Use the Tab and Up, Down arrow keys to select menu items.
How does our media consumption shape our opinions, actions, identities and lives? How do audiences influence the production and circulation of media? How do we create our own media presence online, and act as an audience for each other? This course will examine the relationship between audiences and media. We will discuss theory and research that represents audiences as passive consumers of media products, active decoders of media texts, producers of our own representations online, and participants in interactive media production. The course will look at a broad range of media forms (such as television, radio, film, the Internet, social networking, home theatre, cell phones and videogames), and content (including violence, music, reality television, soap operas, news, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs). "Media Audiences" will encourage you to reflect on your own relationship with media, and to consider the broader contexts that shape your listening, viewing, reading, and interaction. We will also be intertwining the theory of audiences with a ‘live' research exercise which will guide you through the necessary steps to conducting your own research.
How does our media consumption shape our opinions, actions, identities and lives? How do audiences influence the production and circulation of media? How do we create our own media presence online, and act as an audience for each other? This course will examine the relationship between audiences and media. We will discuss theory and research that represents audiences as passive consumers of media products, active decoders of media texts, producers of our own representations online, and participants in interactive media production. The course will look at a broad range of media forms (such as television, radio, film, the Internet, social networking, home theatre, cell phones and videogames), and content (including violence, music, reality television, soap operas, news, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs). “Media Audiences” will encourage you to reflect on your own relationship with media, and to consider the broader contexts that shape your listening, viewing, reading, and interaction.We will also be intertwining the theory of audiences with a ‘live' research exercise which will guide you through the necessary steps to conducting your own research.
By the end of the course, you should be able to:- understand how audience studies and research fits into the field of media & communication studies.- describe a range of theories of the audience- apply these theories to contemporary media issues and debates- use audience research to discuss the relationship of media and culture- reflect critically on your own media use- use audience research methodologies to design and conduct your own research.
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
COMS101 or COMS102. Students without this prerequisite but with at least a B average in 60 points in relevant courses may enter the course with the approval of the Programme Coordinator.
COMS201
Note that tutorials will be held alternate weeks
Zita Joyce
There will be a compulsory reading set for each week of this course, and it is expected that you will read it before the lecture. The Learn page also contains extra material for each week, which will be referred to in the lectures, and should be useful for your own research and exam questions.The course readings will be available as PDFs on Learn.
Library portalLearn Referencing for Media & Communication Using EndNote for referencing Writing guides for Media & Communication
Domestic fee $746.00
International fee $3,038.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Humanities .