Category Archives: journalism

Don’t be cynical about news, by a cynical news hack

Posted on January 30, 2014 by samiraahmed

  Last night I went on Newsnight to debate whether news is bad for us and what would make it better with Alain de Botton and ex hack turned spin doctor now writer, Alastair Campbell. You can watch the discussion … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Justice, journalism, Media, Religion, TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Kingston University Class Notes: Spin, Politics and PR

Posted on January 22, 2014 by samiraahmed

These are links to some of the stories I discussed in today’s classes. You’ll also find the VT on the Action Aid/South Africa Corrective Rape story on the Featured Videos page: Political reporting (James Morrison’s MA Class) This one I … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, Kingston University class notes, Media, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Missing news: A tale of an NHS rally, zombies and security guards

Posted on October 4, 2013 by samiraahmed

Should the BBC have given more attention and coverage to a mass protest rally over NHS changes outside Tory party Conference in Manchester on Sept 29th last weekend that attracted over 50,000 marchers? The rally, organised by unions, was mentioned. But like other … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, Media, Politics, TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 72 Comments

Why you need to look at Acid Survivors

Posted on June 28, 2013 by samiraahmed

  I’m doing the Radio 4 Appeal this weekend for the Acid Survivors’ Trust. It’s the only organisation dedicated to ending acid violence and is focussed on helping women and girls who’ve been attacked. The chances are you already know about acid violence. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Justice, Education, journalism, Media, Radio, Religion, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Why Be A Journalist?

Posted on June 20, 2013 by samiraahmed

I spent a curious, but lively morning at News International today. The organisation hosted a one day conference for many state school students on behalf of the Young Journalists’ Academy, encouraging them to consider entering the trade. I was asked … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, Media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Lessons from Italy’s Mafia Republic

Posted on June 5, 2013 by samiraahmed

Every weekend when I was 10 years old, I had to write an English composition for homework. It was 1978 and drawing on the daily news on my TV screen for source material I wrote one  imagining I was the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Crime and Justice, History, journalism, Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

But it’s news… Some questions about Woolwich coverage

Posted on May 23, 2013 by samiraahmed

 I’ll be discussing questions about BBC TV’s news coverage of the horrific Woolwich street murder of a young soldier on Newswatch with the head of the BBC Newsroom, Mary Hockaday on Friday May 24th. This blog post lays out some … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Justice, journalism, Media, TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 47 Comments

This England

Posted on March 9, 2013 by samiraahmed

I often talk to journalism students about the under-appreciated joys of great news in brief writing. So I wanted to share this one, that I ripped from the bottom right hand corner of a page of Friday’s London Metro newspaper. … Continue reading →

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Hacks on Film: Essential viewing and reading

Posted on October 3, 2012 by samiraahmed

This is an updated version of an article I first wrote for The Spectator blog, that formed the basis of a lecture to journalism students at Kingston University in October. It has links to scripts, films and articles about all … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, History, journalism, Media, Politics, TV, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Troublesome slags: What Rochdale reveals about our attitudes to teenage girls

Posted on September 27, 2012 by samiraahmed

Heywood, Rochdale (Photo by Peter Byrne/PA) A provisional multi agency report into the scale of sexual abuse of young girls in Rochdale published today admitted there were issues about the legitimate sexual “consent” of 13 year old girls that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Crime and Justice, journalism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments