ARC Cultural Research Network > Activities

In transition: media distribution, exhibition and consumption in regional and rural Australia

Media Histories and Postgraduate and Early Career Researchers Development Nodes
Coordinators: Kate Bowles, Albert Moran, and Karina Aveyard

9-10 September 2009
Screen Australia, Sydney

The programme can be downloaded here [MS Word 38kb]

A report on this event is available

There are profound social, economic and cultural meanings in the connections between media communication, consumption and place. The historical geography of media distribution is significant in shaping the ways in which people interact with one another.

This two-day workshop will focus on the discussion and development of research into the cultural and community impact of changes and transitions in media distribution and exhibition in rural and regional Australia. The aim of this workshop is to bring together senior Australian and international researchers, and early career researchers and postgraduates in this emerging field of enquiry to:

contextualise the cultural impact of the transition to digital media distribution (cinema, television, radio and print publications) in country areas;
gain insights from modern history and present experiences of regional media stakeholders, with a focus on the example of regional cinema;
discuss methodological approaches, and interdisciplinary linkages, to best enable Australian scholars to research the social and cultural impact of rural and regional media distribution and exhibition on local audiences and their communities; and
discuss future directions for research in this emerging field and possible future Australian and international collaborative research.

There are a number of travel grants available for early career researchers and postgraduates.

Enquiries: Karina.Aveyard@student.griffith.edu.au

Programme Outline

Wednesday, 9 September

9.30am Arrivals and introductions (and morning tea)

10.00am Welcome and Introduction

10.30am Sense of place: locating media practice in regional and rural places

11.40am Media and culture in regional and rural Australia: current themes, policies and issues

12.30pm Lunch

1.30pm Digital media transitions

2.50pm Afternoon tea

3.15pm Digital media transitions: cinema

4.30pm Finish for the day

Thursday 10 September

9.30am Introduction: day two program and objectives

10.00am Media audiences: identity, community and transition

11.00am Morning tea

11.30 am Cinema and audiences in regional and rural Australia

12.45pm Lunch

2.00pm Roundtable discussion: future research and research collaborations and partnerships

3.30pm Workshop concludes

A complete programme with presenters and titles can be downloaded here [MS Word 38kb]

report

In Transition: media distribution, exhibition and consumption in regional and rural Australia, a two-day workshop was help at Screen Australia in Sydney on the 9-10 September 2009.

The workshop was well attended by postgraduates and early career researchers and also brought together a very interesting mix of senior Australian and international scholars and media industry stakeholders from cinema, television, radio and newspapers. These participants provided important insights into the nature of current media transitions considering both content delivery and media practice as well as the cultural and community impact of these changes. Discussions regarding future research directions, opportunities and possible collaborations on the final day were very productive.