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The fabric of television, by its very nature, deals in the currency of dreams, fantasies and imagination. In doing so, it invariably inspires the dreams of its viewers and sparks imagination – especially in young people. A chain reaction that needs to be managed somehow.
With that thought in mind, Zeitgeist is an arts & culture TV programme produced by students & staff at the University of Salford (Greater Manchester). As well as entertaining audiences and profiling the artistic excellence of its contributors, the programme is an invaluable vehicle for student training, a space for the next generation of television production staff to flex their creative muscle and to take their first tentative steps in a demanding professional environment.
Presented by Goldblade frontman and author, John Robb, the show is broadcast monthly on Channel M - the UK’s most successful city-television station, owned by the Guardian Media Group (GMG) - and is available nationally, and internationally, via local terrestrial, regional cable (Virgin Media 878) and international satellite (SKY 203) platforms.
Reaching audiences across the UK and parts of northern Europe - including Ireland, France, Germany and Spain - you can catch us at 10pm (UK time) on the last Sunday of every month whether you’re in London, Paris, Munich, or indeed Madrid, as well as Edinburgh, Dublin, Cardiff … or Cannes.
Not to mention Chorlton, Whalley Range, Hulme and Salford, of course.
Each edition of Zeitgeist includes features devised by Salford students (we prefer to call them ‘producers’) which focus on some of the gems of Manchester culture including fine art, photography, poetry, music and dance. By scheduling ‘live’ performances from local unsigned bands alongside interviews with established artists such as The Zutons, Oceansize, Idlewild and Martin Stephenson, the programme is a ‘catalytic cooperative of creative congeniality’.
And it’s not the only one.
Since 1998, via its ground-breaking partnership with GMG, the University of Salford’s media school has produced thousands of hours of local programming across four genres - documentary, current affairs, short film and arts magazine - attracting a string of accolades from both students and professional institutions alike.
In 2007, the Zeitgeist Student Production Team was nominated as ‘Best Newcomers’ at the prestigious Royal Television Society Awards (NW) held at the iconic Hilton Hotel in Manchester. Before that, its sister programmes Reel North and Hitting Home picked up similar gongs in 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2006.
In that regard, we think the ‘Channel M Project’ at Salford University is probably the most successful student television platform in Manchester, the UK and – possibly – the world.
To view previous editions online, please select the 'Watch Back' option on the right. And feel free to send us your comments.
- Paul Barron, Series Producer
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