The Critical Studies in Television Conference 2026 arrives at a pivotal moment for the global media landscape. Hosted in the vibrant cultural hub of Manchester, this premier international gathering brings together scholars, practitioners, and industry critics to dissect the "feeling of crisis" currently enveloping the medium of television. From the shift from Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) to Public Service Media (PSM) to the radical restructuring of funding and delivery models via online streaming, the conference provides a rigorous academic platform to explore how television functions during periods of social and institutional upheaval.
This year’s theme specifically interrogates television’s dual role: as a witness to crisis—historically and in real-time—and as an industry facing its own existential transformations. Attendees will engage with deep-dive sessions on the representation of economic and climate-related crises, the ethics of researching precarious media workers, and the cultural significance of television in shaping a national "structure of feeling." The event serves as the physical manifestation of the renowned Critical Studies in Television journal published by Sage, moving beyond the printed page to foster live debate on the aesthetics, politics, and future of the small screen.
Beyond the theoretical, the conference emphasizes the practical realities of production downturns and the loss of mass audiences. It offers a unique intersection for North West England's thriving media sector—including nearby MediaCityUK—and global academic discourse. Participants can expect a series of high-level keynote addresses, lightning talks on the impact of AI in screen production, and workshops focused on television archives and pedagogical innovation. Whether you are analyzing the latest streaming trends or the historical impact of television blackouts, this conference provides the critical tools to understand television not just as a box in the corner, but as a central nervous system of modern society.
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