David Gauntlett

David Gauntlett

David Gauntlett

David Gauntlett is a British sociologist and media theorist. He specializes in studying contemporary

media audiences, the every making and sharing of digital media, and the role of such media in self-

identity and self-expression.

Gauntlett graduated from the University of York in Sociology in 1992.

In 2006 he joined the School of Media, Arts and Design as Professor of Media and Communications.

He focused on the way digital media is changing the experience of media in general.

Media Studies 2.0

Gauntlett published ‘Media Studies 2.0’ online in 2007, which argues that classic media studies fails to define when the categories of ‘audiences’ and ‘producers’ unite, and that new, altered teaching methods are needed.

He states that because of web 2.0, we as audiences can become our own producers thanks to websites such as YouTube. Through this we can create our own identity and even influence other peoples.

Web 2.0

Through this, gender identity for example, has become less constricted to previous representations. Web 2.0 allows us to create our own unique identity that doesn’t necessarily follow traditional understandings of gender. The ability and freedom that web 2.0’s allowed means it is now far more acceptable to be different and accepted for our individuality.

Making is connecting

A proposition to rework audience studies (ie. For media users to simultaneously be regarded as producers and consumers) was put forward by Gauntlett in 2008. This argues that audiences change to become more so active than passive towards media. These ideas are developed further in ‘Making is Connecting’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPuV1PvDlqE

Audience reactions

It’s almost impossible to tell how an audience is going to react to a particular media product.

This may change how the particular product is done. So a product might evolve into something more similar to a different media product that has already had a great reaction from the audience viewing it.

Advertising

This is why advertising spent so much money into audience research.

They need to make sure that the product they are advertising attracts the appropriate audience that would be interested in what they are selling.