For the symposium on Saturday, I attended the lecture by Jason Mittell on Media Studies as a Liberal Art: TV storytelling in the Digital Era. I found the talk particularly interesting, especially as a potential media studies major. Mittell shared recently how he was up for tenure at Middlebury College and how during his interview the dean asked him to validate the relevance of having a professor of American Studies and Film and Media Culture at such a fine liberal arts college such as Middlebury. Mittell went on the defensive and said Media Studies was the ultimate Liberal Arts major, incorporating philosophy, history, psychology, sociology and many more disciplines. I found this particularly interesting being undeclared as I am, because one of the major reasons I remain undeclared is because the vast array of interests I hold. I find it fascinating how, with a media studies major, it is possible to incorporate any subject of interest.

Another interesting point Mittell brought up in his lecture was the television show “Lost” and the inherent forensic fandom that goes with it. Is “Lost” an indication of what is to come in prime time television? Or is it simply a flash in the pan? I tend to agree with Mittell, that “interactive” television shows like “Lost” will not last, it is simply too difficult to write for and takes too much effort on the viewer’s part to stay up to date on the story line, although, through the help of the internet you can catch up at your leisure. “Lost” will just be another TV fad that will be here today, gone tomorrow.