2022-2023 Undergraduate Course Catalog 
    
    Nov 21, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications


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Mark Lodato, Dean
400 Newhouse I
newhouse.syr.edu

About the College

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is widely regarded as one of the nation’s top schools of communications. Engaged in industry partnerships and ongoing curricular development, the scope of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications reaches beyond the confines of the classroom. The school prepares students and faculty alike to take a leadership role in addressing the issues of today’s rapidly changing media landscape.

The Newhouse School claims a distinguished faculty with a broad range of expertise which is supplemented by visiting communications professionals, regularly bringing new experiences to the classroom. Students study in a modern, three-building complex, which houses multimedia labs, television and photography studios, and sound production and recording facilities. Students are supported in their professional development by the Tina Press and David Rubin Career Development Center which serves students who are engaged in public communications studies and helps them make professional connections and find internships, as well as professional positions.http://newhouse.syr.edu/career-development. The Newhouse School is an authorized certification partner with: Adobe, Apple, Avid and Microsoft.

Upon graduation, students join the ranks of Newhouse alums, a large and robust group of communications professionals influencing all aspects of the industry. The Career Development Center encourages networking among alums and between students and alums, supporting their continued involvement in the Newhouse School.

The S.I. Newhouse School embraces every form of public communications offering a rich variety of undergraduate and graduate programs.  You’ll find more information about the graduate programs in the Graduate Course Catalog.

Undergraduate:

Graduate: Master’s Level

  • Master of Arts in Advertising
  • Master of Arts in Arts Journalism and Communications
  • Master of Arts in Audio Arts
  • Master of Science in Broadcast and Digital Journalism
  • Master of Science in Communications
  • Master of Science in Communications Management
  • Master of Arts in Magazine, News, and Digital Journalism
  • Master of Arts in Media Studies
  • Master of Science in Multimedia, Photography and Design
  • Master of Science in New Media Management
  • Master of Arts in Public Diplomacy and Global Communications
  • Master of Science in Public Relations
  • Master of Arts in Television, Radio and Film

Graduate: Doctoral Level

  • Ph.D. in Mass Communications

Minors

Shared Competencies

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications participates in students’ knowledge and skill development through the Shared Competencies, Syracuse University’s institutional learning goals that highlight the knowledge and skills students can expect to gain through their major courses, liberal arts requirements and co-curricular activities.

Accreditation

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, and the School is a member of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Educational Mission

The S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications’ mission is to educate ethical, visionary communicators whose goal is to establish an open marketplace of ideas guided by the First Amendment using contemporary professional practices. In the course of earning their degree, students are expected to achieve the following educational outcomes:

LAW: Apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press, in a global and domestic context

HISTORY: Demonstrate an understanding of the multicultural history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications

DIVERSITY: Demonstrate culturally proficient communication that empowers those traditionally disenfranchised in society, especially as grounded in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and ability, domestically and globally, across communication and media contexts

VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS: Present images and information effectively and creatively, using appropriate tools and technologies

WRITING: Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve

ETHICS: Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity

CRITICAL THINKING/RESEARCH: Apply critical thinking skills in conducting research and evaluating information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work

USE OF NUMBERS: Effectively and correctly apply basic numerical and statistical concepts

EVALUATION: Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness

TECHNOLOGY: Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work

Undergraduate Education

Mark Lodato, Dean

Degree Program Overview

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications offers programs of study that lead to the B.S. degree. Students enrolled in the dual program with the College of Arts and Sciences  are granted the degree appropriate to the arts and sciences program of study, either the B.A. or the B.S. Students enrolled in the dual program with the School of Management  or with the School of Information Studies  also earn the B.S. degree. Dual programs are available to all majors except the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries, which is already a cross-disciplinary program with course work in four different colleges.

Professional coursework in communications may be taken in advertising; broadcast and digital journalism; graphic design; magazine, news and digital journalism; photography; public relations; recording and entertainment industries; and television, radio and film.

Broad scholarship is stressed in all the programs to ensure that students attain the background necessary for serving in leadership roles in public communications.

All work prepared for classes in the school must be written electronically. Students are encouraged to bring a computer to campus for use in word processing, e-mail, web searches, and graphic, multimedia, video, and photographic production and presentations.

Public communications students at Syracuse University, as at all accredited schools of public communications, receive a broad education in completing their degree requirements, devoting more than two-thirds of their study to areas other than communications, and earning a minimum of 61 credits in the liberal arts and sciences.

Graduation Requirements

For academic rules and regulations that apply to all Syracuse University students, see the Academic Rules  section of the Course Catalog, which also contains special regulations that apply to all students matriculated in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. In addition, the following rules and regulations apply to students in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

In addition to meeting all general University requirements for graduation, students must complete a minimum of 122 credits of coursework, of which 32 must be taken in residence at Syracuse University. All students must take a minimum of 39 credits in public communications courses.

Single Enrollment Graduation Requirements

Students who are singly enrolled in the Newhouse School of Public Communications must satisfy the general requirements of the professional major program they are pursuing. In addition, non-public communications requirements assure a broad education, and a minor or an area of specialization provides special competency in a selected field of study outside the School of Public Communications.

Singly enrolled students must:

  1. Fulfill 61 credits in the College of Arts and Sciences
  2. Complete the following general skills requirements:
  3. Complete the following divisional requirements:
    • two courses (6 credits) in social sciences
    • two courses (6 credits) in humanities;
    • two courses (6 to 8 credits) in natural sciences and mathematics;
    • four additional courses (12 to 16 credits) from any of the three areas listed above.

All courses fulfilling divisional requirements must be from the Divisional Lists included in the Newhouse School Guide Book 2022-2023. For updated information, check with the Newhouse Undergraduate Advising Office, 315-443-4722, nhadvise@syr.edu.

  1. Complete the requirements of one major plan of study in the Newhouse School of Public Communications. Up to 42 credits in Newhouse may be counted in the 122 credits needed for graduation.
  2. Complete a minor or an area of specialization comprising at least 18 credits in a single department in a school or college other than public communications. In most cases,12 of these credits must be in upper-division courses. This minor or area of specialization may include courses taken to fulfill requirements other than the major. A complete list of minors offered by Syracuse University can be found in the Undergraduate Course Catalog . The minors in Public Communications Studies and in Photography, Video and Design are intended for students who are not enrolled in the Newhouse School.
  3. Complete enough credits in electives to total 122 credits, which are required for graduation. For most Newhouse majors, these electives may be taken in any school or college within the University. No more than four credits may be in physical education.  For students in the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries, elective credits must be taken in the College of Arts and Sciences.
  4. In addition, all students must complete two university-wide required courses: First Year Seminar (FYS 101 ) and a 3-credit Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility course (IDEA). The IDEA requirement can be fulfilled by choosing one of the following Newhouse courses: COM 346 - Race, Gender, and the Media  or COM 348 - Beauty and Diversity in Fashion Media .

Dual Enrollment Graduation Requirements

Students dually enrolled in the Newhouse School of Public Communications and another school or college within the University must fulfill the degree requirements of both schools. Upon graduating, they receive a bachelor’s degree (one diploma) conferred jointly by the two schools.

Formal dual programs of study are available in cooperation with the College of Arts and Sciences , the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs , the School of Information Studies , and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management . These programs are available to all Newhouse majors with the exception of the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries since this major is already cross-disciplinary in nature and requires courses from multiple colleges.

Admission to Major Programs

Students must declare a major program of study before the end of the sophomore year. Students majoring in photography or graphic design may need a minimum of five semesters on Main Campus to complete the major; other majors require a minimum of four semesters on Main Campus. Admission to the creative track in advertising is based upon a student receiving a grade of B+ or better in ADV 401  and upon a positive committee review of a portfolio. Students are admitted to the Bandier Program in Recording and Entertainment Industries through the first-year application for admission to the University.  Entry into the major in Recording and Entertainment Industries after a student has enrolled in the University in a different major is dependent upon available seats.

Intra-University Transfer

Students may apply for internal transfer into all majors in the Newhouse School; however, acceptance as an internal transfer does not guarantee access to limited enrollment programs (i.e. Bandier). Admission is based upon cumulative GPA, rigor of academic coursework taken at Syracuse University, engagement on and off campus, a writing sample and performance in two required courses. To transfer into the School of Public Communications from another school or college of the University, the student must complete a minimum of 30 graded (not P/F) credits at SU before they are eligible for internal transfer. Students must also have earned a “B” or better in COM 107 (open to all students in the spring semester) and an approved writing course which includes WRT 105 , WRT 109 , ENL 211 , or ENL 213 ,or an equivalent course, with a “B” grade. (AP and IB credits with acceptable scores may also fulfill this requirement.) In addition to completing the two required courses with a “B” grade or higher, to apply for intra-university transfer, students must submit: a writing assignment of no more than 500 words on a prompt to be determined each semester; a resume; and the name of one reference. Interested students must attend a Newhouse IUT information session, which are held throughout each semester. A Schedule of IUT information sessions can be found here- https://newhouse.syr.edu/admissions/undergraduate/transfer-applicants/. Juniors (60+ credits completed) and seniors are ineligible to transfer. Students wishing to major in photography or graphic design may need a minimum of five semesters on Main Campus to complete this major. Students are admitted twice each year. Application deadlines are November 1 for spring and April 1 for fall. Applications must be turned in to 316 Newhouse 3, the Newhouse Undergraduate Advising Office. 

Transfer Credit

The Newhouse School accepts a maximum of 12 transfer credits in communications. Transfer credit in communications must be judged applicable to the student’s major to be acceptable, in addition to meeting general University criteria for transfer credit.

Study Abroad

London, a world center for communications, has a special appeal for public communications students. Syracuse London offers courses in advertising, communications law, television, radio and film, as well two courses on diversity in the media, and special topic courses. The programs offered abroad are intended for third-year students who have completed introductory courses. The Graphic Design and Photography majors allow for study abroad in the fall of senior year.

Public communications students who participate in the London program may take three or six credits in their major area of study. The balance of the academic program consists of courses selected from other components of the program in London, including Arts and Sciences and Management.

Also, through Syracuse Abroad, the Newhouse School of Public Communications offers public communications courses in Madrid, Spain; and Strasbourg, France. In addition, students in Madrid may select from courses offered in anthropology, history, economics, political science, religion, psychology, history of art, sociology, management, sport management, science, math, Spanish language and literature, women’s and gender studies, and Latin American, Judaic, and Middle Eastern Studies. Those fluent in Spanish may do part of their coursework at the Autónoma University of Madrid. In Strasbourg, students may choose from courses in economics, history of art, French language and literature, history, philosophy, political science, and religion. Those fluent in French may do part of their coursework at the University of Strasbourg.

Students who do not need to take a communications course during their semester abroad also have the option of studying in Santiago, Chile; Florence, Italy; in fall semesters, Central Europe. Direct enrollment in foreign universities and affiliated programs is available in multiple locations in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean through Syracuse Abroad’s World Partner offerings.

In addition to studying abroad during the fall or spring semesters, students may also choose from a variety of summer programs offered through Syracuse Abroad, as well as main campus courses which include a short-term abroad experience as part of the course.

Further information can be found at http://suabroad.syr.edu, or contact Syracuse Abroad, 106 Walnut Place, 315-443-3471, suabroad@syr.edu.

Newhouse LA

Newhouse LA is an immersive professional development program that provides students with the opportunity towork as interns at a Los Angeles media company, while taking entertainment industry-related academic courses. The program is offered during fall, spring, and summer semesters and is open to juniors and seniors that have 60 credits completed; are in good academic, judicial, and financial standing; and have approval from their home college.  

The fall & spring semesters are built around registering for a flexible 12-15 credit experience consisting of an 18-30-hour entertainment industry practicum, a vast array of LA based course offerings, master seminars, and online A&S classes. The summer program is a slightly abbreviated academic version with students registering for 6 credits. 

More information can be found at https://newhouse.syr.edu/students/special-opportunities/newhouse-la or contact NewhouseLA@syr.edu

Newhouse NYC

Newhouse NYC provides students the opportunity to study for a semester in one of the most vibrant media centers in the world. This one semester professional development program is offered during the fall and spring semesters and open to full-time juniors and seniors from all Newhouse majors and minors.

Your Newhouse NYC experience will be built around a part-time industry practicum specific to your career interests and skillset. In the evenings, you will take classes at the Fisher Center, Syracuse University’s academic space in midtown Manhattan. Additionally, throughout the semester, students will engage with an extensive network of talented alumni and accomplished professionals - many of whom occupy pivotal roles in the media industry. More information can be found at https://newhouse.syr.edu/students/special-opportunities/newhouse-nyc or by contacting NewhouseNYC@syr.edu.

Newhouse DC

This one-semester Newhouse D.C. program offers a unique opportunity to pursue your education and professional development in our nation’s capital. You’ll gain hands-on professional experience as an intern at a top-level media company, take classes, and build your network by engaging with accomplished professionals, many of them alumni who hold top roles in the communications industry. You will also meet industry professionals as part of your coursework.

Your Newhouse DC experience will be built around registering for a flexible 12-15 credit experience consisting of a part-time 18-30-hour communications industry practicum specific to your career interests and skillset, choosing from an array of DC based course offerings at the Syracuse University Center for Democracy, Journalism, and Citizenship: as well as a  variety online A&S classes.

For more information contact NewhouseDC@syr.edu

Facilities

The S.I. Newhouse School’s buildings are known on campus as Newhouse 1, 2, and 3. All three buildings have faculty offices and classrooms capable of supporting internet applications, web conferencing, presentations and advanced multimedia projects.

Newhouse 1 contains administrative offices; digital news writing and editing laboratories with motion graphics, 3D animation, and research tools, such as SPSS and NVivo. Newhouse 1 also houses multimedia laboratories supporting digital imaging, video editing, and digital sound editing, an advertising/public relations campaigns laboratory, and the Bill Glavin Magazine Lab, a collaborative space for magazine writing and production. There is a large professional photography studio equipped with Profoto D4 strobe equipment and lighting attachments, as well as HDSLR and digital Mamiya medium-format camera gear. Exhibition spaces and the Steele Center, a portfolio prep environment with digital ink jet printers are also housed in Newhouse 1.

Newhouse 2 contains an extensive field-equipment facility (CAGE) that manages the School’s digital video cameras (HD and DSLR formats), lights, microphones, and other production accessories. Post-production facilities include video editing stations (AVID©, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut Pro©), a 16-channel, digital music-recording studio equipped with Pro Tools© HD and 5.1 surround sound capabilities; a digital post-production sound studio equipped with Pro Tools© HD; an extensive sound effects and music collection; Full Adobe Creative Cloud© suite of software; and direct network connection to the Avid Isis© storage server for video. The Newhouse School is an AVID© and Apple authorized training partner and offers courses that lead to AVID© and Final Cut Pro© certification. In Newhouse 2, there are also two radio news production labs, and writing labs equipped with ENPS©, the most widely used broadcast newsroom software in the world.  Several voice recording booths for recording voice tracks for radio and television stories support the creation of newscasts on multiple platforms.  Students edit voice tracks using Audacity© and Adobe Audition©.

Dick Clark Studios and Alan Gerry Innovation Center are located on the first two floors of Newhouse 2.  This five-studio complex is supported by three control rooms, all equipped with state-of-the-art technology.  Two large soundstages and two smaller flex studios can be configured for a variety of single and multicamera productions. The Broadcast and Digital Journalism newsroom and studio feature a fully automated system for newscast labs that integrate robotic cameras, graphic systems and digital video servers.  Technology includes Ross Vision© video switchers, XPression graphic systems, Overdrive automation, Lawo© audio consoles, Ikegami© broadcast cameras, Imagine© video servers, Avid Isis© storage, and Evertz© routing systems.  Newhouse has partnered with SU Athletics for the launch of the ACC Network in August of 2019.  Fiber optic lines connect athletic venues, including the Carrier Dome, to Newhouse 2 and ESPN headquarters in Bristol, CT.  The facility in Newhouse 2 produces over 100 sporting events annually. 

The Gerry Innovation Center encourages students to experiment with new technologies including drones, large format interactive screens, Google watches and glasses, 360° cameras, and technology which supports the creation of virtual and augmented reality programming. The University’s Orange Television Network http://orangetvnetwork.syr.edu/ is also headquartered in Newhouse 2.

Newhouse 3 houses a 300-seat auditorium; a collaborative media suite in which students can build interactive web sites; executive education interactive classrooms; student lounges; spaces for media-related student activities; and a research center. A dining and social area connects all three buildings in the center of the complex. A glass-enclosed bridge connecting Newhouse 1 and 2 provides a walkway with a winter garden setting for studying or socializing.

Research Centers

Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture

The. S.I. Newhouse School is the home of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture. Since 1997, the center has been overseeing the acquisition and editing of an ongoing series of books published by Syracuse University Press about television and other popular culture subjects, and maintaining a large archive of original interviews with pioneers of American television, as well as a collection of television scripts and production materials.  The center provides expertise to a wide variety of TV, radio, and print reporters.  On-campus activities include symposiums, guest lecturers, and weekly screenings, all of which are open to the public.  For further information contact Robert Thompson, director, 315-443-4077, http://tvcenter.syr.edu/

Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship

The Newhouse Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship provides courses, consulting, and connections to encourage Newhouse students to start businesses and to identify new career opportunities in a fast-changing media industry. The Center teaches digital media trends, business modeling, and the latest in venture development. The work of the center is reinforced through one-on-one coaching and supporting resources on- and off-campus including mentoring, team development, assistance with legal matters, funding, technology and management issues, and more. Through internships and events (such as South by Southwest in Austin, and events with the start-up community in NYC), students are exposed to digital media startups and the start-up culture. In promoting digital media innovation and entrepreneurship, the Center also connects students to alumni and others who are innovating and changing the media industry. For further information contact Sean Branagan, director, 315-443-6310; email startups@syr.edu or visit http://www.newhousestartups.com/

Newhouse Sports Media Center

The Newhouse Sports Media Center builds upon the Newhouse School’s long history and strengths in sports communications. The Center provides courses across the spectrum of media– courses such as, sports writing across platforms, sports reporting, sports production, play-by-play announcing, interviewing, as well as internship experiences to students in a variety of fields. The Center fosters student and alumni interaction and academic-industry partnerships. The Newhouse Sports Media Center sponsors special events and frequent guest lecturers on current sports issues. Television, Radio and Film Professor of Practice, Olivia Stomski, is the Center director. For further information, visit: http://newhousesports.syr.edu/

The Newhouse Center for Global Engagement

The Newhouse Center for Global Engagement is dedicated to creating collaborative, ethical, globally-engaged students through experiential learning, cross-disciplinary storytelling, fellowships, industry partnerships, innovation and symposia. The center features the global work of Newhouse students, faculty and staff while providing a hub for new initiatives and partnerships. The center strives to bring the classroom into the world, and the world into the classroom.  Associate Professor Ken Harper is the center director.  For further information visit: https://newhouse.syr.edu/centers/newhouse-center-for-global-engagement

Tully Center for Free Speech

The. S.I. Newhouse School is the home of the Tully Center for Free Speech, which educates students and the public about the value of free speech, free press and the First Amendment. The Center annually presents the Free Speech Award to a journalist who has faced significant turmoil in performing journalism in the previous year. The Center sponsors educational programs and conducts research related to media law and free speech, serves as a clearinghouse on media law issues in New York State, and supports interdisciplinary work on free speech topics at Syracuse University. For further information contact Associate Professor Roy Gutterman, Director at 315-443-3523, http://tully.syr.edu/.

The Weiss Center for Social Commerce 

The Weiss Center for Social Commerce was made possible in 2012 through the generosity of Syracuse University alums, Jim and Audra Weiss ‘87. Jim is founder and CEO of Real Chemistry, a global health innovation company headquartered in San Francisco with fifteen offices worldwide. The Center’s mission is to ensure SU students graduate with the cutting-edge skills needed to address the convergence of communications with “big data,” business analytics, digital technology and social media in the emerging area of “social commerce.” Toward this end, the Center brings together marketing, communications, and digital experts from the industry with faculty and students; complements current course offerings with hands-on workshops and case studies; involves students in applied research projects for clients; and hosts internships at Real Chemistry and client offices across the United States. For more information, visit http://socialcommerce.syr.edu/.

Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC)

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) is a data gathering, research and distribution organization affiliated with the Newhouse School and with the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. TRAC’s purpose is to provide the American people-and institutions of oversight such as Congress, news organizations, public interest groups, businesses, scholars and lawyers-with comprehensive information about the staffing, spending and enforcement activities of the federal government. For more information, visit http://trac.syr.edu/ or mail trac@syr.edu

Library Resources and Services

Syracuse University Libraries support teaching, learning, and research at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications by providing a wide array of research support services, facilities, and on-site and online resources at https://library.syracuse.edu.

Library collections in public communications cover advertising, broadcast and digital journalism, print journalism, communication theory and research, law of the press, public relations, printing, photography, film, and freelance writing. Communications-related databases, accessible from any location on or off campus, include Nexis Uni, Factiva, Simmons Insights, Statista, Media Intelligence Center, PressReader, ProQuest Historical Newspapers, SCOLA, AP Newsroom, Vanderbilt University’s Television News Archive, JSTOR, Communication Source, World Advertising Research Center, Mintel Reports, eMarketer, Ad$pender, Adforum, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, Web of Science, Scopus, Sage Research Methods Online, and many more. In addition, the library offers ebooks in the hundreds of thousands and substantial collections of streaming videos and DVDs, sound recordings, media trade magazines, collections of the memoirs of foreign correspondents; and private papers of American news people, broadcasters, authors, and cartoonists.  All current students, faculty and staff also have library supported access to the platforms for the digital New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

Physical facilities offer extensive hours, including 24-hour access most days, open collaborative study areas, teaching and seminar spaces, quiet and silent reading spaces, information technology loans, computer labs, reservable group study rooms, a faculty commons, digital scholarship services, Pages Café, events spaces for student, librarian or faculty use, a Center for Learning and Student Success, Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement, a Biblio Gallery for exhibition of student creative work and the Blackstone Launchpad, a multidisciplinary center for entrepreneurship.

The Library’s Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) collects the history of American broadcasting. Notable acquisitions include the personal papers of iconic broadcast journalist Ted Koppel, which includes near complete runs of Nightline and The Koppel Report. SCRC is also the repository for the papers of several American columnists of national note William Safire, Drew Pearson, Westbrook Pegler, George Sokolsky, Harold Ickes, Dorothy Thompson, and Arthur Brisbane; an outstanding collection of prints, negatives, and personal papers of noted photographer Margaret Bourke- White, as well as personal papers, scripts, and audio-visual media of communications personalities Norman Corwin, Mike Wallace, Dick Clark, Long John Nebel, and Fulton Lewis Jr., as well as those involved in the business of television, such as Ed Bleier. The SCRC also maintains an extensive archive of scripts, videos, and personal papers in the field of television history, including scripts and production notes from NYPD Blue and Party of Five; scripts and videotapes of St. Elsewhere; and interviews by critics Arthur Unger and Steven H. Scheuer.

Programs

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