Professor Barrie Gunter
B.Sc. Psychology, University of Wales (UCNW, Bangor), 1975
M.Sc. Social Psychology, University of London (LSE), 1976
Ph.D. Psychology, University of East London, 1980
Professor of Mass Communications
e-mail : bg45@le.ac.uk
Career Experience
I am a media research specialist with 15 years experience as an audience and market researcher in the broadcast sector before moving to the academic sector. I took degrees in psychology from the University of Wales (UCNW Banger, B.Sc., 1975), University of London (LSE, M.Sc., 1976) and University of East London (Ph.D, 1980).My doctoral research examined the effects of production variables on audience memory and comprehension of broadcast news. I am a registered chartered psychologist and associate fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Full Member of the Market Research Society.
In 1980 I commenced post-doctoral studies as an Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) Research Fellow in London during which I conducted research into methodologies for classifying violence on television. I subsequently joined the research department of the IBA as a research officer in 1982, being promoted to senior research officer (1984) and then to Head of Research (1987). As the IBA’s Head of Research, I was responsible for running all the Authority’s audience research, devising its research strategy, liaising with in-house clients in specialist regulatory departments and divisions, and acting as research spokesperson. I represented the IBA on industry research bodies such as the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board and Group of European Audience Researchers, and was management board member of the media industry think-tank, the Broadcasting Research Unit.
In 1991, I was appointed as Head of Research of the new commercial television regulator in the UK, the Independent Television Commission. I managed the Commission’s research department, controlled its research budget, devised research strategy, and acted on behalf of in-house clients in managing research commissions from outside suppliers. I also played a key role in the assessment of Independent Television licence applications at the time of ITV licence renewals in 1990-1991.
In 1994 I took a chair in Journalism Studies at the newly formed Department of Journalism Studies, University of Sheffield where I also became the Department’s Director of Research and head of its doctoral programme. At Sheffield, I conducted the biggest content analysis study ever undertaken in the UK on violence on television for the broadcasting industry.
I took the Chair in Mass Communications at CMCR, and became the new Director of the Centre in February 2005. In January 2006, CMCR was upgraded to departmental status and re-launched as the Department of Media and Communication of which I became the Head.
“In July 2012 I stood down as Head of Department and remained as Professor of Mass Communication. In January 2015 I took retirement and was subsequently appointed as Emeritus Professor at the University of Leicester in February 2015. I continue to do research and write about communications and media issues.”
Research Interests
My main research interests include media violence, the impact of broadcast news, effects of television on public opinion, the effects of advertising on young people, the use and impact of new interactive media. I have also conducted research on a wide range of other media, marketing and management issues.
“In 2014, I published four books on celebrity issues (Celebrity Capital: Assessing the Value of Fame, Bloomsbury); reality talent TV shows and contestants (I Want to Change My Life: Can Reality TV Competition Shows Trigger Lasting Career Success? Cambridge Scholar Publishing); sexualisation of childhood (Media and the Sexualization of Childhood, Routledge); and children and advertising (Advertising to Children: New Directions, New Media, Palgrave Macmillan, co-edited with Mark Blades, Caroline Oates and Fran Blumberg). In 2015, I published a book about the public’s memory and comprehension of televised news (The Cognitive Impact of Television News: Production Attributes and Information Reception, Palgrave Macmillan).
I am currently working on further volumes about kids and branding, kids and mobile phones, media audience research in China, food advertising and childhood health, the future of television, the impact of television on the migration of regional dialects, the effects of violent video games, social media use in the Arab world, and women as business leaders.”
