166-006 Media, Politics and Society

This subject provides students with an introduction to the ways in which news is constructed in the media, and to the social organisation of the media. The media is a crucial political and social actor in an era in which information is becoming an increasingly valuable resource. We will undertake a critical analysis of television and newspaper reporting in the Australian and global contexts, analysing issues including the processes by which stories come to be considered 'newsworthy', and how political and social issues are represented in the media. We will also focus on the social organisation of the media, uncovering patterns of ownership, occupational structures, and new communication systems. Students who complete this subject should be able to assess the influence of different interests in media construction of news and be able to critically evaluate media representations of political and social relations.

Written work totalling 4000 words.

A subject reader will be available.