IAMHIST XVIII - HISTORY AND TELEVISION
Leeds, UK, 14 - 17 July 1999

The International Association of Media and History held its 18th Conference at the University of Leeds 14 -17 July 1999. The Conference Director was Graham Roberts (The Institute of Communications Studies, The University of Leeds); his co-Director was Professor Philip M. Taylor (Director of the Institute). The Associate Directors were Professor Nicholas Cull (Leicester), Susan Carruthers (Aberystwyth) and Christine Whittaker of the BBC. The Conference was held with the kind co-operation of the Inter-University Film History Consortium and Carfax Publishing. The organisers also wish to express their gratitude for a generous grant from the British Council.

It is now 25 years since the appearance of Paul Smith's The Historian and Film. One aim of the conference was to achieve for television what that volume did for the study of the cinema. The conference centred on the issues arising from the study and presentation of History on T.V., the History of T.V. and the problems of historical programme making. At present Dr Roberts is editing a collection based on some of the presentations given at the conference by both historians and programme makers.

Other themes for the conference included: the relationship between film and television, the representation of nationalism and national identity and new technology/new audiences. Publications in book or journal form are planned for all these strands.

The conference directors very much hoped that the event would be an opportunity to honour the pioneering work of Professor Nicholas Pronay, a key figure in advancing academic recognition of film and television. Nicholas continues to be a powerful positive influence in the IUFHC and IAMHIST as well as being the founding father of the Institute of Communications. It was fitting that the conference began with Professor Philip M Taylor introducing Professor Pronay. His presentation, entitled 'The Historian and T.V.', was an energetic and most positive call to arms in defence of the historian's craft and the usefulness of television as a source. Thus the conference began with a real sense of energy and purpose.

Luisa Cigognetti (Bologna) spoke realistically but not defensively about the challenges faced by 'Historians and T.V. archives'. Meanwhile two British academics presented their investigations into film and television in the golden age. Sue Burnett (Central Lancashire) discussed 'Acting the Police: Between 'The Blue Lamp' and 'Dixon of Dock Green' and Neil Sinyard (Hull) gave his audience 'Sex, realism and Yorkshire Pudding: The critical reception to 'Room at the Top.' Both showed by close attention to detail that critical orthodoxies are so often the complete reverse of the historical events.

The afternoon confirmed that the 18th IAMHIST Conference would be one fit to bursting with content. After lunch Peter Bell (York, Ripon and St John) presented a selection of IUFHC films. The conference was pleased to play host to a special session to celebrate the publication of 'Film Europe'and 'Film America' (University of Exeter Press)

Tom Doherty (Brandeis) presented a detailed visual analysis of how 'Ed Murrow slays the dragon of Joe McCarthy and JohnWiseman (Frostburg) explored with passion the contrasting media representation of 'Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson.'

After tea plenary sessions were entertained by a succession of keynote speakers exploring the various strands of the conference agenda. Ruth Barton (Dublin) explored recent representations of Irishness with special reference to 'Father Ted.' Nicholas Cull (Leicester) ranged widely over the subtexts of classic British comedy with 'Infamy, Infamy, they've all got it in for me.' Murray Weston of the British Universities Film and Video Council presented groundbreaking work in video streaming. The day ended with Richard Howells (Leeds) presenting the case of Louis Le Prince and Leeds' claim to have been the birthplace of the moving picture.

The evening reception was hosted by the Institute of Communications Studies and sponsored by the IUFHC, University of Exeter Press and I.B. Tauris. Delegates were able to sample a range of multi-media and on-line resources as well as a demonstration of the Institutes own work with video streaming. Stephen Hay (ICS) demonstrated digital editing with broadcast quality equipment. The IUFHC presented parts of its new film projects as well as the CD ROM version of its Cold War film.

Thursday continued the packed schedule. The organisers were to be heard defending themselves as delegates bemoaned the fact that there were two or sometimes three events they wished to attend at the same time. Dr Roberts was seen to leave the conference in haste. However, he soon returned with Prof. Pierre Sorlin (Paris), whose 'Historians at the crossroads: film, television and after' was a tour de force in polemic and a salutary warning against complacency in our profession.
Much of the rest of the day centred on encounters between historians and programme makers. Many of the programme makers were themselves historians. It was particularly pleasing to have contributions from key figures in the making of the most significant historical series of the last decade and the next. Included amongst the practitioners were the makers of 'The Cold War' James Barker and Taylor Downing. Laurence Rees (producer of 'The Nazis - a warning from history') discussed his new project 'War of the Century.' Adrian Wood (TWI) gave the conference a preview of his groundbreaking archive work that has been used to create 'World War II in Colour.' Ian Bremner and Mike Ibeji from the History Unit at the BBC allowed delegates the first sight of material from Simon Schama's series 'History of Britain.'

The debates that ensued during and after panel discussions were continued inside and outside the conference venue into the early hours of the morning and beyond. The results of this cross-fertilisation between practitioners and academics will affect and enhance both fields of activity into the new millennium.

The conference could not let the sad passing of a great auteur go by without commemoration. Susan Carruthers presented a showing of Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999).

The day finished with Christine Whittaker's illustrated history of BBC history. Her theme continued the following morning with Jeremy Bennett presenting 'Auntie' - the inside story of the BBC and Rainer Wagner discussing 'History at ARD.'

Friday was, if anything, the most wide ranging day of the whole IAMHSIT event. The panel discussion on national identity featured Hyangjin Lee (Sheffield) on 'The cinematic reconstruction of cultural identity in contemporary Korea', Eifion Lloyd Jones (Bangor) on T.V.'s role in 'The battle for national identity in Wales' and Lucy Mazdon's (Southampton) exploration of 'Negotiating the Nation in contemporary French TV.' Further panels discussed 'the construction of identity' and 'programming identity.' It was particularly good to have papers dealing with radio included in these strands.

In more a traditional IAMHIST vein, European history on TV was discussed by Karsten Fledelius (Copenhagen) with 'Visualising History on TV in Denmark' and Isabel Veyrat Masson (Paris) with 'French Television looks at the past.' In a session entitled documentary classics revisited, Peter Rollins (Oklahoma) presented his investigation into the making of 'Victory at Sea' and James Chapman (Open University) cast new light on 'The World at War.' During Lunch Dr Stephen Badsey (Sandhurst) gave a stirring presentation on 'Black Adder goes forth and images of the First World War'.

After lunch Karsten Fledelius paid tribute to Stig Moller: founder member of IAMHIST, and maker of Atawolf - the Riddle of Adolf Hitler who died this year. As part of the tribute session Glen Creeber (UEA) presented 'History, memory and identity in the

German Television serial' and Gabriel Girault (Akron) discussed 'Zentropa.'

In a remarkably wide-ranging and insightful session David Gauntlett (ICS, Leeds) with 'The Truman Show', Stephen Hay (Leeds) with 'Tavernier's Death Watch' and Valeria Camporesi explored how film represents T.V. In the following session Jim Welsh (Salisbury) and John Tibbetts (Kansas) ('Television and the memory of silent cinema') and Su Holmes (Fleet) ('Coming soon to a cinema near you') discussed how T.V. has presented film.

Having concluded the business of the day with the IAMHIST AGM, delegates returned to Devonshire Hall for a dinner in honour of Nicholas Pronay. Special guests included John Grenville and David Robinson, the Registrar of the University. Speeches were kept to a minmum in order not to avoid embarassing Nicholas too much and following a tribute to him in the form of a spirited rendition of a Viking song by Karsten Fledelius, Nicholas was presented with a case of wine by Carfax in recognition of his achievements in pioneering the study of film and the media in British higher education.

The final day of the conference focussed on the questions that face the historian dealing with new technologies and (possibly) new audiences. David Morrison and Michael Svennevig from the Institute of Communications (Leeds) discussed the development of empirical social research and the futura.com project in particular. Sam Kula (Ottawa) used CNN as case study to argue that more does not always mean better. George Auckland (BBC Education) presented materials from 'The Millennium History Project - a nation's history on the web.'

Graham Roberts closed the conference with a (tired and) emotional vote of thanks to for the unflagging hard work of the administrative, technical and intern staff and to Isobel Rich, Phil Taylor and Nicholas Pronay in particular.

The delegates set off for a trip to National Museum of Photography, Film and TV in Bradford. After a truly excellent reception and lunch the delegates were treated to a tour of museum and IMAX showing. A number of full professors (who shall remain nameless) illustrated the ability to be thrilled by the sensations of cinema even after three and half days of conferencing.

The conference director waved a fond if exhausted farewell to the remaining delegates on Sunday morning. He would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who attended, contributed and made the whole event intellectually stimulating as well as socially enjoyable.

Details of the publications and projects flowing from IAMHIST '99 will be presented in the near future.