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Journal Index
Australian Journal of Communication (1982-1987), ISSN 0811-6202 at:
https://sites.google.com/cominst.org/cominst/publications/index-1982-1987
Australian Scan: Journal of Human Communication (1976-1981), ISSN 0313-9182 at:
https://sites.google.com/cominst.org/cominst/publications/index-1976-1981
Communication research and teaching in Australia from the mid-1970s through the late 1980s occurred
mainly in colleges of advanced education, institutes of technology and few universities. Courses ranged from
the art of speech in the British tradition, to interpersonal and group communication, to media studies and
mass communication or business and technical communication more in the North American tradition.
Research and thoughtful commentary focused on interpersonal and mass communication from a wide array
of disciplinary perspectives and areas of application.
This was the context for seeking articles suitable for the foundation publications of The Communication
Institute, Australian Journal of Communication and its predecessor Australian Scan: Journal of Human
Communication. Interdisciplinary or specialist articles were published on:
▪ Public communication
▪ Creative and educational literature, speech, drama, film, and television
▪ Organisational communication
▪ Interpersonal and small group interaction
▪ Intercultural communication
▪ Mass communication and media studies.
Initially, the journal was a slim volume in which communication teachers, researchers and practitioners were
encouraged to share information and explore enhanced understandings of human communication. During
the 1980s, the journal increased in size, range and reach to reflect the tremendous growth of communication
as an area of study and teaching in Australia.
The editorial position of the journal was to publish the most thoughtful studies and insights from among the
articles submitted. A peer review process was introduced, and the journal sustained publication at a rate of
two issues per year, with subscriptions as the only financial support. In the early 1980s when the Australian
Communication Association—now AANZCA—was formed, with members mainly in academic institutions, the
Association adopted the journal as a membership benefit. This added subscriptions and progressively engaged
a more diverse range of articles of interest to this growing group.
In 1982, the journal was renamed Australian Journal of Communication. Following my move to an administrative
role in 1987, I passed editorial responsibility to Roslyn Petelin, who strengthened the publication through to
its final issue in 2013. In response to her request for perspective on the original motivation for the
journal, to be included in her final editorial, I noted that:
A persistent reason was to help stimulate and encourage substantive interaction and to serve as a vehicle
to help improve understanding among colleagues who were drawn from diverse disciplines to
communication studies. As a young faculty member, I wanted to encourage more boundary-spanning
studies, better mutual understanding and rigorous enquiry to help advance communication research and
teaching in Australia.
- Rodney G. Miller, The Communication Institute