[ecrea] MeCCSA Radio Studies CFP

  Call for Papers


  Reaching out: the past, present and future of BBC Local Radio Audiences

A De Montfort University and MeCCSA Radio Studies Network event: 
Leicester, Weds 8^th Nov 2017

The BBC’s new Royal Charter and Agreement published at the end of 2016 
has set in motion significant institutional changes for the corporation. 
 As 2017 draws to a close what differences, if any, will audiences 
notice in output? This year, 2017, also marks 50 years since the BBC’s 
Local Radio ‘experiment’ began in Leicester on November 8^th. This is a 
good opportunity, now that its operations fall under the auspices of 
Ofcom, to assess the BBC’s commitment – past, present and future - to 
its local radio audiences, and vice versa.

How well has BBC Local Radio lived up to Frank Gillard’s dream of 
establishing stations that would carry out ‘modern radio journalism’ 
geared to the interests of the ‘local community’ in every city? Five 
decades on, what does the future hold for the 39 BBC Local Radio 
stations in England? This one-day conference at De Montfort University 
aims to celebrate the history of Local Radio but also examine the 
current situation and look ahead to the future.  How is encouraging 
local BBC radio stations to work in partnership with other local news 
media benefitting local communities? Do initiatives such as the BBC’s 
Women in Radio scheme encourage more participation and engagement, and - 
perhaps more importantly  - boost listenership? What impact will Ofcom’s 
audience consultation on the BBC’s performance have on the provision of 
local services?

Proposals for 15-minute papers or presentations are invited which focus 
on, but are not limited to, the following areas:

·BBC Local Radio and its relationship with its audience(s).

·The practicalities of creating a sense of a community – how does BBC 
Local Radio contribute to achieving a sense of belonging, or 
responsibility to, a specific region or area?

·Case studies illustrating how the BBC has appealed or is appealing to 
new audiences (young, BAME or those underserved by the BBC).

·Local News and the ethics of the Fourth Estate; coverage of public 
services and institutions, including the creation of Local democracy 
reporters for the benefit of all audiences.

·The concept of ‘local’ and how BBC Radio addresses and reaches out to 
communities within their patch.

·The role BBC Local Radio plays in the representation of minority 
communities in their locality, the development of specific non-English 
programmes.

·The role of BBC Local Radio as a training ground – how well are trainee 
journalists and newly-recruited producers and presenters equipped with 
innovative production practices or skills and for what ends? How well do 
access schemes targeting young, BAME or people with disabilities work?

·Digital technologies and the changing nature of ‘audiences’; BBC 
Radio’s future in light of fragmenting audiences.

We welcome proposals from independent researchers, archivists, 
postgraduate students, academics, and broadcast professionals. We are 
happy to receive papers submitted together, but reserve the right to 
organise panels as we think best.  Please use the following format for 
proposals, on one side of an A4 document:

•                Name, contact details

•                Title of paper or presentation

•                250-word summary or abstract

•                100-word biography

•                Send proposals as a Word doc or PDF attachment by email 
to Gurvinder Aujla-Sidhu at (Gaujla-Sidhu /at/ dmu.ac.uk)

•                Deadline: 16 June 2017

Details of Keynote Speakers and ticketing information will be published 
in due course.

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