Audience Research Reader

Author: Emily Dickinson
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: On a broad level, the audience refers to the nameless individuals and groups addressed by mass communication. It is not only the core concept of mass communication effects and the starting point and basis for examining effects, but also the intersection of all issues in the complex relationship of media, society, and individuals constructed in mass communication theory. Therefore, understanding the audience is understanding the core issue of mass communication studies, and understanding the audience in a media-saturated society. For this purpose, it is necessary to enter this distinctive and well-structured reader on audience research. The three editors are deeply aware of the complexity and diversity of audience research and skillfully master this complexity and diversity with first-class layout. They do not arrange it according to schools or regions, nor do they follow the historical or thematic editorial conventions. Instead, they ingeniously introduce three parts, named "Society, Mass, and Public," "Individual, Influence, and Effect," and "Culture, Community, and Family," showcasing the interdisciplinary and multi-dimensional thinking space of audience research and revealing the "spatial" drift of the entire Western communication studies. Strangely enough, the book does not become disorganized as a result, but instead, with the relationship between media and audience as the main thread, it presents the tradition and various research approaches of audience research. At the same time, the editors do not follow the historical conventions of research literature as general readers do, but attempt to present the research tradition in a contemporary context. As a result, most of the literature selected is from after the 1980s, either from the hands of classic communication scholars or from the hands of academic critics, none of which trace back and reflect on classic audience theories and methods, demonstrating a living tradition of audience research. In addition, contrary to the Americanization tendency of some past audience research readers, the three British editors strive to balance the display of Western and European audience research traditions and reveal their internal connections and conflicts through academic reviews with a European critical perspective. The items included in this book not only have a high academic content and profound practical significance but also cover various fields of audience daily life practices. Therefore, whether for those enthusiastic about media research and practice or for the diverse audiences of today's media-saturated society, it is a valuable classic worth reading. The book comprehensively covers topics such as the global sweep of American popular culture, critical theories of television, and European reflections on cultural index research paradigms.