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There are some stories that are so big and complex that everyday journalism can’t report them in the usual formats. The global growth of organised crime since the end of the Cold War is one of those huge stories that has proved difficult to tell. So respect is due to Misha Glenny who has spent the last few years researching the emergence of a world wide web of organised crime. He has published the results in his new book, “McMafia“. On Monday evening he will be talking about his investigations in the Old Theatre, Houghton Street, LSE at 6.30pm. It’s free. Details here.

Polis’ resident journalist Lara Farrar has been looking at the issues behind Misha’s book. This is her take on the reality of organised crime. Read the rest of this entry »

We have a researcher looking at why the Darfur story has run so big in the media - especially the American media - compared to other African conflicts and crises.  Pedro is at the beginning of his study so we welcome any input. Read the rest of this entry »

This morning I was at a validation meeting for various journalism courses at the London College of Communication with a panel that included Observer journalist Denis Campbell. Denis was an excellent sports correspondent before turning his attention to health matters, so he has seen different aspects of the trade. The question before the assembled journalism educators was “do you need to insist that ALL journalism students have good levels of shorthand?” Read the rest of this entry »

The switchback ride of the Democrat nomination race continues. Despite widespread media predictions of a loss of momentum for Obama he has effectively secured a double hit in Indiana and North Carolina. This is why the pro-Obama website Huffington Post has now declared their man “The Presumptive Nominee”. But you can see why Hillary won’t quit because she hasn’t lost support since she was the clear leader back in September. I shall explain. Read the rest of this entry »

My conversation about humanitarian communication with the World Food Programme’s Greg Barrow was cut short because he had to get on with dealing with the Burma cyclone crisis. We had been talking about the state of media coverage of disasters and emergencies. One thing we thought is certain. With new media technology there is no excuse for ignorance. The Internet and other new technologies mean you can report from anywhere, anytime, to a global audience. The question for aid agencies and the correspondents is not how to get coverage but how to get people to listen - and what do you want them to do if they hear? Read the rest of this entry »

This proves that I support the most caring team in Britain. West Ham striker Craig Bellamy is investing £650,000 in a grass-roots football scheme in Sierra Leone. Read about it here.

The Labour Party is going through some soul-searching post-local elections. But is the debate online better than we would have had in the past?

In the old days party workers would have retreated to smoke-filled rooms at the back of pubs or made coded speeches at Union and Party confererences. Now we can read as Labour politicos debate the next step live and online. Read the rest of this entry »

Here is a Bank Holiday treat for you. Travel to the city of dreaming spires in the company of Washington Post columnist and Oxford Reuters Fellow John Kelly. John is spending a year in Oxford with his family studying journalism but his blog shows that he is really examining the strange and lovely way of life in an English University town. Read the rest of this entry »

Sometimes real life takes on the ghastly proportions of a monstrous myth. Listening to the deep and complex musical drama of Harrison Birtwhistle’s Minotaur at the Royal Opera House it was impossible not to make the links between the Cretan Labyrinth and a cellar in Amstetten, Austria. Read the rest of this entry »

Congratulations to YouGov and to Stephan Shakespeare’s PoliticsHome website for calling the London Mayoral election most accurately and first. Read the rest of this entry »