Background
The Glasgow University Media Project was formed at The University of Glasgow in 1974. The group’s initial research examined UK television coverage of industrial relations in Britain. Video recording of news bulletins on BBC1, BBC2 and ITV began on New Year's Day 1975 and a preliminary report was published in June of that year. Unsurprisingly, the report generated some controversy within media circles. Routledge agreed to publish the complete study in two volumes in 1976 and 1978 under the title Bad News. Volume 1 was published on 9 September 1976 and produced a furore and a writ for libel over passages from the chapter entitled 'Inside the Television Newsroom'.
During the 1970s and 1980s further research publications were greeted by the British media with varying degrees of approbation and hostility. Most commentators agreed however, that Glasgow Media Group influence was certainly changing the climate in which British media operated and in May 1982 Really Bad News reached number 5 in the Glasgow Evening Times best sellers list.
In 1982 the group began a study, sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, which was initially intended to cover reporting of peace and disarmament. However in March, Argentine troops invaded the Falkland Islands and the study was expanded to cover this event. The results of this work were published in September 1985 under the title War and Peace News and as expected generated a wide range of opinion. Attacked by the editor of ITN, the book received praise from other writers and researchers and in October the BBC broadcast a program based on the book as part of their BBC2 Open Space series. The BBC censored certain aspects of the program however, in particular, minutes leaked from their own editorial meetings and the resulting publicity lead to the group being described in the Observer as ‘Academic hit men stalking television’s newscasters’.
From the early 80s until the present the Glasgow Media Group has continued to research and publish on a wide range of media-driven topics (see below). Their current research projects can be seen at .
Read more about this topic: Glasgow Media Group
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