Velo-city has something for everyone. We decided to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for in our rich programme of seven plenary sessions, over 80 parallel sessions and over 250 speakers.

This article features two parallel sessions which focus on Media. The media have been around for thousands of years, from cave paintings to the internet and social media nowadays. Beyond storing and delivering information or data as communication tools, the media can also be catalysts for change. For instance, the reporting of cycling in various media reflects and, at the same time, could impact public and policymakers’ attitudes when it comes to resource allocation for cycling and cycling infrastructure. Influencing public discourse on cycling is one of the changes the media can bring.

In terms of their influence on public discourse addressing cycling, the media have a huge potential to influence perceptions and policy. As a topic at Velo-city 2019, media is integrated into one of the three main conference themes ‘Health and Social’ with its ‘Behavioural change and the influence of the media’ subtheme. Media is also part of the discussion in the Scientists for Cycling series of sessions within the topic of constructing safe cycling. This topic focuses on understanding how infrastructure, norms, and perceptions affect perceptions of cycling safety.

​‘Media, Friend or Foe?’ explores the use, impact, and overall role of the media in not only promoting cycling but fundamentally portraying cycling in public discourse. The panel will present and discuss analyses of media portrayals of cycling in local news, social media platforms, and national press. Then they will give recommendations on how (social) media can be used to promote cycling for the ages. Speakers in this session include Alison Carlyle from Sustrans, Denise Silveira from Ciclovia Musical, Tara Goddard from Texas A&m University, Flávia Oliveira from LEAD, Gail Jennings from the University Of Cape Town, Joao Camolas from the Lisbon Municipality.

In the ‘Scientists for Cycling - Images of Cycling’ session you’ll get the chance to get immersed into the discussion on how cycling is perceived in society and presented in the media. How does this translate into policies and voting behaviour? Research contributions on images of cycling will be featured in this session. Patrick Rérat from the University of Lausanne, Eileen O’Connell from Interactions Ltd, and Nadia Williams from the Dundalk Institute of Technology will be speaking in this session.

Join the debate at Velo-city 2019! Register here.

For more information on the Velo-city Programme, Exhibition and Registration go to: https://www.velo-city2019.com 
Sign up for our newsletter: https://abbey.us9.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=fd5fa9b846888ef25e85f1973&id=75273fab2e
Follow us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn