Annabelle Sreberny, professor of global media and communications at London's School of Oriental and African Studies, acknowledged that social networks and blogs had proved useful to protesters in the Middle East and Asia, but cautioned against overstating Twitter's significance.

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The London School of Economics is the best-known of several universities that are beefing up their media-studies programmes.

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Mr Gove warned that certain universities such as Cambridge, the London School of Economics and others had told prospective students that taking "softer" A-levels such as media studies and dance would count against them.

BBC: Tories plan league tables review

She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a double major in neuroscience and media studies, and a double minor in civil engineering and management science from MIT Sloan School of Management.

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Many of us came to the profession out of other portals not specifically tied to advertising, such as Creative Writing, Media Studies or the Art school.

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