Media Policy, Business and Practice in the Digital Age

JOINT SUMMER SCHOOL

BEIJING, 1st JULY – 15th JULY 2012

What Is The School About?

The School offers short and intensive courseson media and communication issues of contemporary relevance. In addition, there are numerous guest lectures by international experts on topics related to their own research. The atmosphere of the School is informal and inviting. Students are encouraged to participate fully in all discussions with both faculty andtheir fellow students. This year, there are two separate courses running inparallel, on the economics of digital media and TV news production. The outline of the courses is as follows:

• The Transformation of Media Industries in the Digital Age

Digital technologiesare changing the practices of media production and transforming business models. They present media organisations with both threats and opportunities.Traditional revenue and business models have been destabilised, competition has intensified and changing user behaviour has forced a reassessment of marketing and content packaging strategies. At the same time, new devices present media organisations with new creative and editorial options, social media facilitate new kinds of relationships between media firms and their viewers, listeners and readers, and hold out the prospect of new ways of 'monetising' media content.The 2012 Summer School will examine the nature of these changes and explore theways in which media organisations in the key media sectors are reinventingthemselves through the use of digital tools and platforms. This summer schoolwill also discuss the lessons learned by international media organisations inattempting to engage with these issues.

• Broadcasting News Production

This television videocourse is designed to show how to teach the skills and art of making news andfeature videos. The course will cover a progressive curriculum to lead studentsthrough the basic understanding of how a video is set up and how to take itthrough to complete story telling. As well as the technical skills of shootingand editing, there is a big emphasis on the journalistic aspects of what makesa good story. The course will be mainly practical with teams going out to shoottheir stories as well as some starter classroom sessions showing examples ofstudent work with critical discussion on how they came to be made.

How Will The School Be Organised?

The School will take place at the BeijingCampus of the Chinese University of Communication (CUC), which will provideaccommodation, catering and classrooms for all the participants.  The Campus is a modern one, located in theeast of Beijing and well served by public transport.

There will be 10 days of lectures and seminarsand ample time for informal meetings, leisure and tourism.  Formal teaching will consist of lectures anddiscussions by leading experts from different countries.  Students at the School will also be expectedto present a paper on their own research specialization in one of a series ofseminars devoted to work in progress.

The working language of the School will beEnglish, and all lectures, reading, classes and discussions will take place inthat medium.

The School will be accredited by CUC as acredit bearing course and the organisers will issue certificates making thatclear to those participants who need them.

The organisers will, on request, provide thenecessary letters and any other documentation require for the purposes ofissuing visas to foreign visitors.

Who Can Attend The School?

The school is open to anyone with a genuineinterest in the theory and practice of contemporary and future media.  Participants in the courses on mediaeconomics must be able to present a scholarly paper on their own originalresearch, which should be on a topic relevant to the subject of the course theyare following. Apart from that requirement, there are no restrictions on age,status or nationality, but the organisers believe that the school will beparticularly valuable to doctoral students and junior faculty. 

How Much Will TheSchool Cost?

Attendees should cover their own costs for airfares and other travel.  There is no Registrationor Tuition Fee.  Students are welcome toarrange their own accommodation and tourism if they wish. If you prefer to stayat CUC’s International Exchange Centre and/or join a group tour organized bythe host institution, please provide detailed information about your travelplans and specify your needs in your application. The following table give youan idea of the likely costs.

• Students may make their own choice of package from the listed items.
• The full rate for a standard room en suite is RMB 190 per day. Two people may share a room and divide the full rate.
• At the time of writing, €1= RMB 8.47; and $US1=RMB 6.29

How Can I Apply To Attend The School?

A copy of the application form can be found at: http://bjss.cuc.edu.cn.

All applications for the School will be handled by the staff of CUC and completed forms should be sent to bjss2009@gmail.com. You can also apply online through http://bjss.cuc.edu.cn/apply. We welcome othermaterials, like a CV, a personal statement, a detailed research proposal or anacademic paper, which will be helpful for the organisers to evaluate yourapplication.  Please indicate on yourapplication form your order of preference for the two courses we offer.  The organisers will make every effort toenrol you on your first choice course, but if that is not available we willoffer you your next preference.   Courseswill be filled on the basis of “first come, first served.”

The deadline for applicationsis May 1st 2012. If you have any questions or requests, you can also contact usvia email at the above address or by telephone or fax at 86-10-65779313 or86-10-65779244.