The Department of Radio, Television and Film offers a class that combines two popular college student activities into one experience: class discussion and television viewing.
The class is TV and the Family, taught by Ric Smith, professor of radio, television and film.
Smith said the class has a lot of interesting learning opportunities.
"We look at how families are portrayed on television and how families use television and the impact that usage has on families both good and bad," Smith said.
Over the course of the semester, the class watches clips of popular family based television shows such as "The Simpsons" or "Everybody Loves Raymond" and classic shows such as "Leave It To Beaver" or "Good Times".
Smith said these viewings are used to discuss how families are portrayed on television and how those messages about families have changed over time.
Keista Hough, senior in radio, television and film, said the discussion portion of the class is vital to its success.
"The thing about Ric is he does a lot of discussion," Hough said. "We talk about how we experience things and how we view things growing up. He doesn't say, 'This is what I think.' He asks us what we think."
Smith said the class forces students to think about television in a different manner.
"One of the things students bring up as the semester goes along is how they annoy their friends with all of their observations," Smith said. "There are things that you can look for that you wouldn't normally think about. One of our discussions is always about product placement and how it can be involved as part of the narrative."
Liz Lambert, senior in radio, television and film, said TV and the Family has changed her entire television viewing experience.
"He tells us all of these little facts you'd never think of," Lambert said. "Right now we're discussing the remote control and how it can distance us from everything else or how people use it as a way to control everything around them."
Smith said the class does not take a stance on television's role in the family. Both positive and negative aspects of television are discussed in class.
"The positive side of television is that it can create a genuine family moment," Smith said. "The downside is the opportunity cost. If a child is watching television then they're not studying or out playing ball with their friends. Lots of things are lost on television time." Smith said ultimately he hopes TV and the Family teaches students to look beyond the basics of television shows. "I hope it helps students learn to be critical thinkers," Smith said. "Critical doesn't mean negative. You may critique a show and decide you want to watch it or decide that it is not for you. I think people will find must-see-TV may not be must-see at all."
TV and the Family is available only for students who have taken the prerequisite classes in the Department of Communication and Journalism.
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