Tim Wall
Tim Wall is Professor of Radio and Popular Music Studies in the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research. His work focuses on popular music cultures and their mediation and history, notably those around jazz, soul and reggae. He has published extensively in international journals and books, and he applies his insights in his work with doctoral research students. He currently leads the Global Reggae Research Project.
He has led five major collaborative research projects, was formerly an AHRC Knowledge Transfer Fellow, and has worked with the BBC as well as a range of smaller radio and music businesses. He has also led research project on social media citizen journalism in Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan and with Syrian activists. Tim was formerly an AHRC Strategic Reviewer, was Editor of The Radio Journal, and chair of the Radio Studies Network.
His two textbooks have become widely used in popular music and media studies. His jointly-edited book on the northern soul scene has been very well received. He is currently jointly-editing a book on jazz trumpeter Miles Davis and writing the history of jazz on BBC radio.
Areas of Expertise
- Popular music of black origin: jazz, soul and reggae
- Radio and the mediation of popular music
- Music Industries and production cultures
Qualifications
- PhD Cultural Studies (Birmingham University)
- MA Cultural Studies (Birmingham University)
- PGCE (North Staffordshire Polytechnic)
- BA (Hons) Economics with Philosophy (Lancaster University)
Memberships
- IASPM
- MeCSSA
- Radio Studies Network
Teaching
- PhD Media and Cultural Studies
Research
Tim Wall researches into the production and consumption cultures around popular music, radio and other media. He has a particular focus on the white British response to popular music of black origin, including jazz, soul and reggae; how popular music is mediated, especially by radio; and how the tangible and intangible culture of popular music is archived.
His work is often collaborative, with other members of the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research, or in cross-university projects.
Postgraduate Supervision
I supervise students working on projects in British and US music radio, community media, popular music industry and culture.
Current student projects include practice-based work in community radio documentary, British jazz history, reggae production cultures, Palestinian hip-hop.
Publications
Publications since 2000
- Jazz and BBC Radio 1922 to 1972 (forthcoming, Equinox 2025).
- Media studies: texts, production and context (fourth edition) [with Paul Long, Beth Johnson, Shana MacDonald, Schem Rogerson Bader] (forthcoming, Routledge, 2025).
- Rethinking Miles Davis [with Roger Fagge and Nic Pillai eds] (forthcoming, OUP 2024).
- âMiles on a Second Major: Miles Davisâ Career From Columbia to Warner Bros Recordsâ in Roger Fagge, Nic Pillai and Tim Wall Rethinking Miles Davis (forthcoming, OUP 2024).
- âLocating Tutuâ in Roger Fagge, Nic Pillai and Tim Wall Rethinking Miles Davis (forthcoming, OUP 2024).
- âOrchestrating Milesâ [with Bobbie-Jane Gardner] in Roger Fagge, Nic Pillai and Tim Wall Rethinking Miles Davis (forthcoming, OUP 2024).
- âMy One LP: a photo essay on the personal resonance of Miles Davisâ recorded musicâ [with William Ellis] in Roger Fagge, Nic Pillai and Tim Wall Rethinking Miles Davis (forthcoming, OUP 2024).
- Re-imagining the music photographic portrait: Capturing the place of recorded music in our cultural identity. A collaboration between William Ellis and Tim Wall (2024).
- â(Re)Presenting British Reggae Culture on Film: Reggae Britannia, Babylon and Small Axe Lovers Rockâ [with Ben Torrens] in Conference Papers, 7th Global Reggae Conference. (forthcoming, UWI 2023).
- âRetelling the story of the early BBC through jazz broadcasting 1922 to 1932â The Journal of Radio & Audio Media (2023)
- âReframing Materiality in the Caribbean Diaspora Podcastâ [with Rachel-Ann Charles] in Iain Taylor and Oliver Carter (eds) Media Materialities (2023).
- ââSince Tommy Atkins Taught the Chinese How to Charlestonâ: what is jazz in Jack Payne's Hotel Cecil Dance Bandâs 1927 BBC Broadcastsâ. in Jazzforschung / Jazz Research: Jazz Journeys Vol. 50 (2022).
- âHidden in Plain Sight: Stories of gender, generation and political economy on the northern soul sceneâ [with Sarah Raine] in Martin James and Chris Anderton Media Narratives in Popular Music (2021).
- Media studies: texts, production and context (third edition) [with Paul Long, Beth Johnson, Shana MacDonald, Schem Rogerson Bader] Routledge, 2021
- âRock ânâ Roll: Cars, Convergence and Cultureâ [with Nick Webber] in Mark Duffett and Beate Peter [eds] Music & Automobiles Bloomsbury, 2019.
- âCo-operative Inquiry between research student and their supervisorâ [with Sarah Raine] in Geof Hill [ed] 10 ways to Investigate Research Supervision Practice SEDA, 2019.
- ââOut on the Floorâ: The Politics of Dancing on the Northern Soul Sceneâ in Sarah Raine, Tim Wall and Nicola Watchman-Smith [eds] The Northern Soul Scene Equinox, 2019.
- âMyths on/of the Northern Soul Sceneâ [with Sarah Raine] Sceneâ in Sarah Raine, Tim Wall and Nicola Watchman-Smith [eds] The Northern Soul Scene Equinox, 2019.
- âInterviews with Tony Palmer, Elaine Constantine, and Liam Quinnâ in Sarah Raine, Tim Wall and Nicola Watchman-Smith [eds] The Northern Soul Scene Equinox, 2019.
- âIntroductionâ [with Sarah Raine and Nicola Watchman-Smith] in Sarah Raine, Tim Wall and Nicola Watchman-Smith [eds] The Northern Soul Scene Equinox, 2019.
- âCritical Reflectionâ in Sarah Raine, Tim Wall and Nicola Watchman-Smith [eds] The Northern Soul Scene Equinox, 2019.
- The Northern Soul Scene [with Sarah Raine and Nicola Watchman-Smith eds] Equinox, 2019.
- âScreening popular musicâs past: Music documentary and biopicsâ [with Nicolas Pillai] in Sarah Baker, Catherine Strong, Lauren Istvandity, Zelmarie Cantillon [eds] The Routledge Companion to Popular Music History and Heritage, Routledge 2018.
- âJazz on radioâ in Nick Gebhardt, Nichole Rustin-Paschal Tony Whyton Routledge Companion to Jazz Studies Routledge, 2018.
- 'Radio Sound' in Michael Bull (ed) Routledge Companion to Sound Studies. Routledge, 2018.
- âLa Radio Musical Entra a Internetâ in post(s). Volumen 3. Agosto 2017. AKADEMOS
- âParticipation and role in the northern soul sceneâ [with Sarah Raine] in Paula Guerra and TaÌnia Moreira (eds.) Keep it Simple, Make it Fast!: an approach to underground music scenes (vol. 3) Porto, 2017.
- âDuke Ellington, the meaning of jazz and the BBC in the 1930sâ in Roger Fagge and Nicolas Pillai (eds) New Jazz Conceptions: History, Theory, Practice Routledge, 2016.
- âMusic Radio Goes Onlineâ in Christina Baade et al Music and the broadcast experience: performance, production, and audience OUP, 2016.
- âSight and Sound in Concert? The Interrelationship Between Music and Televisionâ [with Paul Long] in The SAGE Handbook of Popular Music Andy Bennett and Steve Waksman (eds) Sage, 2015.
- âCollective cultures and live jazz in Birminghamâ [with Simon Barber] in Nicholas Gebhardt and Tony Whyton (eds) The Cultural Politics of Jazz Collectives: This Is Our Music Routledge, 2015.
- âPersonal Listening Pleasuresâ [with Nick Webber] in Martin Conboy and John Steel (eds) The Routledge Companion to British Media History Routledge, 2015.
- âAnarcho-Punk webzines: transferring symbols of defiance from the print to the digital age?â [with Matt Grimes] in Matthew Worley (ed) Fight Back: Punk, politics and resistance Manchester University Press, 2014.
- âChanging cultural co-ordinates: the transistor radio and space / time / identityâ [with Nick Webber] in Oxford Handbook of Mobile Music Studies OUP, 2014.
- âMobilising specialist music fans onlineâ in Helen Thornham and Simon Popple (ed) Content Cultures: Transformations of User Generated Content in Public Service Broadcasting IBTaurus, 2013.
- âTłó±đ X Factorâ in Peter Bennett and Julian McDougall (eds) Barthesâ "Mythologies" Today: Readings of Contemporary Culture, Routledge, 2013
- âTony Palmerâs All You Need Is Love: Televisionâs first pop historyâ [with Paul Long] in Benjamin Halligan, Kirsty Fairclough-Isaacs, and Robert Edgar (eds) The Music Documentary, Taylor & Francis/Routledge, 2013.
- Studying popular music culture (second edition) Sage, 2013.
- âDuke Ellington, radio remotes, and the mediation of big city nightlife, 1927 to 1933â Jazz Perspectives 2013.
- âTłó±đ collective organization of contemporary jazz musicians in the UKâ [with Simon Barber], Jazz Research Journal 5/1&2, 89-112, Equinox 2012.
- âMusica popular y radio en siglo XXIâ in J. Ignacio Gallego y Ma Trinidad Garcia Leiva Sintonizando el future: Radio y producciĂłn sonora en el siglioXXI Madrid: Instituto rtve, 2012.
- Media studies: texts, production and context (second edition) [ed with Paul Long] Pearson, 2012.
- âBienvenido a la nueva era de la radio: la comprensiĂłn de la actualidad de radio del pasado de la radioâ (Welcome to the third age of radio: understanding radio's present from radio's past) in Itxaso Fernandez et al (eds) The Radio is dead. Long live the Radio! Proceedings of I Congreso Internacional de ComunicaciĂłn Audiovisual y Publicidad 24 y 25 de Noviembre 2012.
- âConstructing the histories of popular music: the Britannia seriesâ [with Paul Long] in Ian Inglis (ed) Popular Music on British Television Ashgate, 2010.
- âJazz Britannia: mediating the story of British jazz on televisionâ [with Paul Long] Jazz Research Journal 3/2, 145-170 2010.
- âExperimenting with fandom, live music, and the internet: applying insights from music fan culture to new media productionâ [with Andrew Dubber] Journal of New Music Research, 39/2, 159-169, 2010.
- Media studies: texts, production and context [ed with Paul Long] Pearson, 2009.
- Tony Levin: a life in jazz [with Simon Barber] online , 2009
- âSpecialist music, public service and the BBC in the internet ageâ [with Andrew Dubber] the Radio Journal 7/1, 27-47, 2009.
- 'Rocking Around the Clock: dance fads from 1955 to 1965', in Julie Malnig (ed) Ballroom, Boogie, Shimmy Sham, Shake: A Social and Popular Dance Reader 2009.
- âFinding an alternative: music programming in US college radioâ in the Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast and Audio Media 5/1, 35-54, 2007.
- âDavid Murray: The making of a progressive jazz musicianâ Jazz Research Journal 1/2, 173-203, 2007.
- Making money out of music: the development of regional music economies Digital Central, 2007.
- New broadcast technologies [editor] UNESCO, 2006.
- âCalling the tune: resolving the tension between profit and regulation in commercial radioâ Southern Review 39/2, 77-95, 2006.
- âOut on the floor: the politics of dancing on the Northern Soul sceneâ Popular Music 25/3, 431-445, 2006.
- Online music enterprise: new technologies of music distribution and consumption LSC, 2006.
- âTłó±đ Specialist Radio Degree at UCEâ [with Peter Windows], The Radio Journal, 2/2, 101-122, 2005.
- âTłó±đ political economy of internet music radioâ The Radio Journal 2/1, 27-44, 2004.
- Studying popular music culture, Arnold, 2003.
- âCommercial radio and the construction of audiencesâ Electronic Working Papers in Radio, 2002.
- âPolicy, pop, and the public: The discourse of regulation in British commercial radioâ Journal of Radio Studies, 7/1, 2000.
Conferences since 2000
- âTłó±đ British Broadcasting Corporation and new British jazz 1960-75â at Jazz in the European Media: Historical considerations and current trends. 47th Radio Jazz Research Meeting. Bad Ischl, Salzkammergut, Austria, April 2024.
- âGendering Jazz on BBC Radioâ Rhythm Changes Gratz, Austria, April 2024.
- âWhat is your One LP?â [with William Ellis] 2023 Prolight + Sound Frankfurt, Austria, March 2024.
- âTłó±đ One LP Project: re-imagining the music based photographic portraitâ [with William Ellis] Haarlem Vinyl Festival, Nederland September 2023.
- âTłó±đ Global Reggae Research Projectâ International Summer Institute for Reggae Studies, Minnesota, USA, May, 2023.
- âPositionality in reggae culture researchâ [with Ben Torrens] in absentia at Subcultures Network International Conference Bristol April 2023
- âListeners-in and jazz: the emergence of âthe audienceâ in early BBC radio jazz programmingâ at BCMCR Seminar, February 2023.Â
- â100 years of music at the cutting edge on the BBCâ [with Roger Fagge, Chris Marshall] BBC at 100 Symposium, Bradford, September 2022.
- âTłó±đ now-ness of Miles Davisâ Tutuâ Rhythm Changes: Jazz Then & Now, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, the Netherlands, August 2022
- âListeners-in and jazz: the emergence of âthe audienceâ in early BBC radio jazz programmingâ at BCMCR Seminar, February 2023.Â
- âDiscourses of race in BBC jazz programming 1923 - 1933â Documenting Jazz, Jazz Heritage Wales, Swansea, November 2022.
- â100 years of music at the cutting edge on the BBCâ [with Roger Fagge, Chris Marshall, ] BBC at 100 Symposium, Bradford, September 2022.
- âTłó±đ now-ness of Miles Davisâ Tutuâ Rhythm Changes: Jazz Then & Now, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, the Netherlands, August 2022
- âBeat Street: âthe birthplace of reggae, ska and rocksteadyâ as a site for economic and cultural sustainabilityâ, Keep It Simple, Make It Fast! (KISMIF) DIY Cultures, Sustainability and Artistic Eco-systems, Portugal July 2022.
- â(Re)Presenting British Reggae Culture on Filmâ [with Ben Torrens], 7th Global Reggae Conference University of the West Indies, Mona, April 2022.
- âA question for the BBC Jazz Committee in 1973â Documenting Jazz Edinburgh / Virtual June 2021.
- Opening keynote Documenting Jazz, Birmingham City University, January 2020.
- âBritish Radio Broadcasting and the idea of European Jazz 1962 to 1972â Jazz and Cultural Identity â In and Out of Europe, University of Central Lancashire, June 2019.
- ââSince Tommy Atkins Taught the Chinese How To Charlestonâ: what is jazz in Jack Payneâs BBC Dance Orchestra 1928-32â Sixth Rhythm Changes Conference: Jazz Journeys, University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz, Austria April 2019.
- âReggae on British Commercial Radioâ 6th Global Reggae Conference: Reggae Innovation and Sound System Culture II University of West Indies, Jamaica February 2019.
- âExploring the documents of the documenting of jazz: understanding the BBCâs role in making British jazz in the jazz ageâ Documenting Jazz Conservatory of Music and Drama, Dublin January 2019.
- âTłó±đ Past as a Legitimising Country: Mapping out the âhidden historiesâ of multigenerational music scenesâ [with Sarah Raine] Writing the Noise: The Second International Conference of the Subcultures Network, University of Reading September 2018.
- âDuke Ellington, Radio Remotes, and the Mediation of Big City Nightlife, 1927 to 1933â In the Beginning, Duke: The Three-Day Ellington Summit Birmingham City University May 2018.
- âCo-Production as Research into UK Reggae Cultureâ. Reggae Futures University Of London, November 2017.
- âJazz on the BBC in the interwar yearsâ The Impact of Jazz: Britain in the 20s and 30s London Jazz Festival, November 2017.
- âNegotiating Between Trads and Moderns: BBC jazz radio broadcasting 1947 to 1967â. Rhythm Changes: Re/Sounding Jazz Amsterdam, September 2017.
- âJazz on BBC Radio 1923 to 1973â. Continental Drift: A Century of Jazz on Record. Edinburgh Napier University / Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival July 2017.
- âReggae on British Commercial Radio 1973 to 1996â Reggae Research Network Expanding the Field Symposium Liverpool, May 2017.
- âMiles On A Second Major â Locating Late Miles And Warner Brothers Recordsâ Miles Davis and John Coltrane at 90: Retrospect and Prospect University of Surrey, Guildford October 2016.
- âCreation myths of / on the northern soul sceneâ [with Sarah Raine] Keep It Simple, Make It Fast! (KISMIF) DIY Cultures, Spaces and Places Porto, Portugal July 2016.
- âImaging a British Jazz 1945 to 1975: Jazz on the BBC and the pursuit of cultural nirvanaâ Rhythm Changes: Jazz Utopia Birmingham City University, Birmingham April 2016.
- âRadio One on the Road: creating that festival spirit for live radio broadcastsâ keynote address, Festival Cultures: Media, Place, Music University of East Anglia, Norwich, May 2015.
- âPopular Music and the BBC: three moments in the history of the BBCâs relationship with popular musicâ Salford Music Seminar Salford University June 2015.
- âOn Screen Off Record: Media Discourses of War, Political Filmmaking and Ethical Practiceâ [with Dima Saber] Artistic practice as an alternative to news media CARISM â IFP â University of PanthĂ©on-Assas, Paris II, Paris June 2015.
- âTłó±đ line between jazz and not-jazz: music broadcasting and the BBC 1923 to 1953â The Jazz Beyond Borders Conference, Conservatory of Amsterdam, September 2014.
- âTłó±đ X Factor vs the Cobweb Collectiveâ keynote address, PopLife: The Value of Popular Music in the Twenty First Century, The University of Northampton, June 2014.
- âCity culture and cultural identity and its role in economic successâ Birmingham Made Me Birmingham City University, Birmingham June 2013.
- âRethinking âEuropean jazzâ through the work of Steven Feldâ Rhythm Changes II Conference, Salford University, April 2013.
- âJazz Britanniaâ Rotterdam Film Festival, Rotterdam, January 2013.
- âStomping Ground: how northern soul built a dance communityâ keynote address, Northern Soul: Community, Memory and Place Manchester Metropolitan University, June 2012.
- âRock ânâ Roll: cars, convergence and cultureâ [with Nick Webber] Popular Music and Automobile Culture, University of Chester, June 2012.
- âLive Jazz in Birminghamâ [with Simon Barber] Interesting Times for Local Live Music Live Music Exchange, Leeds College of Music, May 2012.
- âHow could (and should we) we study music consumption?â [with Nick Webber] Music, Methods and the Social Open University / Curve Theatre, Leicester, May 2012.
- âWelcome to the third age of radio: understanding radio's present from radio's pastâ EL I Congreso Internacional âThe Radio is Dead. Long Live the Radio! University of Basque Country, in Bilbao, Spain, November 2011.
- âLocating British Jazz Under Milk Woodâ Rhythm Changes: Jazz and National Identities Conference, Amsterdam, September 2011.
- âContemporary live jazz scenes in the UK regionsâ The Business of Live Music Conference Edinburgh, June 2011.
- âUsing social media in music promotionâ Jazz World Meeting Amsterdam December 2010.
- âNorthern Soul: thereâs nothing northern about it (and while weâre at it, it isnât soul and the dancers arenât break dancers)â Rare Records and Raucous Nights conference, November 2010.
- âDiscursive repertoires of blackness and transatlantic exchange: three moments in the making of British Jazzâ Jazz and Race, Past and Present Conference, OU Milton Keynes UK, November 2010.
- âPublic Service broadcasting, archives, and cultural televisionâ On, Archives! Wisconsin Center for Film & Theater Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, July 2010.
- âRadio remotes and the nightlife of the big cityâ Broadcasting in the 1930s; radio, television and the Depression University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, July 2010.
- âCreating British jazz archives: experimenting with online mediaâ [with Simon Barber] MeCCSA Conference LSE, January 2010.
- âJazz and new mediaâ Mediating Jazz Conference Salford University, November 2009.
- âKen Burnsâ âJazzâ: popular intellectuals and the vox populiâ Leeds International Jazz Conference, March 2009.
- âMediating popular music heritage: British televisionâs narratives of popular musicâs pastâ [with Paul Long] IASPM, 2009.
- âSpecialist music, public service broadcasting and the challenge of new social mediaâ The Radio Conference, York University, Toronto, Canada, July 2009.
- âJazz Britannia: mediating the story of British jazzâs past on televisionâ [with Paul Long] Salford New Jazz Histories Seminar, November 2008.
- âBBC jazz radio listeners onlineâ Leeds International Jazz Conference, March 2008.
- âBBC specialist music radio listeners onlineâ MeCCSA, January 2008.
- âMusic programming on college radio in the USAâ The Radio Conference, Lincoln University July 2007.
- âStudying popular music cultureâ inaugural professorial lecture UCE, April 2007.
- âDavid Murray: inside and outside jazzâ Leeds International Jazz Conference, March 2007.
- âCollege radio in the USAâ MeCCSA Conference, January 2007.
- âConsuming online musicâ, MeCCSA Conference, Leeds, 13-15 January 2006.
- âJazz on UK radio: a historiographyâ, Leeds International Jazz Conference, Leeds, March 2006
- âOfcomâs radio consultation and the future of over-the-air radio in the UKâ Radio Studies Conference, UCE in Birmingham, March 2005.
- âNational regulation in an age of global radioâ Public and Alternative Broadcasting Conference, Seville, February 2005.
- âTłó±đ internet and changes in the structure of the international radio industryâ Radio Studies Network Conference, University of Luton, January 2004,
- âTłó±đ political economy of internet radioâ the Radio Conference, Madison-Wisconsin, July 2003.
- âRethinking audience research through the Radio Research Projectâ MeCCSA Conference, Sheffield University, January 2000.Â
Media Work

Tim Wall is one of the Universityâs dedicated team of trained media champions, and can comment on a range of subjects including:
- Popular music
- Radio
To arrange a media interview, please contact Birmingham City University Press Office on 0121 331 6738, 07967 271532,
email press@bcu.ac.uk or via Twitter
Work With Industry
- I have worked with the BBC and a variety of independent record companies.