In this engaging discussion, Armando Iannucci, renowned Scottish satirist behind classics like Veep, shares his sharp insights on Elon Musk's impact on media and political discourse. He humorously critiques Musk's penchant for using X as a personal megaphone and questions the ramifications for global democracy. Joining him is Janine Gibson, Editor of the Weekend FT, who navigates the absurd customer service dynamics on social media. Together, they tackle the challenges of journalism in the age of sensationalism and the evolving nature of public conversation.
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Iannucci Fact-Checks Musk
Armando Iannucci used Twitter to fact-check Elon Musk's posts.
He engaged with Musk directly on the platform, challenging his assertions.
insights INSIGHT
Shifting Image of Musk
Musk's public image has shifted from a figure of amusement to a concerning influencer.
His platform, X, has become a negative and depressing environment.
insights INSIGHT
Musk's Political Influence
Musk's embrace of the MAGA movement and attacks on figures like Jess Phillips are alarming.
His platform now fosters extreme vitriol and binary thinking.
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An Award-winning Reporter Exposes Falsehood, Distortion and Propaganda in the Global Media
Nick Davies
In this book, Nick Davies investigates the practices of daily news media in the UK from the 1980s to 2008. The research, funded by the Rowntree Foundation and conducted by the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, found that a significant portion of news stories were not based on original reporting but rather on recycled press releases and wire news without proper fact-checking. Davies argues that the structural issues within the corporate model of news organizations, rather than individual journalists, are the primary cause of these problems. The book also critiques the influence of corporate interests on journalism and the resulting impact on the quality of news reporting.
How do you solve a problem like Elon? The billionaire owner of X controls one of the world's biggest social media channels, treating the platform as his own propaganda machine.
Armando Iannucci—the satirist, writer and producer behind Alan Partridge, The Thick of It and Veep—has, until recently, been using his own Twitter account to fact-check Musk's posts.
He joins Alan Rusbridger and guest host, Janine Gibson, editor of the Weekend FT, to discuss how what happens if we don't take Musk seriously.
Like Donald Trump, Musk has a strong dislike for the mainstream media and has used X to vocalise support for fringe figures like Tommy Robinson.
But what might have once been dismissed as baseless rants are now driving the news agenda—and even political manoeuvres—in many parts of the USA and Europe.
How will Musk's megalomania end? And how dangerous to global democracy is he, really? Armando, Alan and Janine discuss.