This research looks at the role of television in relation to the UK City of Culture (UKCoC). It examines how television creates and disseminates ideas about place, especially in a UK regional context. It goes on to consider how placemaking and the facilitation of reputational change for host cities has been a key aspect of the UKCoC since its inception, before examining all three UK Cities of Culture (Derry, Hull and Coventry) in turn.

Despite the UKCoC scheme being over a decade old, there has been little research about the role of television, and the impact of partnerships with broadcasters such as the BBC. This thesis aims to redress this absence in UKCoC evaluation by examining the television of each UKCoC in two ways: firstly, quantitatively using programme data covering a 12-year period to assess the longitudinal impact on perception of the host cities; secondly, qualitatively using close textual analysis of specific programmes which engage with the UKCoC, or which reflect the host cities.

The final aspect of this thesis examines the challenges, opportunities, and outcomes of bringing historic television footage out of the archive and screening it in the city. This element of the research builds on the fact that this thesis is written as a Collaborative Doctoral Award, co-supervised by colleagues from the Media Archive for Central England (MACE) and Illuminations production company. Linked to MACE, I delivered screenings in the city using archive television about Coventry. I gathered public reflections (via group discussions and using questionnaires) to consider how people engaged with the archival material and how it related to their history with, and understanding of, Coventry. This multimethodological approach facilitates a consideration of the role of television within the past but also the future of the UKCoC scheme.