New semester, already!

08.20.2007

I don’t know where the summer went, but it’s already time for a new semester. I got a last-minute surprise…a new class. I’m teaching Communication 327, Media Effects. It’s not entirely new, though. I was the teaching assistant for the same class, 10 years ago, at Michigan State. At that time, the professor was Brad Greenberg (Dr. Greenberg to most of us…as we were terrified of him!) I actually found my notes from 10 years ago. It’s really fun looking through them…here’s what we were talking about back then:

  • The typical American home had 2.3 TV sets (Today: 2.4)
  • Cable television was in about 2/3 homes (Today: more than 85%)
  • Between 35-40% of homes had a computer (Today: more than 75%…and about 50% have broadband Internet access…BUT…Pew reports that more that 20% of American adults have never used the Internet or email)

Other interesting (scary???) thoughts:

  • The average adult today watches about 3 hours and 45 minutes of television per day. On average, parents spend about 38.5 minutes per week in meaningful conversation with their children.
  • The number of videos rented per day in the U.S.: 6 million; the number of items checked out from the public library: 3 million.
  • Percentage of Americans who can name the Three Stooges: 59; percentage who can name three Supreme Court Justices: 17.

Welcome to a new semester!