COM 834 speaks to the relationship among audiences, media texts and institutions and how these are evolving over time. Students draw from both classic and contemporary literature not only to understand the media in its present form, but to project the trajectory of the media industry.  They should be able to develop the necessary skills for critical consumption and production of media texts; appreciate the relationship between media technologies, economy, politics and social cultural forms through a range of innovative methodological approaches, with a focus of placing these developments within historical and social contexts and development of critical understanding of digital media and online social practices that inform academic research and public debates. The course also addresses emerging media issues in today’s increasingly information – driven and globalised digital world.