Radio Studies Network marks 100 years of BBC radio

The MeCCSA Radio Studies Network held a successful in-person conference to mark the BBC’s centenary on Saturday 26th November at the University of Bedfordshire, supported by the university’s Research Centre and RIMAP.

Over 40 delegates from around the world attended a day full of talks and keynote speeches at the Postgraduate Centre in Luton. Amongst the speakers from U.K. universities were published authors, respected radio and media historians, and journalists, such as Emeritus Professor David Hendy (Sussex); Dr. Gurvinder Aujla-Sidhu (Derby); Professor Kate Lacey (Sussex); Professor Caroline Mitchell (Sunderland); and Dr. David Dunkley Gyimah (Cardiff). From elsewhere, we welcomed Dr. Rosemary Day from the University of Limerick, Ireland; Professor Anne F. MacLennan from York University in Toronto, Canada (editor of the Journal of Radio and Audio Media); and Dr. Timothy Vercellotti from Western New England University, Springfield, Massachusetts.

Other highlights included an expert panel, sponsored by Nottingham Trent University, on podcasting and public service audio with Kim Fox (The American University in Cairo, Egypt) and Richard Berry (Sunderland) as well as a panel convened by the Academic Archers network.

The day was rounded off with a wine reception and networking, sponsored by the University of Sheffield.