There is conflict between the liberal goals of a university education and the view which associates educational technology and audiovisual media with rigid and impersonal learning routines. In practice, not all university teaching is liberal, and educational technology can itself be a liberalising influence. Four areas of application of audiovisual media in university teaching are considered and some of the contributions which an educational technologist can make to teaching and learning in these areas are outlined. The role of an educational technologist in a traditional university is briefly discussed.