COMM 104
Rumors, Gossip, and Urban Legends in Journalism
Communication · 4 units · Undergraduate upper division (100-199)
Study of the creative relationship between fact and fiction by using—through examples from 20th-century journalism—three distinct types of communication: rumor, gossip, and urban legend. Broadly speaking, rumor mimics news and is unverified communication about events. Gossip is reputation management disguised as lighthearted chitchat. Urban legends mimic documentary-type news while their actual function is to teach about hidden dangers lurking behind the apparently normal surface of reality. All three belong to the category of informal communication, also known as hearsay. Since mimicry and disguise are the main way rumor, gossip, and urban legends appear credibly factual, study provides students with analytic tools to identify then analyze these distinct but widespread types of communication.
Letter grading.
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