Policy Network

The aim of the MeCCSA Policy Network is to exchange ideas and research findings, but also to join with civil society – NGOs, media workers’ organisations, press freedom campaigns, consumer groups and so on – in their debates with the regulators, the broadcasters and the Government. A particular goal, where appropriate, would be to support such groups by providing them with expert evidence, based on academic research.

The main goals are to:

Provide a forum for discussion, through both the main MeCCSA list and through the dedicated Policy Network list.
Form a group of policy researchers within MeCCSA.
Compile a directory of expertise of people doing policy research.
Collect information from people who have already done policy research and/or have engagement with civil society groups.
Compile a directory of relevant organisations.

For further information about the establishment of the Network, please read the article ‘Engaging with civil society: proposals for a new MeCCSA policy network’ by Maire Messenger-Davies on the MeCCSA’s newsletter Three-D, Mar 2008 (pp 8-9).

The Network operates a mailing list at JISCmail:

MeCCSA Policy mailing list at JISCmail

Email: MECCSA-POLICY@JISCMAIL.AC.UK

Latest posts:

The list is not intended to seek consensus within the academy on matters of media policy where consensus does not exist; nor does the network claim to speak officially for the academy in general or MeCCSA in particular in responses to formal consultations, although it could certainly support the MeCCSA Executive in the various responses required of it to governmental and other consultations.

Rather, the intention is to share ideas and research, to advise each other when invited to do so, and to enable colleagues to stay abreast of policy developments. This should facilitate responding to consultations as and when it’s appropriate to do so, bearing in mind the overall aim of building and sustaining ‘relationships with civil society’.