Insegnamento a.a. 2018-2019

Long live the Queen: the Windsors from BBC Radio to Netflix.

• The course subject is the analysis of the television representation of some of the public and private events that have concerned certain members of the nowadays most important royal family of the world: the Windsors. Built on a solid theoretical/critical basis, mostly linked to cultural studies, sociology and media events theories, the course consider with particular attention four significant cases histories that have become paradigmatic moments in the history of media and the relation between television, society and public opinion:
  • The “King’s speech” of 1939 by George VI, in which the king declares war to the Nazi Germany: the model of the non-visual pre-television mediatic event.
  • The coronation of Queen Elisabeth II of 1953: the first television live event in history.
  • The death and the funeral of Lady Diana, in 1997: a live disaster television marathon of extraordinary importance, as a synthesis of many and very different media sub-events.
  • The Netflix Original “The Crown” of 2016 and still on-going: an emblematic case of television writing that distorts reality and history in favour of entertainment storytelling.

• Define and summarize the broad spectrum of languages of the television storytelling.
• Describe the complex relations which tie up television programs - with a focus on media events - and the historical, social, cultural, economic and political context.
• Identify and illustrate the ideological structure of the medium communication.

• Analyze the ideological structure of the pop culture, not only in the television field.
• Examine, connect and interpret the relation between television and society.
• Prepare her/himself to become a television professional with a full awarness of the potentialities of the medium and a full consciousness of the social and civil responsabilities involved in the cultural production.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Individual assignments

• The learning style is characterized by the regular screening of audiovisual materials, as well as a strong interaction between teacher and students. Their personal critical / analytical approach is stimulated frequently in class, and is a fundamental of individual assignment.
• Guest speakers are hosted too, in order to provide a different (broader, narrower or lateral) perspectives on the course topics.

Attending students have to provide an individual assignment before the end of the course and then sit a general oral exam (more detailed aspects are included in the syllabus).

Non-attending students sit a final written exam, about two books (more detailed aspects are included in the syllabus).

Bibliography and studying materials are expressed in the syllabus, at the beginning of the course.

Bibliography and studying materials are expressed in the syllabus, at the beginning of the course.