POL203: Critical Thinking in Politics, Professor Marston.
Fall, 2003, Department of Political Science, SUNY-Oswego

Handouts

• Syllabus (HTML, opens in new browser)
• Summary Assignment, Due Sept. 17 (HTML)
• Proposal Evaluation Sheet (in class assignment, Sept.19) (HTML)
• Paper #1 Topics (paper is due Friday, October 10) (HTML)
• Paper #1 Evaluation Sheet (HTML)
• Progress Report Assignment (HTML)
• On Warrants, with Help from David Limbaugh (HTML)
• Paper #2 Topics (paper is due Monday, November 24) (HTML)
• Final Paper Evaluation notes (HTML) For use for final paper evaluations, which we will discuss in class 12/12

Articles List

'Future of Convergence Not Much Clearer Despite FCC Ruling,' Dan Luzadder, Online Journalism Review
http://www.ojr.org/ojr/law/1055376263.php

'Media drop the ball on FCC rules changes,' Dante Chinni, Christian Science Monitor, 6/10/03
http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0610/p11s01-codc.html?entryBottomStory

'FCC Rule Fight Continues in Congress,' Frank Ahrens, Washington Post, 6/04/03
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10135-2003Jun3.html?nav=hptoc_tn

'The FCC's New Media Ownership Rules: Why They are Likely to Survive Court Challenges,' Gina Dizzia, Findlaw
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/student/20030611_dizzia.html

'FCC Panel to Study Local Media,' Frank Ahrens, Washington Post, 8/21/03, http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A23027-2003Aug20?language=printer

'FCC Chief to Prod TV Stations on Localism,' Frank Ahrens, Washington Post, 8/19/03, http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A17211-2003Aug19?language=printer

'Committee Passes FCC Reauthorization Act,' U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Press Release, 6/26/03, http://commerce.senate.gov/newsroom/printable.cfm?id=205569

'Committee Approves Media Ownership Cap Bill,' U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Press Release, 6/19/03, http://commerce.senate.gov/newsroom/printable.cfm?id=205276

'Media Consolidation,' Center for Digital Democracy, http://www.democraticmedia.org/issues/mediaownership/index.php

'3rd Circuit Halts Media Rule Changes,' Law.com, 9/04/03, http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1061487992808

'Court Blocks FCC Media Ownership Rules,' Findlaw, 9/04/03, http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/f/1310/9-4-2003/20030904004507_5.html

"Media giants throw weight around as oligopolies reform," Martin Peers, Contra Costa Times, 10/19/2003, http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/business/7051009.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

"Gannett still looking for growth," Jerry Gleeson, The Journal News, 10/20/03, http://www.nynews.com/print_newsroom/102003/d01a20gannettstory.html

"Chairman of FCC under fire," Frank Ahrens, The Beacon Journal, 10/09/03, http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/business/7050317.htm

"Up in Flames," Robert McChesney and John Nichols, The Nation, 11/17/2003, http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20031117&s=mcchesney

Video selections from the National Conference on Media Reform, Madison, WI, 11/08/03 - 11/09/03, from Democracy Now, http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/12/1513222

Supreme Court cases:

National Broadcasting Co. v U.S. (1943), http://laws.findlaw.com/us/319/190.html

FCC v. National Citizens Comm. for Broadcasting (1978), http://laws.findlaw.com/us/436/775.html

FCC v. League of Women Voters of California (1984), http://laws.findlaw.com/us/468/364.html

Lower court cases:

Fox Television Corp. v. FCC (2002) (DC Court of Appeals), http://www.fcc.gov/ogc/documents/opinions/2002/00-1222.html

Sinclair Broadcast Group v. FCC (2002) (DC Court of Appeals), http://www.ll.georgetown.edu/federal/judicial/dc/opinions/01opinions/01-1079a.html

Resources / Links list

FCC Home Page
http://www.fcc.gov/

C-Span videos on Michael Powell (we'll watch his recent press conference), accessible here.