Understanding Media Work: Organisations and Industries (P5099)
15 credits, Level 5
Autumn teaching
On this module, you’ll explore how media organisations operate in a multiplatform context. You’ll learn about the economic, technological, social and regulatory environment which has brought about opportunities and challenges for organisations such as:
- broadcasters
- streaming platforms
- social media companies
- news organisations
- production companies
- digital content creators
- the communication industry.
You’ll focus on the political economy of media and communication organisations themselves. You’ll also concentrate on the role of other actors that make up their respective industries, such as:
- intermediaries
- regulators
- policymakers.
You’ll look at the continuities, but also the opportunities and challenges of managing change in the media industries of the 21st century and of building a career in them.
In addition to weekly lectures and seminars, there will be visits from guest speakers from three of the sectors covered by the module. In these interactive sessions, you’ll learn first-hand how the issues discussed in the module affect those who run their own media and communication organisations. They’ll each give you a brief, outlining a problem they are facing in their sector, to which you’ll propose solutions in an advisory report.
The module will give you an analytical and critical understanding of how the media operate today and what it’s like to work in the industry. It’ll equip you with essential problem-solving skills to become a future leader in these industries.
You’ll also:
- learn to write clearly
- learn to present academic debates for a non-academic audiences
- gain professional skills and the ability to present your ideas in different formats
- build on your previous knowledge of the media and apply this to real world problems.
Contact hours and workload
This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 36 hours of contact time and about 114 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.
We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.
We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.
Courses
This module is offered on the following courses: