IN3: NYU SCPS: Entertainment and the World Wide Web


	NYU Media Convergence Course

In the Fall 99 term, I launched an evening course at New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Department of Film, Video and Broadcasting about the convergence of the Internet and entertainment media. We'll be offering an updated version in the Spring term on twelve Wednesday nights from February 2 through April 26.

The course outline published in the Spring 2000 brochure gives a partial description:

Entertainment and
the World Wide Web

X34.9004 $625
Spring 2000
Sec. 1 Wed. 6:20 pm-8:20 pm, Feb. 2 - Apr. 26
The Washington Square vicinity.

Recent mergers of entertainment and companies with internet search engines (Disney/Infoseek), telecommunications giants with cable networks (ATT/TCI), and cable system with hardware dealers (Cable Vision and THE WIZ) point out how entertainment industries are scrambling to reposition themselves for Web distribution. This course examines the existing and potential markets for web baseed entertainment including film, video, games, and music. Legal, financial, and investment issues are addressed, and industry leaders examine trends. Demonstrations of new products are presented.

This survey course in the convergence of computing, communications and entertainment media describes how the Internet is changing the way movies, TV, music and books are made, marketed and delivered. Learn about key technologies like digital TV, streaming media and virtual reality, find out how the World Wide Web is used in entertainment marketing and electronic commerce, and see how innovative artists are crafting a new kind of media experience online.

Combining classroom lectures, interactive discussions and technology demonstrations, we cover:

From a practical perspective, most of the impact of the Internet today is on the business side: using the Web to market movies, to supplement TV shows and to sell CDs. But gradually the technology changes the creative product: TV programs become linked to Web pages; radio shows are archived and available anywhere online; synthetic games characters are integrated into movie scripts, and the whole world of entertainment goes digital.

The course is designed for people in the media business, people who want to be in the media business, and students who want to find a place in the world of converging media forms. The evening classes are half lecture, half discussion, and three convergence projects are assigned throughout the semester for credit students.

To sign up for Entertainment and the World Wide Web, visit the

NYU SCPS Albert Registration Page

If you have questions about the course, email me at jpowers@in3.org. I hope you can join me in this fascinating exploration of the emerging cyberspace entertainment industries.

-- Jack Powers

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