Academics, the ‘cultural third mission’ and the BBC: forgotten histories of knowledge creation, transformation and impact

Abstract

This article focuses on historical dimensions of knowledge creation and transformation by university academics. It explores their often overlooked role in the broadcast output of BBC radio in disseminating knowledge and ideas outside the educational environment, directly into the homes of the audience. Examples of this activity include the Open University, schools broadcasting, armed forces programmes and study circles. The concern here is the less didactic approach encapsulated in radio documentaries, talks and discussion programmes. The central argument is that the meeting between broadcaster, academic and listener via the medium of radio represents a significant, but often forgotten, example of the university's early engagement in a ‘cultural third mission’. Using evidence from BBC radio archives during the two decades after the Second World War, the article considers how knowledge was conveyed by academics to radio audiences through different forms of programming devised to address the changing needs of nation and culture.

Keywords:

• academics
• culture
• history of higher education
• third mission
• BBC

Acknowledgements

This article draws on research into the records of the BBC held at the BBC Written Archives Centre, Caversham Park, Reading, UK. The author would like to acknowledge staff at the Centre for their help and advice. Thanks are also due to Dr Janet Coles for her contribution to the archival research on which the article is based and for co-presenting an earlier version at the European Conference on Educational Research, Geneva 2006. A more recent version of the article was presented by the author at an Arts and Humanities Research Council sponsored Impact Evaluation Seminar, Leeds, 4–5th March 2010. Finally the author would also like to thank two anonymous referees for their helpful comments.