Research Creates BBC Radio series for Remembrance Week

Researching conflict reporting has led to the producing of a documentary series which is being broadcast on BBC Radio Wales this month as part of their season of Remembrance programmes.

Journalism lecturer Dr Llion Iwan said: 'After studying numerous examples of conflict reporting in this country and internationally, I decided to track down two families to ask their opinion on how the deaths had been reported.

One mother said she visited the grave of her son every day, it is opposite a primary school and she can hear the children playing. On the other side there is a busy road with people going about their every day lives. But for her, life had stood still since the death of her son. No one paid any attention to her,' said Llion, who lectures in the School of Creative Studies and Media.

'I felt there was a strong story here and I referred to this in numerous visits I give to local societies in north and mid Wales," he added.

A production company took up the study and the result is the 3 x 30 minute series, examining the lives of the war dead from Wales in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, 2001-2011. Dr Owain Llwyd from the School of Music composed the theme for the series, which was performed by the Skopje Symphony Orchestra.

'This was a great example of being able to work closely with a fellow lecturer, whilst developing our respective research, and the result is an amazing piece of music. Owain organised the recording with the full orchestra, ensuring production values worthy of the subject matter, and rarely used in the industry these days,' addedd Llion.

The first programme was broadcast on Sunday 6 November, the second is Friday 11 November and then Rememberance Sunday, both at 10.30am

The series can be listened to on iplayer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/radio/bbc_radio_wales

Publication date: 10 November 2011