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Desert Island Discs
The ‘critics’ versus the public… Listeners sail to the rescue of Kirsty Young on Desert Island Discs. [Indy] “…despite the media hoo-hah surrounding her appointment, Young has managed to gain approval from the one group that really matters: Desert Island Discs’ loyal band of listeners. Sources at the BBC say audience figures for her opening…
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Hobbes vs. Question Time
We invest a lot in opinion and opinion formers. As the BBC tenders for Question Time, it might be worth considering the value of public deliberation. Here’s the philosopher Thomas Hobbes writing about deliberative assemblies in De Cive: there all have an opportunity to show their wisdom, knowledge, and eloquence, in deliberating matters of the…
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Table talk
1 Parliament Street, with its white marble walls like slabs of Kendal Mint Cake, is soullessness itself. It is Thursday night and the host has to leave early to make it back to his constituency. He is exhausted but charming, delivering an off the cuff speech that is as smooth and used as an old…
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Lord Hutton – Apologia pro Vita Sua
Lord Hutton has published an article on media reaction to his report. Let’s ignore the fact that his footnotes on page one spell Freedland as Friedland. Typo! He’s obviously one unhappy bunny. Which is a shame. I teach the Hutton Inquiry to postgraduate students. And I happen to think – in hindsight – that he…