The Centre for Media and Cultural Research (CMCR) brings together an impressive team of experts comprising of a mixture of 30 research academics and research degree students working within the broad field of media and cultural studies. Research in this area envelops a vast spectrum and includes themes such as the new online and interactive media as well as traditional forms of broadcasting and print, the popular cultures, in which they are consumed and the media and creative industries and cultural policies which organise and regulate their production.
Members of the CMCR are involved in research and knowledge transfer projects which enable them to expand and develop new insights into aspects of the media and provide opportunities for members to utilise their expertise in a consultative capacity to assist public bodies, commercial companies and community organisations.
The Centre's work is funded by UK research councils such as the AHRC, regional funders such as Advantage West Midlands and Screen West Midlands, and media companies including the BBC. CMCR collaborates with other research centres in the University through the Institute for Digital Experience and Applications, and with other universities in the UK and internationally.
The Centre provides research degree supervision for all areas of their work, and offers studentships in priority areas.
CMCR’s work is currently split into seven clusters, representing the areas of expertise and reputations of their academic staff:
- creative economies and cultural policy;
- global media (including media for development);
- journalism and PR;
- media and cultural learning and education;
- radio and popular music;
- social media;
- television, film and visual media.
Work in these clusters shares a number of key intellectual themes, resulting in distinctive research and publication:
- technological innovation;
- professional production practice;
- interactivity;
- social inclusion and action;
- culture;
- enterprise;
- history and archives;
- political economy;
- regionalism.
Researchers from Media and Cultural Studies are also contributing significantly to research within the IDEAs (Institute of Digital Experience and Applications). For more information on work and current projects in the centre, please contact: tim.wall@bcu.ac.uk or media-research@bcu.ac.uk