Institute of Continuing Education (ICE)
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From the early days of television in Britain, programmes about science have been on offer to viewers. As television developed and audiences grew, the question of who should control the broadcasting of science on TV - scientists or broadcasters - became a recurring one. Each group had different interests in putting science on air, and they did not necessarily chime.
This short course will examine the presentation of science on British television, with a focus on the series Horizon and on wildlife programming. The course will cover the history of science television broadcasting, and reflect on the institutional dynamics underlying this history, to reflect on the changing role of television in shaping the public culture of Britain in the 20th century.