Media Audiences

Overview

This module offers an opportunity to dive into the captivating realm of the most contemporary understanding of media audiences. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach to understanding media audience participation and perceptions, this module brings socio-anthropological and cultural studies theories and contexts to discover how to lead and manage a more audience-centred approach to media production. Using a diverse set of case studies, this module explores the identity formations and power dynamics embedded in media consumption; dissects the cultural nuances affecting audience reception; and navigates the diverse landscapes of audiencehood.

You will explore various dimensions of both the traditional and transformative nature of the media audiences by looking at the audience as objects; as institutions; and as producers. By unveiling the intricate tapestry of human engagement with media landscapes and related socio-cultural influences that shape perceptions and behaviours of audiences, students will analyse and critique the multifaceted relationships between media, audience and culture and gain valuable insights into the complexities of contemporary society's engagement with various forms of communications.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:



Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the media audiences and related socio-cultural complexities.

Apply theoretically informed understandings of audiences to independent and collaborative projects across a range of media.

Identify and offer a critical evaluation of the key academic discourse in the area of media audiences.

Assess various roles of media audiences and their impact on media production and policy developments.

Able to apply a wide range of audience analysis methods and techniques to measure the consumption patterns and responses of different audience groups.

Skills

Critical thinking skills

Socio-cultural analytical skills

Discourse analysis skills.

Applying critical concepts to texts.

Critiquing critical concepts.

Oral communication and argumentation (seminars).

Written communication (assessed work).

Time management.

Independent research.

Group work (seminars)

Assessment