MEDIA 309
Watching Television
Please note: this is archived course information from 2020 for MEDIA 309.
Description
This course examines the medium of television as an aesthetic, cultural and industrial phenomenon. It provides a history of television from broadcast to contemporary streaming platforms. It links these technological shifts to an examination of changing conventions, formal and/or narrative qualities of television genres including comedy, drama and reality television. Examples will be used throughout the course from texts ranging from Married at First Sight to high production value television dramas, such as Game of Thrones and The Handmaid’s Tale.
Television will be examined from the perspectives of production, audience reception and textual analysis. Particular attention will be paid to the role of television in both shaping and reflecting socio-cultural context(s). The representation of gender and race on television will be examined and mapped over television’s history.
By the end of the course you will have developed an understanding of some of the most important concepts relating to the study of television, such as issues of seriality, flow and segmentation, authorship and fandom, and have had the opportunity to critically analyse television shows of your choice.
Availability 2020
Semester 1
Lecturer(s)
Lecturer(s) Dr Jennifer Kirby
Points
MEDIA 309: 15 points
Prerequisites
30 points at Stage II in Media, Film and Television
Restrictions
FTVMS 211, MEDIA 211, FTVMS 309
