This assignment is worth 50 points toward your final grade. The objective is to have you learn something about the process of media analysis and how it is used in mass media research.

You are to randomly sample 5 hours of prime time (7-10 PM) television on any major broadcast or cable network in segments of no more than 15 minutes. When you have finished sampling, you should have at least twenty discrete units of video that you have watched and analyzed. Further, none of your segments should duplicate the same show. You will not be required to tape video segments or turn them in. Your analysis of these segments will consist of two parts.

As you watch/analyze each segment, put yourself in the position of a Martian who knows almost nothing about human culture. What would you learn about American culture from watching these segments? What would it teach you about our values? For example, what does prime time TV say about the categories of sex and relationships, violence, minorities and internationals, religion, family, senior citizens, nature, education, government, occupations, beauty, materialism etc.? What other categories might be relevant? Don’t restrict yourself to the ones I’ve mentioned (but you should at least cover each of the listed categories).

You are restricted to the material you have watched. For example, if religion is never portrayed in your video segments, you might observe that Americans are irreligious, or, you might even speculate on what replaces religion on prime time TV.

Part 1 may be structured in one of two ways:
1) analyzing by category
2) analyzing by show

in either case, Part 1 should end with a summary paragraph that brings together what the Martian learned.

Answer the following: does your analysis present a realistic view of American life? (Put yourself back into your own personal perspective rather than being an alien) Why/why not? What does this tell us about the content of prime time TV and its potential effect on individuals and society? Note that what you didn't see on primetime may be just as important if not more important than what you did see.

There is no length requirement. Simply be sure to be thorough and critical.

And be sure to have some fun with it as you try to decode American culture from an alien perspective. Also, please include a list at the end of your paper than tells me what 20 shows you sampled.

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