Bob Calver
Senior Lecturer
Bob Calver is a Senior Lecturer in Broadcast Journalism at the School of Media. He teaches postgraduate Broadcast Journalism and MA International Broadcast Journalism Courses, as well as media law. He joined the University in 1998.
Bob Calver wants the community to be media savvy and learn the skills of this creative trade. He works with Birmingham City University’s Screen Media Lab to teach media skills to community groups, small businesses and other organisations.
He has launched a series of workshops with Birmingham City Council, entitled Prevention of Violent Extremism, where he worked with about 20 representatives of the City’s Islamic Community.
The workshops, held as part of the City Council’s Prevent Strategy to stop citizens becoming involved with terrorism, aim to give the community an understanding of the media, so they can promote positive images of Islam.
"Workshops like these fed back into the classroom, too. Some of the people on the Prevent workshop came to talk to students. We try to introduce them to as many different aspects of life, people and organisations to deepen their understanding. They are meeting with people they wouldn’t otherwise meet. It’s a very valuable thing to have.”
It is hoped that the project, conceived at Birmingham City University with the City Council, will now be rolled out across the country and Bob also hopes to be able to introduce similar projects with other vulnerable or needy groups in the region.
Empowering small businesses in the creative sector is another important aspect of Bob’s work. The PR and Media Toolkit offers them the chance to learn how to promote them and their work effectively.
In the past two years, more than 30 small businesses in the region’s creative community – including authors, web designers, jewellers and photographers - have taken advantage of the department’s expertise.
“This has a true economic benefit as you are giving these people extra skills in their work – skills they wouldn’t otherwise learn."
Diane Kemp
Course Director and Senior Lecturer
Diane Kemp is a Senior Lecturer in broadcast journalism and production at the Birmingham School of Media. She teaches radio and television skills and newsroom/production practice on the MA in International Broadcast Journalism and the professionally accredited Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism courses. She joined the University in 1992.
Prior to that Diane worked for the BBC in local radio and regional television. She also freelanced for BBC network radio, although she initially started out in commercial radio.
Diane has been a member of the Broadcast Journalism Training Council representing other Universities on the Board for some years. She’s also an external examiner at two other ‘BJTC’ accredited institutions.
Through her work with the BJTC she has contributed to and run workshops for the Council of Europe in their anti-discrimination campaign. As part of this she’s writing and compiling a journalism training pack promoting diversity for the Campaign.
Diane also collaborates with colleagues from the University’s Centre for Criminal Justice, writing articles investigating media coverage of serious crime.