Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Media Reform Coalition

Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana @lexiekk.bsky.social · 7d

How is phone hacking connected to one of the most notorious unsolved murders in Britain? Episode 2 of #afterthehack is out now. If you're watching the Hack on ITV 9pm, this is the best companion podcast for all the insights, hot takes and more.

youtu.be/hN1NgxsJbxw

After The Hack #2 | with Byline Times & Impress

YouTube video by Byline TV

youtu.be

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Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana @lexiekk.bsky.social · 7d

At the Labour Party conference this week advocating for quick wins and ready made solutions for a better media with @hackedoff.bsky.social @mediareformuk.bsky.social and @pressjustice.bsky.social

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · 13d

If you're in Liverpool on Monday, join MRC & @hackedoff.bsky.social outside Labour conference and call on Government to protect the public from press abuse: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gathering-...

Gathering at Labour Party Conference

Join us outside Labour Conference in Liverpool, to call for the Government to introduce a new law to protect the public from press abuse.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Peter Jukes @peterjukes.bsky.social · 14d

Bear in mind that Phone Hacking was only the (more benign) tip of the iceberg when it came to unlawful information gathering which included blagging, email hacking, burglary #TheHack

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · 14d

If you're watching The Hack tonight on ITV, learn the background to the series & the politics of the hacking scandal on After The Hack, an @impressorg.bsky.social @bylinetimes.bsky.social podcast w/ @peterjukes.bsky.social @nakedpolitics.bsky.social @femi-oluwole.bsky.social & MRC's Tom Chivers

After The Hack | Preview Show with Byline Times & Impress

YouTube video by Byline TV

www.youtube.com

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jul 16

The truth about the BBC's Gaza doc review:
🎙️ Narration "factual & carries balance"
📰 No issues w/ "accuracy, fairness or impartiality" in content
💷All payments "reasonable"

So why are the Culture Secretary & Ofcom lying about its findings? Why is the BBC still censoring 'How to survive a warzone'?

The BBC has breached its accuracy guidelines over Gaza – but not in the way you think

It is plain to most that the BBC is biased towards Israel, but that hasn’t stopped a tsunami of coverage claiming the reverse is the case, reports Des Freedman You might think that the world has fi...

www.counterfire.org

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News Club @newsclubuk.bsky.social · Jul 11

When a government minister who has pledged to "protect press freedom" is proudly interfering in the BBC's operations, it's a good reminder of why genuine media independence is so essential to democracy.

On this week's News Club: Nandy's war on the BBC & UK Gaza spy ops

newsclubuk.substack.com

Lisa Nandy declares war on the BBC – UK press self-censors on Gaza spy ops – CMA ruling sends Big Tech lobbying into overdrive

News Club: A place to talk about the news and how to change it

newsclubuk.substack.com

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Simona Bisiani @simonabisiani.bsky.social · Jun 27

So fulfilling to see the database I have built at the @publicinterestnews.org.uk being leveraged by @mediareformuk.bsky.social and the fantastic Tom Chivers for the 2025 edition of "Who Owns the UK Media?"

To know more: www.publicinterestnews.org.uk/local-news-m...

Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 5

🏚️ Decades of cuts, closures & corporate consolidation have left the UK's local media in ruins

3 publishers, Newsquest, National World & Reach, control 51% of local newspapers. These corporate giants also hold 8/10 of the publicly funded Local Democracy Reporter contracts

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News Club @newsclubuk.bsky.social · Jun 20

Facts & figures won't end Israel's genocide in Gaza. But the new cfmmuk.org.uk report on BBC anti-Palestine bias is a vital tool for exposing media & political complicity

On this week's News Club we explore media failures on Gaza, Welsh independence & rot in arts industry

newsclubuk.substack.com

Media turns a blind eye on Gaza

BBC's catastrophic failures on Gaza exposed; Welsh independence gaining popularity; Celebrity AI conspiracies adding to the rot in arts industry

newsclubuk.substack.com

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Byline Festival @bylinefestival.bsky.social · Jun 15

If you want to find out how Citizens Assemblies can help deal with the multiple challenges & emergencies…

Come to Byline Festival on Saturday 12 July 10.45am to a panel with @jamiefry.bsky.social
@joemulhall.bsky.social
@petergwoghegan.bsky.social
@janesuiter.bsky.social

bylinefestival.com

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Politics Theory Other @poltheoryother.bsky.social · Nov 18

PTO guest starter pack!

go.bsky.app/TFxd9Yh

A Politics Theory Other guest starter pack

Join the conversation

go.bsky.app

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 15

If we want to build a better democracy, we have to start by building a different media.

Huge thanks to @turnleftmedia.co.uk for covering the Media Democracy Festival in May - check out their highlights & interviews with speakers on their YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@TurnLeft

We NEED To Change Our Media | Media Democracy Festival

YouTube video by Turn Left

youtu.be

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 5

We urgently need radical, progressive reforms that

🛡️ protect media plurality & diversity
🔨break up the dominant corporate media & tech platforms
🎯 build a more independent, accountable and democratic media system

📣 SHARE Who Owns The UK Media 2025: www.mediareform.org.uk/media-owners...

Media Reform Coalition

Media Reform coordinates the work of advocacy groups campaigning to protect the public interest in light of the Leveson Inquiry and Communications Review.

www.mediareform.org.uk

Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 5

The government's plans to relax media ownership laws expose politicians' total misunderstanding of how powerful interests can distort democracy through media ownership.

Whether authoritarian states or media moguls, a free & independent media is too important to be controlled by a few giant groups

Decision on foreign state stakes in UK press could end Telegraph limbo

Cap of 15% could allow US firm RedBird Capital to finalise deal to buy titles after two years of uncertainty

www.theguardian.com

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 5

📻 In local radio, Bauer and Global own 2/3s of the UK's commercial DAB stations & more than 60% of local analogue licences

📺 In TV, half of major UK broadcasters' spend on indie productions went to just 12 companies, who make up less than 4% of the UK indie sector

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 5

🏚️ Decades of cuts, closures & corporate consolidation have left the UK's local media in ruins

3 publishers, Newsquest, National World & Reach, control 51% of local newspapers. These corporate giants also hold 8/10 of the publicly funded Local Democracy Reporter contracts

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 5

📰 Just 3 companies - Lord Rothermere's DMG Media, Murdoch's News UK & Reach - control 90% of national newspaper circulation

These same publishers account for 40% of the total online reach of the UK's top 50 news websites, giving them a dangerous power to shape the news agenda

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 5

🌐 Our shared online spaces are controlled by a tiny handful of unregulated Big Tech companies.

💻 Meta, Alphabet and X Corp owned 7 of the 15 most used online sources for news, while Meta and Google alone account for 3/5ths of ALL UK advertising revenue

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · Jun 5

❗️ The UK's crisis in media ownership is worse than ever before

📊 Our new 2025 'Who Owns The UK Media?' report details statistics & analysis exposing the media moguls, Big Tech billionaires & unaccountable corporations that dominate the UK media

READ: mediareform.org.uk/media-owners...

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Turn Left Media @turnleftmedia.co.uk · Jun 3

Thank you to @zackpolanski.bsky.social and Aaron Bastani from @novaramedia.com for speaking to us at Media Democracy Festival 2025

@mediareformuk.bsky.social

youtu.be/GgdaR9TMn4I?...

Zack Polanski & Novara's Aaron Bastani | Double Interview

YouTube video by Turn Left

youtu.be

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Sohan Dsouza @sohandsouza.info · Jun 1

Platform enshittification, brazen media institution capture, and local media flattening, at @mediareformuk.bsky.social's Media Democracy Festival 2025 in London.

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Turn Left Media @turnleftmedia.co.uk · May 29

Turn Left is going to the Media Democracy Festival this Saturday! We'll be live streaming twice throughout the day, featuring speakers from the festival.

@mediareformuk.bsky.social

Join us this Saturday at the University of Westminster!

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Asa Winstanley @asawinstanley.com · May 27

I won! “A resounding victory for press freedom.”

Police were denied access to my devices by a court. The raid and the warrants used for it were unlawful.

My full statement:

asawinstanley.substack.com/p/judge-rule...

Judge rules October raid on my home was unlawful

I have won back my computers and phones.

asawinstanley.substack.com

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Media Reform Coalition @mediareformuk.bsky.social · May 29

Everybody likes to talk about the news, but how can we change it?

Join us & @newsclubuk.bsky.social at the Media Democracy Festival in London this Saturday for their Unfucking The Media workshop, building a toolkit for activists to challenge our broken media

www.eventbrite.com/e/media-demo...

News Club @newsclubuk.bsky.social · May 29

Nick "I'm sorry" Clegg wants AI agents stealing your work and your voice to fuel the global slopmachine.

On this week’s News Club, we discuss how the weed-like growth of harmful AI applications could tear apart the basic fabric of our social relationships.

newsclubuk.substack.com

Blind fAIth

AI might destroy all our notions of trust, so why do politicians keep worshiping at the AI altar? And just how bad is the UK's media ownership crisis?

newsclubuk.substack.com

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News Club @newsclubuk.bsky.social · May 29

Nick "I'm sorry" Clegg wants AI agents stealing your work and your voice to fuel the global slopmachine.

On this week’s News Club, we discuss how the weed-like growth of harmful AI applications could tear apart the basic fabric of our social relationships.

newsclubuk.substack.com

Blind fAIth

AI might destroy all our notions of trust, so why do politicians keep worshiping at the AI altar? And just how bad is the UK's media ownership crisis?

newsclubuk.substack.com

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