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Dr H. Wijfjes

26 May 2009

Dr H. Wijfjes (1956) has been named Professor by Special Appointment of History of Dutch Radio and Television in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), effective 1 September 2009. The chair was designated on behalf of the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision in Hilversum and the Erik and Hans Foundation, a foundation named after the television pioneer Erik de Vries and his spouse, the choreographer Hans Snoek.

Huub Wijfjes' area of research is a broad one, ranging from the history of Dutch journalism to the relationship between politics and the media. In his position in the Faculty of Humanities' Media Studies Department he will collaborate with the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision to teach and investigate the history of radio and television. Wijfjes is currently working on a multimedia history of the Dutch VARA public broadcasting association. This project will result in the publication of a book and website in September of this year. In addition, he is closely involved with ‘The Century of Sound and Vision', another project for which he is collaborating with the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision.

Wijfjes studied History at Leiden University and earned his PhD from VU University Amsterdam in 1988 with a thesis entitled Radio onder restrictie. Overheidsbemoeiing met radioprogramma's 1919-1941. (‘Radio under censorship. Government interference in radio programmes 1919-1941'). He is currently employed as University Associate Lecturer of Journalism/History within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen.

Wijfjes has published and edited many books, including Omroep in Nederland. Vijfenzeventig jaar medium en maat­schappij, 1919-1994 (‘Broadcasting in the Netherlands. The medium and society during 75 years, 1919-1994'; published by Waanders, 1994), Van geloof, hoop en liefde. Vijftig jaar interkerke­lijke omroep in Nederland, 1946-1996 (‘Belief, hope and love: 50 years of interdenominational broadcasting in the Netherlands'; co-authored by Hans Blom and Jan Wieten, published by Kok/IKON, 1996), and Journalistieke cultuur in Nederland (‘Journalism culture in the Netherlands'; co-authored by Frank van Vree, Jo Bardoel and Chris Vos, published by AUP, 2002). In 2004 he published a major survey of the history of Dutch journalism entitled Journalistiek in Nederland 1850-2000. Beroep, cultuur en organisatie (‘Journalism in the Netherlands 1850-2000. Profession, culture and organisation'; published by Boom Uitgevers).