13 Oct 08

Professor Gambaccini has been a regular on each of the first four BBC radio networks and first four British terrestrial television networks.

Paul Gambaccini, radio and television presenter and Oxford alumnus, has been named as Oxford University’s News International Visiting Professor of Broadcast Media. The Visiting Professorship is associated with the English Faculty and Green Templeton College.

Professor Gambaccini read History at Dartmouth College followed by Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University College Oxford, and is looking forward to his new role at the University. He will hold the Chair for the academic year 2008-09 and will be giving lectures under the title of ‘Face the Strange’, looking at the history and future of music in the media.

He said: ‘I am humbled by the opportunity to give lectures at the greatest educational institution in the world. The fact that Oxford is my alma mater makes this series a special challenge. I envision my old professors hooting from the sidelines. I will try to distill everything I have learned in a forty-year career into four hours, without talking fast. 

‘The evolution of music broadcasting and the history of the recording industry are fascinating subjects and I hope I can communicate my enthusiasm.’

Paul Gambaccini currently presents America’s Greatest Hits on BBC Radio 2 and Paul Gambaccini’s Hall of Heroes on Classic FM. His rotating Radio 4 mini-series are And the Academy Award goes to…, For one night only and From Stage to Screen…

In his first lecture, entitled Face the Strange, Paul will draw upon his experience of BBC and commercial radio stations to discuss how radio has evolved and is still changing. He will also address the decline of the DJ and the difficulties Radio 1 faces.

His second lecture will be called So you wanna be a Rock ‘n’ Roll star and will look at the decline of the top 100 and the UK chart and the evolution of other forms of new media such as internet concerts, MySpace and YouTube.

The third lecture, Money (That’s what I want), discusses how the industry is struggling due to fewer new releases by major artists, more hits from artists without albums and therefore fewer touring acts.

The final lecture, entitled Sex and drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll, discusses the evolution of gender roles in pop music and how there is always room for teen idols in the industry.

After leaving Oxford, New York-born Paul Gambaccini was considering further study in law but had the opportunity of writing for Rolling Stone magazine. He attributes his broadcasting career to this post - particularly an interview with Elton John, which brought him to the attention of BBC Radio 1.

Professor Gambaccini went on to present on Radio 1 for 18 years, presenting the US chart show for most of that time. In 1991 he became a founding presenter on Classic FM. At some point he has been a regular on each of the first four BBC radio networks and first four British terrestrial television networks.

He had runs presenting Radio 4’s Kaleidoscope during the 1970s and 1980s and has also presented a weekly chart show on Jazz FM. He has worked widely in British radio and television, mainly related to music, films, and the arts. He co-edited the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles from 1977 to 1996 and had a film review slot on TV-am and then GMTV for 13 years. In 2005 Paul became a British citizen, while retaining his American citizenship, and was inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame. 

Dr Sally Mapstone, Chair of Oxford University’s English Faculty Board, said: ‘The English Faculty is thrilled by Paul Gambaccini's appointment as News International Visiting Professor of Broadcast Media for 2008-9. Paul knows the music business and the broadcasting business inside out and we expect his lectures to be informed, challenging, and highly entertaining.'