Memories of Jay G Blumler

In memory of

Jay G Blumler

Leeds

February 18, 1924 - January 30, 2021

Feb 18, 1924 - Jan 30, 2021

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Carolyn Jackson-Brown

How Jay was able to make so many of us feel important and valued I will never know. I think he was the first key Harvard reference name I met in person when I started my PhD in our Clothworkers building. I was therefore taken aback by his personal interest and his gentle probing of my intellectual perspectives, that challenged and provoked whilst also protecting my early career confidence. I shall miss his Thanksgiving Feasts, and remember fondly hashing Gilbert & Sullivan out on his piano while he sang. As you will all know, Jay was not one to omit any of the possible verses! He was a character as well as a name for me, whose expansive personal presence is one I shall miss a great deal. And I hardly knew him at all.

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David Hesmondhalgh

Matthias Revers

Rachael Brown

I have a few good memories of Jay but I think my favourite is of him bursting into song at his annual thanksgiving celebration, to which I was very lucky to have been invited!
Sincere condolences to Jay's friends and family. Such a lovely man will be greatly missed by friends and colleagues all over the world, but especially those at the University of Leeds.

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David Hesmondhalgh

Matthias Revers

Charlotte Elliott-Harvey

Rest peacefully, Jay. You led a wonderful full life, and you will be greatly missed by us all.

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David Hesmondhalgh

Matthias Revers

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Anamik Saha

I first met Jay as a post-doc at Leeds. I'm sorry to say that I was not aware of who he was, let alone his reputation. I'm also sorry to say that I was a little confused as to the presence of this elderly white man in the front row when I was delivering my first research seminar in the department, on the topic of British South Asian cultural production. It will come as no surprise to everyone who knew him to hear that he was the first person to ask a question in the Q&A. He thanked me for an engaging and informative paper and then went to ask a sharp, insightful question on the issue of audience. I was really touched by his engagement as well appreciated the value of his critique, softly and empathetically given. I don't think I have ever met anyone with as serious a commitment to scholarship as Jay. He is an inspiration to us all.

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David Hesmondhalgh

Matthias Revers

Katy Parry

I think the word I’ve seen shared most often about Jay this week is ‘generosity’. Jay was a brilliant scholar and his work will continue to inspire people all over the world. But people who met him were also in awe of his kindness, his boundless enthusiasm for new work in our field, and his commitment to supporting younger scholars. When I first came to work in Leeds and met with Jay, we talked about our shared love for the country of Chile. We were both delighted when a mural painted by Chilean students and activists was discovered in the Leeds student union during building work and was thankfully saved and restored. The mural is a symbol of solidarity and friendship, and against injustice. These are the ideals I associate with Jay, reminding us that ‘values are always at stake’ in our research. I’ll miss him dearly. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

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David Hesmondhalgh

Giorgia Aiello

Matthias Revers

Bill Dutton

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Kate Oakley

Most fun? Going to a production of Carousel with Jay and Bethany Klein. Jay advanced the controversial view that the rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone was better than at Anfield. One of several theatre trips and musical outings - indeed all outings with Jay were musical, 'cos he always sang. Lovely, warm and decent human being - he will be very much missed.

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Bethany Klein

David Hesmondhalgh

Anamik Saha

Giorgia Aiello

Matthias Revers

Comments:

Bethany Klein

Here's a story Jay told me when we were planning our Carousel night out: 'Did I ever tell you about the time... Read more Here's a story Jay told me when we were planning our Carousel night out: 'Did I ever tell you about the time I saw its wonderful... Read more Here's a story Jay told me when we were planning our... Read more

Kate Oakley

I remember that! Hard to beat as a musical theatre anecdote x I remember that! Hard to beat as a musical theatre anecdote x I remember that! Hard to beat as a musical theatre ... Read more

Daniel Biltereyst

Sincere condoleances. Jay was a giant—friendly, sharp, brilliant. A big loss.

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Matthias Revers

Terry Flew

Wonderful memories on a life well lived. Jay's contributions live on in a major way in the field.

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Matthias Revers

Bill Dutton

Gary Rawnsley

Jay was an inspiration in so many ways. It goes without saying that his towering intellect helped shaped many a paper published while I was at Leeds, and I always looked forward to my frequent visits to his home to discuss work. But he was also an inspiration in the way he embraced life. He was a gentleman and a gentle man and I am honoured to call him a friend and mentor

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Matthias Revers

Yuan Zeng

I still vividly remember the pleasant surprise when I first met Jay two years ago in Clothworkers Court. It was my first month arriving at Leeds as a new migrant and young lecturer, and I certainly wasn't expecting to run into the media studies legend who was in his 90s strolling on campus. He asked about my research with keen curiosity and genuine warmth, making me feel incredibly welcomed and encouraged. Later on, I have come to get used to Jay's regular attendance at school events, and have always enjoyed his sharp questions and witty conversations. At last year's Jay Blumler Lecture, he told me he was planning to take another new challenge: learn a Chinese song to further impress the audience at the next Jay Blumler Lecture. I was tasked to teach him singing in Chinese. But we never had a chance to really embark on the mission. The last communication we had was a phone call in the summer discussing a book chapter he encouraged me to write on China's political communication during covid. I had so many stupid questions, and he was extremely encouraging and supportive as always. Now the chapter is finished. But Jay won't be able to read it anymore.

I am forever grateful and will always remember Jay as the intellectual legend: sharp-minded, generous, warm, and musical, the legend who has been, and will continue to be, an inspiration to me for many years to come.

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David Hesmondhalgh

Giorgia Aiello

Matthias Revers

Lone Sorensen

Jay was formative in my academic development. His support during my PhD was incredibly generous, both with his time, patience and reception at his house in Horsforth. He was the only academic I've ever known who would unbidden read all my drafts twice so he could consider his comments thoroughly enough to meet his own high standards of mentorship. He was the only academic I've ever known who insisted on meeting face to face, often for considerable lengths of time, on the occasion of every communication. And he was the only academic I've ever known who would entertain my toddler son with Gilbert & Sullivan pirate songs. He taught me much about scholarship, writing and how to be a great academic, and I shall miss him deeply.

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David Hesmondhalgh

Matthias Revers

David Hesmondhalgh

What a massive loss this is. Jay was my colleague in the School of Media and Communication at Leeds. He was one of a small group of people who laid the foundations for media and communication studies in the UK, in the 1960s and 1970s, and was renowned across the world as a brilliant researcher and generous colleague. I believe he had little connection with the University between his retirement in 1989 and around 2006, when Stephen Coleman (author of the wonderful obituary on this site) arrived here from Oxford – Stephen and Jay were already close friends. Stephen and other colleagues helped ensure that Jay played a central role in the intellectual life of the School. The lovely tributes that have already been shared by email and, I’m sure, will be shared on this site, are eloquent testimony to the warm and giving way in which he performed that role. His remarkable intellect seemed to remain razor sharp right up to the end. His questions in seminars, always expressed with an impeccable formal politeness (usually beginning with something like “May I begin by congratulating you on a most edifying paper, which has really illuminated my understanding of the topic you’ve addressed”) were never aggressive but always penetrating. He was a socialist and an egalitarian (he came to Leeds after having spent over a decade teaching at Ruskin College, in Oxford, not part of the University college system there, but an independent institution set up to provide education to working-class people who would not otherwise have the means to study) but he wore his deep political commitments lightly. He had a terrific, wry humour, and as anyone who spent time with him will attest, he was an enthusiastic and fearless singer. Jay was a truly remarkable man, and many of us are going to miss him very badly indeed.

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Giorgia Aiello

Matthias Revers

Bethany Klein

Although we met as colleagues, Jay and I very rarely talked shop. Instead, our friendship started with viewings of televised baseball games. (Jay was such good company, I forgave his support of the Yankees.) It later escalated to annual visits to the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in Harrogate, during which Jay entertained fellow train passengers and theatregoers with his impressive G&S renditions. I will miss my 'comrade' dearly, and am comforted to know that his memory will live on through his many, many friends and loved ones around the world.

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Giorgia Aiello

Matthias Revers

Toussaint Nothias

Farewell, Professor Blumler. I'll always remember your kindness, thoughtfulness and most of all, your beautiful singing voice! Listening to you sing to start off seminars was always moving and put a smile on everyone's face. Thank you for everything. I am sending my thought and support to your loved ones.

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