Join us for a special public lecture with Professor Lobato, celebrating his distinguished national appointment as a 2025 Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

From web video to smart TVs, Australians have been watching television online for more than two decades. What might a user-focused history of this period reveal about how people adopt and domesticate communications technologies? Exploring the value of a cultural approach to digital markets, Professor Lobato considers three themes: the localisation of digital platforms; the role of informal user practices; and the importance of understanding non-user experiences.

Ramon Lobato is Professor of Digital Media (Australian Research Council Future Fellow) in the Department of Media and Communication at Swinburne University of Technology. His work uses empirical and critical methods to study the transformation of video in the streaming age and its implications for audiences, industry, and government. Ramon is the author of books including Shadow Economies of Cinema, Netflix Nations and the forthcoming Smart TV: Devices, Platforms, Markets. With Joshua Braun, he co-edits the Distribution Matters book series for MIT Press. His research team has worked with partners including SBS, Screen Australia and the Department of Communications (DITRDCA) to understand changing patterns of screen media use.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Professor Lobato explore the cultural and social impact of streaming in Australia.

Light refreshments will be served from 5pm, followed by the lecture at 6pm.