Communication 337 - Media Audiences

Audiences for mass media are notoriously difficult to define, find, and study because they are dispersed, shifting, and interact with media in complex ways. This course will look at how both the academy and media industries come to claim knowledge and understanding of audiences, in terms of their theoretical and methodological approaches. Topics will include debates about audience power and activity, audience segmentation, how audiences have changed over time, rhetorical uses of ?the audience,? and the distinction between audiences and markets. Students will carry out some form of audience research themselves during the semester.

Open to Senior and Junior Communication majors only. PreReq:COMM 121 or 122 Students who do not meet the prerequisites, may seek permission of the instructor to enroll (ewest@comm.umass.edu).