Introduction to media and information

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Pascal Durand

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

I. Etymology and semantic evolution of the word "information". II. Formation and development of the model of information in media practices, from the Acta diurna to the Gazette of Renaudot and from the French Revolution to the present day. III. Theoretical concepts of information: Lasswell, Lazarsfeld & Katz, Wiener, Shannon & Weaver, Jakobson, McLuhan. IV. Practical concepts of information: Gate-Keeping, Agenda-Setting, constructivist approaches. V. Conclusions. Information and Communication: two equivalent notions? The course will feature an abundance of PowerPoint presentations.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

To introduce to various forms of information and to various conceptualisations, in the field of theories of communication and in the media.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

At least basic knowledge in English (because there are two texts in English in the portfolio).

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The students have to read at least one daily newspaper. Topical issues will indeed be discussed during the course and will be included in the final MCQ.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

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Recommended or required readings

A portfolio of compulsory readings. Here is the list of required readings, in order of difficulty:
Armand et Michelle Mattelart, Histoire des théories de la communication (Paris, La Découverte, 1995)
Patrice Flichy, Une histoire de la communication moderne (Paris, La Découverte, 1991)
Daniel Bougnoux, La Communication contre l'Information (Paris, Hachette, 1995)
Emmanuel Dion, Invitation à la théorie de l'information (Paris, Seuil, 1997)

Assessment methods and criteria

not available

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Each course starts on time in order to devote the first quarter to a reviewing of the main concepts taught the week before or comments of some aspects of the journalistic construction of information or the contemporary mediatic system (led by the assistant).

Contacts

Teacher Pascal DURAND, ordinary teacher Département des Arts et sciences de la communication Place du 20-Août, 7, 2nd floor pascal.durand@ulg.ac.be
Assistant Caroline Duchesne Place du 20-Août, 7, 2e étage Tél. 04 366 44 13 Caroline.Duchesne@ulg.ac.be (Tanguy.Habrand@ulg.ac.be )
Secretary's office Tel. 04 366 32 86

Items online