Afterword: Reflections on Media Engagement

Abstract

In this Afterword, I raise general questions about how the idea of " engagement " relates to the different phases of media production, reception, and use explored in the previous pieces. Drawing on my earlier writing, I note how different kinds of engagement and involvement occur within a changing " economy of attention " within which commercial activities, media productions, and the politics of media industries have to operate. In this economy, visibility is clearly a pressing requirement, although one that does not by itself guarantee engagement. Production strategies to generate the " right " sorts of engagement with the " right " audiences are required, although given the range of options which consumers have to choose from and the array of factors bearing on choice, these strategies do not always meet with success. I consider how engagement with media products often leads to forms of engagement beyond them. Finally, I suggest how lines of inquiry in media research might use the term to develop further their understanding of structure, practice, and process.