Broadcast
It’s no surprise that, in the midst of deepening economic gloom and the continuing crises in the eurozone, journalists are asking university press officers if they have ‘anything Christmassy’ to raise the nation’s spirits.
Jacqui Bealing, Senior Press Officer
From past experience, we know they’d be delighted if we had a physicist who’d come up with the perfect formula for wrapping presents, or a psychologist with a theory on what your choice in greetings cards says about you.
Usually, and understandably, we have little that is festive to offer. But this year - ring the bells! - we have a story that does chime with a yuletide theme. Dr Lucy Robinson’s research on charity singles, usually in abundance at this time of year, was a big hit in the Guardian (13 December) and, as the Bulletin went to press, she was being courted by Juice FM and other radio stations.
Another seasonal offering to listen out for is developmental psychologist Dr Robin Banerjee, who will be on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Bringing up Britain’ (28 December) to discuss with Mariella Frostrup and others the effects of Christmas on children.
But back to the gloom, and we had no shortage of academics able to give their views and forecasts on what is turning into the bleakest of winters.
Professor of Economics Richard Dickens talked on BBC Sussex (13 December) about our declining incomes in the wake of news that the recession has returned; politics Professor Tim Bale talked on Radio 5 Live about the implications for Britain following the ‘Brussels bust-up’; and Professor Mariana Mazzucato from SPRU faced Lord Heseltine on BBC Two’s Newsnight (29 November) to discuss George Osborne’s autumn statement and also appeared on Bloomberg TV (9 December) to discuss the European Council’s proposal for greater fiscal union.
Any good news? Not really, and especially not for badgers, who are still being blamed for bovine tuberculosis, as biologist Professor Tim Roper told BBC South East’s ‘Inside Out’ (5 December).