Projects

Every historical project begins with a question.

Who founded an organisation? How did an industry develop? What stories lie behind a property, place or community? Historical research seeks to answer these questions through the careful collection, analysis and interpretation of evidence.

This page highlights selected historical research projects undertaken by Dr Michael Thurlow and demonstrates the application of rigorous historical research, analysis and interpretation to real-world historical investigations.

Industry history

A History of Regional Commercial Television in Australia, 2010–2022

Community History

Gilgandra Oral History Project, 2021

Commissioned by the Gilgandra Evening CWA Branch

Future projects

Michael welcomes enquiries from organisations, industries, property owners and communities seeking to uncover, preserve and share their stories through rigorous historical research.

Contact Michael Thurlow Historical Research to discuss your project.

Michael undertook a long-term historical research project examining the development of regional commercial television in Australia. The project commenced with archival research into television ownership and control and evolved into a broader investigation of the industry's historical development, regional identity, localism, regulation, technological change and commercial evolution.

The project culminated in:

Master of Research thesis (2016)
Peer-reviewed journal article (2016)
Conference presentations (2015 and 2021)
PhD thesis (2020)
Publication of A History of Regional Commercial Television in Australia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022)

The project produced the first comprehensive history of regional commercial television in Australia and contributed to a greater understanding of the role regional media has played in Australian society.

The project sought to capture insights into past ways of life and strengthen the community's understanding of its identity, heritage and sense of place through the preservation of personal stories and lived experiences.

Michael contributed to the design and delivery of the Gilgandra Oral History Project including defining the project's processes, assigning interviews to team members, conducting oral history interviews and coordinating return of recording equipment, audio recordings and interviewee consent forms.

Michael:

helped design the project's structure and core processes;
supported project planning and implementation;
coordinated the allocation of interviews across a team of volunteer interviewers;
provided guidance on oral history practices and documentation requirements;
oversaw the collection and management of project assets, including audio recordings, consent forms and interview transcripts;
contributed to the preservation and organisation of historical source material.

The project created a valuable oral history community resource available through the local library and preserved personal recollections, community knowledge and lived experiences that may otherwise have been lost.

The project also demonstrated the important role oral history can play in documenting community heritage, strengthening community identity and preserving local history for future generations.