Mark Margaretten

Mark Margaretten is a Lecturer in Journalism at the University of Bedfordshire, based in the School of Culture and Communications. His work focuses on research and teaching in areas such as feature writing, communications theory, media theory, and multiplatform journalism. He holds a PhD in Political Communication and Social Media from the University of Sussex (2018), an MSc in Politics and Communication from the London School of Economics (2010), and a BA in Political Science from Metro State University of Denver (2009).

Mark’s research explores social media’s role in political communication, authenticity in parliamentary engagement, datamining techniques, and evolving journalism forms. His studies analyze how the UK Parliament and mediatized polity influence civic participation through digital platforms. He has presented at conferences including MeCCSA, the UK House of Commons, LSE, and City University London, addressing topics like search neutrality and Twitter’s impact on political discourse.

Before academia, Mark worked in media technology, contributing to interactive television projects for Microsoft, AT&T Digital, and ESPN, earning a patent for interactive game systems in 2002. His early career included roles as a sports journalist in billiards, a TV/video editor, and a sales engineer specializing in non-linear editing systems.

His professional contributions span web development, having led online migration for 21 B2B magazines post-acquiring an internet business in the 1990s. His work has been featured in academic journals and industry publications. Beyond academia, he maintains interests in jazz/blues music, photography, horology, and culinary arts.