BELMONT UNIVERSITY

MIKE CURB COLLEGE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND MUSIC BUSINESS

COURSE SYLLABUS

Course Title: Survey of Music Business / Section: MBU1110.11

Semester: Fall 2008

Instructor: Jason L. Turner, Esq.

Instructor Contact: Phone: 615-259-9344

Email: turnerj@mail.belmont.edu

Instructor Office Hours: Before and after class & by appointment

Course Credit: 3 Hrs.

Meeting Times: 6:30-9:15PM 200B MBC

Final Exam: Monday, 12/15 @ 7pm

Educational Objectives of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business:

1) To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship.

2) To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions, and prosper in diverse work environments.

3) To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

Course Description: This course is a general overview and a study of the major functional areas of the music business. Attention is given to the theoretical foundations and practical application of current business practices in the music industry including supporting organizations and the revenue flow from music consumer to creator.

Learning Outcomes: Students will synthesize all course outcomes through demonstrated understanding of common business practices related to the systemic study of music business environment and related topics through homework, quizzes, and a student driven research project.

Performance Criteria: After completion of the course students should be able to:

Name and discuss the major revenue streams of the music industry and explain/describe key areas and players
Name and discuss the role of key roles within the revenue stream as well as identify career options in the industry.
Name basic contracts clause/terminology defining basic industry operations and relationships
Name key major entertainment conglomerates and identify country of origin as well as general effect of the merger on the industry.
Explain the basics of early and current copyright law with respect to the music business and broader entertainment industry
Compute basic calculation pertaining to studio production budgets, record royalty payments, concert promotion expense/bid/offer sheets, and basic publishing splits and songwriter shares, as well as mechanical royalty calculations under the statutory and controlled composition clause rates
Calculate a basic master recording budget.
Write/discuss the effects and industry uses of new technologies such as MP3.com, Napster, and Internet marketing, digital file sharing and downloads and discuss possible effects and existing model

Honor Code: It is the responsibility of each student to abide by the Belmont University Honor Code. “In affirmation of the Belmont University Statement of Values, I pledge that 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 this Honor Pledge.”

Accommodation of Disabilities: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities. If you have a disability and would like the university to provide reasonable accommodations of the disability during this course, please notify the Office of the Dean of Students located in Beaman Student Life Center (460-6407) as soon as possible.

Course Requirements:

A. Class Attendance: Belmont University is committed to the idea that regular class attendance is essential to successful scholastic achievement. When the number of absences for any reason exceeds four times the number of scheduled class meetings per week, the student is involuntarily dropped from the course with a grade of “WF” – Belmont University Catalog.

Class attendance is very important as class discussions and lecture material are central to the course. Students are expected to be present when class begins and remain in class until its conclusion. Attendance for each class will be taken.

Arriving late or leaving early is considered a 0.5 absence, and WILL be factored into the student’s grade.

Attending less than 60 minutes of a class meeting is considered 1.0 absence.

A student who arrives late for class, or leaves early, must inform the professor of his/her attendance on that day, otherwise the attendance record will indicate that the student missed 1.0 class instead of 0.5 class.

Four (4) absences (or more) WILL result in a grade of “F.”

Students who arrive late on the day when a quiz is given will not be allowed to take the quiz.

B. Cell phone/computer policy:

Students may use a personal computer in class to take notes, but NOT to surf the Internet, read/write email, etc. Cell phones MUST be turned off in class. Headphones/earbuds cannot be used or worn in class.

C. Materials/Textbooks:

This Business of Music, by M.William Krasilovsky, Sidney Shemel, John M Gross, and Jonathan Feinstein, 10^th Edition, ISBN 0823077233

There will be handouts from time to time that will be discussed in class. You will be responsible for the contents of the handouts for quiz/test purposes.

D. Assignments:

Homework: There will be short class assignments related to lecture material covering calculation exercises. These are either handouts or assigned pages

Industry Interview: Each student is required to complete an interview with an individual who works in the music industry. The interview should not be recorded but typed and handed to the instructor by dead day-the day before final exams start.

Industry participation (visits): Each student is required to attend two music business functions. Examples include a recording session, a non-Belmont showcase, local shows, taping for GAC/CMT, a concert, songwriter’s workshop, etc. Note: The interview and visit are not factored into the final grade unless you fail to accomplish the work. Then the final grade is reduced 10% for the interview and 5% for each visit (for a total of another 10%).

Testing/Assignments (100%):

(A) Exams: Four (4) chapter/section exams and one final exam will be given. Exams primarily cover lecture and all readings, material, video, or any content assigned or discussed in class. Each exam is scored for 100 points and may be comprised of 50 or more questions consisting of multiple choice/essay/short answer, or any combination thereof. Final exam will likely be essay in accordance with the final exam schedule at the assigned time and place—NO FINAL EXAM will be given at any earlier time.

(B) There are NO MAKE UP EXAMS for any tests! At the instructor’s discretion, students with a test absence will have the final exam count double, triple or more: depending on the number of missed exams. An exception is made for official Belmont University Absences. Students may be tested on any portion of material presented in readings, web site or lecture at instructor’s discretion.

Grading Scale: A= 100 - 90; B= 89 - 80; C= 79 - 70; D= 69 - 60; F= Below 60. Grades will not be curved.

Exams 100% minus-a possible negative grade reduction for failing to complete section C assignments of Homework 5% Industry Interview (10%), Industry Participation (5%).

***Students are expected to have read ALL assigned text prior to class meeting time. Unannounced quizzes may be issued if it becomes obvious that students are unprepared in class.

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE (Subject to change)

Date Topic OTR* TBM**

9/1	Overview, creative system, business systems, etc.	Chapter 1	Pgs 4-12
9/8	Copyright laws	Chapter 2	Chapter 10-11
9/15	Copyright continued		Chapter 12-13
9/22	TEST #1; Songwriting/Publishing	Chapter 3	Chapter 16-18
9/29	Publishing continued, Performance Rights Organizations, etc.		Chapter 14-15
10/6	Test #2; Entertainment companies, recording contracts, recoupment	Chapter 4	Chapter 2-3
10/13	Outside assignment
10/20	Marketing and distribution; Trademarks and branding		Chapter 32
10/27	Studio/recording, unions, budgets	Chapter 5	Chapter 6
11/3	Test #3; Booking, management, legal, etc.	Chapter 6	Chapter 33
11/10	Booking, management and legal continued; Publicity rights		Chapter 30
11/17	Current legal issues
11/24	Revenue streams in the music industry	Pgs 112-113	Review Ch. 16
12/1	Test #4; New business models		Chapter 42
12/9	Working in the industry, entrepreneurship, etc.; Review for final exam	Chapter 7
12/15	FINAL EXAM

*OTR = “Off The Record – How the Music Business Really Works”

**TMB = “This Business of Music”

STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO READ THE ASSIGNED READING PRIOR TO THE SCHEDULED CLASS.