To introduce students to the foundations of the theory and practice of new media, the processes of media convergence, audience convergence, and key concepts and approaches in understanding the relationship between media and audiences. Special attention will be paid to projects that are the drivers of development in this area, the emergence of the media industry and infotainment, media commercialization, and business models. The course includes theoretical guidelines and practical examples related to the concepts of 'passive', through later concepts of 'active' media audiences, to sophisticated understandings of decoding ideologically coded messages in complex social contexts, and the activities of 'users' of the Internet and mobile technologies.

To introduce students to the foundations of the theory and practice of new media, the processes of media convergence, audience convergence, and key concepts and approaches in understanding the relationship between media and audiences. Special attention will be paid to projects that are the drivers of development in this area, the emergence of the media industry and infotainment, media commercialization, and business models. The course includes theoretical guidelines and practical examples related to the concepts of 'passive', through later concepts of 'active' media audiences, to sophisticated understandings of decoding ideologically coded messages in complex social contexts, and the activities of 'users' of the Internet and mobile technologies.