Hackney mayor to join panel on the ‘need to speak up for local journalism’
Read all about it: a poster publicising today’s panel discussion
Hackney’s mayor Philip Glanville is to hold court on the “pressures on local journalism and its role in democracy” later today.
A poster for a Goldsmiths University debate, Silenced voices: why we need to speak up for local journalism, reads: “The Grenfell Tower disaster highlighted the necessity for community reporting. So why don’t we hear from the ‘little people’ any more?”
Looking forward to welcoming @PhilipGlanville to @MediaComGold for our debate on local media & democracy Thursday 5.30pm MRBscreen1
— Angela Phillips (@AngelaELL) October 11, 2017
Students and members of the public are invited to join in the discussion with a panel of experts, which includes Mayor Glanville and journalists Hannah Walker, Koos Couvée and Gareth Davies.
The free event, organised by Professor Angela Phillips, takes place from 5-7pm. A Q&A session will follow, along with drinks for those who stay later.
Mayor Glanville has previously praised the borough’s local newspapers, tweeting: “I can’t say enough how much I value, enjoy and love the Hackney Gazette and the Hackney Citizen. I’ve also always engaged.”
Can’t say enough how much I value, enjoy & love @hackneygazette & @hackneycitizen, I’ve also always engaged > @padwelch @hackneycouncil
— Mayor of Hackney (@mayorofhackney) November 30, 2016
The topics for today’s debate were also raised in a London Assembly report, The fate of local news – read all about it, published by the Economy Committee in August.
The then chair of the committee, Labour Assembly Member Fiona Twycross, said at the time: “London needs a strong and credible local press. Without addressing the challenges that the industry is facing and finding solutions, we are at risk of losing one of our most important democratic functions.”