This course aims to develop a theoretical and contextual understanding of how Hong Kong popular media contribute to the formation of local public culture and cultural diversity. The course has two focuses. First, it examines how various forms of local popular media are historically shaped by a wide range of external socio-political factors, government policy, local politics, market dynamics, agencies of cultural workers, and changing cultural tastes. Second, the course investigates how this formation process of popular media facilitates or constrains the development of Hong Kong public culture and cultural diversity. Overall, this course helps students explore the complex relationships between Hong Kong cultural formation and the historical dynamics of various commercial and non-commercial forms of popular media. To these ends, a wide range of local popular media such as commercial television, popular music, cinema, lifestyle magazines, popular news media, and public television will be used for discussion. Different strategies for promoting public culture through reforming Hong Kong popular media will also be discussed.
