Staff profile

Dr Daithí McMahon


He/Him

Associate Professor of Media & Culture: Film & Performance

Daithi McMahon profile photo

Subject

Media

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Education

Department

School of Arts

Research centre

Creative and Cultural Industries Research Centre

ORCiD ID

0000-0003-3477-1156

Campus

Markeaton Street, Derby Campus

Email

d.mcmahon@derby.ac.uk

About

I am a critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning playwright, director, producer, sound artist and Associate Professor of Media & Culture. I teach media practice and scriptwriting at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in addition to supervising PhD students. My research interests lie in radio and audio media theory and practice; media sociology; digital culture and the critical political economy of the media industries. Through my practice-based research, I’m interested in capturing and disseminating culture, history, heritage and identity through oral history projects. My scholarly outputs are traditional and practice-based mediatic outputs and I continue to produce creative media projects including ambisonic audio drama, podcasts and screen productions. Through my practice-based research, I am interested in capturing and disseminating culture, history, heritage and identity through oral history projects. My first book, Producing Audio Drama: A Practical Guide for Radio & Podcast, will be published by Routledge in 2026.

Research interests

My research focuses on three areas: radio and audio media practice, cultural history and heritage, and digital media industries – with the Irish diaspora and media practice as central themes. Through practice-based research, I focus on Irish culture, history and heritage subjects and disseminate this to public audiences through audio drama, audio documentary and oral histories. In my work, I aim to educate the public by producing outputs which incorporate novel methodologies, offer new perspectives on historic figures, and shine a light on hitherto neglected stories of the Irish experience.

Building on a broad knowledge base in radio practice, I have explored the production, dissemination, and reception of radio as a medium, and have developed a research specialism in the Irish Radio Industry. My research has expanded beyond Ireland to include the critical political economy of digital media, the changing consumption patterns of audiences, evolving economic models in an ever-shifting digital culture, and what change means for traditional public service broadcasters. 

I would be happy to hear from other academics interested in collaborating on future research projects in the above or related areas.

Recent publications

Membership of professional bodies

Professional interests

I love radio and audio in all its forms. I continue to write, direct, produce and executive produce podcasts, radio dramas and documentaries. I also have a growing interest in TV/film production including screenwriting for long-form TV drama and short and feature-length film productions with several currently in development.

Qualifications

Recent conferences

Conference Papers

Experience in industry

I am a multi-award winning and critically acclaimed playwright, director, performer, producer, editor and sound engineer with a wealth of experience in writing and media production, particularly in radio/audio practice. During that time I have built a strong body of radio productions in live and pre-produced formats with the bulk being radio drama, documentary or docu-drama productions. More recently I have moved into podcast production which has also incorporated my research activities. Below is a list of my work to date.

Media Practice Outputs

In the media

From 2020-2024 I was a regular contributor to BBC Radio Derby and BBC Radio Gloucestershire, providing film and television reviews, as well as contemporary media industry analysis. I produce the UoD podcast series, For a Better Tomorrow which promotes the innovation and research activities of our academic colleagues and is an example of my initiative in contributing to this strategic aim. My professional practice in audio drama has been critically acclaimed in the Irish press and I have recently started publishing think pieces to share my work with a public audience. I am available as a contributor upon request.

International experience

I have received a number of national and international honours, distinctions and prizes for the quality of my work. Below is a list of these:

Teaching responsibilities

Through my posting at the Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris followed by positions in Ireland and the UK, I have gained diverse pedagogic perspectives which have informed my teaching practice. A central tenet of my pedagogic approach is collaborative, student-centred, research-informed teaching with students working across discipline to live briefs with external partners. I have worked in programme leadership at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and supervise PhD students on media, communication and cultural studies theses. I welcome informal queries from candidates interested in pursuing a PhD at the University of Derby in my areas of interest.

Additional interests and activities

I have a keen interest in all forms of media and music and I'm an avid sports fan. I also enjoy travel, running and hillwalking.

Portfolio

  • Our Story: A History of the Irish in Derby title screen

Belong

Belong is an original radio drama by Fred O’Connor and Daithí McMahon about one man’s experience of homelessness in modern Dublin. It was first broadcast on the Newstalk radio station in July 2020.

William Melville – Eve of War

William Melville – Eve of War is an original radio drama about an Irish immigrant who became the first chief of the British Secret Service Bureau. It was written by Fred O’Connor and produced by Daithi McMahon. It was first broadcast on Radio Kerry in January 2016.