Dr Paul Smith

Paul joined De Montfort University as a Lecturer in Media Studies in 2003.  Before joining DMU he taught and researched at London Metropolitan University, where he gained his PhD for a thesis analysing the introduction of digital television in Britain.  His main area of research expertise is media policy and regulation and he has published a number of books and articles on issues, such as public service broadcasting, the regulation of television sports rights and the introduction of digital television.  He is also interested in contemporary political communication and teaches in this area at both undergraduate and post-graduate level.

Cinema and Television History (CATHI)

Media Discourse Centre (MDC)

 

Click here for a full listing of Paul Smith's publications and outputs.

(2010) ‘The Politics of Sports Rights: The Regulation of Television Sports Rights in the United Kingdom’, Convergence, 16 (3): 316-33. 

(2008) ‘BBC Charter Renewal and the ‘Crisis’ of Public Service Broadcasting’  in Ross, K. and Price, S. (eds.) Popular Media and Communication: Essays on Publics, Practices and Processes: Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, pp. 130-51 (also translated into Spanish for a special edition of Infoamerica on Public Service Broadcasting: (2010) ‘’Politica de television del Reino Unido: Renovacion de la Carta de la BBC y ‘crisis’ del servicio public, Infoamerica, 2 (3-4): 155-71.  

(2007) The Politics of Television Policy: The Introduction of Digital Television in Great Britain, Lampeter: Edwin Mellen Press.

(2007) (with Steemers, Jeanette) ‘BBC to the Rescue! Digital Switchover and the Reinvention of Public Service Broadcasting in Britain’, Javnost/the Public, 14 (1): 39-55. 

(2006) ‘The Politics of UK Television Policy: The Making of Ofcom’, Media, Culture and Society, 28 (6): 929-40.

• Media policy and regulation
• The buying and selling of sports rights
• Public service broadcasting
• Media ownership   

Paul’s teaching focuses mainly on the political economy of the media and covers topics such as UK media policy and regulation; media history and political communication. 

• PhD (London Metropolitan University) 
• M.Sc. (London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London)
• BA Politics and History (Queen Mary’s College, University of London)

• MEDS 1000: Introduction to Media, Culture & Society
• MEDS 2005: Television Studies
• MEDS 3110: Political Communication 
• MEDS 3000: Media and Communication Dissertation

Nominated for Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award (DMU, Leicester) (July 2011, July 2010)

 

Paul is a member of Meccsa and the Political Studies Association (PSA).

 

‘Too Much or Not Enough? Competition Policy and UK broadcasting Regulation’, Transformations in/of Broadcasting’, University of Leeds, July 2012. 

‘The European Television Sports Rights Market: Balancing Culture and Commerce’, Private Television in Europe: 20 Years of Television Without Frontiers and Beyond, Brussels University, April 2011. 

‘From Government to Governance; The Case of UK Television Policy’, PSA Annual Conference, Manchester University, April, 2009.

‘From Government to Governance: The European Union and the Making of UK Television Policy’, Continental Connections, De Montfort University, July 2007. 

‘BBC Charter Renewal and the ‘Crisis’ of Public Service Broadcasting (Again)’, RIPE@2006 Conference: Public Service Broadcasting in a Multimedia Environment: Programmes and Platforms, University of Amsterdam, November 2006.

‘The Politics of UK Television Policy: The Making of Ofcom’, Joint MeCCSA/AMPE Conference, Lincoln University, January 2005.

Paul is currently supervising a PhD on the role of new media during the 2010 British general election campaign.

 

Paul has acted as an expert reader for a number of leading academic publishers, including Palgrave Macmillan, Sage and Edwin Mellen.  He has also written review articles for academic journals, including Media, Culture & Society and Government & Opposition.