Experiencing translated media: why audience research needs translation studies

Abstract

ABSTRACTAudience research has a long tradition in media studies. Many audience studies focus on translated materials, particularly television programmes broadcast in different countries. The research is thus often conducted on viewers whose experiences have been shaped by a translation. However, questions of translation often play only a marginal role. Some studies do not mention translation at all, while others dismiss it as a transparent rewording of the original. From the perspective of translation studies, this is problematic, because the translation is never a simple word-for-word rendering of the source text. Translations inevitably change the media text and become an integral factor in shaping the audience’s experience. In recent years, reception research has gained increased attention within translation studies, particularly in audiovisual translation. Such studies offer insights that could be useful for media studies. This article will discuss the potential for an outward turn in reception research within translation studies. Focusing on audiovisual translation, it will present research conducted within media studies and translation studies to see how the two disciplines can complement each other and, particularly, how translation research can inform media studies and encourage more critical, conscious approaches towards translated materials.