New Beats: mass redundancies and career change in Australian journalism. This aim of this project is a multifaceted, innovative and timely analysis of the role of mass redundancies, forced career changes and the digital reinvention of Australian journalism at a time of industry restructure and technological change. The nation's journalistic workforce shrank by 15 per cent in 2012 when 1000 journalists were made redundant. This project is intended to explore the transformation of the careers of t ....New Beats: mass redundancies and career change in Australian journalism. This aim of this project is a multifaceted, innovative and timely analysis of the role of mass redundancies, forced career changes and the digital reinvention of Australian journalism at a time of industry restructure and technological change. The nation's journalistic workforce shrank by 15 per cent in 2012 when 1000 journalists were made redundant. This project is intended to explore the transformation of the careers of these journalists and how to best address questions about professional journalism's experience of structural transformation and its capacity to adapt positively to change. The project is expected to provide the first in-depth account of the complex interplay between economic, technological, workplace and career pressures reshaping professional journalism.Read moreRead less
Television Journalism and Deliberative Democracy: A Comparative International Study of Communicative Architecture and Democratic Deepening. Television journalism today mediates major conflicts to wider publics. This research, for the first time, analyses how established and emergent forms of television journalism provide differing spaces for the public elaboration, engagement and expression of contending voices and values in situations of conflict. A systematic and comparative examination of the ....Television Journalism and Deliberative Democracy: A Comparative International Study of Communicative Architecture and Democratic Deepening. Television journalism today mediates major conflicts to wider publics. This research, for the first time, analyses how established and emergent forms of television journalism provide differing spaces for the public elaboration, engagement and expression of contending voices and values in situations of conflict. A systematic and comparative examination of the communicative architecture and production practices of television journalism across five different countries (Australia, USA, UK, India and Singapore) is undertaken. This project will document, through qualitative and quantitative data, how these different television journalism forms contribute to processes of public deliberation and their potential to do so in the future.Read moreRead less
Understanding and Combatting 'Dark Political Communication'. This project examines an emergent series of tactics used by political actors (i.e. politicians, lobbyists, political groups, etc.) that we are calling 'Dark Political Communication' (DPC). DPC differs markedly from existing, well-established modes of political communication, as it often involves the deliberate spread of disinformation, use of highly inflammatory language, antagonism towards the press and democratic institutions, as wel ....Understanding and Combatting 'Dark Political Communication'. This project examines an emergent series of tactics used by political actors (i.e. politicians, lobbyists, political groups, etc.) that we are calling 'Dark Political Communication' (DPC). DPC differs markedly from existing, well-established modes of political communication, as it often involves the deliberate spread of disinformation, use of highly inflammatory language, antagonism towards the press and democratic institutions, as well as actions that seek to exacerbate social discord. In this project, we will provide the first-ever complete account of DPC tactics, and provide a series of recommendations to journalists about how their practice can best evolve to address this novel communication paradigm. Read moreRead less
Breaking silences: media and the Child Abuse Royal Commission. This project aims to analyse the role of media, journalism and social media activism in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (2013-17) (RCIRCSA). By focusing on the nexus between media and commissions of inquiry in the digital era, the project will investigate the impacts of a rapidly changing media environment on this national 'listening' exercise. The project will use a case study approach to crit ....Breaking silences: media and the Child Abuse Royal Commission. This project aims to analyse the role of media, journalism and social media activism in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (2013-17) (RCIRCSA). By focusing on the nexus between media and commissions of inquiry in the digital era, the project will investigate the impacts of a rapidly changing media environment on this national 'listening' exercise. The project will use a case study approach to critically analyse the role of a transitioning local, national and social media in triggering, reporting on and keeping alive the findings of the royal commission, ensuring victims of institutional child sexual abuse are heard, and justice is upheld.Read moreRead less
A study of the ABC in Asia and its role in cultural exchange. Technological and cultural exchange with Asia through the Australian Broadcasting Commission/Corporation has been critical in building cross-cultural awareness in both Australia and Asia. Recording and assessing the breadth and character of this exchange will assist Australia's capacity to interpret itself to the world. Analysing the interaction of a liberal-democratic broadcasting model with social organisation in Asia will enhance o ....A study of the ABC in Asia and its role in cultural exchange. Technological and cultural exchange with Asia through the Australian Broadcasting Commission/Corporation has been critical in building cross-cultural awareness in both Australia and Asia. Recording and assessing the breadth and character of this exchange will assist Australia's capacity to interpret itself to the world. Analysing the interaction of a liberal-democratic broadcasting model with social organisation in Asia will enhance our capacity to engage with a changing regional media environment. A critical assessment of the ABC's international role will contribute to debates on the value of public broadcasting. The outcomes (book, database, oral histories) provide a permanent resource for researching media and Australia-Asian relations.Read moreRead less
Political reporting of Australian election campaigns. Up to 40% of Australian voters decide their vote during an election campaign but most never have any direct contact with candidates and rely instead on information from newspapers, radio, television and the Internet. According to democratic theory, these media should act as a site for political information and debate to enable voters to make an informed choice. If they are not performing this role well, then as a community, Australians are mi ....Political reporting of Australian election campaigns. Up to 40% of Australian voters decide their vote during an election campaign but most never have any direct contact with candidates and rely instead on information from newspapers, radio, television and the Internet. According to democratic theory, these media should act as a site for political information and debate to enable voters to make an informed choice. If they are not performing this role well, then as a community, Australians are missing out. This project assesses the quality of election reporting to find out how well or badly we are served by those who report and comment on politics.Read moreRead less
Global Youth & Media - Notions of Cosmopolitanism in the Global Public Space. As Australia repositions itself in the globalized world of the 21st century, an understanding of new global communication spheres is increasingly important. Our research into the mediated experience and expectations of globalization among 14-17 year olds in 12 countries is explicitly concerned with the possibilities of future world citizenship among the most highly networked generation to date. Its findings will be of ....Global Youth & Media - Notions of Cosmopolitanism in the Global Public Space. As Australia repositions itself in the globalized world of the 21st century, an understanding of new global communication spheres is increasingly important. Our research into the mediated experience and expectations of globalization among 14-17 year olds in 12 countries is explicitly concerned with the possibilities of future world citizenship among the most highly networked generation to date. Its findings will be of value to education, media and cultural policy makers in Australia. Through the data and analysis it will provide insights into the changing forms of national and global citizenship, national and global public space, and the integration of both into regional identities and communications. Read moreRead less
Becoming Australians, or Unbecoming Colonials? Australians in British Journalism, 1892-1902. This project will analyse the influence of Australian writers in British journalistic representations/discussions of Australia in the years which produced a federated Australia, and the British Commonwealth. Through detailed study of several 'Australian' journalists working in London, and their social and institutional contexts, it will trace some of the forces at work to define and represent relations ....Becoming Australians, or Unbecoming Colonials? Australians in British Journalism, 1892-1902. This project will analyse the influence of Australian writers in British journalistic representations/discussions of Australia in the years which produced a federated Australia, and the British Commonwealth. Through detailed study of several 'Australian' journalists working in London, and their social and institutional contexts, it will trace some of the forces at work to define and represent relations between Britain and AustraliaRead moreRead less
Defamation and Privacy: Law, Media and Public Speech. This project investigates important recent legal changes in defamation and privacy, laws which can considerably limit public speech. It addresses the urgent need in law for a more sophisticated understanding and evaluation of the practices of media professionals. It will assist lawyers and judges apply the changed laws, contribute to scheduled reviews of legislation, assist publications and journalists deal with risks of legal liability, deve ....Defamation and Privacy: Law, Media and Public Speech. This project investigates important recent legal changes in defamation and privacy, laws which can considerably limit public speech. It addresses the urgent need in law for a more sophisticated understanding and evaluation of the practices of media professionals. It will assist lawyers and judges apply the changed laws, contribute to scheduled reviews of legislation, assist publications and journalists deal with risks of legal liability, develop critical academic and legal debates about the media, and clarify the parameters of lawful public speech. It promotes better legal understanding of popular media forms, which have key roles in contemporary economies and public debate.Read moreRead less
Defamation Law in Context: Australian and US News Production Practices and Public Debate. Legal and media commentators claim Australian defamation law 'chills' media speech and limits public debate, especially compared to the US. This project examines how defamation risks are considered in media production practices under differing legal, institutional and social contexts in Australia and the US. It responds to important defamation law developments and media transformations. The project will: ....Defamation Law in Context: Australian and US News Production Practices and Public Debate. Legal and media commentators claim Australian defamation law 'chills' media speech and limits public debate, especially compared to the US. This project examines how defamation risks are considered in media production practices under differing legal, institutional and social contexts in Australia and the US. It responds to important defamation law developments and media transformations. The project will:
- Produce qualitative data about media news production practices and products in Australia and the US.
- Use the data to evaluate the role of defamation law in the media's contribution to public debate, and argue for optimal reforms to Australian defamation law.Read moreRead less