Dr Piper’s book, The TV Detective: Voices of Dissent in Contemporary Television, was described by the panel as 'a riveting read, sometimes waspishly amusing, adept and flexible in its approach, and always sharp'. It was also praised for the case it presents for 'the wider significance of television in the nation's psyche'.

Dr Piper said: "I'm delighted to receive such a prestigious award.  Watching television may be sociable but writing an academic monograph is a rather lonely pursuit, so it is wonderful to receive recognition." 

The British Association of Film, Television and Screen Studies (BAFTSS) is the representative body for higher education departments and scholars engaged in the teaching, research and study of the medium of film, television and screen media in the UK. The awards have been running since 2013, with categories including Best Monograph and Best Practice Research.  This is the second time an academic from Bristol has won Best Monograph; Professor Sarah Street received it in 2014 for her publication Colour Films in Britain -The Negotiation of Innovation 1900-1955.