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2022/2023

Comparative Media Systems

Code: 42451 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
4313227 Media, Communication and Culture OT 0 2
4317118 Global East Asian Studies OT 0 2

Contact

Name:
Mercè Diez Jimenez
Email:
merce.diez@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)

Other comments on languages

Most of the required readings are in English

Prerequisites

It is recommended (although not essential) a certain training in Structure and Communication Policies. The module is proposed thinking that it can bring together graduates in various areas of the Social Sciences, also coming from different geographical areas. It is essential to be linguistically competent in English, as well as in Spanish, in order to be able to work on the bibliography planned for the follow-up of the module.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The concept of media system refers to the set of economic, political and social actors that contribute to the articulation of social communication processes in a given territory (which may or may not be a State) and the interrelationships that are established between them. At the same time, the study of media systems can not be separated from the historical-cultural context in which they emerge, nor from other factors that can alter their configuration, such as technological advances and economic globalization (which tend to standardize systems ).

In this module we start with the proposal of comparative analysis of media systems made in 2004 by Hallin and Mancini, focused on its political dimension, to achieve the following objectives:

a) Review the theoretical model of Hallin and Mancini, as well as the criticisms he has received and the replies from the same authors, with the purpose of reflecting on their suitability and applicability in different contexts.

b) From the previous reflection, propose a case study on a specific aspect of a media system taking into account the dimensions and variables most suitable for study.

Competences

    Media, Communication and Culture
  • Analyse the impact of media groups' strategies of social communication with the aim of promoting new, participative forms of culture and communication.
  • Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously.
  • Lead and work in interdisciplinary teams.
  • Plan, direct and evaluate policies on culture and communication in both the local and the international fields using the new forms of social communication
  • Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
    Global East Asian Studies
  • Describe the changing relationship between new forms of social communication and cultural and communication policies, with special attention to the diversity of the agents involved in their organisation.
  • Knowledge and understanding that provide a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and / or applying ideas, often in a research context.
  • That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
  • Work individually and in teams in interdisciplinary and multicultural environments.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse and evaluate policies on public communication.
  2. Analyze and evaluate public communication policies.
  3. Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously.
  4. Design and evaluate communication policies in the new technological environment.
  5. Designing and evaluating communication policies in the new technological environment.
  6. Identify and analyse how civil society accesses the Media.
  7. Identify and analyse the role of the dominant (economic and political) actors in Media systems.
  8. Identify and analyse the role of the dominant (economic and political) actors in media systems.
  9. Identify and analyze access of civil society to the media.
  10. Identify and analyze the role of emerging actors (social) media systems.
  11. Identify and analyze the role of hegemonic actors (economic and political) in media systems.
  12. Knowledge and understanding that provide a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and / or applying ideas, often in a research context.
  13. Lead and work in interdisciplinary teams.
  14. That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
  15. Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
  16. Work individually and in teams in interdisciplinary and multicultural areas of work.

Content

Eight of the ten sessions of the module will be structured around the following axes:
1 Presentation of the course and delimitation of the concept and articulating elements of the media systems.
2 Sociopolitical theories and dimensions of analysis in the work of Hallin and Mancini
3 Pluralized pluralist media systems
4 Corporate democratic media systems
5 Liberal media systems
6 The homogenization of the models
7 Criticisms and replies to the proposal of Hallin and Mancini
8 Applicability in other contexts
 
The two remaining sessions will be devoted to the presentation and discussion of the case studies (application of the Hallin and Mancini model to specific systems) carried out by the students. Depending on the number of students enrolled, the schedule provided for the presentations of the case studies may vary slightly.

Methodology

The teaching approach of the subject combines sessions of face-to-face class with a regulated activity of autonomous and individual work on the part of the students. The face-to-face sessions will be based on: 1) teacher's expositions; 2) debates around the issues examined, based on readings indicated to students in advance; and 3) presentation of the case studies carried out by the students.

The training activities that the students will have to develop autonomously include reading the texts that will be discussed in class, and preparing an analysis on an aspect with concrete of a media system of their choice. The discussion on the relevance and pertinence of the case studies proposed by the students will be agreed upon in class, although their follow-up will be carried out, also, through individual tutorials.

The development of the course will address the incorporation of the gender perspective, whether in the contents, sources or work dynamics.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Seminar 15 0.6 15, 3, 13
theory 15 0.6 15, 3, 13
Type: Supervised      
Evaluation 3 0.12 15, 3
tutorials 9 0.36 15, 3
Type: Autonomous      
personal study 105 4.2 15, 3

Assessment

The evaluation will be based on:
a) Two follow-up tests that will verify to what extent the key ideas of the readings, the exhibitions and the debates made in the face-to-face sessions have been understood. Each one will be equivalent to 25% of the final grade.
b) The analysis of a specific aspect of the media system agreed upon with each student. It will be assessed from a brief essay (about 10 pages) and its presentation to the group.
 
The qualification of this work, which will be 50% of the final grade, will also take into account the preparation and execution of the oral presentation.
All evaluation activities are recoverable, provided that at least two have been made. To make the recovery it is necessary to have obtained a score between 3.5 and 4.9 in the average of the subject. The qualification of the tests that have passed the recovery will be a maximum of 5.
In case you can not attend one of the two follow-up tests for a justified reason that is documented, the student may be evaluated on this part on the day of the re-evaluation test. If the absence can not be justified, the percentage that corresponds to this test will be subtracted from the final grade.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
essay 50% 1 0.04 15, 4, 3, 14, 1, 13, 16
follow-up test 25%25% 2 0.08 15, 4, 5, 7, 10, 8, 11, 6, 9, 3, 14, 1, 2, 12, 13, 16

Bibliography

BRÜGGEMANN, Michael; ENGESSER, Sven i alt. (2014). “Hallin and Mancini Revisited: Four Empirical Types of Western Media Systems”. Journal of Communication 64, 1.037-1.065.

ESSER, Frank i HANITZSCH, Thomas. (eds.) (2012): Handbook of Comparative Communication Research (ICA Handbook Series). Nova York i Londres: Routledge. 

GIBBONS, Thomas y HUMPHREYS, Peter (2011): Audiovisual regulation under pressure: comparative cases from North America and Europe. Nova York: Routledge.

GUERRERO, Manuel A. (2014) “The “captured liberal” model of media systems en Latin America”, en Guerrero, Manuel A. y Márquez-Ramírez, Mireya (eds.). Media Systems and Communication Policies en Latin America. Basingstoke, Hamps.: Palgrave Macmillan

HALLIN, Daniel i MANCINI, Paolo (2008). Sistemas de medios comparados. Tres modelos de relación entre los medios de comunicación y la política. Barcelona: Hacer.

HALLIN, Daniel i MANCINI, Paolo (2012): Comparing Media Systems Beyond the Western World. Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press.

HALLIN, Daniel i MANCINI, Paolo (2016): "Ten Years After Comparing Media Systems: What Have We Learned?". Political Communication, vol. 34, 2017, Issue 2, pàgs. 155-171. Publicat en línia 31-10-2016 [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10584609.2016.1233158].

HALLIN, Daniel i PAPATHANASSOPOULOS, Stylianos (2002): “Political clientelism and the media: southern Europe and Latin America in comparative perspective”. Media, Culture & Society, març 2002, nº 24, pàgs. 175-195.

HARDY, Jonathan. (2008). Western Media Systems. Londres: Routledge.

MELLADO, Claudia; HELLMUELLER, Lea i alt. (2017). “The Hybridization of Journalistic Cultures: A Comparative Study of Journalistic Role Performance”. Journal of Communication, novembre 2017.

PUPPIS, Manuel i JUST, Natascha (eds.) (2012): Trends in Communication Policy Research. Intellect Books - European Communication Research and Education Association.

 

Software

No specific software is required