After studying Documentary Film near my home in South Wales, I moved to London to undertake an MA in Journalism at Goldsmiths, University of London. This lead to my career in news where I specialise in online video content, social media and audience analysis. I've been lucky enough to lead teams at the BBC, The Irish Times, and The Times, London. My interest in online behaviours led me to the MSc in CyberPsychology at IADT.
This research examined how online transgender communities perceive and react to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and its gender identity coverage. Research into the transgender community and their opinions of impartial news coverage is limited. Existing research is often limited due to its broad focus, low sample sizes, self-report, or semi-structured interview methods.
354 posts on the BBC and its content from a UK transgender social media community on Reddit were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
The research questions were as follows: -
RQ1. What are user perceptions of the BBC and BBC gender identity coverage on transgender Reddit forums?
RQ2. What communication strategies are used by transgender community members on Reddit when discussing the BBC and its gender identity coverage?
Results identified negativity towards the BBC and a need for transparency in reporting procedures. Furthermore, the community also promote collective action, such as sending complaints, against the corporation. Creating an overarching anti-trans media entity helped unify the group.
Nevertheless, the cohort has a complex relationship with the BBC. There are disagreements over how they are presented in BBC coverage, and certain community members seek to confirm their own gender identities through scrutinised media coverage.
Understanding what actions and traits facilitate social media campaigning on transgender issues through perceptions of the BBC and its media coverage.