Media and Technology Management Seminar I: Digital Journalism – Preferences and Pricing

(Master - SS '19)

C. Wellbrock

2 SWS, 6 CP

Fridays, 12:30 - 5:30 pm, selected session dates see below

Location: HS XXIII (WiSo-Building)

Start: Apr. 05, '19

Held in English

Mandatory Pre-Assignment due Apr. 04, '19, 11:00 - see below

Course Description and Background
While journalism is highly relevant for the functioning of democratic societies, the “journalism industry” is struggling economically with the transition from traditional media products (print/broadcast) to digital ones. Revenues in traditional markets are falling, and revenues in new markets seem not to be able to compensate for these losses in many cases. Consequently, media companies and organizations are under increasing pressure to develop business and revenue models to finance journalism.
In this seminar, students will receive a research question regarding preferences for or pricing of digital journalistic products; they will be asked to answer this question in the form of a graded presentation and a graded short academic paper. Methodologically, students will be asked to answer their research question by conducting systematic literature reviews, applications of established theories and concepts on digital journalism, or empirical analyses.
In this course, students learn and practice how to answer an academic research question on their own. This includes the identification of an appropriate research method, carrying out the research and presenting it both orally and in written form.

Students MUST NOT also take 'MTM Selected Issues' with Prof. Wellbrock during the SS `19.

Dates
Apr. 05 (mandatory kick-off), Apr. 26, Jun. 21, all '19 -- plus Jun. 22, '19 (Saturday), 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Mandatory Pre-Assignment - due Apr. 04, '19, 11:00 am
Briefly present and discuss one research paper of your choice that deals with preferences for digital journalistic products and/or pricing of digital journalistic products and that you find particularly noteworthy. The paper must have been published in an academic journal.
Topics covered can include willingness to pay, paying intent or use behavior for digital journalistic products, drivers or explanatory factors of preferences for digital journalistic products, or pricing strategies for digital journalistic products.
In your discussion, briefly summarize the research question, the method(s) applied and the main findings of the paper in your own words. In a second step, explain why you find this paper interesting and/or relevant.
Formal requirements:
- No more than 750 words (excluding references), Times New Roman 12pt, 1.5 line spacing
- Send your pre-assignment as an e-mail attachment (pdf file) from your sMail-account to both christian.wellbrock@uni-koeln.de AND d.kunkel@uni-koeln.de.
- Please make sure that you include your name and your matriculation number on the top of your document.
- The file name should be Lastname_DJ_PA .
- Cite your sources in a proper scientific way, add a reference list (not included in 750 word limit)

Grading
- Pre-Assignment (10%, individual) - due April 04, '19, 11:00 am via eMail from your sMail-account to both christian.wellbrock@uni-koeln.de AND d.kunkel@uni-koeln.de
- Graded (group) presentation (40%, individual grade) on Jun. 21 or Jun. 22. Slides due on Jun. 20, 11:00 am.
- Graded (group) paper (50%, individual or group grade), paper due on Aug. 18, 11:00 am
All grading elements have to be passed in order to pass the course.
"Alle Prüfungselemente müssen mindestens bestanden sein."

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