Students

MMCC2077 – Streaming TV

2023 – Session 1, Online-scheduled-weekday

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor and Lecturer
Stefan Solomon
stefan.solomon@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email
Building 10HA, Room 152
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Pre-requisite 40cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Did you know that the consumption of streaming video is responsible for the majority of global internet usage today? In recent times, the remarkable prominence of streaming media has changed the way we engage with online spaces, and how we understand and experience other media such as radio and film. This unit focuses in particular on the rise of streaming television, analysing the production and consumption of moving image content on the web and on purpose-built streaming platforms like Netflix. By considering questions of genre, industrial practice, policy and platform specificity, we will explore the various dimensions of television as we now know it, and will examine some of the unique changes that the medium has undergone in our lifetime.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: identify key debates, themes and concepts in the broad field of television studies.
  • ULO2: demonstrate a knowledge of television history and theory.
  • ULO4: analyse television critically according to genres, form and cultural contexts.
  • ULO3: evaluate and distinguish between different modes of streaming television.
  • ULO5: research independently in the discipline, including identifying and using appropriate articles in academic journals.

General Assessment Information

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to written reports and recordings only. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Television Log and Analysis 40% No 7/4/2023 23:55
Research Essay 60% No 26/5/2023 23:55

Television Log and Analysis

Assessment Type 1: Log book
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 7/4/2023 23:55
Weighting: 40%

 

Students will log their television watching and analyse the components of each show.

Please refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • identify key debates, themes and concepts in the broad field of television studies.
  • demonstrate a knowledge of television history and theory.
  • analyse television critically according to genres, form and cultural contexts.

Research Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 26/5/2023 23:55
Weighting: 60%

 

Students are required to research and comprehensively reference a written essay.

Please refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • identify key debates, themes and concepts in the broad field of television studies.
  • demonstrate a knowledge of television history and theory.
  • evaluate and distinguish between different modes of streaming television.
  • research independently in the discipline, including identifying and using appropriate articles in academic journals.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Lectures

Lectures will take place each Tuesday from 1PM-2PM in the T3 Theatre at 14 Sir Christopher Ondaatje Ave. These lectures will also be live streamed, and recorded and uploaded to Echo360 on the same day.

Tutorials

Tutorials are available both online and face-to-face, and begin in Week 2. Please note, you must attend the tutorial you are enrolled in. If you wish to change your tutorial time you can do so via eStudent. Your tutor/lecturer will not be able to change your tutorial enrolment. Do not turn up to a tutorial in which you are not enrolled. We cannot accept extra students into a fully enrolled tutorial. Students are required to prepare for tutorials by having attended or viewed the lecture, having viewed the required screenings, and having completed the week’s readings and prepared questions and notes.

Please note, too, that only students who are enrolled in the online offering of the unit may attend online classes.

Please consult the MQ timetable for up to date timetabling of lectures and tutorials.

Required Screenings

Each week there are one or more television episodes required for viewing. While some of these episodes may be made available through portals offered by the Macquarie University library, or on free streaming services available in Australia, the majority of the focus for this unit will be on the streaming service Netflix. For this reason, students will be required to subscribe to Netflix in order to access screenings throughout the semester.

Required and Recommended Readings

All readings will be available online through the Leganto link on iLearn. There is a list of further recommended reading for each topic - please refer to iLearn.

Unit Schedule

MODULE 1: THE NETFLIX MODEL

Week 1:       What was Television?

Week 2:       Going Online

Week 3:       Programming and the Algorithm

MODULE 2: AUDIENCES AND REPRESENTATION

Week 4:       Constructing the Audience

Week 5:       Global TV

Week 6:       Representing Diversity

Week 7:       Representing Sexuality

SEMESTER BREAK APRIL 10-21

MODULE 3: FORMS AND GENRES

Week 8:       Quality TV

Week 9:       Netflix is a Joke

Week 10:     Animation

Week 11:      Documentary and Reality TV

Week 12:      The Streaming Wars

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2023.01R of the Handbook