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Lecturer(s)
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Krásová Kateřina, Mgr. et Mgr.
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Motal Jan, doc. MgA. Ph.D.
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Sedláková Renáta, doc. Ph.D.
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Course content
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1. The evolution of communication, its historical and cultural forms, and the information utopia 2. Theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of communication and media, communication models 3. Mass society and cultural industries, hegemony and ideology 4. Effects of media 5. Audience and its transformation 6. News and its research 7. Public sphere and normative media theory 8. Political economy of media and media systems Consultations by prior arrangement by e-mail, one hour before the lesson. SESSION 1 (Online lecture) 9 February 2027, 17:00 - 18:30 Content: This introductory session lays the theoretical foundations for viewing the media as active agents: Topic: Social and media constructions of reality - theories of representation. Students are expected to prepare by reading W. Schulz. Topic: How influential are the media? (Traditions in effects research - the magic bullet, two-step flow, cultivation, the spiral of silence). BLOCK 2 (Face-to-face seminar workshop) 27 February 2027, 8.50 - 12.15 Content: This key face-to-face session is structured around a debate on theoretical concepts and an analysis of texts that students will bring with them: Topic: Why study the media? The communication process, historical periods, and models. Topic: Media studies: dominant and alternative paradigms (processes vs culture, the Frankfurt School vs the Birmingham School). Topic: The political economy of the media: ideology and hegemony, the Frankfurt School. Topic: Journalism as a profession - news and feature writing genres. Topic: News reporting as a genre (gatekeeping, news values, event versus news item). Topic: News reporting as discourse. BLOCK 3 (Online synthesis & feedback) 20 April 2027, 17:00 - 18:30 Content: This block takes place after the submission of seminar reflections (deadline 10 April) and will focus on the issues of active audiences and semiotic discourse; it will provide formative feedback on the submitted work and methodically prepare students for the examination: Topic: Audience research - the everyday lives of new audiences. Topic: New audiences, fandom.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Activating (Simulations, Games, Dramatization), Group work
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Learning outcomes
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The course aims to familiarise students with the fundamental theories of mass communication and the current context of media research. The course situates this knowledge within the contemporary transformation of the media landscape (new media, media convergence) and new audience behaviour (participatory culture, etc.). The core of the course lies in the explanation of key theories, the presentation of empirical material and the subsequent discussion of their foundations and implications. Emphasis is placed on understanding contemporary media sociology, enabling students to navigate the parameters of media communication today and to understand its role in society.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: - Identify, explain and compare theoretical paradigms (dominant versus alternative), communication models and basic specialist terminology in media studies. - Critically analyse contemporary, evolving forms of media communication and audience behaviour within their broader socio-economic and political context (in particular the influence of ownership concentration, the commodification of content, commercial pressures and technological convergence). - Apply the theoretical concepts learnt (e.g. the ritual of objectivity, gatekeeping or encoding/decoding) when deconstructing and interpreting real-world media messages and products. - Independently interpret academic literature, synthesise its arguments and formulate their own critical and well-reasoned views in both written and oral communication.
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Prerequisites
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This presupposes a basic orientation in the concepts of social science, in the context of the history of the modern world, the ability to read technical text even in the English language.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Written exam, Student performance
The module concludes with a credit assessment and an examination. Students who have not met the requirements for the credit assessment may not sit the examination. The credit is awarded based on ongoing work: 1. Compulsory active participation in the face-to-face module: The face-to-face session on Saturday, 27 February 2027, is designed as an interactive seminar workshop. Students must come prepared with knowledge of the assigned texts and actively participate in team analyses (developing the transversal competences of Teamwork and Oral Communication). 2. Four structured seminar reflections on academic texts: Students will produce four reflections on texts from the compulsory reading list, each of approximately 250 words. They must submit these reflections via the LMS by 10 April 2027 at the latest. Each reflection must include: a) an analytical interpretation of the text, i.e. a formulation of the main argument and an explanation of at least two key concepts; b) a critical assessment of the merits and limitations of the theory or approach in question; c) the application of a selected concept to a specific contemporary media or communication phenomenon. 3. Formative feedback: The submission deadline (10 April) allows sufficient time for the lecturer to provide students with formative assessment and guidance before the final online block (20 April). The feedback is intended to help students identify the strengths of their work to date, as well as areas requiring further development The final examination takes the form of a written test assessing knowledge of basic theories, concepts, terms and authors. A prerequisite for completing the course and passing the final test is familiarity with the prescribed reading list (see READING LIST FOR THE EXAM/STATE EXAMS), which covers the relevant subject area. The course literature is available at the UP Library (selected titles are published on LMS). To pass, students must achieve at least 65 per cent of the total marks in the final test. If a student has failed the course and re-enrolled, they must once again fulfil the conditions for obtaining both course credit and passing the examination (unless otherwise agreed with the lecturer at the start of the semester). Examination topics: 1. The development of communication, its historical and cultural forms 2. Theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of communication and the media 3. Mass society and the cultural industry (the Frankfurt School) 4. Media effects 5. Audiences and their transformation 6. News reporting and its research 7. The public sphere and normative media theory 8. The political economy of the media and media systems
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Recommended literature
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BOYD, Danah. (2017). Je to složitější: sociální život teenagerů na sociálních sítích. Praha.
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COULDRY, Nick a ULISES A. MEJIAS. (2019). Costs of Connection. Stanford.
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DEFLEUR, Melvin L. a BALL-ROKEACH, Sandra J. (1996). Teorie masové komunikace. Praha.
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EDWARDS, Tim (ed.). (2010). Kulturální teorie: klasické a současné přístupy. Praha.
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FISKE, John. (2011). Introduction to communication studies. London.
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FISKE, John. (2017). Jak rozumět populární kultuře. Praha.
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FUCHS, Christian. (2021). Social media: a critical introduction. Los Angeles.
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GILES, David. (2012). Psychologie médií. Praha.
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GILLESPIE, Tarleton. (2019). Custodians of the Internet.
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HALL, Stuart; NIXON, Sean a EVANS, Jessica. (2024). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices.
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HALLIN, Daniel C. a MANCINI, Paolo. (2008). Systémy médií v postmoderním světě: tři modely médií a politiky. Praha.
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HODKINSON, Paul. (2024). Media, Culture and Society: An Introduction.
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JENKINS, Henry. (2006). Convergence culture: where old and new media collide. New York.
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MACEK, Jakub. (2013). Poznámky ke studiím nových médií. Brno.
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MCCOMBS, Maxwell E. (2014). Setting the agenda: the mass media and public opinion. Cambridge.
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MCQUAIL, Denis. (2009). Úvod do teorie masové komunikace. Praha.
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MORAVEC, Václav. (2020). Proměny novinářské etiky. Praha.
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REIFOVÁ, Irena. (2004). Slovník mediální komunikace. Praha.
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TRAMPOTA, Tomáš. (2006). Zpravodajství. Praha.
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VOLEK, Jaromír a URBÁNIKOVÁ, Marína. (2017). Čeští novináři v komparativní perspektivě: hybridní, virtuální a mizející žurnalisté v post-transformační fázi. Praha.
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