The MediaLab at the Department of Communication Studies is a laboratory focused on exploring and developing media practices in social communication.
To this end, the MediaLab, on the one hand, organizes and facilitates the necessary technical teaching and research infrastructure. On the other hand, it offers practice-oriented courses in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs of Communication Studies in cooperation with the Divisions of the Department.
For historical reasons, the MediaLab is divided into two sub-units regarding content and space. On the one hand, the AV Studio on the upper floors of the House of Social Sciences offers equipment rental, editing rooms, sound studios and a flexible conception and recording room. On the other hand, the print and web lab provides a computer room and a smaller meeting room in the basement for teaching purposes.
In terms of teaching, the MediaLab focuses on the development, design and production of media content. The work in the MediaLab is connected with the following media practice fields: Radio, television and video journalism, public relations, advertising, documentary film and science communication.
Current teaching at the MediaLab focuses on video production, audio production, multimedia production, web development, and online production. In media production, emphasis is placed on developing students’ content-related as well as technical, communicative and design-related skills.
Experienced experts from various communication-based professional fields in media practice as well as (internal) academic staff with a connection to media practice, are involved as lecturers. The practice-oriented teaching is integrated into various internal and external teaching projects.
The equipment of the MediaLab is available to students and teachers for teaching, research and scholarly communication at the Department of Communication Studies, as well as neighbouring organizational units of the Faculty of Social Sciences. In cooperation, the facilities can also be used by Study Programs of other Faculties and Institutions of the University of Salzburg
A central project of the AV studio at the MediaLab is the streaming video platform UniTV Salzburg. This was developed and implemented in the early 2000s and ran mainly without interruption. UniTV Salzburg is freely accessible via the link www.unitv.org. It contains several productions that students created in the context of teaching or by the AV Studio staff members at the MediaLab.
Among others, the following is/are available for rental
- Video recording equipment (HDTV camera, tripod, light, sound),
- V-DSLRS for photography and video recording,
- as well as special cameras for sports and slow motion.
- High-intensity hybrid cameras are ideal for manual lecture recording.
- Sound recording equipment (suitable for broadcast),
- Interview equipment for research use
