PO2MSP: Media, Society and Politics

Module code: PO2MSP

Module provider: Politics; School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: 5

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Dawn Clarke, email: d.clarke@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 26 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module introduces students to the practice of discussing social and political issues, topics and problems through the lens of the mass media. Students will learn key theories of the power and influence of the media, the effect of the media on audiences, how news stories are put together and the role of editors and journalists in the social construction of the ‘news’. The lectures and seminars will also look at the increasing power of social media in society and its effect on the behaviour, attitudes and beliefs of those who use social media.  The module combines lectures and seminars with a broadcast element where students produce a pre-recorded podcast on a topic of current sociological and political interest and importance, and which is presented on a commercial radio station.   

The module has two broad aims:  

First, to develop students’ understanding of the role and influence of the media in contemporary politics and society. This aim is pursued in part through engagement with scholarly material – theory, academic research and data collected from media itself. It is further developed by the discussion of media and politics through a variety of media and reflection upon that relationship.

Second, to develop students’ capacities to engage a broad audience both within and outside the university in thinking about social and political issues and to communicate their ideas to that audience through both research and presentation in the form of a radio broadcast. This is intended to advance a wide range of presentational, technical, and team-working skills which will enhance employability.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. show knowledge and understanding of theories of the role and influence of the media and of the relationship between media, politics and society;
2. show knowledge and understanding of how news is made in practice;
3. analyse media content and identify how it has been constructed and what effects it might be expected to have;
4. plan, research, and present material on the radio in a manner that is accessible and engaging for a broad audience.

Module content

Although subject to change, the module looks at key topics in the study of the media and media power, encompassing both theory and reality in a range of countries around the world. Specific lecture topics will be: 

• Pluralism and the mass media 
• Marxism and the mass media 
• Media Effects theories 
• The social construction of the news 
• The role and influence of new/social media 

In addition, there will be 6 Editorial sessions where students will learn how to write news items and how to present these on a radio show. They will also be able to meet media professionals and find out how social and political events are turned into news stories. 

The radio broadcast itself allows students to think about how news agendas are set and how news stories are developed and packaged. Through reflection, it encourages students to work consciously on the various transferable skills that they can develop through the module.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The more conventional aspects of the module, exploring media theory and the nature of the media in practice, will be taught through lectures and seminars, structured around specified topics. There will be 5 lectures and 5 seminars at the beginning of the module. The lectures will look at the key theories and concepts in the field, exploring important academic research studies some of which are controversial and which can stimulate debate. The seminars will be task based, students critically exploring the lecture topics through their own media searches and subsequently using data found as the basis of seminar discussion, debate and experiments. This will expand their knowledge of the topics as well as help prepare them for the assessment on this part of the module.

In addition, students will participate in weekly editorial meetings where they plan and prepare material for their radio broadcast. Students will practice writing short news items which could be presented on a radio show and which will help them produce their own radio broadcast. They will also be able to visit the radio studio prior to their own broadcast to learn more about radio presenting.  There will also be practical workshops where professional journalists will teach students the skills of radio production, interview skills and about audio recording and editing.

Study hours

At least 27 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs