- Scott, M., Bunce, M., Myers, M. and Fernandez, M.C. (2023). Whose media freedom is being defended? Norm contestation in international media freedom campaigns. Journal of Communication, 73(2), pp. 87–100. doi:10.1093/joc/jqac045.
- Scott, M., Bunce, M. and Wright, K. (2022). The Influence of News Coverage on Humanitarian Aid: The Bureaucrats’ Perspective. Journalism Studies, 23(2), pp. 167–186. doi:10.1080/1461670x.2021.2013129.
- Cooper, G., Blumell, L. and Bunce, M. (2021). Beyond the ‘refugee crisis’: How the UK news media represent asylum seekers across national boundaries. International Communication Gazette, 83(3), pp. 195–216. doi:10.1177/1748048520913230.
- Wright, K., Scott, M. and Bunce, M. (2020). Soft Power, Hard News: How Journalists at State-Funded Transnational Media Legitimize Their Work. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 25(4), pp. 607–631. doi:10.1177/1940161220922832.
- Blumell, L.E., Bunce, M., Cooper, G. and McDowell, C. (2020). Refugee and Asylum News Coverage in UK Print and Online Media. Journalism Studies, 21(2), pp. 162–179. doi:10.1080/1461670x.2019.1633243.
- Bunce, M. (2019). Book Review: The media and aid in Sub-Saharan Africa: Whose news? JOURNALISM, 20(8), pp. 1141–1142. doi:10.1177/1464884919862053.
- Bunce, M. (2019). Management and resistance in the digital newsroom. Journalism, 20(7), pp. 890–905. doi:10.1177/1464884916688963.
- Wright, K., Scott, M. and Bunce, M. (2019). Foundation-funded Journalism, Philanthrocapitalism and Tainted Donors. Journalism Studies, 20(5), pp. 675–695. doi:10.1080/1461670x.2017.1417053.
- Scott, M., Bunce, M. and Wright, K. (2019). Foundation funding and the boundaries of journalism. Journalism Studies. doi:10.1080/1461670X.2018.1556321.
- Bunce, M. (2019). Humanitarian Communication in a Post-Truth World. Journal of Humanitarian Affairs, 1(1), pp. 49–55. doi:10.7227/jha.007.
- Bunce, M., Wright, K. and Scott, M. (2018). ‘Our newsroom in the cloud’: Slack, virtual newsrooms and journalistic practice. New Media & Society, 20(9), pp. 3381–3399. doi:10.1177/1461444817748955.
- Bunce, M. (2018). Book review: Reimagining Journalism in Aotearoa New Zealand. Communication Research and Practice.
- Scott, Martin, , Bunce, M. and Wright, Kate, (2017). Donor power and the news:The influence of foundation funding on international public service journalism. International Journal of Press/Politics, 22(2), pp. 163–184. doi:10.1177/1940161217693394.
- Bunce, M. (2016). Foundations, philanthropy and international journalism. Ethical Space: the international journal of communication ethics, 13(2/3), pp. 6–15.
- Bunce, M. (2015). Africa in the click stream: audience metrics and foreign correspondents in Africa. African Journalism Studies, 36(4), pp. 12–29. doi:10.1080/23743670.2015.1119487.
- Bunce, M. (2010). 'This Place Used to be a White British Boys' Club': Reporting Dynamics and Cultural Clash at an International News Bureau in Nairobi. ” The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs, 99(410), pp. 515–528.
Contact details
Address
Northampton Square
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About
Overview
Professor Mel Bunce is a university leader, researcher and international media commentator. She is currently the Deputy Dean of the School of Communication & Creativity at City, University of London, and she was previously the Head of City's renowned Department of Journalism. Her research focuses on journalism and democracy, media freedom and international journalism.
Mel's books include 'Capturing News, Capturing Democracy' (Oxford University Press, 2024), 'Humanitarian Journalists' (Routledge, 2022), 'The Broken Estate' (Bridget Williams, 2019) and 'Africa's Media Image in the 21st Century' (Routledge, 2016). She holds a DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Her research seeks to improve and support journalism and democracy, and she has partnered with a wide range of news outlets, media development NGOs, multilateral organisations and governments on this work, including: UNESCO, UNOCHA, the FCDO, MSF, The New Humanitarian and Voice of America. Her research has been funded by grants from AHRC, ESRC, GCRF, ISRF and British Academy, among others. And it is regularly featured in the media, including on the BBC,Al Jazeera, NPR, The Financial Times, and The Guardian.
Mel is strongly committed to educating and supporting the next generation of researchers, journalists, public communicators and critical thinkers.
While head of City Journalism, Mel led 30 staff and 50 visiting lectures to increase student satisfaction and employability outcomes, to make City the top ranked department for journalism, media and commutation in the UK (Guardian University Guide, Complete University Guide). She also grew the department to have its largest and most international student body; launched new, interdisciplinary programmes, and secured foundation and philanthropic funding for scholarships, research and events to support and diversify the journalism industry.
She was previously the Director of the BA Journalism programme at City University, and she has taught and evaluated students across the BA, MA and PhD level in journalism, media studies, and political science.
Before joining City, Mel taught at Birkbeck, University of London and at the University of Otago. She also worked as a columnist / media commentator in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.
Qualifications
- DPhil in Politics (No corrections), University of Oxford, United Kingdom, 2013
- MPhil in Development Studies, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- BA (Hons) in Political Science & English (first class), University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Fellowships
- Senior Fellow, Higher Education Association
Awards
- AHRC (2024) International aid and the media: Improving the effectiveness of aid allocation
- AHRC/GCRF Urgency Grant (2020) "Promoting Media Freedom in a time of Crisis" (Principal Investigator)
- International Communications Association (2020) Wolfgang Donsbach Outstanding Article of the Year Award
For the best research article on journalism published in any journal in the year 2019. - International Communications Association (2019) Top faculty paper, Journalism Studies Division
- University of East Anglia (2019) Best ‘Research Impact in Policy and Practice’ award
- The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) (2018) African Journalism Studies Best Paper Award, International Communication Division
- International Communication Association (2016) Best paper or panel on Africa, Global Communication Division
Research
Research Grants
2020 GCRF/AHRC Urgency Grant - “Promoting media freedom in a time of crisis” (Principal Investigator)
2018 British Academy, Visiting Research Fellowship
2016 AHRC, “What is Humanitarian News?” (Co-Investigator)
2015 Independent Social Research Foundation, Small group grant (Co-Investigator)
2014 British Academy, “Changing International News Coverage of Africa” (Principal Investigator)
Publications
Publications by category
Books (4)
- Wright, K., Scott, M. and Bunce, M. (2024). Capturing News, Capturing Democracy. Oxford University PressNew York. ISBN 0-19-776848-2.
- Scott, M., Wright, K. and Bunce, M. (2022). Humanitarian Journalists: Covering Crises from a Boundary Zone. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-03-240767-8.
- Bunce, M. (2019). The Broken Estate: Journalism and Democracy in a Post-Truth World. Bridget Williams Books. ISBN 978-0-947518-35-6.
- Bunce, M., Franks, S. and Paterson, C. (Eds.), (2016). Africa's Media Image in the 21st Century: From the 'Heart of Darkness' to 'Africa Rising'. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-96232-3.
Chapters (7)
- Scott, M., Wright, K. and Bunce, M. (2021). The politics of humanitarian journalism. Routledge Handbook of Humanitarian Communication (pp. 203–219). Routledge.
- Bunce, M., Scott, M. and Wright, K. (2019). Humanitarian journalism. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication Oxford University Press.
- Scott, M., Wright, K. and Bunce, M. (2018). “Doing Good” and “Looking Good” in Global Humanitarian Reporting. Communication in International Development (pp. 39–57). Routledge.
- Bunce, M., Franks, S. and Paterson, C. (2017). A new Africa's Media Image? Introduction. AFRICA'S MEDIA IMAGE IN THE 21ST CENTURY: FROM THE HEART OF DARKNESS TO AFRICA RISING (pp. 1–13). ISBN 978-1-138-96232-3.
- Bunce, M., Franks, S. and Paterson, C. (2016). Introduction: A New Africa’s Media Image? In Bunce, M., Franks, S. and Paterson, C. (Eds.), Africa's Media Image in the 21st Century: From the 'Heart of Darkness' to 'Africa Rising' (pp. 1–14). London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-96231-6.
- Bunce, M. (2016). The International News Coverage of Africa: Beyond the ‘Single Story’. Africa's Media Image in the 21st Century: From the 'Heart of Darkness' to 'Africa Rising' (pp. 17–29). London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-96231-6.
- Bunce, M. (2015). International news and the image of Africa. Images of Africa (pp. 42–62). Manchester University Press.
Journal articles (16)
Reports (5)
- Myers, M., Scott, M., Bunce, M., Yassin, L., Fernandez, M.C.I. and Khan, R. (2022). Reset Required? Evaluating the Media Freedom Coalition after its first two years. London: Foreign Policy Centre.
- Scott, M., Bunce, M. and Myers, M. (2020). Shining a Spotlight on Media Freedom: Media Coverage of the Global Campaign for Media Freedom..
- Scott, M., Wright, K. and Bunce, M. (2018). Foundation support for international non-profit news: Mapping the funding landscape. University of East Anglia.
- Scott, M., Wright, K. and Bunce, M. (2018). The State of Humanitarian Journalism. University of East Anglia.
- Bunce, M. (2011). The new foreign correspondent at work: Local-national ‘stringers’ and the global news coverage of Darfur. Oxford: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
Professional activities
Online articles (3)
- Media commentator for a range of outlets including: Al Jazeera English, BBC, The Financial Times, Africa is a Country and The Conversation.
- Columnist at the Evening Herald, Dublin, Ireland (2006).
- Columnist at the Otago Daily Times, Dunedin, New Zealand (2000-2005).