iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Matilda Martin @matildamartin.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Rupert Lowe this week became the first British politician to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience The Restore Britain-supporting Lotus Eaters podcast is another example of Lowe's digital strategy with @zoecrowther.bsky.social

politicshome.com

The 'MAGA-esque' YouTube Channel Boosting Rupert Lowe Online

Rupert Lowe this week became the first British politician to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience. The podcast has more British listeners than the BB...

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Dr Keighley Perkins @perkinskeighley.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Next week, @maxwellmodell.bsky.social & myself will be delivering two sessions alongside the Centre for Welsh Politics & Society about our @cujournmedcul.bsky.social research into the 2026 Senedd election. More details 👇 #Senedd #journalism #Seneddelection #politicalcommunication #impartiality

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

It's Christmas day for political podcast scholars 🎅 We have a new special issue to unwrap and lots of exciting new journal articles to play with

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Dr Keighley Perkins @perkinskeighley.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

I've come back from annual leave to find this copy of Media Magazine on my desk. In Issue 96, @stephencushion.bsky.social, @maxwellmodell.bsky.social & myself talk about the Enhancing the Impartiality of Political News project. Thanks to @englangblog.bsky.social for the invite to write for them!

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

New BBC guidance on the May elections acknowledges “the era of two-party politics, or the more recent period of ‘big parties’ and ‘smaller parties’, is not the world we now live in." Our @cujournmedcul.bsky.social project will track how broadcasters handle this new context. tinyurl.com/nhkayjmz

tinyurl.com

How the BBC is covering May’s elections

An update from Jonathan Munro, Interim CEO, BBC News, and Rhuanedd Richards, Interim Director, Nations

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 07/04/2026

Great piece by @stephencushion.bsky.social and Llion Carbis that demonstrates why it is so important for media coverage of devolved politics to explain the workings of the Welsh political system and how it differs from Westminster

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Stephen Cushion @stephencushion.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

1/5 🗳️ Why reporting of devolved politics matters ahead of elections in 🇬🇧 Our new Cardiff University research (featured in Guardian) shows many voters in Wales are still unsure who is responsible for key policy decisions such as UK or Welsh governments: www.theguardian.com/media/2026/a...

theguardian.com

Voters in Wales failed by inaccurate UK media reports on devolved issues, study finds

Reports on English policies seen in Wales as relating to whole of UK contribute to widespread confusion, researchers say

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Stacey Copeland @scopeland.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

Are you a feminist and podcaster? We are seeking women & gender-diverse podcasters (Europe, North America, Latin America) to share their experiences of podcasting as political action & transmission. 👉 Your participation in our short survey is appreciated! rug.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

rug.eu.qualtrics.com

Qualtrics Survey | Feminist Archives

The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

With the Senedd election just months away public understanding, or lack thereof, of devolution and Welsh politics more broadly has never been more important. Stephen's new research with YouGov provides a powerful insight into the depth of the problem.

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Matt Walsh @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

As the Greens celebrate victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election, TV news bosses might want to reflect on why the party's improving election and opinion poll results are not matched by more frequent appearances on bulletins. A trend that's the mirror image of Reform UK.

enhancingimpartiality.com

After winning the by-election, should the Greens be given more airtime? — Researching the impartiality of political news

News programmes are leading their coverage this morning with the Greens’ historic victory in the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election – the first the party has ever achieved. But our new resear...

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

Chris Mason describing a by-election result as "extraordinary" - I think I've seen this film before

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

I have a new article out in @uk.theconversation.com outlining my thoughts on the Bafta racial slur controversy and how the BBC failed in its editorial responsibility causing substantial and avoidable harm to the black and disabled communities. theconversation.com/baftas-racia...

theconversation.com

Baftas racial slur controversy: what should the BBC have done?

In live broadcasting, when things go wrong, they can often be blamed on live conditions. Once a programme has been edited, this no longer applies.

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

Over many pints I've pitched the idea of a book called 'Conservation Analysis for Screenwriters', merging my interest in social interaction with my love for film and theatre. I was delighted to find out @spencerhazel.bsky.social has written something along those lines. Perfect read to start 2026

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

It was a pleasure to speak at @ofcom.bsky.social's 'Making Sense of the Senedd Election' event yesterday. I discussed our upcoming @cujournmedcul.bsky.social study of impartiality in media coverage of the Senedd election campaign and our wider Enhancing Impartiality project.

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Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

The events of the last 24 hours show why it's important to build functional verification structures in public and counterpublic spaces to resist the authoritarian erosion of our democratic systems, as described in this thread.

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

After the killing of Alex Pretti by federal ICE officers, BBC Verify has stepped up to invalidate false accounts of the events from Trump and his representatives. This should be front and centre of all BBC coverage and give them permission to call out blatant lies. www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

bbc.co.uk

Unpicking the second Minneapolis shooting frame by frame

BBC Verify has analysed footage of the shooting from multiple angles, piecing together a detailed picture of what happened.

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Dr Keighley Perkins @perkinskeighley.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

With the new season of Question Time starting tonight, now's the perfect time to read the latest blog post from the Enhancing the Impartiality of News project...

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Steph Brawn @stephbrawn.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

EXCL: SNP appearances plummet and right-wing journos appear twice as often as left-wing...🤔 Some intriguing findings by media experts at @cardiffuni.bsky.social about Question Time in 2025👀 Thanks to @maxwellmodell.bsky.social for sharing insights! www.thenational.scot/news/2577777...

thenational.scot

SNP appearances on BBC Question Time plummet, new research shows

SNP appearances on Question Time have dramatically dropped in the last year compared to the previous decade, fresh research by experts has revealed.

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

It was a pleasure to speak to @stephbrawn.bsky.social of @scotnational.bsky.social to discuss our latest analysis of Question Time guests in 2025. Research team: @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social, @stephencushion.bsky.social, @perkinskeighley.bsky.social, and myself www.thenational.scot/news/2577777...

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

With Question Time returning to our screens for 2026, we decided to look back at who appeared on the programme in 2025 to assess how producers interpreted impartiality when selecting panellists, updating @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social's study of panellists from 2014-2024. tinyurl.com/yc77s5mp

tinyurl.com

The impartiality of Question Time: An analysis of panellists in 2025 — Researching the impartiality of political news

The BBC’s weekly debate political programme, Question Time , has long been a magnet for controversy. And 2025 has been no different, with critics regularly questioning its impartiality, most often be...

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Dr Keighley Perkins @perkinskeighley.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

The first Senedd poll of 2026 puts Plaid Cymru in the lead just four months before voters go to the ballot box. While one poll does not decide an election, the Senedd elected in May 2026 may look different from anything Wales has seen before. 🔗 tinyurl.com/mtp35nfz 🧵👇 #politics #Senedd

tinyurl.com

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Zoë Crowther @zoecrowther.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

NEW: Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into X under the Online Safety Act Ofcom has a range of enforcement powers it could use against X if it is found to have broken the law, including: - fines - the removal of the service in the UK - criminal prosecutions

politicshome.com

Ofcom Launches Formal Investigation Into X Over Grok Sexualised Imagery

Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into X under the Online Safety Act after the platform's AI chatbot produced non-consensual sexualised ima...

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

BBC Verify coverage of the US and Venezuela is the main item on the BBC News app. The fact-checking service comes to the fore in moments of uncertainty where information is patchy and complex. I'm currently writing an article about the moments the BBC put fact-checking front and centre of coverage

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Dr Keighley Perkins @perkinskeighley.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

This article pulls together more than a year’s worth of polling since Labour’s 2024 landslide & finds we’re no longer in a “two-party” era. Instead, we’re in a multi-party landscape—& that creates significant knock-on effects. 🔗 tinyurl.com/mprjccme 🧵👇 #impartiality #impartialityproject #polsky

tinyurl.com

What the year in polls tells us about Reform’s growth – and Labour and Tory losses

However you cut it, the big parties have lost significant ground to Reform.

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

You might have missed this if, like me, you took a break for socials over Christmas, but @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social has published his excellent analysis examining 10 years of panellists on BBC Question Time since 2014. It's a great read. We'll post an update soon with the 2025 numbers.

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Andy Williams @llantwit.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Some really (and qualifiedly) good news from Cardiff UCU @cardiffucu.bsky.social : No redundancies next year, no downgrading of professional services staff. And all without the need for disruptive industrial action, which nobody at all wants. nation.cymru/news/cardiff...

nation.cymru

Cardiff University agrees to no compulsory redundancies in 2026

Martin Shipton Union members at Cardiff University have welcomed “major concessions” from management including no compulsory redundancies in 2026 in an ongoing dispute about job cuts and working condi...

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Stephen Cushion @stephencushion.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

Rise of Reform's coverage in TV coverage through 2025 well illustrated in our new @cujournmedcul.bsky.social study 👇

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Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

This is the saddest day of my professional life.
Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage.
I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys.
I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show,
A show that I named and helped develop over all those years.
Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry.
These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices.
Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'.
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I chose the latter.
It broke my heart.
I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make.
I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer.
I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence.
One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more.
I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost".
James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice.
Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences.
I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness.
Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire.
I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal.
I am so sorry to let you down.
I hope that you can understand my reasoning.
I have to accept that I am not what the current
BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not
"just a job"
I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world.
From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too.
The strawberry is dead.
Long live the strawberry. B

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Detailed summary of our latest report on opposition party coverage in broadcast news 👇

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Rachel Cunliffe @rmcunliffe.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Exclusive: Reform overtook the Tories as the most referenced opposition party on both the BBC and ITV. “Reform UK was the dominant party in more than twice as many stories as the Conservatives and just under four times more stories than the Liberal Democrats." www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

newstatesman.com

Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions

New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Nuanced and engaging write up of our latest impartiality study in @newstatesman1913.bsky.social by @rmcunliffe.bsky.social Empirical evidence of how broadcasters actually cover opposition parties and how successfully they reflect an emerging multi-party system. www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...

newstatesman.com

Exclusive: Reform overtakes the Conservatives in media mentions

New research from Cardiff University finds Reform is now treated as the opposition party on mainstream news shows

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Awesome talk from Dr Patricia Jimenez at the EMCA Doctoral Network. Patricia did an amazing job at penetrating the question of why we do membership categorisation analysis and how it can help us understand members' situated sense-making practices. Great data on classrooms and lay definitions of AI

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Dr Keighley Perkins @perkinskeighley.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

New Office of National Statistics figures show net migration dropped to just over 200,000 in the year ending June. While the government will point to this as progress on a key pledge, the wider picture is much more complex. 🔗 tinyurl.com/2yaxnmtk 🧵👇 #impartiality #impartialityproject #migration

tinyurl.com

Net migration has dropped to pre-Brexit levels – why it may not be enough to satisfy voters

The public may not be aware that numbers have fallen, and those who are aware may not consider 200,000 to be particularly low.

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Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 29/11/2025

🚨 JOB ALERT 🚨 We’re looking for a brilliant producer to lead my @LBC Sunday show Come and help make news, provide the best insight, digital content and prove Sunday political shows aren’t boring Link below. Any Qs get in touch 👇 careers.global.com/jobs/R0009023

careers.global.com

Producer

Find your next move. Join our talented and passionate Globallers doing the best work of their career.

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

I started my day with some light ethnomethodological reading of @cathtam.bsky.social & @robinjsmith.bsky.social's engaging introduction to their new special issue on social asymmetries in action, arguing for the efficacy of EM/CA approaches to studying "big" sociological concerns in local contexts

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Excellent talk from Dr Natalie-Anne Hall

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Matt Walsh @mattwalshjourno.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

A not very convincing day of evidence from the BBC board and its advisors to the media select committee mattwalsh.substack.com/p/crisis-wha...

mattwalsh.substack.com

Crisis what crisis? A day of unconvincing testimony on the BBC

A big boy did it and ran away, say BBC board members to Parliament

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Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

There is so much messed up about this front page Express story today. There's no suggestion or evidence ANY alcohol or drugs was consumed. This is literally just people dancing. And buried in the piece: "The footage is believed to have been filmed just before Labour took power in July last year."

Daily Express: "It's raving mad" front page - exclusive: "Anger as asylum seekers filmed partying at former RAF base"

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Excellent article from @stephencushion.bsky.social interrogating the quality of evidence in the Prescott memo and whether it proves its claims of systematic bias in the BBC. Ultimately, it is a rallying cry for robust, transparent and clearly evidenced research into the impartiality.

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Michael Savage @michaelsavage.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

NEW: Lisa Nandy to look again at political appointments to the BBC’s board as part of charter renewal discussions. She said concerns have been raised over the appointment of Sir Robbie Gibb, a Conservative first appointed to the board by Boris Johnson.

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Michael Savage @michaelsavage.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

NEW: The Prescott report that led to Tim Davie's downfall included claims of "systemic bias" on the trans issue at the BBC. But a reporter at the heart of the BBC's reporting on the topic disagrees. Story: www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...

theguardian.com

BBC reporter who covered gender dysphoria questions claim of ‘systemic bias’

Deborah Cohen says she is not aware of any attempts within corporation to stop or shape her reporting on trans issues

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Maxwell Modell @maxwellmodell.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

@perkinskeighley.bsky.social is doing great research. This short article is a concise and to-the-point introduction to it

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