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Captured Democracy: Media, Politics and Power

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Venue: Birkbeck Central

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Birkbeck Centre for Media and Democracy

15 May 2023, 16:00 — 18:00

Online and in person, Room 311, Birkbeck Central, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet St, London WC1E 7HY

Our democracy is in trouble, as is our media. From the corporate grip on media institutions to the destabilising effects of social media, democratic accountability has increasingly been in question in recent years, and so has the ability of our media to hold those in power to account. Hosted by the Birkbeck Centre for Media and Democracy, this panel discussion will feature leading journalists, campaigners, and academics, who will explore the problems and possibilities for media and democratic politics. 

Panellists:
Natalie Fenton, Professor of Media and Communications 


Frances Foley, Deputy Director of Compass 


Matt Kennard, Investigative journalist, co-author of Silent Coup

 
Claire Provost, Investigative journalist, co-author of Silent Coup

 

 
Natalie Fenton is a Professor of Media and Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London. Her research focuses on the role media play in the formation of identity and democracies and how people seek to change the world for socially progressive ends. She is author of Digital, Political, Radical and co-author of Media, Democracy and Social Change and The Media Manifesto. She is also a co-founder of the Media Reform Coalition. 


Frances Foley is Deputy Director at Compass where she works on alliance-building, local organising and strategy. She has a background in democratic campaigns, citizens' assemblies and political participation.


Matt Kennard is the co-founder and Chief Investigator of the investigative journalism website DeclassifiedUK. He has co-authored (with Claire Provost) the recently published book Silent Coup: How Corporations Overthrew Democracy. Previously, he has been a fellow and then the director at the Centre for Investigative Journalism, based at Goldsmiths, University of London. Matt has worked as a staff writer for the Financial Times in London, New York and Washington DC. He has written extensively on the US military and published two books, Irregular Army and The Racket, on the topic.  

 

Claire Provost is an investigative journalist and co-author (with Matt Kennard) of the recently published book Silent Coup: How Corporations Overthrew Democracy. She has been the head of global investigations at openDemocracy and founded the “Tracking the Backlash” project which investigates anti-democratic movements and tactics threatening women’s and LGBTIQ rights around the world. She has also worked at The Guardian as a data journalist and was a fellow at the Centre for Investigative Journalism at Goldsmiths, University of London. She currently teaches Investigative Reporting at Birkbeck. 

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