SYLLABUS: Fall, 2006
Instructor: Dr. Don Cusic
OFFICE: MBC 223
Phone: 460-5438
FAX: 460-5516
e-mail: cusicd@mail.belmont.edu
Office Hours: TR: 12:30-1:45 p.m.; W: 8-11:30 a.m.
Or by appointment
Course Number: MBU 3330.01 (CRN #10079)
Credit: Three (3) hours
Semester: Fall, 2006
Class Location: MBC 103
Meeting Time: TR 11-12:15 p.m.
FINAL EXAM: Monday, December 11 at 11 a.m.
Inclement Weather Hotline: 460-5000 OR Belmont.edu
Course Description: An exploration of issues confronting entertainment and music business firms in a competitive global environment. Particular emphasis includes the manufacturing, marketing, management and financing of entertainment and promotion of the music and entertainment industries which are additional areas of study.
Course Objective: To provide students with an overview of the international music industry.
Performance Criteria: At the end of this course students shall be able to:
*explain how American music is marketed abroad
*compare the cultural, political and economic systems in the major music markets of the world
*contrast the American music economy with the music economies of other major markets in the world
*examine the impact of American popular culture on the world
*summarize how
the popular culture in the
Learning Criteria: At the end of this course students shall be able to:
*understand how the American music culture differs from the music cultures in other countries of the world
*articulate how American popular culture (and specifically the music industry) impacts the rest of the world
*identify
leading indicators of
Mission Statement:
The Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business strives to combine professional and academic experience with real world applications and seeks to achieve its mission by implementing innovative courses of study in the entertainment and music industries.
Goals of the
The following objectives will be applied toward course completion:
*To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship
*To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions and prosper in diverse work environments.
*To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.
Honor Code:
As members of the
"I will not give or receive aid during examinations; I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work, in the preparation of reports, or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade; I will not engage in any form of academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of the Honor Pledge."
Materials:
TEXT: Internationally Sound by Don Cusic (coursepack)
Prepared Assignments: 10 Impression papers
Testing: There are three (3) Exams in this course and a Final.
Accommodation of
Disabilities: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and
the Americans with Disabilities Act,
Basis of Grade Evaluation:
A+ 97-100%
A 93-96%
A- 90-92%
B+ 87-89%
B 83-86%
B- 80-82%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%
F 59% and below
TOTAL POINTS: 600 max. Grading: A=93-100%; A-=90-92%; B+=87-89%, B=83-86%, B-=80-82%; C+=77-79%, C=73-76%; C-=70-72%; D+=67-69%, D=63-66% D-=60-62%; F=59% & below.
FINAL EXAM: Monday, December 11 at 11 a.m.
Impression Papers
You are to find a total of ten articles related to the International music industry and write a summary of each article, including a copy of the article with your summary). You should think of each "impression" as a memo to your boss, informing him/her of an important article or issue they need to be aware of but may have missed.
Each summary must be typed, double-spaced and fit on one page. You are required to have articles from Billboard (2), Music Week (2), The Economist (2) and IFPI (2). The final 2 may come from anywhere except those sources. (Other sources may include Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, R&R, Music Row, Rolling Stone or a variety of other publications. Be sure to check the data bases in the Library).
The articles are divided in this way:
Tue: Sept 12: Two Memos due: related to an American act in the international market or a domestic firm/issue in the international market
Tue: Oct 10: Two Memos due: related to the European music industry and/or a European act
Thu: Nov 2: Two memos due: related to the Asian music industry and/or an Asian act
Thu: Nov 16: Two memos due: related to the Latin American music industry and/or a Latin act
Tue: Nov 28: Two memos due: on any subject/issue related to the international music industry
Each memo is worth up to 10 points; late memos are one grade lower. Late memos are required to be handed in within one week of the original deadline. (NOTE: You may hand in memos early!). ALSO: I expect these to be handed in as hard copy; if emailed, they are one letter grade lower. This means that dates for
LATE memos are:
Tue: Sept 19: Two Late Memos due
Tue: Oct 17: Two Late Memos due
Thu: Nov 9: Two Late memos due
Thu: Nov 22: Two Late memos due
Tue: Dec 5: Two Late memos due
After one week, the late memos will NOT be accepted; further I WILL NOT ACCEPT TEN LATE MEMOS ON THE LAST DAY OF CLASS!!!!
The heading for your memo will look like this:
TO: Dr. Don Cusic
FROM: Your Name:
Title of Article:
Name of Publication:
Some notes and observations:
MAKE-UPS: In accordance with Music Business policy, there will be no make-up Exams given in this course; if you miss an Exam, the Final Exam will count double. If you miss two Exams, the Final will count triple. Also, when I give Exams back, I go over them in class and you may ask any questions you wish. I will not go over Exams individually in my office. Also note:
You may choose to "skip" an Exam and let the Final count double; however, you are not allowed to begin an Exam, decide you don't want to finish and opt out. Once you begin the Exam, you must complete it.
If you take all of the Exams, I will drop the lowest grade and count the Final double, if it is to your advantage.
The Final Exam is mandatory.
Please bring a No. 2 lead pencil with you on Exam day.
CELL PHONES: You don't have to turn them off; however, if they ring, I answer them
COMPUTERS: You are welcome to use your computer for notes in class; however, if you want to sit in class and check your email and/or surf the net, please sit in the back. (Personally, I don't believe spending $1,000 to check emails is a good use of money.)
PLEASE NOTE: "Excused absences" must be approved by the Provost (athletics and music performances) or Tammy Tankersley (sickness).
After you have finished an Exam, please don't ask me about questions on the Exam, or advising questions, or other questions that require more than a nod because other students are taking Exams and do not like the distraction. Each semester there are complaints from students who are trying to finish an Exam while another student is engaging the teacher in questions or conversation. Therefore, I will not answer questions or engage in discussions during the Exam time while others are taking Exams.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
Tue: Sept 12: Two Memos due
Thu: Sept 21: EXAM #1
Tue: Oct 10: Two Memos due
Thu: Oct 12: FALL BREAK
Thu: Oct 26: EXAM #2
Thu: Nov 2: Two memos due
Thu: Nov 16: Two memos due
Thu: Nov 23: THANKSGIVING
Tue: Nov 28: Two memos due
Thu: Nov 30: EXAM #3
Mon: Dec 11: FINAL EXAM: 11 a.m.
Fri: Dec 15: COMMENCEMENT: 7:30 p.m.: Curb Event Center
FINAL EXAMS
These are the times the classes I teach are scheduled to take their Final Exam. Since some of you will wish to take the Final at another time, then you may come to another scheduled time under these conditions:
1. Those who are registered for the class are guaranteed a seat;
2. If there are no chairs and seats available, I cannot give a Final Exam (I can not and will not give an Exam to someone sitting on the floor!);
3. If there are no seats and you choose to wait, then you will only have the remaining time to finish the Exam (i.e. these Exams are scheduled in two hour blocks; if you take a seat an hour after the scheduled starting time, then you only have one hour to complete your Final);
4. If you have chosen to take the Exam at the last chosen time possible, then find you are unable to do so, you will receive an "I" in the course and a "make-up" will be scheduled for next semester.
Here is the schedule for Final Exams for classes I teach:
Thu: Dec 7: FINAL EXAM: 2 p.m. (for 2 p.m. class)
Mon: Dec 11: FINAL EXAM: 11 a.m. (for 11 a.m. class)
Tue: Dec 12:
FINAL EXAM: 8 a.m. (for 9:30 a.m. class)
FINAL EXAM: 2 p.m. (for 3:30 p.m. class)
MBU 3330: DAILY
CLASS SCHEDULE: 2006
Thu: Aug 24: CLASS 1: Intro to course; Leaders quiz
Tue: Aug 29: CLASS 2: American vs. International revenue streams;
Thu: Aug 31: CLASS 3: Currency exchanges; the currencies of countries;
Tue: Sept 5: CLASS 4: Record company & publishing problems
Thu: Sept 7: CLASS 5: Record company & publishing problems
Tue: Sept 12: CLASS 6: Touring: advantages & disadvantages of American acts touring: 2 Memos due
Thu: Sept 14: CLASS 7: Touring: cities in the world; touring problems
Tue: Sept 19: CLASS 8: Touring: cities in the world; touring problems
Thu: Sept 21: CLASS 9: EXAM #1
Tue: Sept 26:
CLASS 10: Europe: map of
Thu: Sept 28:
CLASS 11:
Tue: Oct 3:
CLASS 12: Defining feature of
Thu: Oct 5: CLASS 13: Types of capitalism; Hard power vs. soft power; Europeans view of Americans
Tue: Oct 10: CLASS 14: International perception of Americans; Americans doing business abroad; Two Memos due
Thu: Oct 12: FALL BREAK
Tue: Oct 17: CLASS 15: Music business in European Union (country by country overview)
Thu: Oct 19: CLASS 16: Music business in European Union (country by country overview)
Tue: Oct 24:
CLASS 17:
Thu: Oct 26: CLASS 18: EXAM #2
Tue: Oct 31:
CLASS 19: Asia: map of
Thu: Nov 2:
CLASS 20:
Tue: Nov 7: CLASS 21: Japan: Japanese music industry
Thu: Nov 9:
CLASS 22:
Tue: Nov 14:
CLASS 23:
Thu: Nov 16:
CLASS 24:
Tue: Nov 21:
CLASS 25:
Thu: Nov 23: THANKSGIVING
Tue: Nov 28: CLASS 26: Global trends; Two memos due
Thu: Nov 30: CLASS 27: EXAM #3
Tue: Dec 5: CLASS 28: LAST CLASS
Thu: Dec 7: FINAL EXAM: 2 p.m. (for 2 p.m. class)
Mon: Dec 11: FINAL EXAM: 11 a.m. (for 11 a.m. class)
Tue: Dec 12:
FINAL EXAM: 8 a.m. (for 9:30 a.m. class)
FINAL EXAM: 2 p.m. (for 3:30 p.m. class)
Fri: Dec 15: COMMENCEMENT: 7:30 p.m.: Curb Event Center
Don Cusic:
Bio
Don Cusic is one of the premier
historians of country music, an internationally known scholar and writer and a
pioneer in the field of music business education, developing courses,
curriculum and material for the music business programs at
Cusic is the author of fourteen published books, including the biography Eddy Arnold: I'll Hold You In My Heart and an encyclopedia of cowboys, Cowboys and the Wild West: An A-Z Guide from the Chisholm Trail to the Silver Screen. Other books include Johnny Cash: The Songs, The Sound of Light: A History of Gospel and Christian Music, Music in the Market, Baseball and Country Music, Poet of the Common Man: Merle Haggard Lyrics, Willie Nelson: Lyrics 1959-1994, Hank Williams: The Complete Lyrics, Reba McEntire: Country Music's Queen, Randy Travis: King of the New Traditionalists, The Poet as Performer, and Sandi Patti: The Voice of Gospel. He has also contributed entries to a number of encyclopedias, including the Grove Dictionary of Music, The Guinness Encyclopedia of Blues and Gospel, The Encyclopedia of United States Popular Culture, The Protestant Encyclopedia, The Tennessee Encyclopedia and the Country Music Encyclopedia published by the Country Music Foundation. He has two entries ("Johnny Cash" and "Loretta Lynn") in the three volume source book Icons published by Greenwood Press. In addition, he is currently the editor of The Western Way, the publication of the Western Music Association.
Cusic's fifteenth book, Gene Autry: America's Favorite Cowboy,
is scheduled to be published in February, 2007. His chapter on "Johnny
Cash and C.S. Lewis" is scheduled to be published in Literary Cash in Fall, 2006 and his
chapter "Cowboys in
Don Cusic has had over 500 articles published since he began writing. He has been the Country and Gospel Editor for Record World and Cashbox, a columnist for Music City News and album reviewer and special correspondent for Billboard.
He has written album liner notes for Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Sonny James, Gary Paxton, George Beverly Shea, Sheb Wooley and Floyd Cramer. He assisted with the Time-Life series on Country Music and wrote the booklet notes on the songs for Tammy Wynette. He wrote the liner notes for the Reader's Digest album on George Beverly Shea.
Don Cusic has presented academic papers for the Popular Culture Association, the Popular Culture Association of the South, the American Studies Association, the International Association for the Study of Popular Music, the International Country Music Conference, the International Popular Culture Conference (in Oxford, England), the Tennessee Philological Society, the Tennessee Folklore Society, the Western Music Association, the Baseball Symposium, the International Association for the Study of Popular Music and the Music Educators Industry and Entertainment Association (MEIEA)
In addition to his articles,
liner notes and papers, Don Cusic has had songs recorded by the Lewis Family,
Lynn Morris, Linda Davis, Eve Goldberg, Pam Mark Hall, Carroll Baker, Darrell
McCall and Chris LeDoux. His photography won a Tennessee Press Association award
in l973 and he did the cover and liner photography for a Word album by Teddy
Huffam and the Gems. He has hosted a television show, "The Music
Biz," written for The Nashville Network and appeared a number of times on
CMT programs, including the "Controversy" series, "Greatest
Patriotic Songs," "Waiting in the Wings" and others; he appeared
on a number of TNN shows, including "Life and Times" of Eddy
Arnold" and the A&E Biography Series (on Hank Williams). He also
appears on the BBC series "
Don Cusic was born in St. Mary's
County,
Cusic's first job in the music
industry was with the Country Music Association as a staff writer, then with Record World, a trade publication as
Don Cusic joined the faculty at
Cusic is the founding member and Chair of the Belmont Book Award, given each year to the best book in country music, and a member of the Ray and Pat Browne Book Award committee for the best book in popular culture from the Popular Culture Association. He is on the Editorial Boards of three academic journals, Journal of Popular Culture, Studies in Popular Culture and Popular Music and Society.
He is a member of the Country Music Association (Lifetime), Western Music Association (Lifetime), the Gospel Music Association (Lifetime), the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), the Popular Culture Association, the Tennessee Folklore Society, the International Bluegrass Music Association and the Music Educators Industry and Entertainment Association (MEIEA).