Chewing gum for the brain: Why do people talk such rubbish about Media Studies?

Professor David Buckingham:

Key articles references in this lecture

Angry parents accuse school of 'dumbing down' English by showing The Simpsons in class- Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1295062/Angry-parents-accuse-school-dumbing-English-showing-The-Simpsons-class.html

• Parents' reaction (Joseph Reynolds) at the dumbing down of subjects such as English, where the Simpsons is favoured instead of Shakespeare

• Media studies seemingly made easier for stupid kids

• Michael Gove (Education secretary) advocates media studies as it is more successful in state schools

Tories to tackle 'Media Studies menace'- The Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/tories-to-tackle-the-media-studies-menace-1772933.html

• This article signifies the fact that students pick science and theoretical subjects instead of media due to the high level of pass marks. Media studies is referred to as a 'soft subject' and is shunned by state schools in favour of academic subjects.

'Worthless qualifications' give false hope to state pupils, says Harrow head- The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jan/22/deceive-children-worthless-qualifications

• Students that attend high achieving state school students and do "soft" subjects are given false hope, as it is not an easy subject

• Elite Universities such as Oxford and Cambridge blacklist media studies- Media Studies labelled as 'shit'

• Media Studies in the US protects students from the media and what it condones, such as sex, alcohol, drugs. US media studies is saving kids from sex, alcohol and drugs

Criticisms and Advantages of Media Studies

• Matthew Arnold ( Educational 19th century thinker) concerned with working class and the fact that they could get the vote was a threat to aristocracy, society and civilization

• Queenie Leavis advocated media, as it could be used to criticise popular culture and better society- help them get better job, improve civilisation.

• More competitive subject to get into, quite successful in top universities e.g LSE

• Media helps us think critically and analytically

• Skills learnt from Media could be transferred in the workplace; teamwork, problem solving

• More than 2/3 of students have a job after 6 months after leaving university