Audience studies

[rivkat]

So, I've got a colleague writing about images of lawyers in popular culture, only she wants to get beyond "images of" and into how various groups perceive lawyers in TV shows/movies. Is anyone aware of any work on this? Reception studies involving Ally McBeal or LA Law? Even if there's only a mention of reaction to a legal storyline in a larger study of a non-legal show or movie, that would be a huge addition to the project -- because right now she's got theory and no practice. No pun intended.

Also, if anyone knew of a good place to go for a recent reception studies bibliography, that would be great.

Comments

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

i'll get you sth with the more classic approaches and will also ask a couple of folks i know who work on law-related shows. for now, here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/just_temporary/1549.html)'s the fanstuff bib...not that heavy on reception (e.g., watching dallas isn't even there...though it should be)

give me a few days, and i'll do better (i want to really get that down for myself!)

[rivkat.livejournal.com]

That would be great -- the fan bibliography looks really interesting, though I'd like to give her some studies of "we just watch and chat about it over the water cooler" types, not just heavily involved fans. Part of the problem is that the work I want her to use may not really exist, and she's not going to do it. I suggested she could do some primary research in the TWOP forums, looking for discussions of the legal aspects of various shows they recap.