Archive - Debates from 2009/10
The Media School holds regular debates among students, academic staff and industry professionals.
Discussions centre around hot topics in the media and communications world and are captured as podcast for you to access throughout your studies.
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What is the future of local media? "Hyperlocal" is the latest buzzword. But is it just another passing fad or will local media really reshape the industry? Can location-based services provide new opportunities and, as the big media players struggle to find a new business model, will they invest in this area? The Media School's Dean Stephen Jukes leads this debate. |
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Another route to Auschwitz: Memory writing fiction Jake Wallis Simons, published author and columnist for the Sunday Times, discusses Holocaust fiction and how words fail to interpret the horror victims encountered. Jake also reads passages from his new book ’English German Girl’ which will be released in April 2011. |
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Is the BBC move to Salford a good idea? The BBC is moving several of its departments to Salford. Erik Huggers described Salford as the place to build the BBC's new future; others call it a misguided approach to regionalism... |
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If it bleeds, should it lead? To what extent is the news agenda driven by ‘great pictures’? Should graphic images of human suffering be shown on the main TV news bulletins? Have the boundaries of taste and decency been challenged by online coverage? |
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Is British electoral politics in terminal decline? Will the scandal over MPs expenses and the ravages of recession increase or decrease the perceived importance of the outcome? Will we see electoral politics spring back to life? Or will it just be another twitch from the corpse of UK democracy? |
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Does DAB have a future? Ten years ago, DAB was the future of radio. With radio adopting other platforms, and with the internet offering multiple choices, has DAB got a future? Or has its moment come and gone? |
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What should be done about illegal file sharing and online piracy? The government is considering a tough new crackdown on illegal file sharing while the music and film industries lobby for harder and tougher measures. But what is the right solution? |
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What can citizen journalism do that mainstream media can't? Would traditional news have struggled to cover the 7/7 bombings or political upheaval in Iran without it? The debate considered the uneasy relationship between mainstream journalism and Citizen Journalism. |
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Should political lobbyists be regulated by law in order to save democracy? In the UK, a "super self-regulator" has been formed - the Public Affairs Council. The debate considers whether legislation, self-regulation or an open market will shape the future of lobbying. |
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Is the UK media over-regulated? Peter Fincham described Ofcom as out of touch and warned that over-regulation could kill our creative industries. Our panel debated whether our media is over-regulated and what could and should be done. |
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Should product placement be allowed on TV? With advertising revenues on commercial TV falling, the government recently announced it would consider allowing product placement on UK TV. It would mark a radical shift towards a US model but does it matter? |
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Should newspapers charge for online content? Rupert Murdoch recently announced that his news websites will charge for online content from next year. Our panel debated whether Murdoch can reverse the common assumption that "if it's on the Web, it's free." |
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Is the BBC too big? James Murdoch recently described the scale and reach of the BBC as ‘chilling’. Our panel discussed whether the BBC needs to be scaled back and if so what bits should be cut away. |
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If you are deaf or hearing-impaired and would like a text version of these Podcasts then please contact us requesting a transcript.
