Accepted at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Annual Conference, August 4-7, 2021 (Online 2021).
This paper won First Place in the Faculty Paper Awardsalso known as the Robert L. Stevenson Open Paper Competition. It also won Best Paper in African Journalism Studies Award.
Abstract: Drawing on an African feminist autoethnography framework grounded in a decolonial philosophy of Bilchiinsi, I present critical reflections on my experiences as an African scholar conducting research on media studies in Ghana. I argue that although canonical theories can be useful in theorizing African media systems, it is imperative to decolonize research by first looking to Indigenous African epistemologies and knowledge systems to support knowledge production in media studies and communication(s).
From Riches to Rags: The Decline of Venezuelan Telenovelas
ABSTRACT: In 1994, economist Abdel Güerere classified telenovelas as Venezuela’s most important non-traditional export and envisioned a prosperous future for this media product. In 1999 the country produced 8–12 telenovelas a year. Today no telenovelas are produced in Venezuela and the country’s once powerful telenovela industry is virtually invisible in the international market. Based on […]
Hollywood Shutdown: Production, Distribution, and Exhibition in the Time of Covid
Abstract: Hollywood Shutdown examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected film and television production, influenced trends in distribution, reshaped theatrical exhibition, and altered labor practices. From January movie theater closures in China to the bumpy September release of Mulan on the Disney+ streaming platform, Fortmueller probes various choices made by studios, networks, unions and guilds, distributors, […]
