Please note - Swinburne University of Technology

Subject aims and description
This subject is an examination of media and communications
in the context of a post-industrial or information society.
Key questions about the contemporary technological
revolution are addressed, such as who decides about new
technologies, and how, whose interests are served, how
national policies are fashioned, and whose information
needs will be met by these technologies of abundance.
Crucial here is a variety of political, social and ethical issues,
including vexed territory such as ownership and control of
information syjtems, privatisation and de-regulation of
broadcasting and telecommunications, corporate and
community information systems and international
information transfer. Considerable emphasis is placed on the
methodology of investigation, analpis of reports and government
inquiries, and the presentation of data and
information. Students are encouraged to present their work
in a form that will enable it to be available to the
community.
References
Barr, T. The Electronic Estate: New Communications Media and
Australia. Ringwood: Penguin Books, 1985
Barr, T. (ed). Challenges and Change: Australian Information Societ)!
Melbourne: Oxford Uniwnity Press, 1987
Brand. S. The Media Lab. New York: Rnguin Books, 1988
Forester, T. The Information Technology Revolution. Oxford: Basil
Blackwell, 1985
Reinecke, I. Connecfing You . . . Ringwood: Penguin Books 1985
Roszak, T. The Cult of Information. New York: Pantheon Books, 1986
*AM309 Community Press: Process and
Production
No. of hours per week: four hours
Prerequisites: AM102 or AM103, AM206 and
one other stage two media studies subjects or
equivalent
Assessment: continuous
Subject aims and description
This subject examines a range of publications which serve
specific community or special interest information needs in
both a theoretical and practical way. The four-hour classes
are divided into two areas of study: (i) the tradition of
community press Australia, including suburban and regional
newspapers, and the impact of new technology on the
evolvement of publications such as newsletters and special
interest magazines (two hours per week); and (ii) production
of newsletters (two hours per week).
The first area of study will focus on the development of
publications serving communities of interest. Relevant
communications theories, notions of information agendas,
sources of news, commercial and political influences, will be
examined to develop an understanding of the influences
which shape community publications.
The second area of study will focus on practical exercises in
the production of newsletters and community interest
magazines. Students will also develop basic desktop
publishing skills using the Page Maker desktop publishing
package.
References
Evans, H. Editing and Design, MIS. 1-5, 2nd ed, London: Heinemann,
1976
Harrower, T. The Newspaper Designer's Handbook. 2nd ed, Dubuque,
IA, Wm.C.: Brown Publishers, 1991
* Not available to students who have previously passed
AM308 Local Press, Production and Fblitics.
AM404 Writing for the Media
No. of hours per week: three hours
Assessment: the production of a script, exercises
and seminar participation
Subject aims and description
This subject involves the practice of writing for specific
purposes within different sectors of the media: news reports.
feature stories, press releases, advertorials, community press
and in-house releases, and documentaries. It will take a case
study approach which analyses the strategies and
conventions utilized by different media to common subject
matter. Students will also be expected to produce original
material for different media, and to reflect theoretically on
the implications of different media production on issues of
reception and comprehension.
References
Ong. W. Oralify and Literacy: the T~hnology of the Wrd. London:
Metheun, 1982
Swinburne Radio Production Notes
White, S.A. Reporting in Australia. Melbourne: Macmillan, 1991
Windshuttle, K. and E. Writing, Research, Communicating.
Communication Skills for the Information Age. Sydney: McGraw Hill,
1990
AM406 Community Press: Process and
Production
No. of hours per week: four hours
Assessment: by class exercises, sub-editing and
layout, team publication project and individual
newsletter
Subject aims and description
This subject examines a range of publications which serve
specific community or special interest information needs. The
subject has both a theoretical and a practical orientation.
There are two main areas of study: the tradition of
community press in Australia, including suburban and
regional newspapers, and the impact of new technology on
the evolution of publications such as newsletters and special
interest magazines and; the production of newsletters using
the pagemaker desktop publishing package.
References
Davis, A. Magazine Journalism Today Oxford: Heinemann. 1988
Evans, H. Editing and Design. Book Two: Handling Newspaper Text
London: Heinemann, 1983
Harrower, T. The Newspaperr Handbook. W.C.B., 1989
Media lnfonnation Australia, selected articles
AM500 Globalisation: Media and
Telecommunications
No. of hours per week: three hours
Prerequisites: nil
Assessment: seminar paper 40%, final report
60%
This subject examines the international market, policy and
cultural trends in many fields of communications, with
special attention to broadcasting, cinema, and
telecommunications industries. It will examine many complex
forces for change. particularly the increasing international
trend towards privatisation, mega-amalgamation,
liberalisation and deregulation. Special attention will be given
to debates about international networking, cultural
imperialism and globalisation, especially for television and
cinema. Contemporary policy debates about the future of
broadcasting, and the complex issues involved in the
introduction of new communications technologies and about
the associated institutional pressures, especially on public
broadcasters, will be highlighted.