Shows
Media StormWhat is a woman? Common sense vs culture wars'What is a woman?'
The question that has plagued British media and politicians over the past decade culminated in a Supreme Court ruling that declared ‘womanhood’ was based on biological sex. Now, finally, WE KNOW WHAT A WOMAN IS.
Headlines told us this was a historical moment for women and feminism, but with misogyny becoming more and more mainstream and male violence on the rise, what has the ruling actually achieved? Three months on, Media Storm compares the real-life impact of the Supreme Court ruling and the impact promised by the British press - and...2025-07-0352 min
Media StormIs the media responsible for the rise of Reform?Let’s talk about how the media is fuelling the rise of Reform.
This is not a new topic. The News Agents called it a "lefty cop-out" to blame the media for the rise of Reform. But what about the media cop-outs? What about the media's refusal to change, even as the Far-Right returns to the mainstream?
The truth, Media Storm argues, is this: our media did not just fuel the rise of Reform, they cashed in on it.
So on this week's episode, while Mathilda struggles with corrupted live show audio (sorry), we...2025-05-2911 min
Media StormFree Speech: Is it all talk?Join us for the Media Storm LIVE SHOW! Tuesday 20th May 7pm @ the Business Design Centre in Islington. Tickets are available at 10am today via AEG Presents HERE! Paid Patreon subscribers get access to tickets ONE HOUR EARLIER at 9am What’s the bigger threat to free speech: the ‘woke mob’, or the MAGA word police? Where’s the line between free speech and hate speech? How can you have free market of ideas - when most of the media is owned by political suck-ups? Is free speech actually free if some people h...2025-04-1149 min
Media StormAbuse in academia: Are universities protecting predatory professors?This week, Media Storm investigates how universities handle sexual misconduct cases - when their prestigious professors are at the centre of the scandal.It all started when our intern, a student at LSE, told us about student activism stirring at her university, after a dozen sexual misconduct allegations against one male professor resulted in no disciplinary action for him - and several female staff resigning in protest.It’s not a secret that women drop out of academia at disproportionate rates to men. The female-male ratio slips from over 50/50 at...2025-03-1342 min
Media StormNews Watch: Trump v Zelensky, Gaza ceasefire sabotage, and the law putting Black boys in prisonTime for another weekly news debrief: we pick apart the most unhinged headlines and try to make sense of the mainstream media, helping you consume the news critically. In this episode, we take you through the Media Storm mission: we’re not about conspiracy, we’re about media literacy.THAT Zelensky-Trump press conference set the tone for world news this week, as Western leaders rolled out red carpets and tried to decipher diplomatic rationale from clickbait MAGA politics. So who was the rude reporter that set the wheels in motion? And what should we make...2025-03-0638 min
Media StormHow to fight polarisation: With Jess & Nathan from Channel 4's Go Back To Where You Came FromWarning: strong languageFor the first time since they wrapped filming, Mathilda, Jess, & Nathan from Channel 4's four-part documentary Go Back To Where You Came From are reunited! In the documentary, Mathilda traced a common refugee route from Somalia to the UK - alongside Jess, from a small town in Wales, and Nathan, a trucker from Barnsley. At the start of their journey, Nathan & Jess had very strong anti-immigration views. But by the final episode of the show, after talking to migrants and seeing firsthand the situations that refugees...2025-02-2839 min
Media StormNews Watch: Palestinian child murder trial, BBC Gaza doc, and is history repeating in Germany?Vote for Samfire to perform at Tramlines festival!Time for another weekly news debrief: we pick apart the most unhinged headlines and try to make sense of the mainstream media, helping you consume the news critically.One murder trial unfolding in the US has all the ingredients for a media storm: a child’s 'grandfather-like' figure becoming his fanaticised murderer. But the killer was motivated by anti-Palestinian radicalisation, and for that the mainstream media itself should be on trial. Perhaps that’s why there’s not a whisper about the ca...2025-02-2743 min
Media StormNews Watch: Trump’s bid for Gaza, Congo’s conflict, Axel Rudakubana's missed misogynyWelcome to the first episode of Media Storm series 5! Helena questions Mathilda about her motivations in taking part in a Channel 4 documentary about polarised immigration opinions, called Go Back To Where You Came From. Then it's onto our weekly news debrief: we pick apart the most unhinged headlines and try to make sense of the mainstream media, helping you consume the news critically.This week's news - like last week's and probably next week - is the Trump show. But how much are the media playing into his hands...2025-02-0641 min
Media StormARCHIVE What is the refugee 'crisis'? Plus: Media Storm Series 5 announcementMedia Storm is returning next week! Series 5 will begin on Thursday 6th February - and there are now TWO episodes of Media Storm every week.Every Thursday, we'll be dropping Media Storm's News Watch - where Mathilda & Helena will run through the main stories of the week, picking apart the most unhinged headlines to help you make sense of the mainstream media. Every Friday, we'll release our regular episodes - our deep-dives into a topic that we think has been misrepresented in the mainstream media. And we'll do that...2025-01-3048 min
Media StormNews Watch: Luigi Mangione mania, Dunkirk shooting, Trump and trans healthcareJoin Mathilda and Helena on their weekly news debriefs! We pick apart the most unhinged headlines and try to make sense of the mainstream media - helping you consume the news critically.In our final News Watch before Christmas, we pick apart an outrageous claim in The Telegraph that the NHS 'catering to' transgender people is making more pregnant women die - a claim that is an opinion, but presented as fact. Plus, Trump is Time's Person of the Year - and he takes the time to speak about transgender 'bathroom issues' - though...2024-12-1937 min
Media StormNews Watch: PinkNews allegations, Syrian asylum claims, and don't forget about GeorgiaContent warning: descriptions of violence, mentions of rape, descriptions of transphobia Join Mathilda and Helena on their weekly news debriefs! We pick apart the most unhinged headlines and try to make sense of the mainstream media - helping you consume the news critically.This week, we point out a gaping blind spot in the international press: Georgia, a country at the intersection of Europe and Asia and on the southern border of Russia, is on fire politically. And its people need the world to care. We hear from journalists...2024-12-1236 min
Media StormNews Watch: Syria, Sex Workers, 'Sickfluencers', and Gregg Wallace is sorry-not-sorryJoin Mathilda and Helena on their weekly news debriefs! We pick apart the most unhinged headlines and try to make sense of the mainstream media - helping you consume the news critically.This week, Gregg Wallace turned his back on his target audience ("middle-class women of a certain age") while issuing a statement that will surely go down in history as a top PR nightmare. It's all off the back of multiple serious allegations against him - both uncovered AND undermined by The Telegraph. Next, we step outside of the Western worldview to look...2024-12-0536 min
Media StormNews Watch: Another general election, ICC arrests, GRT discrimination, and... WickedJoin Mathilda and Helena on their weekly news debriefs! We'll pick apart the most unhinged headlines and try to make sense of the mainstream media - helping you consume the news critically.This week, it’s hypocritical calls for another general election (while legitimate calls for another Brexit referendum were ignored), Musk interfering in UK politics (we've moved from X to Bluesky, follow us!), a BBC headline about the ICC arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu that failed to dig deeper, accusations of discrimination against Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities from Greater Manchester Police, and He...2024-11-2828 min
Media StormNews Watch: Farmers' 'tractor tax', Trans awareness, Amsterdam attacksIntroducing: Media Storm's News Watch! Join Mathilda and Helena on their weekly news debriefs! We'll pick apart the most unhinged headlines and try to make sense of the mainstream media - helping you consume the news critically. This week, it’s farmers (protesting the UK’s new inheritance tax), football fans (bringing the Israel-Palestine conflict to the streets of Amsterdam), and food (sandwich fillings just too woke for the Daily Mail to handle). It’s also Trans Awareness Week - so we’ll highlight some vital stories about transgender rights t...2024-11-2128 min
Media StormWhat the media won't say about the monarchyPrince Harry’s 40th birthday, Kate Middleton back at work, and ANOTHER dramatisation of that Prince Andrew interview. Headlines about the Royals are frequent front pages - but is this actually news?The monarchy is given a fairly easy ride in the media - rarely questioned, often praised, history erased. But why don’t editorial guidelines about ‘due impartiality’ apply to the royal family, when 40% of Brits disagree with its existence? This week, storyteller Kelechi Okafor and author Dr Laura Clancy (who wrote Running the Family Firm: how the monarchy...2024-09-1956 min
Media StormViolence against women is a man's problem: Gisèle Pelicot, Rebecca Cheptegei, and millions moreContent warning: rape, sexual assault, and gender-based violenceHeadlines about gender-based violence are sadly not rare. But over the last week, two harrowing stories have sent shockwaves around the world.In France, pensioner Dominique Pelicot stands trial for recruiting 72 men to join him in drugging and raping his now ex-wife, Gisèle, over the course of a decade. And in Kenya, Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei burned alive after being set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema. There has bee...2024-09-121h 03
Media StormWhy is no one talking about Sudan? Plus Jess Phillips NHS claim and pub garden smoking banHeadlines about wars in Ukraine and Gaza have flooded front pages - yet, the "world's biggest humanitarian crisis" is battling for media attention. Why? In Sudan, a terrible war is raging. What started as a conflict between the Sudan Armed forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has exploded into chaos and bloodshed, with countless militias, ethnic massacres, and foreign proxy self-interest.Over 25 million people face acute hunger. Nearly 11 million have been displaced. And the death count is suspected to be as high as five times as high a...2024-09-0559 min
Media StormParalympics: An afterthought? Plus ‘two-tiered’ policing and Labour’s migrant ‘amnesty’The Paralympic Games are underway - and there's plenty to celebrate! More coverage than ever before, a public-participating opening ceremony, and over 160 nations televising the event. But is it enough? There were 10 million tickets available for the Olympics - and only 3 million for the Paralympics. What does it mean that the Paralympics will be broadcast on Channel 4, rather than our state broadcaster BBC (where extensive Olympics coverage takes place). Is this a question of reduced public interest and 'relatability'? Or an underlying bias against disability?Joining us to discuss p...2024-08-2953 min
Media StormPrisons: Overcrowding, Operation Early Dawn, and child strip-searches‘UK PRISONS OVERCROWDED AFTER RACIST RIOTS!’‘A CHILD IS STRIP-SEARCHED EVERY 14 HOURS’‘SCORES OF CRIMINALS COULD BE FREED IN DAYS’Headlines this week spotlight the UK’s criminal justice system, as prison overcrowding triggers emergency measures. Amazingly, serious talks about prison reform have entered the mainstream media - but a key voice is missing from the coverage: prisoners themselves. This week, people with inside knowledge of the system join Helena and Mathilda for the week’s top stories. Lady Unchained and David Navarro talk prison overcrowding, ch...2024-08-2259 min
Media StormJust Stop Oil: Why do people hate them so much?Cult members. Fanatics. Selfish. Evil. All words that have been used to describe climate activists in the mainstream media.Just Stop Oil have made many headlines since 2022, be it by stopping traffic or throwing powder on Stonehenge in their token orange shade. Last month, five members were sent to prison with the longest sentences ever given for peaceful protest in the UK. But what does the group actually want? If it weren't for the name, Just Stop Oil's aims would be largely absent from press reports, which focus on the public nuisance caused by...2024-08-151h 00
Media StormBigotry & bad information: Islamophobia, far-right riots and Olympic boxing rowThis week has seen stories of bigotry, fuelled by bad information.Anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant riots sprung up across the UK, with no factual basis in the incident that triggered them - a stabbing attack that killed three young girls in Southport last Monday, founded on a widespread fake news story that the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker who arrived ‘illegally’ by boat. But some mainstream news outlets seemed to have trouble naming the problem. Riots were labelled ‘protests’. Attacking a mosque was called ‘disorder’. And the word Islamophobia? That was now...2024-08-0853 min
Media StormSouthport stabbings: Why do people join the far-right?On Monday, three young girls were killed in a knife attack in Southport at a Taylor Swift themed dance class. They were 6, 7, and 9 years old. Eight other children were stabbed. A community, and a country, are in shock. Even though male violence against women and girls is commonplace, it can be hard to understand in these particular set of circumstances. A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. That is all we know about the boy who carried out this a...2024-08-0130 min
Media StormMina Smallman: Misogynoir, survival, and A Better TomorrowWarning: Strong language “Race is always seen as Black men's issue, gender is always seen as white women's issue. So Black women always fall through the cracks.”Preferential acceptance rates for White women applying to UK police forces have given a false impression of gender equality, hiding acute discrimination against Black women, Media Storm data shows. This reveals the importance of understanding intersectional discrimination - and one version in particular. ‘Misogynoir’: the ingrained prejudice against Black women.This episode heroes Black women speaking about the particular prejudices they face. In a long-form interview, Mina Small...2024-07-1133 min
Media StormGeneral Election, Gen-Z, and propaganda in the papersIt's VOTING DAY! How did you pick who to vote for?Hopefully not by relying too heavily on our mainstream media. Listen to this episode to find out why!It’s a dose of media literacy that is so essential, especially in this year of elections. We speak to CEO of independent press regulator Impress, Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana, and TikTok journalist Sophia Smith Galer, about the party politics of our papers, the cringiest MPs rapping on TikTok to try and sway a Gen-Z vote, and how actually engage young people in politics.Plus, no-filter ho...2024-07-0456 min
Media StormPride Month under attack: rainbow-washing, queerbaiting, and fears of "gender ideology"Quite a lot to NOT be proud of this Pride Month, with corporations creeping away cowardly as ultra-Conservatives boycott their rainbow campaigns. Meanwhile, much of the mainstream media refuses to report on rising threats to LGBT+ equality.Luckily, there’s also lots to laugh about! From hilariously hopeless Pride ads to everything that comes out of Olga Koch’s mouth - and lots to gossip about too, with celebrity “queerbaiting” up on the agenda.We pick our way through Pride’s best and worst reporting, including vital LGBTQIA+ investigations that went under the radar - with Queer...2024-06-2754 min
Media StormWorld Refugee Day: Inclusion and solutionsToday is #WorldRefugeeDay - an international day designated by the UN to honour refugees around the globe. World Refugee Day feels especially relevant at Media Storm, because refugees make one of the strongest cases for this podcast’s existence. They are one of the groups characterised most frequently and most voicelessly in our mainstream media, and consequently, clouded by myth. Joining us to bust some of the biggest myths about refugees are two people with lived experience - Journalist, Editor-in-Chief at Egyptwatch, and host of the podcast Untold Stories, Osama Gaweesh - and Afghan journalist, ne...2024-06-2041 min
Media StormRape Off The Record: The price of open justiceThis investigation contains discusses of rape, sexual assault, and suicide which some listeners might find distressing. If you need someone to talk to, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222. Warning: strong language Media Storm’s first series featured an investigation into ‘Rape justice: ‘What happens to the 98%?', when we discovered the fates of the many reported rapes that never make it to trial.Today, we speak to “the lucky ones” - the 2% of victims who get the chance to go to court. Or do they? Many are p...2024-06-1337 min
Media StormMedia racism: Faiza Shaheen, Palestine coverage, and the limits of representationThis week, Faiza Shaheen announced she has resigned from the Labour Party, after a shock email revealed she had been deselected as a candidate in this year's General Election. The Labour Party candidate selection committee called into question tweets that Faiza had 'liked', some from 10 years ago. But behind the apparent distractions of old tweets is something far more sinister: what Faiza has described as “a systematic campaign of racism, Islamophobia, and bullying". Are people of colour held to a higher standard in public and in the media? We discuss this, how the routine dehumanisation of...2024-06-0656 min
Media StormSouth Africa elections: worldviews in 'the West' vs 'the rest'As South Africans head to the polls, Media Storm is seizing the opportunity to break out of the Western worldview. Last season, former UN Security Council President Kishore Mahbubani criticised the "arrogance" of the UK media and its failure to expose people in 'the West' to how 88% of the world's population see things differently to them.South Africa gives us some clues as to why. Their coverage of the raging conflict in Gaza paints a far more black-and-white narrative of events, condemning Israeli "apartheid" and "genocide" against Palestinians. Meanwhile, coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine...2024-05-3049 min
Media StormPolice: misogyny, mistrust, and The MetContent warning: mentions of violence against women, rape, and assault.This episode was recorded just before the general election was announced! Register to vote here.This week, it was reported the number of Met police officers being dismissed reached a new peak. A police officer has been handed a guilty sentence for assault, after arresting and handcuffing a Black woman over an apparent bus fare evasion. And last year the Casey Review found the Met Police was institutionally sexist, racist and homophobic.Have we made any progress? And is reform possible? If one...2024-05-2344 min
Media StormUlez: Pollution or politics? Plus Eurovision boycott and Voter IDThe climate crisis is wreaking havoc in headlines this week: heatwaves in southeast Asia, flooding in Kenya and Brazil, and exotic spiders smuggling their way into the UK - all this marks a record leap in atmospheric CO2.One climate-related story has haunted UK news cycles for almost five years: The London mayor’s controversial Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Yet it's not reported as a climate story at all - so much as a political one.This week, we're joined by Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, mother of the Ella, the only person in the world with po...2024-05-1647 min
Media StormThe death debate: Assisted dying and the legacy of CoppaFeel!There’s a morbid theme to Media Storm’s first new weekly format - but that’s ok because it’s Dying Matters Awareness Week so we all need to get talking about death!Our key voices today are people with terminal illnesses - as we discuss the late Kris Hallenga’s legacy beyond 'CoppaFeel!' and the debates on assisted dying laws unfolding across the British Isles. And - we reveal the inside scoop on a controversial BBC documentary dropping next week on ‘assisted suicide’.Plus, your round up of the headlines through a Media Storm le...2024-05-0946 min
Media StormHelena and Mathilda's Little RevolutionsThis week, the roles are reversed as your Media Storm hosts become the interviewees! Helena Wadia & Mathilda Mallinson sit down in conversation with journalist Masuma Ahuja on Little Revolutions, a podcast by Freeda.Little Revolutions is a series of conversations about the double standards, societal problems, and systemic injustices that feel bigger than any one of us. Every week, guests share relatable little revolutions they’re making in their own lives and the ways in which we can all be changemakers. Helena & Mathilda discuss setting up Media Storm, what they wo...2024-01-081h 06
Media StormAbortion on trial: Poland and the politicisation of human rightsAccess the episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4vphsypsWarning: This episode contains mentions of suicideJustyna Wydrzyñska is appealing a criminal conviction in Poland for sending abortion pills to a desperate woman in an abusive relationship. She joins us in an exclusive interview about feminist solidarity, hope in hard times, and the empty promises of political campaigns. As almost every country in the world moves to steadily liberalise abortion access and women’s reproductive rights, four male presidents have done the opposite, making radical antidemocratic maneuvers to clamp down on w...2023-11-2943 min
Media StormS3E12 ‘One man’s terrorist’: Resistance and radicalism in Gaza and Beyond - with Gulwali Passarlay and Zahera HarbSupport Media Storm’s work from as little as £3 a month on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MediaStormPodcast The war in Gaza involves everyone, as the global community is drawn onto a battlefield of competing sympathies - sympathies that should coexist.Propagandists, Islamophobes and antisemites alike are pushing black-and-white narratives that feed violence and hate. The independent press should be a bulwark against this.But we do not think the press are doing enough. Western news media is failing to educate the public about geopolitical biases, and to expose us to w...2023-10-2655 min
Media StormLive show! 2023's biggest media storms - Luis Rubiales and Spanish football's sexism problemHey listeners! We've launched a Patreon. If you want to support us for a small monthly fee, head to patreon.com/MediaStormPodcastThis is part three of Media Storm's LIVE SHOW at London Podcast Festival!Join us as we look back at the biggest media storm's from 2023 - this week, we talk about the ongoing sexism row in Spanish football, after Luis Rubiales 'kissed' football player Jenni Hermoso without her consent following Spain's World Cup win. With special guests Times journalist Manveen Rana and comedian Athena Kugblenu.F...2023-10-1927 min
Media StormLive show! 2023's biggest media storms - Titan submarine impolsionHey listeners! We've launched a Patreon. If you want to support us for a small monthly fee, head to patreon.com/MediaStormPodcastThis is part two of Media Storm's LIVE SHOW at London Podcast Festival! Join us as we look back at the biggest media storm's from 2023, including the Titan submersible implosion - and next week, the ongoing sexism row in Spanish football. With special guests Times journalist Manveen Rana and comedian Athena Kugblenu. Follow:•Manveen Rana @ManveenRana•Athena Kugblenu @athenakugblenu•Helena Wa...2023-10-1225 min
Media StormLive show! 2023's biggest media storms - The Huw Edwards ScandalHey listeners! We've launched a Patreon. If you want to support us for a small monthly fee, head to patreon.com/MediaStormPodcastThis is part one of Media Storm's LIVE SHOW at London Podcast Festival! Join us as we look back at the biggest media storm's from 2023, including the Huw Edwards scandal and - in the next two weeks - the Titan submersible implosion and the ongoing sexism row in Spanish football. With special guests Times journalist Manveen Rana and comedian Athena Kugblenu. Follow:
Manveen Rana @Manvee...2023-10-0523 min
Media StormAre refugees really 'stealing our homes'?Hey listeners! We've launched a Patreon. If you want to support us for a small monthly fee, head to patreon.com/MediaStormPodcastA few weeks ago we released an episode about temporary accommodation, social housing, and how the media reports on it - if you haven't heard it, scroll back and search for "Housing crisis: A lifetime in 'temporary' accommodation".In this bonus episode, you'll hear us discussing an article that we couldn't quite fit into the main episode - from the Daily Mail, the headline reads "Fury as migrants allowed out of RAF as...2023-09-2816 min
Media StormS3E11 The solutions: Undoing an institutionally racist police forceEpisode transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2023/09/14/3-11-the-solutions-undoing-an-institutionally-racist-police-force/Join Media Storm LIVE at Kings Place, London, Saturday 16th Sep, 7pm: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm-2/ This is the final instalment of Media Storm’s three-part investigation into racially discriminatory police recruitment: and it’s time to talk solutions. What needs to be done to ensure that Black applicants to UK police forces are no longer 60% more likely to be rejected than White ones? Is internal reform enough, or are more radical measures needed? This...2023-09-1420 min
Media StormS3E10 Why are so many Black people being rejected from the police force?Episode transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2023/09/14/3-10-why-are-so-many-black-people-being-rejected-from-the-police-force/ Join Media Storm LIVE at Kings Place, London, Saturday 16th Sep, 7pm: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm-2/ Last week, Media Storm made national headlines after uncovering proof that UK police recruiters were rejecting ethnic minorities at discriminatory rates. Today we ask: why? What stages of the recruitment process are causing this disparity? What social factors besides ethnicity are playing a role? We put these questions to seniors in the National Police Chiefs Council, Black Pol...2023-09-0729 min
Media StormS3E9 An institutionally racist police force: Process of eliminationEPISODE TRANSCRIPT: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2023/09/04/3-9-an-institutionally-racist-police-force-process-of-elimination-pt-1/Join Media Storm LIVE at Kings Place, London, Saturday 16th Sep, 7pm: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm-2/ This is the first in a three-part Media Storm investigation into institutional racism in UK police forces. In it, we provide statistical evidence of institutional racism at a recruitment level and, with the help of lived experience, identify where it is occurring and how to fix it. This investigation follows the conclusion of Police Uplift, a three-year initiative by the Conservative Go...2023-08-3126 min
Media StormWoman, Life, Freedom: Feminism across cultures and bordersMedia Storm will be LIVE at London Podcast Festival, Saturday 16th September at 7pm. BOOK your tickets now: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm-2/ If you're a Lord of the Rings fan, you may know Nazanin Boniadi from her portrayal of Bronwyn in the Rings of Power. If you follow her online, you may be aware of her determined activism. Since 2008, Nazanin has represented Amnesty International’s campaigns for the restoration of stolen human rights. In the aftermath of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Nazanin's parents fled Iran for safety in Londo...2023-08-1715 min
Media StormS3E7 Women in crisis: Is conflict and disaster sexist? - with Nazanin BoniadiBook Media Storm LIVE at the London Podcast Festival, Saturday 16th Sep at 7pm: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm-2/Aid budgets have been hit hard by Covid and economic upheaval. But the hardest hit of all are women and girls. Just last week, UK headlines revealed the government’s slashes to humanitarian aid mean hundreds of thousands more women will face unsafe abortions and deaths from pregnancy - by their own assessment.Why are women worse affected?Because crisis is sexist. When disaster strikes, women are 17 times more likely to...2023-08-1045 min
Media StormWorld on fire: El Niño and Labour’s ULEZ debateLIVE SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT: Media Storm will be live at the London Podcast Festival this September, on Saturday 16th at 7pm! Book tickets now to join us as we breakdown the craziest headlines of 2023: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm-2/Around the world, El Niño is causing extreme weather events and soaring global temperatures to alarming levels.Meanwhile in the UK, Labour is playing internal blame-games after a by-election defeat in Boris Johnson’s old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.What do these two stories have in com...2023-07-2736 min
Media StormUnpicking the media storm: Trans rights as a threat to womenWarning: strong language and mention of rapeLIVE SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT: Media Storm will be LIVE at the London Podcast Festival this September, on Saturday 16th at 7pm! Book tickets now to join us as we breakdown the craziest headlines of 2023: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm-2/Are trans rights a threat to women? Or is that narrative itself the real threat?Actor, author and activist Charlie Craggs joins Helena and Mathilda in the studio for this week's bonus episode, to pick apart mainstream media efforts to pitch cis...2023-07-2012 min
Media StormS3E5 Police: Behind the PR machine - with Leroy Logan and Chantelle LuntFor the full uncut discussion with Leroy Logan and Chantelle Lunt, subscribe to our Patreon: patreon.com/MediaStormPodcastThe Conservatives succeeded in their manifesto pledge to recruit 20,000 new police officers by 2023. But with growing awareness of sexism, racism and violent offending within the police, is this for better or worse? Media Storm has uncovered early evidence that racist recruitment practices were at play, with Black applicants more than 40% more likely to be rejected than White applicants.This finding is consistent with data from the College of Policing that spans forces across England and...2023-06-2952 min
Media StormWorld Refugee Week: New data, same old storySupport Media Storm’s ethical journalism on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/MediaStormPodcastIt’s World Refugee Week and the results are in: join us as we crunch the latest numbers on global displacement, to see how Europe and the UK are ranking on the hospitality charts.Spoiler: it’s not very well.This bonus episode combines new data with lived experience testimonies, as we revisit some of the stories from our first ever episode, ‘El Dorado: Why do refugees love the UK?’The episode is created by Mathilda...2023-06-2222 min
Media StormBehind the scenes of Media Storm!In this week’s bonus episode, Helena and Mathilda have an announcement to make… they have started a Patreon! You can access it at https://www.patreon.com/MediaStormPodcastThis is a chance for us to build a community space for our Media Storm listeners, where we can discuss ideas, share bonus material and get to know you all a little better! It’s also a chance for you to contribute to the work being done at Media Storm, if and how you can.In this bonus episode, we’re also trialling some new bonus...2023-06-0822 min
Media StormS3E3 Medical cannabis: The criminalisation of chronic pain - with StevoTheMadManChronic pain is a silent pandemic affecting somewhere between 8 and 28 million people in the UK alone. Recent headlines (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65596283) reveal it’s contributing to 2.5 million Brits leaving work. But more alarming still, is our response.The UK prescribes more opioid pain killers per capita than any other country in the world. This is in spite of NHS guidelines warning against its use for chronic pain. It is also in spite of a US opioid crisis that has plagued the nation with half a million fatal overdoses.But opioids are not t...2023-06-0147 min
Media StormGet Lippy! What you don't know about gynae cancer can hurt youEvery day in the UK 58 people are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer. 21 will die.Lack of awareness, late referrals and widespread stigma mean people are being denied life-saving diagnoses and treatments. That's why 12th May shall henceforth be known as Get Lippy day! A campaign by The Eve Appeal is determined to get us talking about gynaecological cancer. So in this bonus investigation episode from Media Storm, we meet medical professionals and patients with lessons that could save lives.The episode is hosted by journalist Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall), and features Dr Aziza Sesay (@t...2023-05-1124 min
The Guilty FeministWhat does a ‘free press’ really mean? - with Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaPrint is dying. Since the arrival of the internet and fast-paced, free information at the tap of the finger, the news outlets that tell us what’s what have been scrambling to find their footing. Some have been haemorrhaging money for decades, others have become richer than ever. But at what cost?In this special feature from hosts of Media Storm (The Guilty Feminist’s investigative little sister!), journalists Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia break down the different funding models that make up our mainstream media. They look at the ongoing warfare between ethical interests and economic ones...2023-03-1715 min
Media StormLIVE SHOW Comedy, 'cancellation', and correctness - with Deborah Frances-White and Isabelle FarahComing to you from the London Podcast Festival: The Guilty Feminist presents Media Storm’s debut show, live from King’s Place! Presented by journalists Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia, Media Storm is a news podcast that starts with the people who are normally asked last. From migrants to sex workers, trans to indigenous people, convicted criminals to Romani communities— Media Storm puts people with lived experience at the centre of their stories.In this bonus episode, Mathilda and Helena welcome comedians Deborah Frances-White and Isabelle Farah to discuss comedy's cultural power, comedians getting 'cancelled', and if and wh...2022-12-2234 min
Media StormThis Is How You Do It: BBC gender and identity correspondent Megha MohanMedia Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday.This week’s episode features the BBC World Service’s first global gender and identity correspondent, Megha Mohan (@meghamohan). Her reporting on women's rights, LGBT communities, race and ethnicity has global reach across 41 different languages, has...2022-12-1528 min
Media StormS2E12 Death: Terminal illness and the right to dieWarning: Discussions around suicide and assisted dying. If you need someone to talk to, call the Samaritans on 116 123. It happens to everybody but nobody wants to talk about it: the irony is, it's often the not talking about death that makes it such a terrible thing.For our season finale, we bring you a special-length investigation into the real-life consequences of silence and stigma around dying. Doctors are restricted by it, patients isolated and otherised for it, families unable to prepare and grieve properly, and those who want choice about how they die are denied it...2022-12-0849 min
Media StormThis Is How You Do It: Coiled's Leanne AlieWarning: Some strong languageMedia Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday.This week’s episode features all-around broadcast queen Leanne Alie (TW: @leannealie / IG: @leannealie_). The host and creator of Coiled - an award-winning documentary podcast about Black hair - also pu...2022-12-0120 min
Media StormS2E11 Menopause, sexism, ageism: What's driving women out of work? - with Karen Arthur and Emma GoswellWarning: Some strong language Welcome to The Menopause Revolution! A new era for a bodily phenomenon we were once too scared to call by name. Menopause is starting to show its face in our mainstream media, but how accurate is the coverage that has emerged? How much of it is stigma-smashing, and how much of it is scaremongering? And has all this talk resulted in any actual change?This week, Media Storm speaks to older women in the workplace, with a close inspection of the regularly-reported story that 900,000 women in the UK population h...2022-11-2450 min
Media StormPolyamory in pop cultureWarning: Some strong language Following on from Media Storm's episode about polyamory, the law, and the mainstream media, Media Storm co-hosts bring you this bonus episode with Leanne Yau from the hugely popular Poly Philia blog to discuss how non-monogamy is portrayed onscreen - looking at depictions of love triangles, Chandler's polyamorous lover in Friends, and reality TV shows like The Ultimatum. The episode is hosted by Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) and Helena Wadia (@helenawadia).For more information on The Guilty Feminist and other episodes:
visit https://www.guiltyfeminist.com
twe...2022-11-1713 min
Media StormS2E10 Polyamory: Love and the limits of the law - with Leanne Yau aka Poly PhiliaWarning: Some strong language Imagine getting fired for your relationship status. Imagine a nosy neighbour deciding they knew what was better for your children. This is the reality for polyamorous people across the UK and abroad. Should we be legislating against their discrimination, rather than their perceived ‘deviation’?This week, Media Storm speaks to polyamorous people who are trying to love within the limits of the law. We hears from top experts in the field, including Dr Sheff's 25-year-long study on polyamorous families, and the newly-formed UK Polyamory Association on changing the Equality Act. ...2022-11-1046 min
Media StormWhite (Other): Anti-Eastern European prejudiceMedia Storm’s latest investigation looks at a new, post-Brexit era of exploitation targeting Central and Eastern Europeans in the UK. Today’s bonus episode looks at the attitudes behind this exploitation, and asks why a workforce who have proven invaluable were dismissed as undesirable “low-skilled” workers.Is it just a question of economics, or is it a question of prejudice?This bonus episode from The Guilty Feminist and Media Storm looks at the role of pop culture, class, geopolitics and history in shaping misconceptions and creating simplistic stereotypes of diverse cultural identities.The epis...2022-11-0326 min
Media StormS2E9 “Low-skilled”: The exploitation of Eastern European workers - with Alex BulatA post-Brexit Britain has halted visas to low-paid, so-called “low-skilled,” foreign workers - primarily coming from Central and Eastern Europe. Policymakers hoped to increase wages and decrease unemployment for Britain’s own workforce. Yet in some sectors, demand for labour is now outstripping supply.Official figures show a rise in reports of modern slavery and labour exploitation. While the Home Secretary has blamed this on fake claims by Albanians, we look for answers in the UK’s troubled labour market. Is today’s “low-skilled” economy a higher-wage world for British workers, or a lower-wage world for undocumented ones?He...2022-10-2746 min
Media StormManaging mental health and the mediaWarning: This episode contains references to mental illness and suicide. If you need someone to talk to, contact Samaritans.org or call 116 123. Recorded the day after #WorldMentalHealthDay, Media Storm co-hosts sat down with author and activist Scarlett Curtis, and journalist and podcast producer Kamilah McInnis, to discuss how to look after your mental health when you work in - or even just read - the news, and the pros and pitfalls of sharing your mental health on social media. The episode is hosted by Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) and Helena Wadia (@helenawadia). For more inf...2022-10-2014 min
Media StormS2E8 Mental Health: The pros and pitfalls of diagnosis - with Scarlett Curtis and Kamilah McInnisWarning: This episode contains mentions of mental illness, suicide, and self-harm. Recently, doctors have recognised a strange phenomenon: patients turning up with mental health diagnoses in hand. And they all have something in common: social media.A search of the hashtag #depression on Instagram returns more than 25.3 million posts. On TikTok, the hashtag #BPD (borderline personality disorder) has 3.7 billion views, #ADHD has 14.5 billion views, and #DID (dissociative identity disorder) another 1.5 billion. This week, Media Storm asks why people are turning to TikTok for help with their mental health, what happens if you g...2022-10-1349 min
Media StormLIVE SHOW Misogynoir in Parliament - with Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Nadine Batchelor-HuntComing to you from the London Podcast Festival: The Guilty Feminist presents Media Storm’s debut show, live from King’s Place!Presented by journalists Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia, Media Storm is a news podcast that starts with the people who are normally asked last. From migrants to sex workers, trans to indigenous people, convicted criminals to Romani communities— Media Storm puts people with lived experience at the centre of their stories.In this bonus episode, Mathilda and Helena welcome Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy and political reporter Nadine Batchelor Hunt to discuss elitism in Westmi...2022-10-0626 min
Media StormS2E7 'Gypsy, Roma, Traveller’: Why is prejudice on the rise? - with Mikey WalshWarning: Some strong language and reference to suicide We often think of ‘progress’ as an enemy of ‘prejudice’, but when it comes to prejudice towards Gypsy, Roma and Travellers, the opposite is true. YouGov polling shows a decline in British society’s attitudes towards their nomadic members, as the UN flags a rise in hate speech and violence towards the ethnic minority across Europe.Why is this happening? Is it down to changes in reality, or simply changes in perception?We speak to activists and actors about the role of politics and pop culture in...2022-09-2949 min
Media StormThis is How You Do It: Reed Amber and Florence Bark of Come CuriousWarning: Strong language and frank discussions about sexMedia Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists and activists trying to make their imperfect industries a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday.This week’s episode features the sweet-talking, sex-loving, shame-smashing duo behind Come Curious, hosts of the F**ks Given podcast and OnlyFans sensations… Reed Ambe...2022-09-0824 min
Media StormS2E6 STIs: We need to talk about men and HPV - with Alix FoxCome to Media Storm's live show at the London Podcast Festival! 18th September, 7pm TICKETS HERE: kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm/ Most people will get the most common STI at some point in their life. It's called human papillomavirus, or HPV, and has more than 100 different strains. Some strains of the virus cause genital warts, and some cause abnormal cell changes that can lead to cancer. You might know that HPV causes cervical cancer and you might have noticed a huge drive to get women vaccinated. What you probably don’t know is that m...2022-09-0144 min
The Guilty FeministBonus episode – Looking to Indigenous leadership with Rachel Heaton, Thimali Kodikara and Mathilda MallinsonIndigenous peoples who live off the land are often the first affected by climate change, just as they are the last to cause it. But what is often told as a story of injustice should be a story of leadership. Indigenous communities around the world have been protecting Mother Earth for centuries. They may be the most qualified to fight climate change— yet they are systematically excluded from policymaking.In this crossover bonus episode for The Guilty Feminist and Media Storm, Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) explores the importance of Indigenous leadership in climate action. She speaks to Rachel He...2022-08-2516 min
Media StormIndigenous leadership in climate solutionsIndigenous peoples who live off the land are often the first affected by climate change, just as they are the last to cause it. But what is often told as a story of injustice should be a story of leadership. Indigenous communities around the world have been protecting Mother Earth for centuries. They may be the most qualified to fight climate change— yet they are systematically excluded from policymaking.In this crossover bonus episode for The Guilty Feminist and Media Storm, Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) explores the importance of Indigenous leadership in climate action. She speaks to Rachel He...2022-08-2517 min
Media StormBonus episode - Storytelling and identity with Mathilda MallinsonBonus episode - Storytelling and identity with Mathilda MallinsonWhy do we tell stories?In this mini-investigation, journalist Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) looks at the stories that define us, the importance of challenging mainstream narratives, and whether stories are a right or a privilege. Creators at StoryTerrace share the power of journaling and preserving stories for future generations. Jocelyn Chandler-Hawkins describes her efforts to salvage oral histories from Afro-Caribbean communities in the UK, with audio from the Reading Museum’s Memories of the Reading Windrush Generation and their Descendants. Mathilda then sits down with John Kampfner...2022-08-1917 min
The Guilty FeministBonus episode - Storytelling and identity with Mathilda MallinsonBonus episode - Storytelling and identity with Mathilda MallinsonWhy do we tell stories?In this mini-investigation, journalist Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) looks at the stories that define us, the importance of challenging mainstream narratives, and whether stories are a right or a privilege. Creators at StoryTerrace share the power of journaling and preserving stories for future generations. Jocelyn Chandler-Hawkins describes her efforts to salvage oral histories from Afro-Caribbean communities in the UK, with audio from the Reading Museum’s Memories of the Reading Windrush Generation and their Descendants. Mathilda then sits down with John Kampfner...2022-08-1921 min
Media StormS2E5 Climate frontlines: The truth about Big Oil - with Thimali KodikaraWarning: References to stillbirthWATCH MEDIA STORM’S DEBUT LIVE RECORDING AT KING’S PLACE, 17/09, 7PM: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm/Scorching heatwaves and ‘red weather warnings’ have brought climate change onto our doorstep and into our headlines. But hidden from view - be it by distance, dense jungles or disinformation - the effects of the eco-disaster have already taken hold.This week, we hear from communities on the frontlines of fossil fuel extraction. The king of Ogale in Nigeria tells us why his community is taking Shell to court, and vill...2022-08-1849 min
Media StormThis Is How You Do It: Bristol Sex Workers CollectiveMedia Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists and activists trying to make their imperfect industries a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday.This week, we speak to Amelie, Layla, and Scarlet from Bristol Sex Workers Collective (@BristolSWC), about the end of a two year battle to keep Bristol city centre's strip clubs open. Media Storm first...2022-08-1122 min
Media StormS2E4 Masculinity and body image: Why don't men seek help? - with ScotteeWarning: In-depth talk about eating disorders, exercise addiction and references to suicide. Read the transcript here: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/08/30/2-4-masculinity-and-body-image-why-dont-men-seek-help-with-scottee/Recent analysis from the Royal College of Psychiatrists has revealed that hospital admissions for people with eating disorders have risen 84% in the last five years - with boys and young men increasingly affected. Body dysmorphia is now thought to affect men and women in equal numbers. So why is there still a lack of resources and support groups to help men? This week, Media Storm hears from men who have been affected by...2022-08-0448 min
Media StormThis Is How You Do It: QueerAF's Jamie WarehamBonus episode - This Is How You Do It: Jamie WarehamMedia Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday.Today’s guest is Jamie Wareham, the creator of Queer AF, a free weekly LGBTQIA+ newsletter that mentors and commissions queer creatives and re...2022-07-2824 min
Media StormS2E3 Unoffending pedophiles: Clinical or criminal?Warning: References to child sexual abuse and pornographyRead the transcript here: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/08/08/2-3-unoffending-pedophiles-clinical-or-criminal/How can we prevent pedophilic acts from happening?Pedophilia is a clinical disorder before it becomes a criminal act. It's estimated to affect as many as 1-5% of the global male population. Does our failure to acknowledge its existence - and introduce preventative outreach - ultimately harm children?With first-hand sources, our exclusive investigation reveals that young boys undergoing pedophilic puberty are being routinely abused on the dark web, teenage girls with pedophilia can...2022-07-2145 min
Media StormThis Is How You Do It: Disability rights journalist Rachel Charlton-DaileyMedia Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists and activists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday.Today's guest is Rachel Charlton-Dailey (@RachelCDailey), award-winning journalist and activist, who founded The Unwritten (@TheUnwrittenPub) - a publication for disabled people to share their stories “without them being reduced to trauma or inspiration”. Just last...2022-07-1421 min
Media StormS2E2 Post-Roe v. Wade: How safe are UK abortion rights? - with Renee Bracey ShermanAcross the pond, the United States Supreme Court made the decision to overturn Roe v Wade, meaning 33 million women in America were stripped of the right to an abortion. Many US states have already introduced new restrictions on abortion. Women and people who need abortions are having to travel further, often across state borders, and pay more. As expected, this ban will affect the most marginalised: poor women, queer people, women of colour and migrant women.The news has been dominated by the decision - but how many of us here in the UK know that abortion i...2022-07-0745 min
Media StormThis Is How You Do It: Gal-dem's Naomi Larsson PiñedaWarning: Some strong languageMedia Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday.Our first guest is Naomi Larsson Piñeda, award-winning journalist and editor at gal-dem, Forbes 30 Under 30 alumna, and musician-by-night (@naomilars / @naomiinblue). Naomi speaks about reporting on Chile's social uprising, ongoing g...2022-06-3022 min
Media StormS2E1 Gender health gaps: The true cost of chronic UTI - with Athena Lamnisos and Dr Christine EkechiOff-label antibiotics ordered from Hong Kong, bacteriophages cultivated in Georgia, bladder fulguration undergone in Turkey - these are some of the lengths countless women are resorting to in desperate bids to rid themselves of chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs).In March, the NHS finally recognised the existence of chronic UTI, a debilitating condition affecting 1.7 million people - mostly women - in the UK. But months later, our exclusive research reveals sufferers are spending up to hundreds of thousands of pounds treating themselves, while NHS healthcare guidelines fail to mention the condition at all.This week...2022-06-2346 min
The Guilty FeministAnatomy of a Scandal - with Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia from Media StormThe Guilty Feminist presented by Deborah Frances-White with special guests Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaThe Guilty Feminist theme by Mark Hodge and produced by Nick Sheldon.More about Deborah Frances-Whitehttps://deborahfrances-white.comhttps://twitter.com/DeborahFWhttps://www.virago.co.uk/the-guilty-feminist-bookMore about Media Stormhttps://twitter.com/mediastormpodhttps://mediastormpodcast.comhttps://www.twitter.com/MathildaMallhttps://www.twitter.com/helenawadiahttps://podfollow.com/media-stormFor more information about this and other episodes…visit https://www.guiltyfeminist.comtweet us https://www.twitter.com/guiltfempodlike our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/guiltyfeministcheck out ou...2022-04-1938 min
Media StormNetflix & Chill: Anatomy of a Scandal - with The Guilty Feminist's Deborah Frances-WhiteThe episode is hosted by Deborah Frances-White (@DeborahFW) with guests Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) and Helena Wadia (@helenawadia).Get in touch
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Music by Samfire @soundofsamfire. Artwork by Simba Baylon @simbalenciaga.Media Storm is brought to you by the house of The Guilty Feminist and is part of the Acast Creato...2022-04-1940 min
Media StormHow to be a better work ally to people with disabilitiesAfter looking at the prevalence of ableism in UK workplaces and the lack of legal recourse for those affected in last week’s episode, Media Storm is handing the mic - for the final instalment of this season - to some of its sources, who share with listeners ways to help. Whether you are an employer or colleague, here are some of dos and do NOTs to help you be a better ally to disabled and chronically ill workers. The episode is hosted by Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) and Helena Wadia (@helenawadia), with Helena Da Silva Merron and Mar...2022-03-3111 min
Media StormS1E10 Ableism enabled: The loopholes in Equality Law - with Jumoke Abdullahi and Ellen JonesMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia.Warning: Some swearingDisabled workers are over twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled workers — even not counting those who are ‘economically inactive’ due to health or other reasons. Countless testimonies point to ableism at every stage of the employment game, from applying to jobs to being made redundant. And yet legally-speaking, there is almost no trace of disability discrimination in UK workplaces, with only 72 disability employment tribunals happening in the latest published annual period (2019-20).If not for discrimination, why are disabled people...2022-03-2444 min
Media StormS1E9 Sex Workers: Ignored and under threat - with Niki AdamsMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia. Warning: Some strong language and references to sexTranscript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/07/06/1-9-sex-workers-ignored-and-under-threat/Online or offline, the stigma that comes with being a sex worker is pervasive. But sex work is not just stigmatised - it's criminalised. Laws that ban certain aspects of sex work force workers into unsafe, unregulated environments, where they become even more vulnerable. This week, Media Storm heads to Bristol, where strip clubs face being outlawed by the council - in similar scenes to Chester, Swansea, and Bl...2022-03-1043 min
Media StormHarm reduction as a different approach to drugsSince 1971, the US has led a global campaign to criminalise and eradicate certain psychoactive substances: this is known as the war on drugs. On last week’s episode of Media Storm, we looked at the racialised impact of this punitive policy, which - despite aiming for the eradication of drugs - has seen drug-related deaths increase and drug use remain commonplace. So if the war on drugs has failed, what comes next?This week, we look at harm reduction: a different approach to drugs. We’re joined in the studio by Niamh Eastwood, Executive Director of the...2022-03-0312 min
The Guilty Feminist295. New Wave Journalism with Alison Spittle and guests Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaThe Guilty Feminist presented by Deborah Frances-White and Alison SpittleEpisode 295: New Wave Journalism with special guests Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaRecorded 21 February in London. Released 28 February 2022The Guilty Feminist theme by Mark Hodge and produced by Nick Sheldon.More about Deborah Frances-Whitehttps://deborahfrances-white.comhttps://twitter.com/DeborahFWhttps://www.virago.co.uk/the-guilty-feminist-bookMore about Alison Spittlehttps://twitter.com/AlisonSpittlehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08m3z73/episodes/downloadsMore about Media Stormhttp://twitter.com/mediastormpodhttps://mediastormpodcast.comhttps://www.twitter.com...2022-02-281h 23
Media StormS1E8 The UK’s war on drugs: Politics and prohibition - with Niamh Eastwood and Juan FernandezRead the transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/03/17/1-8-the-uks-war-on-drugs-politics-and-prohibition/Warning: Strong language, drug use‘DRUG TRAGEDY’, ‘DRUG CRIME’, ‘DRUG FEARS’— these are common tabloid staples. But are drugs the problem? Or is it in fact the war on drugs?Data that links drug use to crime and death rates are often used to justify militant political crackdowns. But historical trends reveal a disturbing pattern: the more we have pursued a war on drugs, the more drug fatalities have risen.This week, Media Storm speaks to people who buy and sell illegal drugs. We uncover the...2022-02-2450 min
Media StormHomelessness and how to help usMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaBonus Episode: Homelessness and how to help, by people who've been thereLast episode, Media Storm investigated homelessness behind closed doors: the hidden figures in hostels, cafes, on nightbuses or couch-surfing. This week, we look at the homelessness on our streets: the people we can see, how they get treated, and what we the public could do better. The answers are brought to you by people in the know - people who've been in that position. This is what to do when you see a homeless p...2022-02-1713 min
Media StormS1E7 Homelessness: The hidden figures - with Kai SamraWarning: Strong languageOfficial homelessness statistics are a fraction of the numbers that charities claim to exist. Is someone sugarcoating the data? Is it a genuine mistake? Or are we looking in wrong places?With fines and sentences for sleeping on the streets, the UK and many other countries make no apologies for targeting rough sleeping. Temporary accommodation facilities earn private contractors hundreds of millions in state benefits every year. But are they actually helping, or just keeping the problem behind closed doors?This week, Media Storm speaks to people who are and...2022-02-1044 min
Media StormS1E6 Fatphobia: Healthcare by size - with Stephanie Yeboah and Essie DennisMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaRead the transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/02/08/1-6-fatphobia-healthcare-by-size-with-stephanie-yeboah-and-essie-dennis/Content warning: Fatphobia, disordered eatingBeing told to lose weight is almost unavoidable. The news, TV shows, films, adverts and your family & friends mostly prescribe to the same school of thought: that being fat is 'bad', and that being thin is 'good'. But it turns out: that's not true. This episode, we look into weight bias in healthcare and how fatphobia in medical settings is putting the lives of plus size people in danger - especially...2022-01-2742 min
Media StormThe truth about 'luxury' prisonsMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaIf you’ve read UK news over the past year, you’ll likely have heard of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill making its way through Parliament. It’s a "tough-on-crime" piece of policy - a phrase the government use readily. And it’s back in the headlines this week, as The House of Lords voted against its plans to clamp down on disruptive and noisy protesters.Part of the Policing Bill's promise is sending more criminals in prison for longer. Yet, judging by some headline...2022-01-2012 min
Media StormS1E5 Criminal Justice: Does prison work? - with The Secret Barrister and Paula HarriottMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaRead the transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/02/07/1-5-criminal-justice-does-prison-work-with-the-secret-barrister-and-paula-harriott/Plans to lock up 20,000 new prisoners, a Home Secretary who wants criminals to “literally feel terror”, and the highest incarceration rate in Western Europe…This is the UK’s ‘tough on crime’ mantle, and a political battleground fought all over the world. Media outlets vilify ‘thugs’ and ‘terrorists’ while politicians auction for the ‘law and order’ vote. But with no clear correlation between incarceration and crime rates, are we keeping people safe, or just keeping them scared?This week...2022-01-1349 min
Media StormS1E4 Transgender healthcare: A waiting game - with Laura Blake and Shivani DaveMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaContent warning: Suicide, self-harmEpisode 1.4: Transgender healthcare: A waiting game - with Laura Blake and Shivani Dave Read the transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2021/12/30/1-4-transgender-healthcare-a-waiting-game/The mainstream media might have us all thinking changing genders is a piece of cake - that hormones are being readily prescribed and surgeries booked in swiftly. But with people waiting years for the first ever appointment - that's simply not the case. Cancellations, discrimination from healthcare staff and semi-decade long waiting lists - this is the r...2021-12-1645 min
Media StormS1E3 Rape Justice: What happens to the 98%? - with Leyla Hussein and Gina MartinMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaContent warning: Rape, sexual violence, FGMEpisode 1.3: Rape Justice: What happens to the 98%? - with Leyla Hussein and Gina MartinRead the transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2021/12/15/1-3-rape-justice-what-happens-to-the-98/Authorities declined to reveal the true rape conviction figures in a Freedom of Information request by Media Storm, after we discovered that the reported numbers - which hit a record low in 2020 at 1,109 - are over-inflated. It follows Guardian revelations that 98% of rape investigations are dropped by police.But this is not...2021-12-0947 min
Media StormS1E2 Pandemic of hate: We need to talk about anti-Asian abuse - with Zing Tsjeng and Hussein KesvaniMedia Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaEpisode 1.2 Pandemic of hate: We need to talk about anti-Asian abuse - with Zing Tsjeng and Hussein KesvaniTranscript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2021/12/13/1-2-pandemic-of-hate-we-need-to-talk-about-anti-asian-abuse/With reports anti-Asian hate speech surged by 1,662% during the pandemic, and many accounts of rising hate crimes against Asian communities, Media Storm hears from those personally affected. It seeks to find out the impact of the pandemic on Asian people, and investigate the accuracy of the data that emerged over the Covid-19 crisis. Vice UK editor Zing Tsjeng and podcaster...2021-12-0248 min
Media StormDeborah Frances-White in conversation with Mathilda Mallinson and Helena WadiaMedia Storm is a new podcast from The House of the Guilty Feminist.Episode 0. Deborah Frances-WhiteRead the transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2021/11/24/0-deborah-frances-white-meets-mathilda-and-helena/Mathilda and Helena talk to Deborah about their new podcast, what it aims to do and how they came up with the idea.Follow us on Twitter
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Media StormSERIES 1 TRAILERMedia Storm is the new podcast from The House of the Guilty FeministWhere fact-checking meets fun, reporting meets road-trip and the mainstream media meets its match, Media Storm is a news podcast that starts with the people who are normally asked last. "Migrants", "criminals" and "sex workers" are some of the biggest stars in the headlines, yet we rarely actually hear from them. There’s no right of reply – and that’s just bad journalism. Here, from the house of The Guilty Feminist, Media Storm hands the mic to people with lived experience, to shed new light...2021-10-2804 min
The Guilty Feminist259. Hidden Inequalities with Deborah Frances-White, Athena Kugblenu, Bell Rebeiro-Addy, Dr Christine Ekechi, Mathilda Mallinson and Tinuke AweThe Guilty FeministPresented by Deborah Frances-White and Athena Kugblenu Episode 259: Hidden Inequalitieswith special guests Bell Rebeiro-Addy and Dr Christine Ekechi and a special report from Mathilda Mallinson and Tinuke Awe Recorded 1 June 2021 via Zoom. Released 21 June 2021. The Guilty Feminist theme by Mark Hodge and produced by Nick Sheldon. More about Deborah Frances-White http://deborahfrances-white.com https://twitter.com/DeborahFW https://www.virago.co.uk/the-guilty-feminist-book More about Athena Kugblenu https://twitter.com/athenakugblenu https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000tsld https://keepingathenacompany.podbean.com More about...2021-06-211h 19
The Guilty Feminist247. The UK Policing Bill with Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Gracie Mae Bradley, Patsy Stevenson, Mathilda Mallinson and Grace PetrieThe Guilty FeministPresented by Deborah Frances-White and Alison Spittle Episode 247: The UK Policing Billwith special guests Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Gracie Mae Bradley, Patsy Stevenson, Mathilda Mallinson with music from Grace Petrie Recorded 25 March 2021 via Zoom. Released 29 March 2021. The Guilty Feminist theme by Mark Hodge and produced by Nick Sheldon. More about Deborah Frances-White http://deborahfrances-white.com https://twitter.com/DeborahFW https://www.virago.co.uk/the-guilty-feminist-book More about Alison Spittle https://twitter.com/AlisonSpittle https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08m3z73 More about our guests and...2021-03-291h 25