Journalism
Tim Hetherington: Visionary
The Hetherington family and the Tim Hetherington Trust invite friends, colleagues and everyone interested in Tim’s extraordinary life to spend an evening at The Frontline Club exploring his dynamic legacy through the work of artists and journalists who continue to expand his innovative approach to visual media. The evening will introduce new work by some familiar friends, as well as some hitherto unknown voices who are bringing fresh energy to today’s media.
Insight with Molly Crabapple: Drawing Blood
Acclaimed journalist and artist Molly Crabapple has drawn and reported on stories from Guantanamo Bay, Syria, the West Bank, Iraqi Kurdistan and across the United States. With her powerful illustrations she has pushed the boundaries of visual reportage – and established an important place for art in hard news. On the release of her memoir Drawing Blood, she will be joining us to reflect on recent work and to share her personal insight into the use of art as a tool for better understanding and documenting current events.
The Anatomy of Video Installation
A presentation and panel discussion with film editors, producers and sound designers organised by Screen.
Multimedia producers, film editors and sound designers will show excerpts from their work and talk about collaborations and interactions with photographers, directors and artists. The projects presented explore political and personal storytelling in an installation format.
The panel will feature: Adrian Kelterborn, multimedia producer and film editor; Monica Alcazar-Duarte, visual artist and producer; Philippe Ciompi, sound designer, film editor, sound artist; and Tim Harrison, sound designer. Moderated by Ivan Sigal, co-founder of Screen and the executive director of Global Voices.
Eyewitness: Professionalising Citizen Journalism
Everyday there are even more places and stories that foreign correspondents cannot access. While the outside perspective they bring is critical, local insights are equally valuable. This discussion will bring together a few key players working on new models of foreign reporting to address the issues of verification and bias, and of which technology is working and which isn’t. They will discuss the challenges faced and delve into what the future of this new reporting holds.
Spotlight: Behind the Scenes at The Boston Globe
Spotlight tells the astonishing true story of The Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Spotlight” team of investigative journalists, who in 2002 shocked the city and the world by exposing the Catholic Church’s systematic cover-up of widespread paedophilia perpetrated by more than 70 local priests.
For this special event we are delighted to be joined by the film’s director and co-writer Tom McCarthy and co-writer Josh Singer, along with The Boston Globe journalists that the film is based on: Sacha Pfeiffer and Mike Rezendes.
Theo Padnos in Conversation with James Harkin: Kidnapping, Freelance Journalists and the Rise of Islamic State in Syria
James Harkin and Theo Padnos will be joining us to discuss the dangers to freelancers in Syria and how to avoid them, how to survive captivity and torture, the descent of Syria and the rise of the Islamic State.
This event is off the record, please refrain from filming and reporting the discussion.
#FREEDAJSTAFF – Mohamed Fahmy and his lawyer Amal Clooney talk to the Frontline Club
On his first trip to London since being released from prison in Egypt we are delighted to welcome former Al Jazeera bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy to the Frontline Club. He will be joining us in conversation with his lawyer Amal Clooney to reflect on his ordeal, their fight for press freedom in Egypt and his hopes for the future. Chaired by BBC presenter and chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet.
Theatre of War
Theatre of War is an innovative project that presents readings of ancient Greek plays to members of the armed services, veterans, and their families to help them initiate conversations about the visible and invisible wounds of war. We are delighted to welcome the project to the Frontline Club for a special performance for journalists who cover conflict.
With a dramatic reading of Sophocles’ Ajax by actors Jason Isaacs, Lesley Sharp and Aidan Kelly. Followed by a panel discussion with journalists Matthew Green, Emma Beals and Safa Al Ahmad. Chaired by writer, director, translator and Theatre of War founder, Bryan Doerries.
Foreign Reporting: Past, Present & Future
As part of marking 60 years this autumn of Radio 4’s From Our Own Correspondent, the Frontline Club will host an event on reporting foreign news. A panel, including Lyse Doucet, the BBC’s chief international correspondent, and Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4’s international editor, will discuss how reporting in Britain about international news and current affairs – particularly but not only by broadcast journalists – has developed over the last six decades and explore what the future holds in a world of social media and digital correspondents.
Protecting Your Sources: Is it Possible to Keep Sources Confidential in the Digital Age?
Acts of journalism should be shielded from targeted surveillance, data retention and handover of material connected to confidential sources. This is a key early finding from a recent study commissioned by UNESCO on the state of journalistic source protection in 121 countries. In an event in partnership with the Foreign Press Association, we will be joined by the author of the study, Australian journalist and journalism academic Julie Posetti, and other experts to discuss the implications of the findings and what needs to be done to ensure journalists can fully protect their sources.
Granta 131: The Map is Not the Territory – with Janine di Giovanni and Charles Glass
Granta 131 explores the gaps between representation and reality, and what happens when those distinctions blur. Looking at the human realities behind the topographies of war, Janine di Giovanni and Charles Glass will be in conversation with Granta magazine’s editor Sigrid Rausing about their contributions to the issue.
Tim Hetherington: Inspired & Inspiring
The Tim Hetherington Trust invites you to celebrate the lives of Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros with a review of new work by friends, colleagues and others who are continuing the mission to share important stories powerfully told.
Al Jazeera and Egypt: An Insider’s Perspective
In his first trip to London after 400 days in jail, Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste will discuss his relief at being released as well as calling for the unconditional dismissal of the case against colleagues Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy. Peter will also talk about how he managed to get through the ordeal and the wider press freedom campaign.
The New Censorship: Inside the Global Battle for Media Freedom
From Egypt to Mexico, Russia to Syria, journalists are increasingly coming under attack. They are murdered, imprisoned and intimidated for doing their job. As executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon is on the front line of the global battle for media freedom. He will be joining us to offer an insight into the problems we face and to examine what needs to be done to ensure future generations are not deprived of a free press.
Memory in Motion
Founded by a group of award-winning photographers committed to covering the stories affecting the world around them and in partnership with Libre, a group of web-passionate developers, Me-Mo is a documentary photography magazine that strives to push the limits of visual storytelling. Following the release of issue #1, out on digital newsstands from 19 January, Me-Mo co-founders Manu Brabo and Fabio Bucciarelli and Libre president Matteo Dispenza, will be joining us at the Frontline Club to present the project and the inspiration behind it, and to talk about how technology is influencing new medias. Brabo and Bucciarelli will also present their work, featured in issue #1, from the Libyan revolution.
How to Freelance Safely – Part Two
Following our event in New York with the Overseas Press Club of America (OPC), they will be coming to London to continue the discussion.
We will be bringing together a panel of freelance journalists and editors to examine what more needs to be done to make sure freelancers are supported by the news industry and have the resources available to prepare themselves for the risks of front-line reporting.
Insight with Nick Davies: Hack Attack
In July 2011, revelations that journalists from The News of the World hacked the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler created public outrage. The man behind that story, and the years of investigative work that came before it, was Nick Davies. He will be joining us in conversation with Stewart Purvis, to talk about the investigation, the revelations and the future of press regulation. We will be asking how the press have changed in a post-Leveson world and whether they have really reformed.
Forget the Future: What’s Happening in Journalism Now?
With everyone talking about the future of journalism, it’s easy to forget what’s happening now. Do paywalls work? Is the industry still in crisis? Is it still too white and middle class? And where are the jobs?
Grapevine events will be inviting some of the country’s top editors for a night of questions – and answers.
Insight with Rafal Rohozinski: Redefining News
This event is in partnership with BBC World Service.
Cyber pioneer Rafal Rohozinski will be joining us in conversation with Robin Pembrooke, head of product at BBC News Online, to explore what the next generation news organisation will look like and the techniques and technology that they will be using. We will be discussing the possibilities they present as well as the challenges in ensuring the validity and accuracy of content.
The event will follow a day long workshop on Monday 19 May, for details see here.
Frontline Showcase: The Changing News Landscape – VICE News
Showcase is a new event that incorporates the best of Frontline: compelling debate, inquisitive film, insightful discussion, thought-provoking surroundings, stimulating company and refreshing beverages. The evenings will feature two sessions of film or discussion with a break between when you will be welcomed into the members’ clubroom. Here you can meet your fellow audience members and enjoy a drink courtesy of Chivas Regal. For the first in the series we will be exploring the newly launched VICE News.
Missing: The Foreign Correspondents Abducted in Syria
Foreign reporters began to go missing in Syria in the autumn of 2012. The first disappeared just as the conflict slid from violent unrest into the abyss of outright civil war. What happened to our missing reporters? Who holds them and what can we do to help secure their release?
Roving foreign correspondent for The Times Anthony Loyd will be chairing a panel of specialists with first hand knowledge of the hostage crisis in Syria to examine how best we can aid the vanished.
The First Female War Correspondents
Clare Hollingworth and Gerda Taro were two of the first female war correspondents, and their pioneering courage and conviction paved the way for many who have followed. We will be joined by Patrick Garrett, Hollingworth’s great nephew who is writing a book about her life, and Jane Rogoyska, author of Gerda Taro: Inventing Robert Capa. They will be exploring the lives and work of these two extraordinary women, united by a passion for journalism.
The Changing Face of News Gathering
We will be joined by a panel working on the edges of the news to get the stories where conventional means have failed. They will be talking about the technology and the techniques that they use, looking at how content is verified, and how you can empower people to tell their own stories and distribute it to local and international communities.
The Death of Traditional Media?
Following on from April’s meeting of the country’s top student papers, Grapevine is bringing together aspiring journalists for another night of inspiration. Once again there will be two panels, this time looking at the future of traditional media in the age of mass data, multimedia and the Internet.
Syria: Changing Media Coverage?
The conflict in Syria has taken the lives of many journalists and many more have been kidnapped and remain missing. The level of risk for journalists in the country is extremely high and yet the imperative to cover what is happening there is equally so.
In partnership with the Overseas Press Club we will be bringing together a panel of journalists and editors to talk about the challenges to journalism that have arisen from the high risk of covering the conflict in Syria and the work that needs to be done to better ensure the safety of journalists working there.
Drone Journalism: The Future of News Gathering?
Interest in the potential for using drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), for journalism is growing. As the technology becomes cheaper and easier to use, journalist are experimenting with using drones for news gathering. We will be bringing together a panel of experts to explore the potential for the use of drones in journalism and to discuss the challenges this new technology presents.
Remembering Alexander Cockburn
A talented and courageous writer, and one of the most influential radical journalists of his generation, Alexander Cockburn was most at home in the political and cultural battlegrounds of the US. Join us to look back on Alexander Cockburn’s extraordinary career, exploring his view of America and his style of radical journalism. We will also hear readings from his final work, A Colossal Wreck: A Road Trip Through Political Scandal, Corruption, and American Culture, finished shortly before his death in July 2012.
Granta 125: After the War – with Lindsey Hilsum and Frances Harrison
How long is the shadow of a battle, an explosion, a revolution? What stories arise in the wake of devastation? To mark the publication of Granta 125: After the War, two of Britain’s foremost journalists and foreign correspondents discuss the craft, conditions and issues surrounding writing about post-conflict situations.
When Reporters Cross the Line
If the role of journalists is to bear witness to history, can they ever justify participating in the events they are reporting? A new publication by Stewart Purvis and Jeff Hulbert brings together the stories of 15 journalists caught between covering the story and stepping beyond journalistic conventions. We will be joined by the authors and some of the journalists featured to debate the boundaries and parameters of journalistic coverage, and when the rules of reporting can be bent and broken.
On the media: Unprepared, inexperienced and in a war zone
As more and more freelance journalists choose to cut their teeth in the field rather than in local newsrooms, we will be joined by a panel of journalists and editors to discuss what precautions need to be taken to keep them safe. Should they be deterred from heading straight to conflict zones, or should the training, insurance and guidance be more freely available?