2021 Subject Guide PDF

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Media and Society

THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE SCHOOL OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION MECM10003 | SEMESTER 1 2021 COORDINATOR: Dr Wilfred Wang [email protected] Principal Tutor Mr Alex Griffin [email protected]

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This student reading material has been made in accordance with the provisions of the part Vb of the copyright act for the teaching purposes of the university. This subject reader is for use only by students of the University of Melbourne enrolled in the above subject.

The University has used its best endeavours to ensure that material contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing. The university gives no warranty and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information and the University reserves the right to make changes without notice at any time in its absolute discretion. Users of this publication are advised to reconcile the accuracy and currency of the information provided with the relevant faculty or school of the University before acting upon or in consideration of the information. Copyright in this publication is owned by the University and no part of it may be reproduced without the permission of the University.

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Media and Society MECM10003 Semester 1, 2021 School of Culture and Communication

Table of contents Contact information ................................................................................................. 4 Class timetable ......................................................................................................... 5 Subject outline .......................................................................................................... 6 What is expected of you ............................................................................................ 6 Lecture program ...................................................................................................... 10 Assessment information .......................................................................................... 16 Notes on plagiarism ................................................................................................. 19 Citation Styles......................................................................................................... 26 Appendix a: official assessment notice ................................................................... 21 Appendix b: essay writing assistance ...................................................................... 22 Appendix c: further reading .................................................................................... 23

MECM10003

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Media and Society MECM10003 Semester 1, 2021 School of Culture and Communication Coordinator:

Dr Wilfred Wang

Email:

[email protected]

Office hours:

by appointment

Principal tutor:

Mr Alex Griffin [email protected]

Office hours:

by appointment

Tutors:

Mr Julian Bagnara Mr Pengfei (Adam) Fu Dr Shashini Gamage Mr Harry Mr Samuel Holleran Ms Maria Kamal Ms Narelle Lancaster Dr Elliot Pastoura Dr Sonja Petrovic Mr Wayne Shields Dr Xinyu (Andy) Zhao

Contact and office hours:

See Canvas

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Schedule of classes Lectures: There are 2 x 1 hour lectures per week throughout this subject. You must view both before tutorial. The lectures will be pre-recorded and made available by the following times on Canvas (Modules - Lecture Recordings and Slides): Lecture 1: Tuesday, 3:15PM Lecture 2: Wednesday 3:15PM Tutorials: You will need to select a tutorial time for this subject. Tutorials are 1 hour per week, and 80% attendance is a hurdle requirement for the subject.

*check online handbook for details: https://handbook.unimelb.edu.au/subjects/mecm10003/ * NB: Students must enrol online for tutorials prior to the commencement of semester through the online Student Portal. Tutorials commence in week 1. Students must attend the tutorial as per their online enrolment and all tutorials are online.

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Subject outline This subject provides students with a thematic overview of the study of media and communications. The subject addresses the production and distribution of media and the work of media audiences in historical and contemporary contexts. It introduces students to debates over critical approaches from the economics of the media industry to the relations between media, politics, and public life. It encourages students to develop their analytical capacities by expanding understanding of both the empirical nature of the media and the range of theoretical approaches to them.

Attendance requirement All students must attend at least 80% of lectures and seminars. Students who fail to meet this hurdle without valid reason will not be eligible to pass the subject. * NB: Timetable clashes and work commitments are NOT considered a valid reason for missing lectures or tutorials. If you have a timetable clash with this subject, please either remotely access the classes for your clashing subject (if this is possible – to find out, consult your other lecturer) OR do not take this subject this semester.

Subject aims and objectives The aim of the subject is to provide students with an introductory understanding of the study of media and communications. On completion of the subject students should be able to: •

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demonstrate an introductory-level knowledge of, and a capacity to apply, a key theories, approaches and perspectives on the role and significance of media in social life; apply analytical approaches to produce critical readings of media texts; deploy critical and analytical skills to critically consider the role played by media institutions, texts and practices within changing social and cultural contexts; clearly communicate an understanding of different perspectives, arguments and approaches by applying conventions and protocols of academic presentation; and engage in communal scholarship through participation in class discussion, and respectfully engaging with the participation of others.

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Generic skills • • •

be able to prepare and present their ideas in both verbal and written mode and in conformity to conventions of academic presentation; be able to reflect on their own learning and take responsibility for organising personal study; and be able to participate in discussion and group activities and be sensitive to the participation of others.

What is expected of you Students who enrol in this subject are expected to: • • • • • •

attend all weekly lectures and tutorials do the prescribed readings in advance of weekly classes complete and submit all assessment exercises on or before the due date participate actively in tutorial discussions and exercises notify tutors or lecturers of any problems or difficulties respect the perspectives, ideas and opinions of others

Students’ responsibilities to contribute to their own learning In guidance with Faculty policy, all students enrolled in this subject must: • • • • • •

familiarise themselves with School guidelines for assessment; be aware of the requirements and due dates for each of the components of assessment, including examination times; ensure that they take into account the total time commitment to study each subject of their enrolment; make sure that their studies are not impeded by part-time work or other outside commitments; regularly consult online subject homepages, subject noticeboards or wherever subject information is regularly posted; seek assistance if they experience difficulties with any aspect of their studies.

It is each student’s responsibility to plan a course that satisfies course requirements by ensuring timely enrolment in the correct number of subjects at the appropriate year level.

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Time commitment to study Time management plays a key role in relation to successful university study. Students need to keep in mind that as well as scheduled contact hours for lectures, tutorials and seminars a considerable additional time commitment is needed to complete the academic requirements of each subject. Below are estimates of the total time commitment required to study each 12.5-point single semester subject offered by the School of Culture and Communication in the Faculty of Arts. first year subjects 36 contact hours per subject; 30 hours of class preparation and reading per subject**; 36 hours of assessment-related tasks per subject 102 hours total time commitment per subject per semester 8.5 hours total time commitment per week per subject ** The above preparation and reading time commitment is an indication only. Some subjects could require more or less preparation and/or reading. In general, this means that in every week of semester, aside from your specified contact hours of lecture and tutorials, you should also be devoting at least 5 - 6 hours of your own time to each subject undertaken during the semester including reading, research and assessment tasks.

Lectures • • • • •

Lectures are an extremely important part of this subject. You are expected to view all lectures prior to your tutorial. There are two lectures per week that run for approximately 40 minutes each. Lectures will be audio-recorded, and copies of lecture notes will be posted on the subject Canvas. The aim of lectures is not to convey information which could more easily be garnered from independent reading but to give you a sense of how people have attempted to understand the relationship between media and society, and to show how such thinking has led to critical approaches to studying media and communications; the lectures are meant to give you a sense of how ideas have developed, are applied, and connect.

Tutorials •

Tutorials are held every week and run for 1 hour via Zoom with the support of Canvas Discussion Forum.

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Tutorials are allocated via your student portal and you must and should only attend the tutorial you are allocated into. Tutorials consist of small groups (approx. 17) under the guidance of a tutor and provide an opportunity for different orders of learning and dialogue. You are expected to attend all tutorials and to participate actively as required in group discussions and exercises. Tutorial’s Zoom details will be provided by tutor. The primary aim of tutorials is to process and discuss the material presented each week in lectures and readings. Thus, it is imperative you prepare by doing the set readings in advance.

Textbooks • • •

All requisite readings for this subject are contained in electronic format on the Learning Management System. You must do the set readings for each week before attending lectures & tutorials. You are encouraged to try and do additional reading beyond the required material each week. In particular, you will be required to do additional reading and research in preparation for assessment exercises. You should therefore try and familiarise yourself with the various university libraries and their holdings in media studies. To help you begin this process, a list of further recommended readings is included in the reader.

Web-based resources This subject offers a number of web-based resources through the University’s Learning Management Platform (Canvas). These resources include: • • • •

a subject homepage that contains various forms of information germane to the subject Lecture audio-recordings and lecture slides will be posted on the subject webpage Information about assessment will also be posted on CANVAS throughout the semester a subject discussion board that will be used by teaching staff through the semester to disseminate information about administration, teaching and/or assessment. The discussion board is primarily intended to give students the opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns, or generally discuss issues relevant to the subject both with staff and each other.

Students can access the subject homepage, discussion forum and other web-based material by visiting the CANVAS site at: https://lms.unimelb.edu.au/canvas

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You must authenticate yourself with a username and password to access the online resources for this subject. You simply use your central ITS email username and password. All students are automatically allocated a central email account. Information on how to activate your ITS email account is contained in the Student IT Handbook at: http://www.its.unimelb.edu.au/support/accounts/activation

Troubleshooting If you experience any problems or difficulties with the subject or any of its aspects (content, assessment, administration, etc), there are a number of avenues of assistance available to you. In the first instance, you should consult with your tutor. Failing that, contact the Subject Coordinators (contact details are on page 1). For general administrative problems, see the Arts Faculty undergraduate website: http://arts.unimelb.edu.au/students/undergraduate, or students website: http://students.unimelb.edu.au/. You might also think about posting your question on the LMS discussion board (details above). You’d be surprised how many other students may be wanting to know the same thing or experiencing similar difficulties and a “public” discussion could prove enormously beneficial all round. For assistance with academic research and writing, contact the academic skills unit: https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills. If your problems are of a more personal nature, you should contact the University Counselling Services, Level 5, 757 Swanston Street, Parkville (tel: 8344 6927), or access the university counseling and psychological services webpage: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel

Lecture program All set readings, listed below are essential weekly readings and are included in the Subject Reader. These readings must be completed in advance of each week’s classes. In addition, there are a series of further or recommended readings suggested for each week’s topics, which are included at the end of this document. These readings are not in the Reader but most will be found in the Baillieu library or library databases: http://library.unimelb.edu.au/

Block 1 (week 1-5) – Theoretical foundations This block provides a conceptual foundation for the course by introducing some of the key theoretical approaches and critical traditions in Media Studies.

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Week 1

Lecture 1 + 2: Introduction to Media & Society

Week of 1 March

‘The texture of experience’ ‘Reading media theory’

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This week provides a general introduction to the subject matter of Media & Society. We introduce some key definitions and ways of understanding the term ‘media’, consider why media is a significant site of research and study, and provide some resources for approaching theories about media. This will form the background for Block 1 of the course, which explores some of the key theoretical approaches to, and traditions within, the study of media and communications. Set readings Silverstone, R (1999). ‘The texture of experience’, in Why Study the Media? Sage: London. Deuze, M. (2011). Media life. Media, Culture & Society, 33(1), 137–148. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443710386518 Mills, B and Barlow, D.M (2013) ‘What is theory?’, in Reading Media Theory: Thinkers, Approaches, and Contexts. Routledge: New York, pp. 7-21. Week 2

Lecture 3 + 4: Media technologies

Week of 8 March

‘The medium is the message’ ‘Technology as cultural form’

The Canadian media scholar Marshall McLuhan was among the first to take a sustained and critical approach to theorising technology. His major contribution was to focus on the form of technologies in determining our sensory capacities and, more broadly, the social conditions we inhabit. This week we examine the insights, limitations, and legacies of this approach to studying media. In particular, we focus on McLuhan’s idea of ‘the medium is the message,’ and we contrast McLuhan’s ideas with those of Raymond Williams, who discussed the relationship between media and cultural change. Set readings McLuhan, M (1964) ‘The Medium is the Message’, in Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man, London: Routledge. Williams, R (1974) ‘The technology and the society’, in Television: Technology and cultural form. Fontana: London.

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Week 3

Lecture 5 + 6: Media industries

Week of 15 March

‘Critique of the culture industries’ ‘Mass media advertising and the audience commodity’

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This week we discuss media as an industry and consider traditions that established what is known as the ‘political economic’ approach to mass media. We begin with a discussion of the influential critical theorists of the ‘Frankfurt School’, who argued that culture as a whole in the post-Second World War period became industrialised, in the sense that it took on capitalist production logics. Studies of the ‘culture industry’ by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer in the mid-20th century emphasised the manipulative nature of mass media and popular media forms such as music and television. We look at the insights and limitations of this tradition, as well as its ongoing legacy in economic analyses and conceptualisations of commercial media organisations. Set readings Adorno, T.W. and Horkheimer, M. (2013 [1944]) Excerpts from ‘The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception’, in Mills, B and Barlow, D.M (eds) Reading Media Theory: Thinkers, Approaches and Contexts. New York: Routledge, pp. 79-102. Toynbee, J. (2006) ‘The media’s view of the audience’ in D. Hesmondhalgh (ed.) Media Production. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 91-132. Week 4

Lecture 7 + 8: Media publics

Week of 22 March

‘Habermas and the public sphere’ Media spectacles and ‘Essay skills’ (Academic skills team)

In contrast to the pessimistic view of the culture industries critique, this week we consider the ambition and function of media for shaping democratic participation, through their potential to organise and inform publics. A key source here is Jürgen Habermas, who argues that the production and circulation of printed information in the early 18th centu...