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MTM Selected Issues 2:
Media Over IP: Access Beats Content?

Master - WS '21/22

C. Loebbecke

2 SWS

Fridays, 11:30 am - 5:00 pm, max. 5 sessions!
First Session: Oct. 08, '21 (via ZOOM!)
Pre-Assignment Deadline: Oct. 07,'21, 11:00 am via eMail from your sMail account (see below)

Location: ZOOM (alias: let's walk the talk!) - live!

Held in English (some understanding of German will be helpful!*)

Overview

This is a practice-oriented master level discussion course! First, we will understand different 'Media over IP' approaches - how does the content come to our eyes and ears? - and reflect the relevant technologies and players involved in 'Media over IP'. We will investigate the different technological, economical and managerial concerns from the perspectives of various kinds of providers and reflect those against a set of consumer perspectives. As we talk about Media over IP, we can all try it out on our devices.

In particular, we will investigate 'Media over IP' as stand-alone business (e.g., Akamai) or additional distribution infrastructure (e.g., RTL, WDR). We will also take the analyze the perspectives of infrastructure service providers (e.g., Zattoo, Google/YouTube) and telco operators (e.g., Telekom, NetCologne). These are only examples from the German scene. Students are welcome to bring other kinds of players to the discussion!

The main learning goals are (1) understanding the omnipresent term 'Media over IP' in detail, (2) expand our view of media ecosystems to the level of providing access to content deploying infrastructure hardware and (so-called Over-The-Top (OTT) services, and (3) applying academic analytical concepts and tools to deliver rigorous scenarios for the a portfolio of media providers.

Important: We will begin already on October 8 and hence will finish early in the semester, see dates below. The first session is a full session, not just a kick-off. In order to get the discussion going right away, we require a Pre-Assignment due on October 7 - details see below.

Dates (max. 5)

Oct. 08, Oct. 22, Oct. 29 or Nov. 5, Nov. 19, Nov. 26 - all '21; likely 4 sessions

Pre-Assignment due Oct. 07,'21, 11:00 am via eMail from your sMail account.

Take two of the three companies NetCologne, Akamai, and Zattoo and for each of those two

(1) Present a brief company history [about 50 words per company],

and

(2) Elaborate on their business model only in the context of 'Media over IP'. What media product / service does the company sell over IP? Who are the companies customers (with end-users being just one customer group? Who else are relevant players in the company's 'Media over IP' ecosystem? What does the company get paid for? By whom? What does the company's 'Media over IP' turnover depend on - volume, number of customers, project size, kilometers of connection? What else? Where does the company get the content that it 'offers' via IP? [about 300 words per company],

and

(3) Briefly reflect whether ou have used any of the two companies in your private media consumption. Why or why not? If not, what did you use instead? The answer to the latter is not YouTube or Netflix ..., but the infrastructure (hardware / software) that brought your favorite content to your eyes and ears [about 50 words per company]

Formal requirements
- State your name, Matr.-Number, sMail address, and study program and its start date on top of the first page; then continue typing, no cover sheet!
- Max. 1 empty line before starting with the assignment text. Offer the task and then your answer.
- Times New Roman, 12 pt..

- Single-spaced.
- Scientific writing style - no jokes, no slang, hardly any passive voice.
- References IN THE TEXT (no footnotes), no 'ibid.' - s. some Anglo-American academic management journals.
- No author first names, no repetition of reference titles in the assignment text.
- For formatting the reference list, see our website.
- Consistent format (including spacing).
- Page numbers of references only for word-by-word citations.
- Complete reference list formatted appropriately with all required information per file (see mtm.uni-koeln.de) - even if it is only one source.

Delivery
Please send an eMail from your sMail account to claudia.loebbecke<at>uni-koeln.de and irina.boboschko<at>uni-koeln.de; attach a non-protected word file (.doc or .docx)
- Subject line: MTM-Issues2-Pre-Lastname (your lastname only, no accent etc.)
- File name: MTM-Issues2-Pre-Lastname.doc(x) (your lastname only, no accent etc.)

Course Grading

- 25%: Pre-Assignment

- 25%, individual: Intermediate assignments
- 30%, individual: Active participation throughout the sessions - building on assignments / having digested the material

- 20%, individual: Final Assignment and presentation
It is required to at least 'pass' (grade 4.0 or better) each grading element for passing the course.
'Alle Prüfungselemente müssen mindestens bestanden sein.'

Required Course Registration:

(1) Hand in Pre-Assignment by Oct. 07, '21 (minimum passing that grading element) AND thereupon (2) register for the exam on KLIPS by Oct. 19, '21, 11:00 am

If you are interested in taking the course, please send an eMail from your sMail account to three persons: claudia.loebbecke<at>uni-koeln.de, astrid.obeng-antwi<at>uni-koeln.de, and irina.boboschko<at>uni-koeln.de. The eMail must list the course for which you want to register, your first name, your last name, your 'Matr.-Number', and your study program. We suggest that you also add a phone number so that we can help on short notice.

We confirm the receipt; then you have your seat secured.
However, the registration only becomes binding for you, once you have handed in the Pre-Assignment latest on Oct. 7, '21 (see above). Hence, on Oct. 08, '21, we will list you as course participant in KLIPS and by Oct. 19, '21 you will then have to register for the exam of the course ('Prüfungsanmeldung') via KLIPS. We will help and double check, if / after you have handed in the Pre-Assignment.
For any course related questions, please contact claudia.loebbecke<at>uni-koeln.de from your sMail account.