Insight On Mass Communication Course

Janine photo

Jeanine Neitzel, a December 2018 graduate at Moraine Park, enrolled in the Introduction to Mass Communication course to fulfill her accounting degree requirements. While she wasn’t sure of the exact relevance of the course, the importance became very apparent after she completed the class.

The Introduction to Mass Communication course at Moraine Park explores communication in media and media literacy by providing insight into the important issues that confront students as consumers and purveyors of mass media within the workforce and in society. The mass media revolution, including media technologies, the evolution of media content and platforms, including new media, the impact of media communications on business and society as a whole, media bias, and media law and ethics provided the focus for this course.

“Last semester I wore many hats as a daughter, a wife, a mother, a friend, a full-time employee, a part-time student, a volunteer, and a waitress, just to name a few. This course explored many of the ways media infiltrates and ultimately impacts our daily lives. I found that learning about the origin of radio and the corruption that ensued to be fascinating. Because I fulfill many roles, (therefore I must relate what I see and hear to the moment I am in), I felt that not only was the course intriguing, it made me step back, and become more critical of what I was being ‘spoon fed’ by the radio, TV, and internet.

This course helped me to critically identify and sift through the media hype. I applaud those sources that stayed to the facts, without politically driven or personal innuendos, and not filling themselves with oxymoron’s, likewise appearing keenly stupid.

The Urban Dictionary defines a truthsayer as ‘a person who speaks the truth, especially when the truth is contrary to conventional wisdom and goes against the norm. In the 14th century, a soothsayer was a person who spoke the truth.’ I am hopeful in that definition lies our media’s future. To stay relevant, the media must be relevant.

To upcoming students, I highly recommend Dr. Rebecca Leichtfuss’ course so they also may obtain a good understanding and realize that the once clear basins of truth are now the muddied waters of persuasion.”

Written by: Jeanine Neitzel, December 2018 graduate at MPTC

Written by Rebecca Leichtfuss
Social Science Instructor