest for assimilation took place by fostering physical, linguistic, cultural, and institutional unity, in part through the dissemination of nationally distributed network radio programs distributed (Hilmes 2014, 57-60).
