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alternative media. a colorful tapestry. the course. draws on historical and normative accounts of alternative media explores different alternative media paradigms examines the role diverse social actors in the implementation of alternative media
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alternative media a colorful tapestry
the course • draws on historical and normative accounts of alternative media • explores different alternative media paradigms • examines the role diverse social actors in the implementation of alternative media • explores social, cultural and political implications of the practice of alternative media
… the most important objective of the course deal with • criticism … posing questions … trying to understand reality from different perspectives key words: participation, interactivity, arguments
mass media and communication critical reflections
… on political economy of mass media • organization and control of mass media • capitalization (excessive capital outlay) • institutionalization (hierarchy) • professionalization (skills) … ownership, state/corporate/transnational interests, centralism/monopolization … advertising, agenda setting, sources, censorship, and power structures (economic-political)
… on communication process • one-way, vertical, top-down, flow of communication … distinction between sender/producer and receiver/consumer; lack of actual interactivity • expansion of new communication technologies (satellite, cable, Internet), globalization … increasing flow of content from the global North to the South
… onculture • interests of the reigning economic, political and social groups are presented positively and idealized, while subordinate groups are often presented negatively and prejudicially … reproduced relations of domination in the arenas of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality and further domains of everyday life • commercialized mass culture, sameness/homogenization, entertainment orientated angle of vision … dominant values: individualism, profit, competition, market
challenges • small-scale, decentralized media ... access; self-management; non-professional training; counterbalancing unequal distribution of communication resources • two-way, participatory process … non-hierarchical; horizontal; blurring of the distinction between producer and receiver • an arena … different discourses; collective actions; right to communicate; empowerment; experience; educational/learning value
coming next week • Alternative/radical media: definitions & perspectives • Compulsory readings: • - Atton, C. (2002) Alternative Media. London: Sage – chapter 1 • - Bailey, O. G., Cammaerts, B. and Carpentier, N. (2008) Understanding Alternative Media.Berkshire: Open University Press – chapter 1 • Recommended readings: • - Atton, C. and Couldry, N. (2003) “Introduction|” (Special Issue on Alternative Media), in Media, Culture and Society, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 625-645. • - Hamilton, J. (2000) “Alternative Media: Conceptual Difficulties, Critical Possibilities”, in Journal of Communication Inquiry, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 357-378. • - Vatikiotis, P. (2005) “Communication Theory & Alternative Media”, in WPCC, Vol. 2, Issue: 1. http://www.westminster.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/20187/002WPCC-Vol2-No1-Pantelis_Vatikiotis.pdf