Richard Horsman
leedsjourno.bsky.social
Richard Horsman
@leedsjourno.bsky.social
Former radio news ed. Proud to have *trained* 400+ journos. Reviewer, traveller, observer. Loves #radio. Likes wine, art & sunshine. Needs coffee
This is so obvious I'm amazed it needs saying. The blind faith so many people have in tech to just work is incomprehensible

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Have plans on paper in case of cyber-attack, firms told
Prepare to switch to off-line systems in the event of a cyber-attack, firms are being advised.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 14, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Today marks fifty years since the launch of Pennine Radio in #Bradford . For a while, before social media, we were the social medium. I was incredibly fortunate to be a part of it for 22 years (even if they did faff about with the name). Good times. #Pennine #Radio #Pennine235
September 16, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
If The Thieving AI Company Can Survive The Legal Settlement, Then It Is Not Big Enough

defector.com/if-the-thiev...
If The Thieving AI Company Can Survive The Legal Settlement, Then It Is Not Big Enough | Defector
There is an easy answer to the question “How long does it take to write a book?” but it is not a true one. The easy answer is the duration between when you actually start putting your pen down on the ...
defector.com
September 11, 2025 at 10:53 AM
I mean we've all had spats with political leaderships (my newsroom was a "councillor free zone" for a short while in one standoff) but this is a step too far. Democracy without scrutiny isn't democracy.
August 27, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
My wife shared this with me and I’m tellin you… it’s worth the read.
August 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
On this day 58 years ago the Marine Offences Act outlawed Britain’s offshore radio stations. At 3 o’clock on August 14, 1967 this 12-year-old was in tears as Radio London closed down. Radio Caroline continued for 7 more months but without the pirates we wouldn’t have had Radio 1 or commercial radio.
August 14, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
Sad news today as Talk presenter James Whale has died aged 74, following a long illness. He had been living with cancer for several years.
Talk Radio pays tribute to James Whale following his death at 74
Sad news today as Talk presenter James Whale has died aged 74, following a long illness. He had been living with cancer for several years.
radiotoday.co.uk
August 4, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
the simple, unavoidable, ugly truth is that AI companies are killing the media industry: they're destroying the revenue streams of news, of publishers, of nonfiction titles - and this loss will impoverish the world and their own products www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
The End of Publishing as We Know It
Inside Silicon Valley’s assault on the media
www.theatlantic.com
August 4, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
Some thoughts that occurred to me as I get ready for my 25th year teaching journalism - www.andydickinson.net/2025/08/04/2...
25 years of journalism teaching
This coming academic year will be my 25th academic year. Here are a few observations on universities and journalism at university.
www.andydickinson.net
August 4, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
Stop Pretending Chatbots Have Feelings

When AI causes harm, headlines blame the bot instead of the billion-dollar companies that built them. This anthropomorphic coverage is tech journalism at its worst

www.readtpa.com/p/stop-prete...
Stop Pretending Chatbots Have Feelings: Media's Dangerous AI Anthropomorphism Problem
When AI causes harm, headlines blame the bot instead of the billion-dollar companies that built them. This anthropomorphic coverage is tech journalism at its worst.
www.readtpa.com
August 3, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
We have remarkably successful libel and contempt of court laws. Social media is media. Hold it responsible for everything published, in the same way you would the Guardian or the Telegraph. Most of the problems go away remarkably quickly.
July 30, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
OTD 1955: final concert of the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, founded 1947.
Supported for 7 years by West Riding County Council, but based in Leeds. This was resented by other cities.
Long-term conductor was Maurice Miles.
Beecham, Boult, Sargent & del Mar also conducted.
#ClassicalMusic
1/3
July 30, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Guys who bellow conversations about their negotiating tactics on £69m contracts in a quiet waiting room just to let everyone know how important they are should remember there could be a journalist in the room.
July 30, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
The frustrating thing about lots of police comms and PR is that if they responded like this the public would probably respond *better* than they do to the guff they stay instead. The public does understand that mistakes happen.
July 28, 2025 at 10:56 AM
I am in Leeds Crown Court (jury service, not the defendant) and I'm the only bloke here in a tie. Times have changed. @deemarshall.bsky.social would have flayed me alive going to mags without a suit.
July 28, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Well colour me shocked.

I'll never forget going to a meeting at the @nujofficial.bsky.social head office in London where the beverage choices were "coffee" and "strong coffee".
July 18, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Banning books rarely ends well

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trans books removed from children's library, Reform council says
KCC says the move came after a
www.bbc.co.uk
July 4, 2025 at 3:41 PM
About ten years ago I did some media training for North Yorkshire Police. One scenario was about speeding and I asked about cameras.

"There are no speed cameras in North Yorkshire"
"But I've seen the signs .... ?"
"Oh, we have PLENTY of signs!"
Local tv news

8.30 - North Yorkshire’s first fixed traffic speed camera will go live today

9.20 - North Yorkshire’s first fixed traffic speed camera has been vandalised
July 1, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
“Without widespread theft, my industry can’t survive” is an argument against your industry surviving, and is not an argument for allowing widespread theft
May 26, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service: what's working and what's not?: The scheme is getting quality journalism into news deserts. But indie newsrooms are missing out, as four in five contracts go to the big three regional publishers, says PINF executive director Jonathan Heawood
BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service: what's working and what's not?
The scheme is getting quality journalism into news deserts. But indie newsrooms are missing out, as four in five contracts go to the big three regional publishers, says PINF executive director Jonathan Heawood
dlvr.it
May 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
This is a bit worrying - 1 in 10 journos think it's ok to hit send on covert puff pieces. Apart from that the scumbag ratio on bribes, freebies, never wrong for long and nicking pics feels about right in a survey which includes nationals as well as local.
1️⃣1️⃣ On ethics

Our survey showed a big growth in the # of journalists with a weakened commitment to a universal professional ethos. Fewer than 60% agreed standards should always determine behaviour, compared with 94% in 2015

Read chapter led by @leahellmueller.bsky.social
buff.ly/epb3SHn
May 2, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
We've just published a ground-breaking report on UK journalists. Edited by @neilthurman.bsky.social @imkehenkel.bsky.social Sina Thäsler-Kordonouri & @richardfletcher.bsky.social, it's based on a 2023 representative survey

📱Read it
buff.ly/gIBRL1f
🧵Findings in thread
May 2, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Who'd have thunk it? Power goes off, internet goes upspout and mobiles are as much good as a chocolate teapot.

#Radio, however .... (from @Telegraph )
April 29, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Reposted by Richard Horsman
Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life.
April 24, 2025 at 8:29 PM
He's got a point. I'd love to hear a BBC statement that goes "no, we're not changing policy just because you've heard or seen something you don't like".
Gary Lineker: "This is the mistake the BBC makes. The BBC tries to appease the people that hate the BBC, rather than worrying about the people that love the BBC."
April 22, 2025 at 1:13 PM