MBU 1110: Survey of Music Business

Instructor: Clyde Philip Rolston, PhD Office: 244 Massey Business Center

Phone: 460-5436 Email: rolstonc@mail.belmont.edu

Web Site: HTTP://campus.belmont.edu/rolstonc/ AIM: DrMuzzBuzz

Office Hours: T/ R 1:30 - 2: 00; R 6:00 - 6:30 p.m; M/W/F 8:00 - 11:00 or by appointment

Meeting Location: Sect. 07  MBC 200B; Sect. 09 MBC 200A

IMPORTANT DATES:  NO CLASS DAYS: Sept. 5 - Labor Day Holiday; Oct 14-17 - Fall Break: Nov 24-26 - Thanksgiving Break; Dec 8 - Academic Preparation Day

FINAL EXAM: (.07) Thursday, Dec. 8, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.; (.09) Friday, Dec. 9, 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Honor Code: The Belmont community values personal integrity and academic honesty as the foundation of university life and the cornerstone of a premiere educational experience. Our community believes trust among its members is essential for both scholarship and effective interactions and operations of the University. As members of the Belmont community, students, faculty, staff, and administrators are all responsible for ensuring that their experiences will be free of behaviors which compromise this value. In order to uphold academic integrity, the University has adopted an Honor System. Students and faculty will work together to establish the optimal conditions for honorable academic work. Following is the Student Honor Pledge that guides academic behavior:

“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.”

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 Tammye Tanksley, Director of Counseling & Developmental Support in the Office of Student Affairs (460-6407) as soon as possible.

Course Description: A study of the major areas of music business. Attention is given to the practical application as well as the theoretical foundations. In-depth study of organizations and a general overview of the industry. Guest Lecturers from the music industry may be utilized.

Course Objectives: After completion of the course you should:
• Have a thorough understanding of the major revenue streams of the music industry
• Be able to identify members of the revenue streams and their roles in the industry
• Name the major entertainment conglomerates and their country of domicile
• Have a basic understanding of copyright law with respect to the entertainment industry
• Understand the process of taking an idea for a song through the system and presenting it to the public for sale.

Course Requirements

1. Attendance: "Belmont University is committed to the idea that regular class attendance is essential to successful scholastic achievement. Absence is permitted only in cases of illness or other legitimate cause. Attendance is checked from the first class meeting, so late registrants will have some absences accrued when they first meet a class. When the number of absences for any reason exceeds four times the number of scheduled class meetings per week (25% of class meetings during Summer term), the student is involuntarily dropped from the course with a grade of “WF.” Appeal is to the Provost." This and additional academic policies may be found in the online catalog. If you are not going to attend class you are expected to call or send an email in advance. This does not automatically excuse your absence.

2. Participation: Students are expected to come to class prepared to participate. This preparation includes having read any assigned materials. A passing participation grade requires the student to actively contribute to the class on a regular basis by asking "good" questions and otherwise participating in discussions. A participation grade will be assigned for every class. Participation = 50 points.

3. Materials: TEXT: “The Recording Industry” by Geoffery P. Hull. Routledge Press Publisher. Students must take in class quizzes on 8 1/2 by 11 inch loose-leaf paper, so you may want to purchase a notebook with the perforated edges for easy, clean removal. In addition, students must have their own calculator during exams. Belmont provides all students with an email account. If you prefer to be contacted using another email provider you are responsible to be sure that the account is in working order. Information on how to forward your Belmont email to other email accounts is available from the friendly folks in the Massey computer lab.

4. Testing: (A) Exams: Five exams will be given, four midterms and a final. Each test will be worth 100 points. The COMPREHENSIVE final will be in accordance with the final exam schedule at the assigned time and place. NO MAKE UP EXAMS WILL BE GIVEN!

(B) Quizzes: I reserve the right to give unannounced quizzes. Each quiz will be worth 10 points. No more than 5 quizzes will be counted toward your final grade, although more may be given. Quizzes = 50 points.

5. Grading Scale:
A= 100 - 90; B= 89 - 80; C= 79 - 70; D= 69 - 60; F= Below 60. Grades will NOT be curved.
Exams (4) 400 points
Final 100 points
Participation 50 points
Quizzes 50 points
TOTAL 600 points

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE

Week of	Subject	Reading
1 August 24	Overview, Introduction	Ch. 1 p. 1-26
2 August 29	Copyrights	Ch. 2 p. 27-44
3 September 5	Copyrights,	Ch. 3 p. 45-55
3 September 12	Copyrights	Review & Clarifications
September 15/16	EXAM I	CH. 1 - 3
September 14/15	Licensing	Ch. 3 p. 56-68
4 September 19	Publishing – Contracts & PROs	Ch. 4 p. 69-96
5 September 26	Publishing
September	EXAM II	Ch.3 & 4, pp. 56-96
6 October 3	Live Entertainment	Ch. 5 p. 97-120
7 October 10	Live Entertainment	Ch. 5 p. 97-120
October 13 - 16	FALL BREAK - NO CLASSES
8 October 17	Live Entertainment
	EXAM III	Ch. 5
9 October 24	Intro to Rec. Co.	Ch. 6 pp. 121-138
10 October 31	Record Companies	Ch. 6
11 November 7	Production & A&R	Ch. 7 p. 139-168
12 November 14	Marketing	Ch. 8 p. 169-204
November 16	EXAM IV	Ch. 6-8
13 November 21	Retailing Music	Ch. 9 pp. 205-254
November 23 – 25	THANKSGIVING BREAK
14 November 28	Rec. Ind. & the Net	Ch. 10 p. 255-267
15 December 5	Rec. Ind. & Other Media	Ch. 11 p. 231-254
Dec. 8 & 9	FINAL EXAM	ALL

Dates subject to change by class or e-mail announcement!