A (Very) Brief History of the Press (audio only)

Are the back pages and supplements real journalism, or just a bit of colour? Sports, IT, culture, lifestyle and entertainment might be thought of as the soft-end of journalism, but they make up an enormous part of the news media. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Broadsheet good, Tabloid bad. That's one way of characterising the distinction between so-called 'quality' media and the tabloids. Another view has it that broadsheets and so-called quality news outlets are elitist and out of touch with people's everyday concerns. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

How the business model of newspapers, magazines and increasingly, the book publishing industries is changing, and what the dynamics of the changing business model means for journalism. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Social media has changed our social reality — including journalism. Social media tools (including blogs, wikis, social networks and video sharing services) have undeniably blurred the boundaries between journalism as a practice and journalism as a profession. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

A core function of the press is to reflect a society back to itself. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of the relations of the sexes. Indeed, in the west, at least, the press has played a key role in facilitating relations of equality — both directly as an employer of women and also in speaking up for the rights of women. Perhaps. But not always. This seminar examines how the press and journalists have helped to constitute and shape gender relations. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

Is the press free? Not everyone thinks so. Edward Hermann and Noam Chomsky argue that much of the news - even the most highly respected news outlets - subtly (and not-so-subtly) promote certain views and ideas while ignoring (or actively demonising) others. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

What is the pattern of newspaper ownership in Australia? Does it matter who owns the press or how many people own it - particularly given the rise of new technologies? Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

What are the values of the fourth estate? Chief among them are truth, objectivity and freedom. All of these values are controversial. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

The press exists to serve a society - or at least different communities within a society. Successful media outlets respond to, and met the needs of readers, right? The reality is more complex. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.

How did we get here? In this seminar, we take a step backwards to examine the rise of the press within the larger context of the development of the public sphere, civil society and the transition from monarchical rule to parliament. We also look at the development of the press in Australia, with early examples of Australian newspapers. Copyright 2012 Christopher Scanlon / La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Contact for permissions.