Convergence of Antagonistic Traditions? The Case of Audience Research

A widespread agreement seems to be emerging within media research that the time has come for media sociology and cultural studies, the two major, traditionally hostile paradigms, to embark on a process of cross-fertilization. This article considers in an historical perspective a number of recent studies of the television audience carried out in this spirit of innovation, and critically evaluates the aims, theories and methods underlying the specific hybrid projects of Katz/Liebes, Radway, and Ang.