I’m visiting Lancaster University’s Centre for Mobilities Research in May and June, in my role as a 2013-4 Visiting Research Fellow. During my visit I’ll be organising a symposium on Transport in the Media.
Transport In The Media
This interdisciplinary symposium explores relationships between transport policy and practice, academic research, and the media. It includes presentations, workshops, and roundtable discussions with academics and practitioners. Location: Lancaster University Bailrigg Conference Centre (no.25 on the campus map). Themes include –
– methods for studying ‘new’ and ‘old’ media
– how transport academics could or should engage with the media, including as commentators or ‘pundits’
– media coverage of controversial transport topics including debates over road-building and rail safety
– how (and if) media coverage can lead to policy change, with examples including the coverage of cycle deaths and injuries.
The symposium starts with lunch on Monday 9th June (12-7pm) and continues on Tuesday 10th (9:30-12:30). It is organised by CeMoRe in collaboration with Westminster University.
Timetable
Location: Lancaster University Conference Centre
Booking form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17EYPiHigmAD4vIp6sHfKe-wJy5HR7_yujhF-esSTETM/viewform
Monday June 9th
12:00-1:00 – arrival, lunch, welcome (Rachel Aldred)
1-2:15pm Controversial Transport Topics: the role of the media (Chair: Robin Lovelace)
Presentations with Q&A
Geoff Vigar: Media Reporting of Road Pricing Proposals
Siân Berry: The Media and Road Building Schemes
Andrew Evans: Rail Safety in the Media
2:15-3:15pm: Can and Should Academics Engage in Transport Campaigning? (Chair: Siân Berry)
Open discussion, including short contributions by Steve Melia and Alan Munro, discussion & debate
3:15-3:45pm – tea break
3:45-5:15pm Media Research Methods (Chair: Geoff Vigar)
Part 1 – short presentations with Q&A, including Gaurav Dubey and Ronald Roberts on transport in the print media, and Cosmin Popan on researching cyclists in social and print media.
Part 2 – Workshop led by Tim Ryley, with Cosmin Popan, on ‘Content analysis of newspaper articles: transport applications’
5:15-5:30pm – short break
5:30-7pm – Transport Academics in the Media
Part 1 (20 minutes) – Cristina Irving Turner (Emerald) on the practicalities of communicating research findings to the media
Part 2 (1 hour 10 minutes) – roundtable discussion (Chair: Alan Munro) with participants (including Marilyn Johnson (via Skype), Robin Lovelace, and Colin Pooley) drawing on personal experiences of academics engaging with the media about research and policy
Tuesday June 10th
9:30-10:00 – opening comments (Jon Shaw), discussion
10:00-12pm – From Media Coverage to Policy Change? Session co-ordinated & chaired by Tom Cohen.
Part 1: brief presentations by Rachel Aldred and Ian Walker on analysis of coverage of cycle safety in London and Bristol
Part 2: The Times and cycling: when media organisations become transport campaigners, with contributors including Roger Geffen (Campaigns and Policy Director, CTC).
12-12:30 – summing up, comments, next steps (Rachel Aldred)
12:30pm lunch
Afternoon – CeMoRe annual research event