Positioning audio description in media theory. An Australian context

The centrality of the Media to our experiences, and its place in understanding politics and the exercise of power in society, compels a rigorous investigation. Both Hall’s (1980) work on communication and meaning-making and Foucault’s (cf. Hall, 1997) discussion of power and agency involve producers and consumers. The balance of power and agency in Audio Description between the audience and the Describer’s role in choosing what to describe, that is, between the listening experience and the experience of listening, requires an analysis of production and consumption of meaning.

This presentation draws on three areas of Media Studies - power, audiences and the making of meaning – to investigate current challenges facing Australian Audio Description practice and research.