Media

On the centenary of the founding of the BBC Des Freedman presents eight reasons explaining how the media outlet is wedded to the establishment and why it is incapable of meaningfully holding power to account

Mike Wayne questions the historical significance of the Queen’s death, while the history of imperial violence and today’s economic crisis are sidelined

RMT leaders Mick Lynch and Eddie Dempsey have taken the media by storm and showed the country what real working-class opposition can look like, writes Mike Wayne

Coodie and Chike’s Netflix trilogy gives viewers an insight into the rise and troubles of creative powerhouse and hip-hop icon Kanye West, writes Mayer Wakefield

Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter is a reminder that the billionaire control of our media and social media is the furthest thing from democracy, writes Terina Hine

Russia and the Media makes a convincing case that a Cold War mentality in the Western media supports further militarisation and forestalls solutions, finds Michael Bailey

Ahead of the Media Democracy Festival, Counterfire's Shabbir Lakha spoke to Tom Mills, author of The BBC: Myth of a Public Service about the state of the public broadcasting service, the Tories and what the left should be campaigning about

After a period of audience decline and a lack of narrative complexity, the new series offers the hope of a return to form, argues Sean Coote

In this collection of socialist explainers, we’re giving quick responses to the questions that loom largest for us today

Des Freedman and Steve Topple discuss the media's role in reproducing dominant ideas and how they can be challenged as part of Counterfire's Revolution! Festival

Instead of punishing Dawn Butler for her honesty, Boris Johnson should be held to account for his lies, argues Caitlin Southern

Lindsey German on the right in retreat and the grey knight’s return to witch-hunting

Chris Neville looks at the Coyne campaign in the Unite General Secretary election and explains why the left should back Steve Turner

Andrew Neil's new news channel funded by big money and bigots is an attempt to push the already right wing UK media further to the right, writes Des Freedman

All young Premier League players live a glamorous lifestyle not available to most people. But only some of them get constant criticism for it, argues Euan Burns

Lindsey German considers the role of ruling class figureheads in maintaining the status quo

Writing for Spring Magazine, David Bush looks at the threat Big Tech poses to ideas which challenge the status quo

As the bicentenary of The Guardian approaches, Des Freedman examines its contradictory attitude towards social change

The combination of sectarianism, poverty and repression is an explosive mix argues Chris Bambery

Hal Draper’s classic account of the 1960s Berkeley student free-speech movement reveals enduring patterns that remain important for all activists, argues Joshua Newman

The media's attempt to blame the public for the virus has left out the voices of those who are having to work during lockdown, so we asked some of them to tell us about their experiences

Counterfire's statement on Facebook shutting down the Socialist Workers Party page

Former Goldman Sachs banker Richard Sharp being appointed the BBC's next chairman is fitting for the direction it's heading in, argues Des Freedman

At a Bristol Counterfire meeting, Chris Nineham, Kerry-Anne Mendoza and Tom Mills discuss the state of the British media and how the left can challenge the mainstream narrative

The BBC’s new Director General complaining about left-wing bias in comedy is a joke, writes Chris Nineham

Des Freedman looks at the possibilities for change in the face of a hostile media establishment

Timid, bland, uncritical - British news media have failed in holding the government to account over the coronavirus crisis, explains Des Freedman 

In his third note on the Covid-19 outbreak, Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis examines the role of the market in the apparent crisis on our shelves

Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis addresses the conspiracies surrounding China's response to the spread of Covid-19

The monarchy serves only to normalise inequality, so let Harry and Meghan go forth and shake it up, writes Sofie Mason

To fight the deliberate misrepresentation of Labour's radical policies, we must address the reasons underlying the systematic media bias, argues Des Freedman

As the general election campaign comes toward a close, Sean Ledwith looks at the sinister Trumpian tactics Boris Johnson's Tories have used

Des Freedman analyses the role of media and how their anti-Corbyn bias is out in the open

Lindsey German on the full extent of electoral media manipulation

The BBC's overt political bias against Jeremy Corbyn should cause us to question what public service it's really providing, writes Morgan Daniels

A guide to winning the online battle during this election by Jim Scott

Lindsey German on racism and witch-hunting

Lindsey German on the smearing of Jeremy Corbyn  

Lindsey German on the first broadcast debate, the super-rich, our ruling class, and Palestine

Corbynism from Below is a wide-ranging collection of thoughtful essays on this historic opportunity for the left to transform society, finds Kevin Ovenden

Mike Wayne finds that Boris Johnson is not turning out to be the campaigning dynamo the Tories had hoped for

Lindsey German on topsy-turvy economics, media duplicity and Tory Islamophobia

Labour's Brexit strategy is not the 'fudge' the media describe it to be and is the most sensible approach given the circumstances, argues Mike Wayne

The BBC's Panorama on antisemitism in the Labour Party provides no real evidence and shows how cynical the smear campaign is, argues David McAllister

The disappointing ending to the latest and last series of Game of Thrones betrays an artistic and political laziness from the writers, argues Sean Ledwith

The arrest of Julian Assange today sets a dangerous precedent, argues Hilary Stephenson

Kuzmarov and Marciano's analysis of the US media demonisation of Russia warns of the danger of a new cold war, in full historical context, finds Martin Hall

This is a time of great possibility for the left, but only if we are prepared to stand our ground

There is no contradiction between recognising that antisemitism exists in Labour, and understanding that Corbyn is being smeared, argues Des Freedman

The people of Sudan remain on the streets despite the brutal crackdown from the government. What they need now is solidarity, not Western-backed regime change, argues Explo Nani-Kofi

The vile treatment of Diane Abbott on the BBC's Question Time fits a theme of undermining left wing voices and pandering to the right, argues Des Freedman

Polls don't always tell the truth, but their current interpretation in the media is deliberately hiding it, argues Shabbir Lakha

The producers may stop short at liberal individualism, but Sofie Mason argues that the viewers of EastEnders may reach other conclusions as to what is to be done

Gaza: An Inquest into its Martyrdom is a passionate and painstaking attempt to counter Israeli deception over the Palestinian struggle, finds Oliver Eagleton

Despite its virtues, the BBC's Informer still resorts to lazy Islamophobic stereotypes, argues Sofie Mason

The murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate in Turkey will irretrievably tarnish Saudi Arabia’s reputation in Western public opinion, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

BBC One's drama, Press, is a tale of anti-establishment dissent and gives a glimpse into the inner workings of the media, argues Sofie Mason 

Since Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour Party, the media attacks have been relentless. T. J Coles, author of new book Real Fake News, examines

Although a part of the establishment media, Doctor Who has always had a subversive thread running through it and today is no different, argues Sean Ledwith

Media reports and the police response to the Islamophobic attack in Cricklewood shows that it's only terrorism if the perpetrators are Muslim argues Shabbir Lakha

Our movements need media that inspire mass participation, amplifying analysis to reach new audiences turning to the left, writes Des Freedman

We are launching Counterfire Media. We need your help to do so.

Ruling elites use agendas and debates to maintain their control, exposing this cannot be dismissed as conspiracism, argues Des Freedman 

The British media tells a partial story on racism and its claims against the Labour leader run contrary to the evidence, writes Lindsey German

How Brexit is handled is key to Corbyn being elected, and the success of a radical Labour government

The media have used the Skripal affair as a stick to beat the left and the anti-war movement, argues Chris Nineham

The smear on Jeremy Corbyn that he was an informant to a Czech spy during the Cold War is the worst kind of red-baiting

Those trying to force Corbyn to change his position on Brexit are paving the way for disaster, argues Lindsey German

The Rotherham 12 Defence Campaign shows how media sensationalism and dangerous political rhetoric can lead to injustice

Charity begins at the Playboy Club for our capitalist class, writes Lindsey German 

The TUC should focus on the problems facing working people. Workers' rights and the Single Market don't go together, argues Martin Hall

As the liberal media embraces an anti-populist business model, the left must continue to forge an independent opposition, argues Des Freedman

The Trumpet of Sedition blog has been running a series of articles by historians on 'How I Write'. John Rees contributes

The Pink Tiderepresents Latin American efforts to reform and democratise the media. While real advances have been made, the limits to reform are made clear, argues Des Freedman

We re-publish two statements responding to the 'state of emergency' in Turkey

The recent attacks on the Labour leader couldn't be more transparent, argues Shabbir Lakha

The mainstream media had a bad election, but it's not all over just yet, argues Des Freedman

We take a look back at the media's worst moments throughout the election

What are the lessons to be learned from Corbyn’s performance on Monday night?

The disarray of the so-called “natural party of government” is clear for all to see, writes Lindsey German

We would all benefit from a journalism that didn’t resort to tired stereotypes and instead expands our understanding of a violent world

The media can only ignore Jeremy Corbyn's surging campaign for so long, writes Des Freedman

The liberal media is overplaying its hand in coverage of the Unite General Secretary election, writes the Angry Trucker

How can we tell fact from fiction? In this talk, Milly Williamson takes a look at how 'fake news' has always been a function of capitalism

The Daily Mail's 'Legs-it' headline is anything but a bit of fun, writes Kara Bryan

The appointment of the former chancellor as editor of the Evening Standardreflects the elite‘s sense of entitlement

The government doesn't think the governed need to know what it's doing, and it has new plans to keep it that way argues Kara Bryan

As half a million would-be passengers endure another day of frustration, they are being encouraged to blame fellow workers for their misery, instead of the real culprits

Political editor of BBC News wins contest after months of leading the media assault on Corbyn. Des Freedman takes a look at the context of this decision

The media are called the fourth estate because they are meant to hold government to account but it is failing to question the drive to a new Cold War, notes Kara Byran 

Connecting terrorism with Islam, as Sun columnist Kelvin MacKenzie did, is not intellectually respectable - no matter what Ipso says

Black Ops Advertising is a startling and entertaining critique of new forms of advertising, but the solution lies in collective organising, argues Lindy Syson

The recent media barrage against Jeremy Corbyn and Momentum represents a new low in mainstream vilification of socialist ideas, asserts Des Freedman

As the media attacks on Corbyn's leadership continue, we publish the text of a speech by Chris Nineham at Media Reform UK's event: The Media, the Movements and Jeremy Corbyn

Lindsey German despairs at the dishonest accounting that passes for the media’s scrutiny of the War on Terror 

Johnny Gaunt looks at the recent media spat between Owen Jones and the Corbyn campaign, and notes wider tensions beneath the surface 

Des Freedman considers the pitfalls of delivering a socialist message on a hostile media terrain

Des Freedman and Justin Schlosberg unpick astonishing levels of media bias in recent political coverage 

Apocalyptic rumours followed by a row-back and relief. It's an age-old strategy, but what is the reality behind the government's BBC proposals?

The language that politicians and the mainstream media use fuels right-wing ideologies, writes Shabbir Lakha

The Counterfire paper is already being distributed in more than 40 towns and cities across the country. We're appealing for more help

With Islamophobia rising across the world, why do the media continue to ignore the fact that #MuslimLivesMatter asks Maz Saleem?

As Rupert Murdoch's son gets appointed as Chairman of BSkyB, Des Freedman takes a look at the ethics of the media industry as a whole

We talked to Des Freedman, Media Professor at Goldsmiths University about the contradictions of the media, and the supposedly neutral BBC

As the political and media establisment cosy up for Christmas drinks, Des Freedman takes a look at a successful year for Murdoch & Co

Stop the War has been attacked by every part of the establishment recently, but the smears are blatant hypocrisy

We have reached the halfway point in our free, radical newspaper crowd funding campaign. Please help us go way over the target

To challenge establishment ideas more effectively, Counterfire is going regular with its free paper

We need to defend the BBC as one of the core institutions of our democracy and our culture and not fall into the Freemarketeers' trap by defending it solely on their terms argues Chris Jury

Corbyn may be right not to respect a media establishment that has shown little signs of respecting him but he urgently needs a strategy with which to confront it writes Des Freedman

This is an austerity-led consultation, obsessed (much like the BBC itself) by the pursuit of ‘efficiency’ and ‘value for money’

Lee Jasper takes issue with the BBC's new 'fly on the wall' documentary about the Metropolitan Police

The contradiction between capitalism and democracy, and the need for independent media, is well explored in McChesney’s Blowing the Roof off the 21^st Century, finds Peter Stauber

Rather than being ignored, Hopkins should be sacked as a columnist and the Sun should be hauled before the authorities for providing a platform for explicitly racist speech

The chief political commentator of the Daily Telegraph has resigned from the paper, for its coverage of HSBC and its Swiss tax-dodging scandal. Des Freedman looks at the wider significance

Mark Perryman of Philosophy Footballqueries the worth of Football's latest TV deal

Norwich based radical film making team 'Hollywood Hegemony' has launched a fundraising appeal explains Jack Brindelli

Des Freedman shows how the media is neither a simple monolith of power, nor a free-market of ideas, but that its contradictions allow mass movements to exert real pressure, argues Lindy Syson

Kevin Ovenden looks at the party election broadcasts and what they say about the parties in his sixth dispatch from Greece

Not for the first time, the BBC's Panorama has been an outrider for the Islamophobia that is now so ingrained in the British establishment argues Chris Nineham

This wasn’t an attack on humour or the Western concept of freedom but an outrage designed to produce a reaction of division and hatred - an outcome that we should do everything we can to resist

Media attempts to discredit Russell Brand should be exposed and rejected, argues Charles Brown

Norman Solomon writes on how British and US governments are assaulting freedom of the press by targetting journalists and whistleblowers

Des Freedman on the outrageous advertisement run by the Guardian accusing Palestinian resistance fighters of 'sacrificing children'

The Guardian has published a wildly inaccurate and inflammatory advert from supporters of the Israeli state branding the Palestinian resistance as 'child killers'. Activists respond

The narrative of equals is a sham. Only in the realms of superb fantasy can a child killer be measured in the same breath as the child he killed writes Charles B. Anthony

Regardless of hypothetical murderous intentions on both sides, the facts are that only one side is bombing a condensed civilian population with F-16 fighter jets writes Barnaby Raine

We ask now that the BBC produce a televised, public debate to discuss how to redress the deficiencies in its coverage to offer a better account of the sources of this conflict and therefore how it might be resolved.

The recent coverage of child abuse has given rise to sickening displays of hypocrisy from the sections of society who should be hanging their heads in shame, argues Richard Allday

The revelations about Jimmy Savile expose wider institutional and social problems, explains Lindsey German

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