As blogged earlier today by the Guardian’s Jemima Kiss, the BBC has teamed up with research teams from a number of UK universities to launch eight studies looking at user generated content, audiences, and social learning through virtual worlds:
"The BBC has announced a major academic research scheme that will
inform its future media and technology strategy, partnering with the
Arts and Humanities Research Council on eight projects exploring user
content, immersive worlds and digital storytelling.
The Knowledge
Exchange Project is jointly funded by the BBC’s Future Media &
Technology department and the AHRC, providing £500,000 for the projects
that will enable researchers to collaborate with BBC staff.
Eight
proposals were chosen earlier this year and begin in the next few
months. All of those focus in some way on viewer and listener
engagement, and the development and impact of digital services."
I’m pleased to announce that £90k (USD $180k) of that funding will be going to a partnership between my department and the University of Cardiff to investigate the BBC’s calls to action for audience contributed stories, comments, photographs and video – the stuff formerly known as user generated content.
We had our first face to face planning meeting in Cardiff two weeks ago and, in a move we hope will bring new voices into the discussions we have as research is underway, intend to blog the project from start to finish. Link coming soon…
Will the data be made available on an ongoing basis or in the form of a final report. It would, of course, be of huge interest to other public bodies considering using UGC to connect better with stakeholders.