-
Democracy and the BBC: more preached than practised
One of my favourite quotes on democracy (disowned by its originator alas), comes from British educator Derry Hannam: Learning about democracy and citizenship in school is a bit like reading holiday brochures in prison. Why do I trawl that quote up? Well, BBC Director-General Mark Thompson, in an interesting and wide-ranging speech addressing the trust…
-
“Balance” in diplomacy: lessons for journalism
I am sorry to say I have never had much time for diplomats. Prejudice, you understand. Reading former British diplomat Carne Ross’s enjoyable and self-critical memoir – Independent Diplomat: Dispatches from an Unaccountable Elite – hasn’t exactly changed my mind. But as well as reminding UK tax-payers that they could save a lot of money…
-
Two views on TV news
I had a chance to look over the memo from ITN’s Dave Mannion on the return of News At Ten. Without repeating it in full, it offers important insights into the thinking of one of Britain’s best television journalists. We have been given a prime time slot. Our job is not simply to split the…
-
An Unreliable History of the News in 500 words
Ever wondered where the modern news media started? Germany, 1450s – Johann Gutenberg invents movable type printing and brings out the Bible. Problem with the Bible? You only buy it once. New translations keep presses rolling. They also raise political problems (like Tyndale‘s translation in England). Readers can use their Bible to make up their…