LSE media policy project_Launch sept27

Department of Media and CommunicationsLondon School of Economics and Political ScienceKick off meeting, “Media, Public Action and Policy: Multi-

Stakeholder Dialogues”, September 27th, 2010

Some grand concerns!

How are media and communication services facilitating, shaping or undermining influencing citizens’ access to today’s complex media landscape, their societal values and understanding of the world around them, and their capacity for dialogue, civic action and other forms of participation?

Can we, academics and stakeholders, through a deliberative process, provide a critical, independent and effective assessment of the evidence base that may underpin policy or regulatory intervention?

The project – brings together… Some LSE funding Some diverse and interested experts Some interesting if sometimes unsung

research An extraordinary policy landscape

- A changed political landscape- A fast converging and complex media

environment- A complex regulatory regime- A planned Communications Act

An opportunity to do something…

Evidence and policy – a happy mix?

Research relevant to policy

Research about policy

??

Models relating evidence to policy1. The knowledge-driven model (‘linear relay race’ – Boaz)

2. The problem-solving model (‘engineering’)

3. The interactive model - sustained interaction between research and policy

4. The political model - research findings as ammunition in adversarial policy

5. The tactical model - research used for post-hoc justification

6. The enlightenment model - seeks to transcend instrumental uses of research to understand and improve a given situation

Deliberative networks “may challenge preconceptions of research findings as fixed and immutable, favouring instead the idea that the value of research is revealed through dialogue, contextualisation and assimilation with other forms of knowledge” (Sandra Nutley et al, Using Evidence, 2007)

Innovation and Governance:- Policy and regulation in the information

society in the global ‘north’ and ‘south’ The Mediated Public Sphere:

- Political communication, civic engagement and journalism ethics

Mediation and Digital Literacies:- Audiences, representations and identities in

everyday life, children Transnational Media Cultures:

- Global, comparative and diasporic perspectives

Who are we?

10:00 – 10:20 Introduction and welcome

10:20 – 10:40 The policy landscape

10:40 – 11:00 Communication and process

11:00 – 11:30 Break out groups

Coffee break

11:45 – 12:15 General discussion

12:15 – 12:45 Concluding remarks and next

steps

Lunch (NAB 208)

‘Policy’ and ‘Impact’ Stakeholders

GovernmentMedia CompaniesPublic BodiesCivil Society

Bridge

Policy timetable

Policy language

Media news-value

Ideological agenda

Academic timetable Academic language Disciplinary concerns Theoretical agenda

A Planning Grid/ Wiki Template?

Sources:Digital Economy Act ImplementationDCMS Structural Reform Plan

(Esp re: Media Reform and Universal Broadband)

BIS Structural Reform Plan) Implementation of EU FrameworkOther stuff beyond ‘media policy’

Website Wiki structured by the topics Develop an easy way for people to upload

content (Tags) Profiles with checklist to match people with

similar interests Social Media

Will require quite a degree of push▪ Facebook and Twitter▪ RSS

Other examples:

[Please add]

Policy papers and briefs

Database of policymakers

Push strategy: email list

Policy grid wiki?

Deliberative fora?

Another conference (bigger, next

summer!)

Deliberative models All participants are equal Rational arguments Focus on the common good and matters of

public interest Consensus-oriented

Policy fora and consultations Elitist Highly ideological Tensions between public and private interests Conflict-oriented

What can we do and offer differently? Provide depth and expertise Strengthen the voice of civil society (incl.

academia) in policy debates Develop a citizen-oriented agenda Improving the input of more informal politics into

formal politics

How do we go about achieving this in terms of process for the topical workshops?

ISSUES (e.g.)

Universal broadband

Cuts and reduction in PSB provision

Media deregulation

RESEARCH (e.g.)

Literacy: the real barriers to take-up and use (Helsper, Mansell)

Arab/ minority media in comparative perspective(Georgiou)

Needs and harms among children (Livingstone)

ISSUES (e.g.)

Media deregulation

DEA-file sharing implementation

Local, regional and nations

RESEARCH

‘Impartiality’ and campaigning online(Anstead)

Wi-Fi publics (Powell), sharing digital content (Cammaerts)

Devolution and the media. (Schlesinger/ Wahl-Jorgensen), Community Media (Cammaerts)

Discussion: What (group 1) Thinking about scale (micro-policy or

macro) What and who are we talking about when

we talk about stakeholders Short-term agenda or sustainable policies Clarity about positions and outcomes

What: Third sector cuts from government and

from other organizations Government communications: impact of

war on spin doctors and on participation Local new provision and access to local

information and debate

Discussion: What (group 1 con’t) Investment – BBC – licence fee and

what the BBC invests in – creative productions

Innovation Alternative ownership models,

specifically news In US and Europe and in other sectors

Economics

Discussion: What (group 2) Focus – network / project / process

Managing conflict What: UK focused Digital economy in Europe as well as in

UK Scope of regulatory competence of

existing regulators E.g. internet and health and transport services

Internet governance Europe and who responding

Discussion: What (group 2 con’t) Implications of file sharingDigital public space

Disappeared from policy agenda How to get it back

Local TV What is local TV? Define it for current

gov

Discussion: What (group 3) Began with focus – deferred to how What: European frameworks and implications

Strengths of academic network is focus on cases, best practices and implications for British debate

Critical and engaged: Identify contradictions within and across

poicy E.g. digital economy bill penalizing file sharing

Discussion: What (group 3 con’t)Consequences of the bonfire of quangos

Audiences beyond DCMS Think tanks and how to engage

BBC Future of licences fee World service International / national public sphere

Changing models of media ownership, thinking beyond the local

Discussion: what (group 3 con’t)Universal broadband

Barriers – inclusion and exclusion Enabling community participation Challenge obsession with speed and

think about other universal standardsNews

Beyond the BBC, e.g. Sky and MurdochThe digital agenda within the

European framework Citizen’s participation

Discussion: what (group 3 con’t)The question of indigenous content

Think about this beyond news

Discussion of the “what” Expanding the agenda and horizon

E.g advertising regulation (impact of product placement)

BFI – require research input at times▪ Intellectual property rights provide real challenge and open

huge set of issues▪ Question of how to identify core issues

Question of how to fund indigenous content not on agenda

Impact of public cuts, particularly to online services, important and timely

Question of motivation also important, must recognize WHO is involved (e.g. who are the citizens?)

Discussion of the “what” Future role of civil society groups (Carnegie and

Goldsmiths) Focused on alternative ownership models involving

corporations and civil society Looked at question at redirecting revenue flows Protect licence fee Charitable ownership Scrutinizing media: issue of transparency and

accountability Challenge of involving wider civil society groups

about issues relevant to them Widening deliberation critical Recognize seriousness of crisis within rapidly

changing landscape and also identifying innovation

Discussion of the “what” Tension between elite deliberative processes and civil

society / citizens / How: increasing visibility and transparency Academy can bring added value – sensitivity to use of

language The “war on spin doctors” is actually a war on public

knowledge and/or the dissemination of public knowledge Citizen’s coalition of public service broadcasting /

Voice of the Listener and Viewer Focus on the “non-obvious” or the “too-hard” (with

more practitioners) E.g. the future of regulation!! E.g. BBC IPO / the digital economy act = how to do it better Deregulation = meaning and consequences

Discussion of the “what”

When / timing: issues of what gets cut Ofcom and its relationship to govt Better sooner rather than later

Not always about new research

Discussion: How

The problem of influencing policy makers: Positions are often already fixedPolicy makers looking for justification (tactical)Identifying crucial windows for interventionBuilding of personal relationships

Deliberative networks Bring to policy makers what others don’t (expertise, best practices etc.)Focus and depth (don’t spread too widely)Digestible research / outcomes

Discussion: How (con’t)

e-mail useful but must be used strategically Smaller spaces for discussion Multi-platform strategy

Who is audience? E.g. policy oriented or to widen to civil society

Indirect links (e.g. key journals) Organize briefings (to press / key people)

Concluding remarks Impact agenda – emerging from government

councils Reshaping of universities under government

Being able to demonstrate impact = key What is impact?

Number of tensions Critical research / administrative Bypass traditional academic distinctions? Yes…

▪ Academics should try to influence▪ Academics are knowledgeable citizens

What is the value of academic knowledge to non-academics? Different players want different things Issue alliances?

Concluding remarks Important to have a manageable agenda

Decide on several key issues Value of comparison – European Union and UK

important contrasts Identify particular problems and solutions in

different contexts Pooling knowledge valuable (without doing new

research) Marketing academic research in think tank

style… Questions of public service focus on BBC

Beyond defence of particular institutional model Thinking about public service contents in current

landscape

Concluding remarks

Arguments about new labour are being rearticulated in digital economy

Elite vs. civil society groups Deliberative fora require extensive pre-

existing knowledgeAcademics have obligation to make

knowledge availableLimit expectations – “dismount your

hobby horse, my friends!”