Television academic spearheads new research group

A media lecturer at Edge Hill University is heading off to Hamburg to broadcast news of an exciting group she has helped to set up to enhance the development of television studies.

Dr Elke Weismann has been given the position of Vice-Chairman of a brand new Television Studies section for the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), which is the subject association for communication scholars across Europe and beyond.

The prestigious role means that she will be responsible for bringing together TV researchers from a wide variety of disciplines who can share information to improve education in this relatively under-researched subject.

"Historically, people have always seen TV as being unimportant but it is such a big industry and very popular, so this is an issue that we are trying to address by setting up this new group. I think this is very much needed in the media sector because so many people watch television in comparison to cinema yet relatively little is available to support scholars in this field of work.

"The group aims to strengthen European research and education in the field of television studies. In the face of technological and cultural changes to television ‘as we know it', the section brings together TV researchers from a wide range of disciplines focussing on all aspects of television, both addressing the post-broadcast era and television's history and multiple futures.

"Although we have only just set up the group, initial feedback has been great and we already have a number of members signed up. I'm now looking forward to working with devoted people to develop and improve the quality of communication research and higher education in TV studies. I want to support TV studies and give it more prominence in the academic world and also raise its profile internationally."

Edge Hill University already recognises that the TV industry is big news and has developed a range of programmes in this field which complement the media studies courses. For example, students can combine TV studies with film and they can benefit from the University's strong industry links with the BBC, which is a big plus for employability.

Elke said: "My new role enhances the already excellent reputation that Edge Hill has and it reaffirms our specialism in TV studies. To be part of such a prestigious group is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead."

She will be going to Hamburg for the ECREA 2010 3rd European Communication Conference from 12^th to 15^th October, where she will join members of the television studies group to spread the word about their work.