MediaMak with Dr. Shermak
by jshermak
"MediaMak with Dr. Shermak" is a podcast series based on content from Dr. Jeremy Shermak's Introduction to Mass Communication (JOUR 200) class at Cuesta College. These podcasts will cover major topics related to mass media, communication, marketing, advertising and journalism.
Episodes
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Video Games: 'Crashier' than 1983
How is an industry used by two-thirds of Americans and raking in record profits poised to crash? Dr. Shermak explores.
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MediaMak - Paid, Earned and Faked - Week 11 FA 26
Dr. Shermak discusses advertising and public relations with a specific focus on the 2026 Midterm Elections.
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The Internet Revolution - Week 10 FA 26
Dr. Shermak discusses the modern internet, which nobody owns, but we know who runs it.
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Television: Movin' pictures on the teevee - FA 26
Dr. Shermak describes how television has become a "state of mind" and explores the way ownership changes are shaping the industry.
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Movies: The Show Must Go On - Week 7 FA 26
Dr. Shermak discusses the movie industry after a surprisingly profitable summer and amid a potential major merger.
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Music: If Video Killed the Radio Star, Streaming Frankenstein'd It
Dr. Shermak discusses how music has changed in the last century...and french fries.
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Magazines: Reading Playboy for the articles...no, seriously
Dr. Shermak provides an overview of the magazine industry, from its history to its modern specialization. He also discusses his deep love for Costco.
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Books with Dr. Troy Swanson - Week 3 FA 26
Dr. Shermak welcomes his friend Dr. Troy Swanson to discuss books and modern information literacy.
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Newspapers and the Need for Localization
Dr. Shermak discusses the history and the future of newspapers in America.
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MediaMak - Welcome - Week 1 FA 26
Dr. Shermak sets the stage for the fall 2026 semester!
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Media Mak - Week 6 SUM 26 - The Summer Walk-Off
Dr. Shermak puts a bow on the summer 2026 session!
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Media Mak - Week 5 SUM 26 - Who owns the truth
Trust in the press is at an all-time low. How do we fix it? What's in place already?
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Media Mak - Week 4 SUM 26 - Follow the money, not the ball
Dr. Shermak introduces advertising and public relations through the lens of the World Cup.
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Media Mak - TV: The Bull in the China Shop - Week 3 SUM 26
Dr. Shermak explores television as the historical "bull in the China shop" of mass communication and how that has evolved into modern viewing.
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Media Mak - Summer 26 - Week 2 - Words
During an intense week of content, Dr. Shermak explores the way words have been transmitted to our eyes and ears over many centuries.
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Media Mak - Week 1 Summer - Welcome to JOUR 200
As summer gets underway, Dr. Shermak welcomes students and listeners to the six-week session.
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Media Mak - Week 15 - Putting It All Together SP 26
On the last episode of the semester, Dr. Shermak has some closing thoughts and a message for the future.
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Media Mak - Week 14 - Legal Controls and Expression SP 26
We've discussed the First Amendment and we will discuss it more on this episode - it is that important. Dr. Shermak will also dive into libel and attempt to tackle an interesting question: Does artificial intelligence have free speech protections?
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Week 13 - Media and Democracy with Professor Zach Gass
This episode of MediaMak features the show's first-ever guest: Cuesta Political Science Professor Zach Gass. We discuss the press, democracy, "fake news" and more.
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Week 12 - Video Games - SP 26
Video games are no longer a toy. They are a legitimate mass communication that is currently facing a crisis.
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Media Mak - Week 10 - The Internet Revolution SP 26
Dr. Shermak doesn't use the word "revolution" lightly. The internet brought one upon the mass communication world. Listen for more.
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Week 9 - Television SP 26
Dr. Shermak explains how television has changed rapidly in recent years and looks into some concerning new trends in local television news.
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Week 8 - Movies SP 26
Dr. Shermak isn't much of a movie guy, but he sure knows a lot about them. Come hear what he thinks about the past, present and future of an industry in flux.
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Episode 6 - Music - SP 26
Dr. Shermaks explains that if video killed the radio star, streaming turned music into Frankenstein.
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Episode 5 - Radio - SP 26
Did video kill the radio star? Dr. Shermak discusses on this Week 5 edition of Media Mak.
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Episode 4 - Magazines - SP 26
Dr. Shermak turns the pages on the magazine industry, from its history to its "age of specialization."
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Episode 3 - Spring 2026 - Newspapers
Dr. Shermak discusses one of his true journalism passions: newspapers. From his newspaper roots as a journalist to his optimism - yes, optimism - about the future, listen here for the Week 3 podcast.
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Episode 2 - Spring 2026 - Books
Dr. Shermak recaps the Super Bowl numbers and add context before diving into the "mass communication OG" known as books.
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Episode 1 - What is Mass Communication?
This week Dr. Shermak explores the meaning of mass communication through the lens of the Super Bowl.
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Episode 0 - Welcome to JOUR 200!
This one is especially for the students in the JOUR 200 Introduction to Mass Communication class at Cuesta College. Listen to learn more about expectations, goals, challenges and topics we will take head on this coming semester in our first episode of the Media Mak podcast.
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MediaMak: Why do people attack meteorologists on social media during storms?
This episode explores the research of Dr. Jeremy Shermak, a journalism instructor at Cuesta College and Cal Poly. He investigated interactions on social media between broadcast television meteorologists and the public. His findings are both fascinating and alarming, bringing light to motivated...
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MediaMak: Putting It All Together - Summer 2025 Edition
Our hosts reflect on Dr. Shermak's final lecture of the blazing-fast summer 2025 semester, highlighting the big takeaways and what to think about in mass communication going forward.
About this show
"MediaMak with Dr. Shermak" is a podcast series based on content from Dr. Jeremy Shermak's Introduction to Mass Communication (JOUR 200) class at Cuesta College. These podcasts will cover major topics related to mass media, communication, marketing, advertising and journalism.
Hosted by
jshermak