Selection of articles
egoFM, e.g. 
Czwórka, Polskie Radio, a report about dangers of swimming in the Vistula river / 06.2017
Birmingham Eastside, MGMT - Little Dark Age review / 02.2018
Bloggers Gamut, eg. [web archive links] Pink Floyd's Piper at The Gates of Dawn at 50 or Albums of 2016 - A Seat At The Table / 03.2017
Abstracts of academic work
Message me to request a copy.
"Dislike as alternativity" in Short Takes on Alternativity – BCMCR New Thinking #1 2020/21
Short piece written as part of the zine-style publication exploring the research theme at the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research. Alternativity and dislike go hand in hand, I argue. Dislike is a powerful emotion showing opposition to the other. "Dislike of the mainstream may be alternativity in one of its purest forms. Describing music you like, you may start off by saying what you do not like first, to quicker establish your boundaries". You can read the whole piece via the PDF link on the BCMCR blog post about the zine launch here.
MA dissertation - The role of personal taste on the work of music programmers in small to medium scale radio stations across Europe.
At the centre of this study are cultural workers who select and program the music in small to medium radio stations around Europe. Their occupation could be seen as one of Gramscian organic intellectuals or, as per Bourdieu (1984), of cultural intermediaries. This research investigates how personal taste influences their work and their negotiation thereof. The data collected includes stations in the United Kingdom, Germany and Netherlands, finding significant similarities in their approaches, despite differences in format or size. The participants were interviewed in a semi-structured way over instant messenger or email, as well as one per phone call. They were asked about their music policy and schedule, work practices and personal music tastes. This research uncovers tools at the cultural intermediaries' disposal, discusses conflicting definitions of the cultural intermediary occupation, as well as local music as an exemption to the politics of taste. It contributes to expand dislike research approaches beyond the audience focus, prevalent in the studies of the field thus far.
Researching Media Cultures module
This assignment aims to expand upon using shared playlist creation as a methodological approach. Similarly to the xChange Festival Feminist Playlist, contributors were encouraged to send in three songs with a description which they associated with the given theme – in this case, guilty pleasure.
Cultural Theory module
Following a number of semi-structured interviews through online messaging, this paper explores the experience of departure from fandom using the case study of SuperWhoLock ex-fans. SuperWhoLock is a fan-made crossover universe of Supernatural (CW, 2005-), Doctor Who (BBC, 2005-) and Sherlock (BBC, 2010-). This research focusses on subsequent experience of embarrassment about their participation in particular, additionally uncovering the controversial aspects of online fandom cultures, the shows' scripts, as well as actions of cast and crews. It also contributes to the growing field of anti-fandom and ex-fan studies, shedding light onto the transition from like to dislike.
BA dissertation - “People who we make fun of the most, are people who are really into it” - How do anti-fans construct their identity surrounding their dislike of the Eurovision Song Contest?
This dissertation investigates audiences of the Eurovision Song Contest, which characterize themselves by ironic watching and dislike of the television event – yet still watch the Eurovision Song Contest regularly. It contributes to the wider theoretical frameworks of anti-fandom audiences, Eurovision consumption, as well as studies of taste and identities. Questions about the audiences’ identity construction have been answered through investigation into their viewing practices and textualities. It uncovers a diversity of meanings taken from the Eurovision Song Contest and the variety through which a single media text can be understood through. The research has been undertaken using a qualitative ethnographic method – conducting semi-structured interviews with participants, who have volunteered following self-identification with a number of preliminary questions.
Here's the bit where you can read what I can say about myself. Me! Me! Me!... Although I'd rather just have my work speak for itself!
I was born in Warsaw, later moved with my family to Munich. For university I chose Birmingham... And now I'm based in London. I'm currently working on music programming for the German market for a large music streaming platform.
Studying at Birmingham City University, I've graduated with a Distinction MA in Media and Cultural Studies. Before that, I completed a BA in Media and Communications. I remain interested in my academic fields of digital and music cultures. My particular niche within those were so-called "dislike studies". This means researching audiences engaging with, but simultaneously disliking what they watch or listen to, which I found very fascinating. Media production is my other passion - I especially love all things radio. But I am also engaged in the music industries and new media.
Because I'm a bit of a workaholic (and a hopeless perfectionist), I get involved in anything I can get my hands on... Currently, I volunteer behind the scenes at Brum Radio, managing our schedule and softwares primarily, amongst many other things. I used to be a member of Scratch Radio for three years, leading the music team and co-running the station in 2018/19. The same year I've also been chosen to be deputy station manager on FADE Radio. Prior to that, I have worked in theatre and events production with Bühnenwerk in Munich. I am still an active member of Dein LiFE FKA Störfunk. Gives me a chance to get involved in fantastic opportunities or to simply do another radio show, when I go back to Munich.
Now, if you think I should get involved with your project, or you just want to chat - all relevant contact details are just one more scroll away...
contact
maggie(at)urbaniec.de
@urbanieccc