Cirrus@Austlit

Television is a highly significant mass medium globally and a vital component within the Creative Industries, both as a shaper of and as an outlet for creativity. You need to have a critical awareness of Australian television in terms of its history, industry, audiences, texts, social and cultural impact, and future developments. You should understand the place of Australian television in an international environment.

Aims

This unit aims to provide you with a critical awareness of the importance of television and the television industry within Australian culture from a range of historical, social and political perspectives. It also aims to give you an understanding of the stylistic features and audience impact of Australian-produced television texts within a global context, and with the advent of new technologies.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1) Provide a critical awareness of:

a. The history of television transmission and production within Australia

b. The characteristics and stylistic features of Australian television content;

c. The range of television texts produced by Australians;

d. The theoretical, political, social, and historical debates relevant to this field; and

e. The variety of Australian audiences watching television and the uses they make of their television viewing experiences.

2) Analyse, interpret, and evaluate particular television texts;

3) Show the relevance of applying social, cultural, political and historical knowledge when analysing the role and impact of television within Australia; and

4) Develop and express informed, critical, and independent viewpoints in relation to aspects of Australian television production.

Content

This unit addresses content such as:

History of Australian television industry; great moments in Australian television; generic and textual analysis; Australian television policy and Australian content debates; innovative programming; the impact of television on Australian society and culture; Australian television audiences; popular television; Australian television and national identity; politics and Australian civic culture: The role of Australian television; Australian television, internet television, and the digital revolution.