Aberystwyth Centre for Media History

 The Centre for Media History at Aberystwyth University is an interdisciplinary research centre based in the Department of History and Welsh History and drawing on expertise in the history of the mass media across the University at a whole, both within the Department of History and Welsh History itself and in other departments, principally the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies. 

‌The Centre was founded in 2005 by Dr Sian Nicholas and Professor Tom O'Malley.  It has three key aims:

  • To promote the exploration of media in a specifically historical context
  • To promote teaching and research in the field of media history
  • To publicise and popularise the use of media and media-related sources as a key research tool for a wide range of historical studies.

Aberystwyth’s research expertise in this field is internationally recognised, and the journal Media History is currently based at the University. We also benefit from the vast archival and book resources of the National Library of Wales, based in Aberystwyth, in particular its National Screen and Sound Archive. We see media history in its widest context, from the early modern period (and where possible earlier) to the present day, and encompassing the broadest possible range of media, from print culture, cinema and broadcasting to photography, advertising, etc.

The Aberystwyth Centre for Media History is also associated with a number of other media history research centres, in the UK and around the world, as follows:

Centre for Media History, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia

Centre for Cinema Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong

Centre for Media History, Bournemouth University

 

For further information about the Centre for Media History, its personnel, its international links, and its activities past and present, as well as information about opportunities for studying in the field of media history at Aberystwyth, please follow the links below. 

You can also contact us on cmhstaff@aber.ac.uk, or directly as follows:

  • Dr Siân Nicholas, Co-Director, Aberystwyth Centre for Media History, Department of History and Welsh History, Aberystwyth University, shn@aber.ac.uk
  • Dr Jamie Medhurst, Co-Director, Aberystwyth Centre for Media History, Department of Theatre Film and Television Studies, Aberystwyth University, jsm@aber.ac.uk

 

Key Personnel

Studying media history at Aberystwyth

Researching media history at Aberystwyth

Activities of the Aberystwyth Centre for Media History

Leverhulme Trust British Press in WW2 Project

2014 Aberystwyth Media History Conference: Newspapers, War and Society

2016 Aberystwyth Media History Conference (in association with Dublin City University): Shared Histories- Media Connections Between Britain and Ireland, 6-7 July 2016, Dublin