1996 Swinburne Higher Education Handbook

LSMl 00 Texts and Contexts
3 hours per week Lilydale Prerequistite: nil Assessment:
continuous
A stage 1 subject in the Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of
Social Science
Objectives and Content
This subject introduces an analytical approach to media
texts. Though it will refer to print and radio forms, it will
primarily concern itself with film and/or television. Our
interest in studying these texts is not so much to establish
their worth, or otherwise, as to draw attention to the
mechanics of our work as readers, to the ways in which we
produce meanings from (or are confused by) the texts, to the
methods they use in order to produce meanings, and to the
values they embody in their representations.The texts for
study will be selected from fiction and documentary films,
television series, news and current affairs programs, music
videos, advertisements, variety and sports shows, and
children's programs. They will be examined within the
context of textual theory, with particular attention being
given to their visual aspects.
Recommended reading
Bordwell, D. and Thompson, K. Film Art An Introduction, 4th
edn, New York, McGraw-Hill, 1993
Sobchack, T. and Sobchack, V.C., An Introduction to Film, 2nd
edn, Boston, Little, Brown & CO, 1987
Fiske, J., Telm'sion Culture, London, Methuen, 1987
LSMPOO Popular Culture
3 hours per week Lilydale Prerequistite: LSMlOO
Assessment: Research Essay 3000 words, individual tutorial
presentation, group exercise, class participation
A stage 2 subject in the Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of
Social Science
Objectives
To introduce students to issues and debates in an
analysis of popular culture in Australia;
to investigate the images, ideologies, meanings and
practices which comprise popular culture;
to familiarise students with the main theoretical
understandings of the Frankfurt and Birmingham
Schools, Feminism, Post Structuralism and
Postmodernism:
to encourage students towards in a critical engagement
of their culture.
Content
The debates surrounding high culture versus poppular
culture;
an introduction to Marxist and postmodern
perspectives;
the Frankfurt School: shopping, fashion industries and
wearing jeans;
traditional v.s postmodern feminists: debates around
'Sexist Advertising';
pornography and censorship;
postmodern perspectives;
A -
the dysfunctional family on television. Birmingham
School perspectives;
seminar: guest lecturer - 'Junk Culture';
sites of ppular culture: The rise and rise of computer
and video games, gambling, and opular culture, the
rock music industry and sport: t E e true 20th century
Australian religion.
Recommended reading
Fiske, J. Understanding Popular Culture. Unwin Hyman, Boston
1989
Milner, A. Contemporary Cultural Theory. An Introduction. Allen
and Unwin Sydney, 1991
Docker, J. Postmodernism and Popular Culture. Cambridge
University Press, Sydney, 1994
Craven, I. (Ed). Australian Popular Culture. Cambridge
University Press, Sydney, 1994
LSMPOl Writing for the Media
3 hours per week Lilydale Prerequistite: LSMIOO
Assessment: Class News Writing Exercises Newsletter/ Feature
Television/ Radio News
A stage 2 subject in the Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of
Social Science
Objectives
To offer a theoretical and practical introduction to media
writing skills. While the major focus is on writing for the
print media - in particular newspapers and magazines - it
also includes news writing for radio and television.
Content
Editing skills - grammar and punctuation;
news writing - hard news, human interest news;
news features -writing leads, news story structure,
attributions;
news research skills;
interviews;
human interest stories;
investigative reporting;
magazine features;
writing radio news;
writing television news.
Recommended reading
Harris, G. Practical Newspaper Reporting. Focal Press, Oxford,
1993
Granato, L. Newspaper Feature Writing. Deakin University Press,
Geelong, 1990
Hogan, T. Radio News Writing. AFTRS, Sydney, 1985
Bell, P. and Van Leeuwen, T. The Media Interviews. UNSW Press,
Sydney, 1994