Media Studies & Publishing Dissertation Topics (105 Fresh Ideas)

Exploring the world of media and publishing opens up plenty of opportunities for research. If you’re planning your dissertation, here’s a list of engaging and thought-provoking topics across different areas of media studies and publishing.

Media Studies Dissertation Topics

• The rise of independent digital news outlets and their impact on traditional journalism
• How streaming platforms have reshaped television viewing habits
• Representation of minorities in mainstream British cinema
• Social media algorithms and their influence on political polarisation
• Ethical challenges of using AI in news production
• The growth of influencer marketing in shaping consumer behaviour
• The impact of podcasting on traditional radio broadcasting
• Public trust in media during health crises
• Analysing gender stereotypes in advertising campaigns
• Media portrayal of refugees in the UK press
• Political bias in 24-hour news networks
• The effect of reality TV on youth culture
• Fake news and its role in modern elections
• The growth of user-generated content on social media platforms
• Impact of YouTube on the independent film industry
• Media regulation challenges in the age of TikTok
• Online trolling and its impact on journalists
• Satirical news shows as a source of political information
• The future of print journalism in the digital era
• Analysing diversity in British broadcasting

Publishing Dissertation Topics

• The survival of independent bookstores in the digital age
• The evolution of e-books and their effect on reading culture
• Self-publishing and its impact on the traditional publishing industry
• The role of literary agents in shaping publishing trends
• Gender representation in contemporary children’s literature
• How subscription models like Kindle Unlimited influence reading behaviour
• Open access publishing in academic research
• The future of academic journals in a digital-first world
• Book marketing strategies in the age of social media
• Ethical concerns around ghost-writing in publishing
• Analysing diversity in UK publishing houses
• The effect of audiobooks on reading habits
• Piracy and copyright challenges in digital publishing
• The decline of print magazines and rise of online platforms
• Publishing memoirs and the blurring line between fact and fiction
• The role of cover design in book sales
• Sustainability practices in the publishing industry
• Crowdfunding models for book publishing
• Translation and global reach of British literature
• How celebrity authors impact publishing trends

Film, Television and Digital Media Topics

• The representation of women in superhero films
• Netflix’s role in promoting international cinema
• Cultural appropriation debates in film production
• Streaming services and the death of cinema?
• The influence of social media on TV series popularity
• LGBTQ+ visibility in modern cinema
• Fan communities and their influence on show renewals
• Nostalgia marketing in film and television
• Cross-cultural adaptations of TV shows
• British television and the portrayal of working-class communities
• Reality TV’s influence on fashion and beauty standards
• The shift from weekly TV episodes to binge-watching formats
• Media ownership concentration and its effect on creativity
• Exploring the impact of Disney’s global dominance
• Documentaries as tools for social change
• Music in film: shaping audience emotions
• Representation of war in modern cinema
• The resurgence of horror films in streaming platforms
• Regional cinema and its role in cultural identity
• Analysing audience engagement through second-screen viewing

Journalism and Digital Media

• Data journalism and its effect on investigative reporting
• Citizen journalism during crisis events
• The use of drones in modern journalism
• Paywalls and the future of online newspapers
• Examining clickbait headlines and reader engagement
• Mobile news apps and shifting consumption patterns
• Media ownership and its influence on editorial independence
• Freedom of the press in authoritarian regimes
• Sensationalism in crime reporting
• Role of social media in spreading misinformation
• AI-generated journalism: threat or opportunity?
• Tabloid culture in the UK and its future
• The economics of print newspapers in decline
• How local journalism strengthens communities
• Data visualisation in online reporting

Media, Society and Culture

• Celebrity culture and its impact on public opinion
• Media representation of body image in teenagers
• Social media activism and its effectiveness
• Exploring cancel culture through digital platforms
• The role of memes in political discourse
• Media portrayal of climate change issues
• The impact of online gaming on social behaviour
• Streaming documentaries and shaping cultural debates
• Representations of mental health in the media
• Children’s media consumption and its psychological effects
• Social media and shaping fashion trends
• Sports broadcasting and nationalism
• Political cartoons and their influence in digital spaces
• Music videos and gender roles
• Impact of true crime media on public perception

Publishing Technology and Future Trends

• Blockchain in publishing rights management
• AI-driven editing tools and their role in book publishing
• Virtual reality storytelling in publishing
• Augmented reality and children’s interactive books
• The role of machine learning in predicting book sales
• The rise of non-linear digital narratives
• Hybrid publishing models in the UK market
• The role of metadata in digital book discovery
• Print-on-demand as a sustainable publishing solution
• Gamification in educational publishing
• Cross-media publishing and transmedia storytelling
• Cloud platforms for collaborative writing and publishing
• The impact of TikTok trends on book sales (BookTok)
• 3D printing and experimental publishing
• Predicting the future of publishing in a post-digital world