APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

PRK 3520 Media in Modern Society

Responsible for the course
Tor Bang

Department
Department of Communication - Culture and Languages

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
7,5

Language of instruction
Norwegian

Introduction
The media set the agenda in most arenas. The contemporary media spectrum is very diverse. Social actors have to relate to media logic,media diffusion and media influence. The course will also look at computer- mediated communication as a complex and powerful new channel available to individuals and organizations. An analytical approach to the field of media is not possible without an in-depth understanding of communication.

Learning outcome
Aquired knowledge

• On completing the course the students will understand communicative complexity, and comprehend sender-, channel- and receiver perspectives.
• Comprehend the importance of freedom of expression, as a common good per se, as well as a fundamental good for mankind's deliberative political, economic and cultural socialization.
• Understand media as agendasetters in contemporary political, economic and cultural discourses.
• Understand media organizations and media markets on local, regional, national and global levels.
• Be aware of various communicative strategies for the contemporary media channels.
• Assess a medium's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, on micro as well as macro levels in the digital social spheres as well as more traditional mass media channels.
• Be aware of socialpsychologial, sociological and anthropological influence on audiences' qualitative and quantitative media choices.
• Understand implications and diffusions of social media, and be able to contribute to a blog, a wiki or to twitter.

• On completing the course the students will be able to advise organizations in the civil and public spheres (private, public and also non-profits) on media issues, such as freedom of speech, agenda setting and news stories.
• Analyze the financial logics of media ownership and media entrepreneurship and assess issues of economy and distribution for media organizations (for instance questions regarding press support and public service broadcasting).
• Navigate in available databases, i.e. TNS Gallup, ssb.no, offentlighet.no as well as other international databases in relation to audiences' qualitative and quantitative media choices.
• Assess media message and publishing ethically and analytically.

• Linear and circular communication.
• Coorientational models of communication.
• Social and humanistic fundaments for media and media organizations.
• Freedom of speech.
• Print media.
• Dynamic media.
• Massmedia, social media, convergens of media channels.
• Media economy.
• Qualitative, quantitative and economic audience studies.
• Entrepreneurship in the media sphere.
• Socialpsychological, anthropological and sociological perspectives on media and media audiences.
• Global media organizations.
• Diffusions of innovations, knowledge, and knowledge gaps.
• Ethical issues in the media industry.