Media Policy Project

Current research within the LSE Department of Media and Communications is examining the implications of converging media and communication technologies and services for citizens, audiences and democratic communication at a national and international/regional level of governance. We believe there is a need for policy interventions to redress imbalances between market and citizen interests. The Media Policy Project aims to respond to this need by fostering deliberative exchange between key stakeholders: policy makers, academic research, civil society and industry.

The Media Policy Project experiments with new ways to:

• Improve the policy impact of Departmental research and the evidence base for critical input to media policy discussion in the UK
• Foster academic and civil society involvement in media policy debates
• Increase public awareness of Departmental research in the field
• Foster inclusive deliberation on media policy issues

In order to achieve these aims, the Media Policy Project is or has organized several expert deliberative workshops linked with the publication of policy briefs, in addition to using social media to foster engagement with policy and policy relevant research,.  The policy briefs are informed by six key areas partially defined by the current media policy landscape to ensure that deliberative exchange is relevant and closely connected to policy.  Thus far, these topics relate to issues involving:

• File-sharing, copyright and the DEA
• Media literacy
• Digital inclusion and universal service
• Net neutrality
• Media plurality

The Media Policy Project is based in the Department of Media and Communications at LSE. Our faculty already address diverse constituencies and stakeholders. The Media Policy Project aims to build a constructive dialogue to ensure that departmental research projects inform stakeholders. The Department is a leader in research and analysis on the changing media and communication environment in the UK, Europe and internationally. We are always looking to strengthen our capacity to use the results of our growing portfolio of research to participate in and influence debates and agendas beyond the academic community. We also want to provide a platform for other academics to bring their research into these debates and we welcome contributions from other institutions. Please read more about our editorial policies and submitting contributions on our Editorial Policy page.

Stakeholder Discourse

This project was inspired in part due to a major surge in interest in media and communication policy issues on the part of industry, policy makers, regulators, media practitioners and civil society organisations in the UK, the European Union and internationally. UK regulators and policy makers are acknowledging that tensions exist between markets, government, consumers, and the press. The Project engages with civil society and advocacy groups, as well as other stakeholders, in discourse on current policy issues, such as the Communications Review or continued fallout from the phone hacking scandal in the UK, ongoing Internet governance discussions, or the EC’s Digital Agenda Europe initiatives for a single telecoms market and the revisions of data protection and audiovisual media services directives.

The Media Policy Project was launched in January 2011 with an initial award granted by the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF4) at LSE. It is now made possible by a grant from the Knowledge Exchange of the HEIF at LSE (HEIF5) and is also supported by Open Society Foundations. The project’s Director and current Chairman of the Advisory Board is Charlie Beckett. The project is supported by an enthusiastic and dedicated group of interns and project assistants. 

Advisory Group

Charlie Beckett, LSE Media and Communications (Chair)
Monica Arino, Ofcom
Colette Bowe
Eddie Copeland, Nesta
Nick Couldry, LSE Media and Communications
Jamie Cowling, Department of Transport
Tony Danker, The Guardian
Claire Enders, Enders Analysis
Jane Humphreys, Former DCMS
Jim Killock, Open Rights Group
Sonia Livingstone, LSE Media and Communications
Simon Milner, Facebook
Nick Pearce, University of Bath
James Purnell, BBC
Philip Schlesinger, University of Glasgow
Andrew Scott, LSE Law
Damian Tambin, LSE Media and Communications
Mark Thompson, Open Society Foundations
Jane Tinkler, LSE Public Policy Group
Peggy Valcke, Catholic University of Leuven