Current Students and Staff

// University News

11 Nov 2015

UK broadcast studio opens at Loughborough


Loughborough University is one of three new Jisc UK Broadcast Hubs that will help increase media coverage of academic research.

The new hub, funded by Jisc, the educational charity which champions the use of technology in UK education and research, and managed by broadcast technology company Globelynx, provides a professional studio in the heart of the University campus, enabling Loughborough’s academics to provide rapid expert reaction to the latest news stories and more easily share their own research stories. 

Tom Jackson, Professor of Information and Knowledge Management at Loughborough University, has previously discussed his research on camera for programmes including BBC News and Panorama. He says the new hub removes key practical barriers between academic staff and the media.

“In the past when media outlets wanted to hear more about my research, I had to travel to their sites, usually in Birmingham or Manchester. A two- or three-minute piece to camera often required a two-day trip.

“The new broadcast hub means I can go to a convenient location on campus, hook up with our own media team, and do broadcasts straight down the wire. Now I can get a piece done and be back in my office within ten minutes. This saves me a lot of time which I can spend on my research and my students instead.

“With this new system in place, many more academics will want to do pieces for the media because they can fit the activity into their diary. This helps our research, both in terms of reach and impact.”

Executive director of Jisc technologies Tim Kidd said: “Our high speed, low latency, reliable network is just what the media needs for interviews ‘down the line’.

“Researchers and academics can have their say without an outlet having to send an interviewer or mobile studio, or using the public internet which can at times have variable quality.

“It’s quicker, cheaper, and more convenient, and we hope it will allow more academics to have their expert voices heard.”

Other universities and organisations will also be able to book time at these hubs, allowing excellent access to some of the best studios in the UK.

Two other Jisc-funded hubs are hosted by Imperial College London and Liverpool John Moores University.