The past, present and future of research on communication policy and technology: an academic dialogue

This conversation is an account of the panel discussions held during the Communication Policy and Technology 50th Anniversay pre-conference, co-organised by the Communication, Policy and Technology (CPT) Section and the Global Media Policy (GMP) Working Group of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR), and the Department of Communications & New Media and the CivicTech Lab at the National University of Singapore on July 12, 2025. The session brought together long-standing CPT Section members with current and former co-chairs. Exchanging diverse viewpoints, the participants reflected on past, present and future challenges of research on communciation policy and technology and its potential impact. The conversation emphasised the importance of critical research in addressing issues related to power, human rights, ethics and inequality within both global and national communication policy.