From: Christina Spurgeon <c.spurgeon@qut.edu.au> Date: 25 July 2005 3:55:29 PM Subject: ::fc-announce:: cfp: who uses community media? Theorising the 'Third Sector' of Media WHO USES COMMUNITY MEDIA? CALL FOR PAPERS Research Stream of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia National Conference in association with Creative Industries Research and Applications Centre, Queensland University of Technology 17-20th November 2005, The Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, Western Australia Community-based media uses and practices disrupt the social relations of modern media. These disruptions have been variously theorised as media citizenship, alternative media and radical media. But is our understanding of community media users as well developed as our ways of framing community media uses? Community media users are also imagined in a variety of ways: as participants, as volunteers, as program makers, as sponsors, and as audiences. So who, precisely, are the users of community media? What are the common interests and differences of community media users? How are these similarities and differences normatively supported (or not) in funding and policy arrangements? And how might they be theorised? The so-called 'third' sector of Australian community broadcasting has its origins in liberal pluralism. It is meant to complement national and commercial broadcasting sectors by adding new practical possibilities and dimensions of meaning to media access, participation and representation. But to what extent is the sector porous to the influences of commerce and government, and do these influences compromise 'third' sector status? Does the 'third' sector of media have, and relate to, its equivalent in society at large? For example, are non-commercial, non-governmental agencies significant 'third' sector media users? How do new media impact upon the 'third' sector status of Australian community broadcasters? What do international initiatives in community media contribute to our understanding of community media users? Proposals are now invited for scholarly papers that address an aspect of the theme, 'Who Uses Community Media?', for presentation in the Research Stream of the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia's 2005 National Conference. This forum aims to provide academics and research students interested in community-based media with valuable networking, presentation, and publication opportunities. Contributions from a range of disciplinary, interdisciplinary and theoretical perspectives in the humanities, social and applied sciences are welcome. Abstracts for proposed papers, up to 200 words in length, should reach the Research Stream Coordinator by Monday 19 September, 2005 and should also be directed to: Who uses Community Media? Research Stream Coordinator Christina Spurgeon Media and Communication Creative Industries Faculty, QUT c.spurgeon@qut.edu.au For more information about the CBAA National Conference please visit the conference pages on the CBAA website: http://www.cbaa.org.au/ content.php/442.html Dr Christina Spurgeon Lecturer, Media & Communication Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Mass Communication Creative Industries Faculty Queensland University of Technology Creative Industries Precinct, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove Q 4059, Australia Ph. + 61 7 3864 8184 Fax.+ 61 7 3864 8195 Email c.spurgeon@qut.edu.au CRICOS No: 00213J -- Marcus Foth MA(DigitalMedia) BCompSc(Hons) BMultimedia m.foth@qut.edu.au - http://www.vrolik.de/ Research Associate Creative Industries Research and Applications Centre Queensland University of Technology (CRICOS No. 00213J) Creative Industries Precinct, Brisbane QLD 4059, Australia Phone +61 7 3864 3800 - Fax +61 7 3864 3723 http://www.creativeindustries.qut.edu.au/