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How does our media consumption shape our opinions, actions, identities and lives? And how do audiences influence the production and circulation of media? 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, 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 tools, and videogames), and content (including violence, reality television, romance novels, news, and political 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.
This course examines the relationship between audiences and media. We 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 explores 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” encourages you to reflect on your own relationship with media, and to consider the broader contexts that shape your listening, viewing, reading, and interaction.
By the end of the course, you should be able to:- describe a range of theories of the audience- apply these theories to contemporary media issues and debates- use these theories to critique each other- 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.
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
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 course reader also contains extra material for each week, which will be referred to in the lectures, and should be useful for your own research and the and exam questions. The course readings will be available as PDFs on Learn.
Library portalLearn Course Reader Referencing for Media & Communication Using EndNote for referencing Writing guides for Media & Communication
Domestic fee $732.00
International fee $2,975.00
* 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 .