AMG5018 - Celebrity, fashion, publicity - 2017

The unit looks at the "attention economy" as found in the media industry, paying particular attention to celebrity and fashion. Students are provided with a theoretical and historical understanding of publicity as a general field, from the emergence of the movie star and the development of magazine journalism to celebrity Twitter feeds and contemporary public relations.

Upon successful completion of the unit, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a theoretical understanding of the way in which attention is gained in communication and the media;
2. Show a knowledge of the historical development of celebrity and fashion;
3. Identify a range of professional practices organised around publicity;
4. Recognise arguments about increasing 'noise' and 'clutter' in contemporary media and the relevance of the concept of an 'attention economy';
5. Develop practical responses to problems of gaining attention in the media, including its ethical dimension.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Dr Tan Meng Yoe

Communications and media studies

APG5018, AMG4018