“Newsroom morale soared” ftw

Hard no to this: French publisher Harlequin has told translators that their work will now be done by AI. They can ‘revise’ AI translations at much lower rate. It’s a subsidiary of Harper Collins so treat this as a test for rollout elsewhere

The standard of political reporting in this country is *appalling* because of this. Actual politics- the relationships between state, labour, capital etc - are entirely invisible to these people. They can only see it in terms of "my team good".

Another way to restart the world’s idea machine is to restore funding and grants to universities, researchers, and artists.

I guess it's fitting that it's a reimagined, worse version of someone else's artwork

In the least surprising news ever, Rupert Murdoch, a man whose moral probity is so great that Dennis Potter named his terminal tumour after him, has been feeding cash to the IEA. A guest post by Sam Bright on @brokenbottleboy.bsky.social's substack: open.substack.com/pub/brokenbo...

Think this is exactly right - political journalism that is completely abstracted from policy, which was not the norm before 2017, has become the default. Impossible to have a serious attempt to either shrink what the state does or widen the tax base (have to do at least one) on that basis.

Andreas Whittam Smith, co-founder of the Independent, dies aged 88

Excited to launch, with @callingdrjones.bsky.social, 'History in Practice' - an informal space to collectively share, reflect, and collaborate on all things related to history teaching in universities Some excellent pieces to begin with, please do get involved! www.history-uk.ac.uk/history-in-p...

“Also for legal reasons, we’re not able to tell you what that line is.” From a media law perspective: BS. There is no "legal" reason for not publishing that line. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...

An X user asks Elon Musk why they’re seeing tweets from left-wing lawmakers. Musk: “Because we are failing very badly with the recommendations algorithm. Doing my best to address this.”

Trying to win an award from the Hollywood Foreign Press, which is simultaneously three separate things he has built his career on hating.

I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight www.cityam.com/the-british-...

According to the car wash owner, agents arrested employees before they could obtain their documentation from their work lockers. So many were likely here legally. Here's hoping this article on Zac boasting about how he ruined some immigrants' lives follows him around for a very long time.

"The BBC’s most vehement right-wing critics are like arsonists pretending they’re writing fire safety pamphlets." brokenbottleboy.substack.com/p/arsonists-...

This is ever more the case now the BBC’s current affairs output has increasingly become, simultaneously, trivialised and dominated by right-wing talking points. To do one of those two things might be an accident. To do both is unforgivable.

Michael Prescott's report makes vital points about the importance of being accurate, and also how difficult that is. For instance, he describes himself as having been Political Editor of the Sunday Times for 10 years, which is not what the Guardian reported when he left the job.

This is really scary: even former Tory Davie, the disproportionate coverage of Reform and relentless attention to right wing anti-immigrant talking points have not been enough. Right wing networks want complete capture. Davie and Turness resignation statements in full www.bbc.com/news/article...

There’s a headline. @reuters.com #Gaza www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Elon Musk is once again inciting violence on British streets because the government has taught him there are literally no consequences for doing so. They even carry on using his far-right social network to promote government policy as he does it. The absence of backbone is *astounding*.

Happy to see my article 'Editorial control, the division of responsibilities, and journalistic autonomy' in Journalistica is now live. Available open access here: tidsskrift.dk/journalistic... #mediahistory #journalismhistory

I wrote a piece last week about how the Far Right since Trump/Brexit have normalised discussing in public previously unacceptable things. Tonight’s Peston show: “Is the Reform MP who says she’s driven mad by TV adverts full of Black and Asian people a racist or realist?”

That scene of the Welsh BBC correspondent being the only person interviewing Caerphilly's new Plaid AM while the rest of the media interviewed Reform's loser in the background was far too on the nose.

Founded as the British Broadcasting Company in October 1922, the #BBC has sought to ‘inform, educate and entertain’ for a century. Facing an uncertain future, what impact has it had on the past? ⌛️ Last chance to read this archive article for free www.historytoday.com/archive/head...

While you were momentarily distracted, Israel has full-on trashed last week’s “ceasefire”, because it can.

In his latest book, historian @tricksterprince.bsky.social reveals the surprising history of the remarkable neighbourhood of Seven Dials in #London in the 1920s and 30s. The story he reveals tackles issues - race, class and gentrification - that would define the kind of city London would become.

In the interwar period, a British media magnate set out to convince voters to stop worrying and love protectionism. www.hnn.us/article/the-...

How a press baron tried to convince voters to say “yes” to tariffs. www.hnn.us/article/the-...

Read @aaronackerley.bsky.social on the Empire Crusade. www.hnn.us/article/the-...

I have a piece out in the wonderful @myhnn.bsky.social Newsletter about the propaganda strategy of the Empire Crusade, and Lord Beaverbrook's efforts to implement tariffs via a nationalistic campaign If it sounds of interest, please do check it out: www.hnn.us/article/the-...

The entire UK political/media narrative on welfare is that it is "burgeoning", "a burden" & "unsustainable". But how high is it compared to others? UK welfare at 10.8% of GDP in 2023 (including pensions). Finland spends 25.7% of GDP; France 23.8%: both double the UK.

Very happy to see my latest article is now out. It offers a reappraisal of Lord Beaverbrook's Empire Crusade campaign. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory academic.oup.com/histres/adva...

Very happy to see my latest article is now out. It offers a reappraisal of Lord Beaverbrook's Empire Crusade campaign. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory academic.oup.com/histres/adva...

I had a lot of fun last week, discussing the private side of British politics @uio.no, at a brilliant symposium organised by the wonderful @aaronackerley.bsky.social!

Really enjoyed attending @aaronackerley.bsky.social's symposium entitled 'The Private Side of Politics in British History' at the University of Oslo this week. Such interesting papers!I gave one on Balfour's First Promise of a New Palestine in East Africa and the Coloniality of Early Zionism, 1902.

Final reminder! CFP: The Private Side of Politics in British History A one-day Symposium to be held at the University of Oslo, 5 June 2025. Deadline for abstracts is today, 30 April. Some funding available for postgraduate and early career researchers. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory

Reminder! CFP: The Private Side of Politics in British History A one-day Symposium to be held at the University of Oslo, 5 June 2025. Deadline for abstracts 30 April. Some funding available for postgraduate and early career researchers. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory

Reminder! CFP: The Private Side of Politics in British History A one-day Symposium to be held at the University of Oslo, 5 June 2025. Deadline for abstracts 30 April. Some funding available for postgraduate and early career researchers. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory

Reminder! CFP: The Private Side of Politics in British History A one-day Symposium to be held at the University of Oslo, 5 June 2025. Deadline for abstracts 30 April. Some funding available for postgraduate and early career researchers. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory

Reminder! CFP: The Private Side of Politics in British History A one-day Symposium to be held at the University of Oslo, 5 June 2025. Deadline for abstracts 30 April. Some funding available for postgraduate and early career researchers. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory

CFP: The Private Side of Politics in British History A one-day Symposium to be held at the University of Oslo, 5 June 2025. Deadline for abstracts 30 April. Some funding available for postgraduate and early career researchers. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory

CFP: The Private Side of Politics in British History A one-day Symposium to be held at the University of Oslo, 5 June 2025. Deadline for abstracts 30 April. Some funding available for postgraduate and early career researchers. #BSkyhistorians #BritishHistory

Word of the day is ‘arsle’ (19th century): to have a distinct sense of going backwards.

Growing Up and Going Out is released with @manchesterup.bsky.social TODAY! If you're interested in histories of youth, leisure, drinking, urban space, and oral history then please do consider ordering a copy for your libraries. manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526152640/

My book, Fiction on the Page in Nineteenth-Century Magazines, is out now with Oxford University Press! academic.oup.com/book/58989 It’s a book about page fillers, product placement, and strange hybrid fiction. It asks how the page of the magazine became a spur for new, odd genres.

Trickle update…

I agree that this is incredibly dangerous and, with the far right pull of the incoming US government, it’s getting worse. Britain is not immune to the reactionary mania that is taking over much of politics worldwide. Our media landscape is primed to amplify that, not challenge it.