Media Audiences

This book offers an engaging and accessible introduction to contemporary issues and key debates in audience studies. The book is unique in offering both historical and cross-cultural perspectives on audiences. It includes chapters on: different approaches to researching audiences and how they link to policy and political agendas; how media technologies shape our senses and social experiences; how the media address us as media publics and affect democratic processes; ethnographic approaches to audiences; the `extended audienceĹź of contemporary media culture; and questions of power, mobility and interactivity. The authors take students carefully through these and other topics, using readings from key research and providing carefully-designed student activities. Case studies range from the sensational experiences of early 20th century film audiences to the activities of Reality TV viewers, from the audiences for Indian religious epics to Israeli news viewersĹź interpretations of news about Palestine.