Iris Jennes

None of us use media in the same way. Growing up in a mediated world, the different practices surrounding the use of media triggered me. Where some friends had strict rules for watching television and using the telephone, others had their own television set and telephone in their bedrooms. Because media are omnipresent but our usage differs greatly, it is only natural that we regularly discuss the meaning of media technologies and media content in our lives. I enjoy research on media and advertising as it seems to polarise opinions. From traditional television advertising to personal advertising, everyone has an opinion. The core of my research interest is combining insights in the strategies of commercial media actors with observations on the tactics users wield to gain more control over their experience.

The past years I have participated in the organization of the International Symposium in Media Innovations in Brussels. I also moderated an Industry Panel on the future of commercial television. So far, I have been involved in the writing of several projects. I have followed additional workshops to improve on both academic competences and methodological courses. Competences include, for instance, abstract writing, academic English and presentation skills.  Methodological courses I followed dealt with, for example, general user experience but also on specific topics such as audience measurement techniques for social television viewing. I graduated in Communication Studies at the VUB in 2009, with a clear focus on strategic communication and marketing. Since 2010, I’m working on a PhD. It addresses innovative television advertising strategies and how these fit into the television audiences’ daily practices.