Leicester media experts offer advice to new BBC chief

Three University of Leicester academics have chapters in a new book offering advice to BBC Director-General Matt Brittin, who started his new job on Monday 18 May.

Letters to Matt Brittin, edited by John Mair and Andrew Beck, offers advice on the issues facing the new DG from eminent broadcasters, academics and journalists, including two of his predecessors, Tony Hall and Tim Davie, as well at Professor Sir John Curtice of Strathclyde University, Professor Danny Dorling of Oxford University, Professor Richard Tait of Cardiff University and top media commentator Raymond Snoddy.

Tor Clark, Associate Professor in Journalism at Leicester, has written a chapter on the importance of the BBC renewing and increasing support for the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which ensures the work of UK local government is reported in local journalism. This service is currently funded by the BBC but mainly operated by local newspapers such as the Leicester Mercury, which is based on the university campus.

His chapter, based on his PhD research, has been featured on the holdthefrontpage.co.uk website this month.

Dr Kester Demmar, Lecturer in Journalism and BA Journalism programme director at Leicester, is a former BBC TV assistant editor, notably on East Midlands Today, and writes about the importance of local journalism in the whole BBC mix.

Dr Liam McCarthy, Honorary Fellow in the School of History, Politics and International Relations, was managing editor of three BBC radio stations including BBC Leicester in a 30-year career at the BBC. He also advises the new DG on the importance of local content in the overall BBC package.

Letters to Matt Brittin, edited by John Mair and Andrew Beck, is published by Bite-sized Books and is available from Amazon.