Forward planning.

About this time last month, I received an email from:

Dr Paul Mason
Director of Postgraduate Research
School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies
Bute Building
Cardiff University

informing me about this

"I'm organising a session on prisons, media and public opinion as part of the 'The Progressive Prison? Historical Narratives, Contemporary Realties' conference which Yvonne Jewkes is running at the Open University, Thurs 21st and Friday 22nd June.

Its a roundtable format in which I'm asking participants to give their views on the role of the media and public views on prison, and then to open it to the floor for discussion. Would you be willing to take part? I'm trying to get as diverse panel as I can - journalist, ex prisoner, academic, pressure groups etc. I thought you could offer some interesting insights into how you see prisons in the public domain and in the press".

I responded that I was happy to take part, and asked whether he had started to take into account blogs in his media study. He said that he had not, but would consider it when the study into newspapers concluded.

The International Centre for Comparative Criminological Research (ICCCR) emailed me today to thank me for agreeing to speak at the ICCCR conference. I am assured that:

"The conference promises to be an exciting event and I look forward to welcoming you to the Open University in June".

My barrister and friend Flo Krause, recently moved to Milton Keynes from Sheffield to live with her partner. I will have to get her to check her diary to see if she is free on those dates, and I might be able to kill two birds with one stone and do a bit of socialising whilst I am down there.