NEW REPORT ON UK MEDIA OWNERSHIP JUST PUBLISHED We produced our first comprehensive report on media ownership in the UK back in 2015 when we argued concentrated ownership was a significant problem for any modern democracy. In 2019, we produced an updated version that suggests that, not only does concentrated ownership persist but that the problem may be getting worse. Sadly, … [Read more...]
Media Democracy Festival 2021
We're thrilled to announce the schedule for our forthcoming Media Democracy Festival, a week-long celebration of independent media voices and analysis of why our current media system is not fit for purpose. We kick off with a keynote and Q&A from former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn on 'A Free Media for a Free Society' - 6pm, Sunday 14 March Do Black Lives Matter … [Read more...]
Media Democracy Festival 2020 moves online – watch it now!
The 2020 Media Democracy Festival was cancelled because of the pandemic. Instead, in June 2020, we hosted a series of short lunchtime sessions on key themes concerning media democracy and social justice in the light of Covid-19 and beyond. All sessions are now available to view on our YouTube channel. Our first event was on 'Zombie Economics, Post Covid-19 and the media' … [Read more...]
Ofcom dismiss complaints of BBC bias
After more than 12 weeks deliberation, Ofcom have this week announced that they will not be investigating the BBC's controversial Panorama edition on antisemitism in the Labour Party. Broadcast five months ahead of last December's general election, the programme was the third Panorama edition in four years focused on, and wholly critical of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the … [Read more...]
Where’s the impartiality? #GenElec2019
by Justin Schlosberg Time for a review of impartiality rules during elections? It is frequently said that a free media is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy and none more so than during an election period. But democracy is only well served if all political views are given equal prominence and fair interrogation. We know we have a partisan press but during … [Read more...]
BBC Panorama on anti-semitism: a catalogue of reporting failures
The BBC transmitted an edition of Panorama on 10 July called ‘Is Labour Anti-Semitic?’, presented by John Ware. It contained allegations that senior Labour figures close to Jeremy Corbyn had interfered with the internal investigations process and that the Party was insufficiently committed to tackling anti-semitism within its own ranks. In response, the Labour … [Read more...]
Unmasked: Andrew Norfolk, the Times and anti-Muslim reporting – a case to answer
A detailed study out today finds that three times in 15 months the chief investigative reporter of the Times, Andrew Norfolk, published sensational series of front-page articles portraying Muslims as threatening – and in every case central allegations were unfounded. The study, written by investigative journalists Brian Cathcart and Paddy French and supported by the … [Read more...]