Deadline: June 16, 2025

The Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television is an international and interdisciplinary journal concerned with the history of the audio-visual mass media from c.1900 to the present. It explores the institutional and ideological contexts of film, radio and television, analyses the evidence produced by the mass media for historians and social scientists, and considers the impact of mass communications on political, social and cultural history. It is the official journal of the International Association for Media and History (IAMHIST).

The editors of the Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television are pleased to announce an annual call for proposals for guest-edited thematic issues. We invite scholars, researchers, archivists, and practitioners from around the world to submit proposals for special issues to be published in 2026. One exceptional proposal will be selected and commissioned by the editors of the HJFRT.

We seek proposals that focus on innovative and compelling themes within the scope of film, radio, and television history. Thematic issues should aim to advance the field by exploring new theoretical frameworks, methodologies, or areas of study that engage with historical perspectives on media and articles should be grounded in or based upon empirical and archival research. Contributions based on conference presentations or panels are welcome, provided they have not been published in any form or in any language before. No payment from the guest editors or the authors will be required.

Each proposal must include:

• Title and description of the theme: A clear and concise title, along with a detailed description (up to 2,000 words) of the proposed thematic issue. The description should outline the significance of the theme, its relevance to the field of media history, and how it contributes to advancing scholarly discourse.
  
• List of Proposed Articles and Authors: Include the titles and abstracts (300-500 words each) of 8–10 articles, along with the names, e-mail addresses, biographies and affiliations of the authors. There must be an introductory article that sets the context for the theme.
  
• Guest Editors: Thematic issues must have at least two guest editors. Provide the names, affiliations, short biographies (up to 150 words each), and contact information of the proposed guest editors. Highlight any relevant experience in editing or coordinating scholarly work.
  
• Additional Information: Include any other pertinent information that would strengthen the proposal, such as plans for promoting the thematic issue or potential impact on the field.
  

Proposals should be submitted in a single PDF document to hjfrt.1981@gmail.com with the subject line “Thematic Issue Proposal Submission”. The deadline for submissions is June 16, 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.

The Editorial Board will evaluate all proposals based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of the proposed theme.
  
• Scholarly significance and potential impact on the field.
  
• Quality and diversity of the proposed articles and authors.
  
• Feasibility of the timeline and the guest editors’ ability to manage the project.
  

Guest editors of the chosen proposal will work closely with our editorial team to ensure the high standard of our journal is maintained throughout the publication process.

Articles (co-)written by the guest editors must be externally peer-reviewed to ensure academic integrity and impartiality. This will be coordinated by the editors of the HJFRT.

Timeline: You will be informed no later than July whether your proposal has been accepted. The application process may include an online interview with one or more of the co-editors.

The initial submission deadline for all articles is February 1, 2026. A detailed timeline for the remainder of the process (peer review, revisions, and final manuscript submission) will be discussed. However, the initial deadline of February 1 must be strictly observed.

For any inquiries or additional information regarding this call, please contact the editors of the HJFRT through hjfrt.1981@gmail.com

For more information about the journal, visit https://tandfonline.com/journals/chjf20