The Forum Blog
Wikileaks video portrays the dangers of reporting the war on terror
By Ewan Palmer Last night Wikileaks revealed a shocking video of two US military helicopters killing a dozen people in the Iraqi suburb of New Baghdad, including two staff members of Reuters. The footage was shot in 2007 and shows an unprovoked attack filmed from one of two Apache military helicopters. Two children were also […]
Russian suicide attacks: Where does this leave the War on Terror?
By Ewan Palmer How serious is the threat from terrorism to the modern world? The suicide bombings in Moscow and Dagestan this week altogether killed 51 and, despite the likely localised inspiration for the attacks, fears of more violence elsewhere in Europe have been raised once again. But is there any justification for the current […]
Going solo: Is this the time for freelancers and hyperlocal?
By Ewan Palmer By now it’s unlikely that journalists want to hear any more about how their industry is in turmoil. So how about suggesting ideas to sustain the craft: is the future in freelancing? Does it lie in entrepreneurialism? From employment to self-employed Working for yourself is an obvious solution for the […]
MPs as ‘cabs for hire’: sleaze, lies and lobbying
With trust in politicians already at an all time low after the MP expenses scandal and the election due to be announced any day now, could the row over cash-for-influence be the final act for George Brown and the Labour Government? Here’s ITN’s report of the scandal… Tomorrow night at the Frontline we host a […]
John Simpson: BBC under threat from politicians and Rupert Murdoch
By Gouri Sharma John Simpson is in no doubt over the very real political and regulatory threats the BBC is facing and doesn’t trust either of the main UK political parties to protect the organisation. The BBC world affairs editor, who was at the Frontline Club on Wednesday night to talk about his latest book, […]
Timothy Garton Ash on Europe, Obama and the ignorance of George W Bush
Download this episode View in iTunes By Rebecca Omonira-Oyekanmi The rise of China, not Islamist terrorism, is the story of our time, declared Timothy Garton Ash at the Frontline Club last night. If you missed the event, you can watch the whole thing here… “The story of the next 20 years is about China, […]
First Wednesday: The challenges of telling the full story of war in Afghanistan
Download this episode View in iTunes Watch the full event here. By Heather Christie Media coverage of the conflict in Afghanistan is misinforming the public because it’s too heavily influenced by military strategy, practical challenges, and cultural preconceptions. That was the clear message at March’s first Wednesday event at the Frontline Club on Afghanistan and […]
Britain’s press ‘duped’ in run-up to Iraq war
Much of Britain’s press was taken in by cynical manipulation when they accepted the case for invasion of Iraq, journalists at the Frontline Club involved in reporting the war and its lead up claimed on Wednesday. Speaking during a discussion on the role of the media in the Iraq war, journalists who were involved in […]
Richard Sambrook on the future of journalism and leaving the BBC
View in iTunes By Michael Haddon With a career spanning 30 years at the BBC, Richard Sambrook, director of the organisation’s global news division, has revealed how he once carried a resignation letter with him every day, in the expectation it would eventually have to be offered. That was in the torrid time after the Hutton Report into […]