
Dr. Kai Knörr
It should be noted at the present time that, due to the transformation of technical configuration, the area of terminology surrounding broadcasting and receiving is in massive flux. For many, even those within the broadcasting facilities themselves, there is scarcely a doubt that broadcasting as a media-political idea seems somewhat antiquated. Simultaneously, however, the field is experiencing an unexpected resurgence, not only in terms of the ironic use made of the syllable “Funk” (from “Rundfunk” – broadcast) by net-activists by way of self-legitimisation. The ARD and ZDF stations have recently begun officially to market themselves under the FUNK brand on their newest online platforms, aimed at the youngest of their target demographics. Though the changes in the means of broadcasting and receiving have made the term technically obsolete, its metaphorical potential seems unbroken. The dissertation views broadcasting and its related terminology as an object of cultural media history, in which there is a correlation in technical and linguistic usage. This will also expand the view into current contexts.
Bio
Kai Knörr, born in 1978, studied history, politics and media science at the University of Potsdam and FU Berlin. Master’s thesis on the feature films of the writer Wolf Schmidt (1913-1977), who as an auteur filmmaker in the mid-1950s provided an early example of cross-media production in the transition from radio, film and television. 2010-2014 research on the history of serial entertainment on ARD, since winter semester 2009/10 lectures in the course European Media Studies with a focus on broadcasting history, sound and new German film. Since 2014 research on the dissertation project in the department of media culture history at the University of Potsdam.
Publications
“Über-Reden. Reflexionen über Horst Krüger als Autorenstimme im Rundfunk”. In: Rundfunk und Geschichte, Jg. 43, Nr. 1-2/2017, S. 32-40.
Lectures
“Funk-Haus-Heimat. Vor- und Nachgeschichten zum Radio in Deutschland”. Vortrag beim Potsdamer Tag der Wissenschaften, Potsdam, 13. Mai 2017.
“Featureforschung: Rechtliche und technische Hürden heute”. Vortrag in der Fachgruppe Radiofeature; Jahrestagung des Studienkreises Rundfunk und Geschichte e.V., Deutsche Welle, Bonn, 9. Juni 2017.