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This episode contains discussion of suicide and self-harm. If you are struggling you can call the Samaritans for free, any time, on 116 123.

ADHD is recognised as an established neurodevelopmental condition by the world’s most respected medical and health organisations. But as diagnoses have risen, a narrative has formed: that people with ADHD are simply lazy, not trying hard enough, addicted to social media, or just want benefits. Or even – that ADHD is just not real. 

These narratives about neurodiversity play perfectly into binary culture war clickbait, amplified so often by our right-wing media. This is possibly why there has been an even greater backlash to a recent ‘documentary’ released on Channel 4 – a broadcaster usually committed to diversity and balance. ‘The Great ADHD Myth?’ claimed it was a “science-led” documentary, seeking to determine whether ADHD was a “genuine neurodevelopmental disorder, or a social construct”. Yet the documentary plays more as an opinion piece, in which every anecdote, interviewee and quote is cherry-picked to suit the presenter’s original hypothesis. The presenter, as it turns out, writes ADHD-sceptic columns for The Daily Mail and The Spectator.

There is only one person who actually has ADHD featured in the entire programme – a 10-year-old boy who takes part in an absurdly unscientific “experiment” concerning his medication. The Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of GPs have criticised the programme, and one scientist has said publicly that her interview was “truncated and presented out of context”. 

The programme sums up the state of our media when it comes to reporting on ADHD – oversimplifying complex neuroscience, debating clinical consensus, panicking about rising diagnoses, leaning into the worst stereotypes and scapegoating social media. How do we change the narrative? 

Joining us on this episode is journalist and author of ‘It’s Not a Bloody Trend’, Kat Brown, and the founder of ADHD Works, Leanne Maskell. 

Buy AuDHD: Blooming Differently here.

Buy ADHD: An A to Z here.

Buy It's Not A Bloody Trend here or find Kat’s books as part of the Reading Well programme in libraries around the UK.

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

It was edited by⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Christy Callaway-Gale⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Care about independent and ethical news (and Mathilda’s baby)? Support Media Storm on⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

This month, the UN released a new report about climate change: the planet is soon poised to breach the safe temperature limit, reaching at least 1.8C under even the most optimistic future. The report is clear: “There are no good outcomes above 1.5C”. Every fraction of a degree will cost lives, destroy livelihoods, deepen inequality and push ecosystems closer to irreversible damage.

Pretty huge news right? Not according to the mainstream media, who dedicated a mere two articles to this report. 

This summer, rolling heatwaves hit the northern hemisphere with an intensity not ever seen before. Droughts have ruined Europe’s harvests. A collapsing glacier led to a flash flood that swept away over a thousand people in Nepal and Tibet. A ‘godzilla’ El Niño is brewing in the Pacific that scientists say will be the strongest in 1000 years. And the media? They’re dedicating time to callers who think trees spontaneously combust and telling the public to just ‘embrace a Mediterranean lifestyle’. (By the way, Sunday Telegraph editor, that Mediterranean lifestyle you speak of now includes wildfires, displacement and death). 

Scientists have repeatedly proved that the best hope for humanity is to stick to a goal of net zero emissions by 2050 - cutting down major pollution sources like oil and gas, and using natural absorbers to help take the remaining gases out of the air. 

In 2019 Theresa May signed the UK’s Net Zero target into law. “Standing by is not an option,” she said. The landmark pledge reflected a rare cross-party consensus. But last year, the UK’s right-wing parties began openly questioning long-settled climate science. The Tories u-turned on their pledge, and Net Zero became increasingly politically contentious.

Negative articles and editorials about net zero skyrocketed. Nearly 100 UK newspaper editorials opposed climate action in 2025. There were more than two editorials a week attacking Ed Miliband, the then Labour energy secretary. It marked the first time that editorials opposing climate action overtook those supporting it. Where did they come from?

Who is funding fossil fuel interests? Why has climate denial taken root in the right-wing? And what can we do when faced with climate doom? 

To help us answer those questions and shine a light on the fossil fuel interests that run our news cycle, we’re joined by DeSmog investigative journalist Sam Bright and climate journalist and writer Diyora Shadijanova. 

Read DeSmog’s investigation into The Telegraph’s record of climate falsehoods here. Join Diyora’s climate book club here.

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Angry? Find out how to help at The Care Workers Charity ‘Get Involved’ page.

Adult social care in England is one of the hardest, lowest-paid jobs in the country, holding up a system that governments of both main parties call "broken" – yet keep declining to fix. The average care worker is paid close to the legal minimum, and the sector's vacancy rate is three times the national average.

Into that vacancy vacuum, the post-Brexit Tory government opened the Skilled Worker visa route. Arrivals surged. Care workers became the single biggest group on the visa, and the UK suddenly hit RECORD NET MIGRATION! Over 900,000 in 2023.

The headlines went wild. That peak became a political weapon.

The state's response was not to fix pay or funding in the care sector. It was to squeeze the very workforce it had just imported. Care workers lost the right to bring family over. Sponsor licenses were sweepingly revoked, and thousands of workers were left stranded, often laden with recruitment debt, given no recourse to public funds.

The media ignored the human costs of the cull they cheered on.

In this episode, Mathilda and Helena are joined by two carers - Clementina Odih Okozi and Georgia Edwards - to find out the real causes of the "crisis" in care.

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

It was edited by⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Christy Callaway-Gale⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Care about independent and ethical news? Support Media Storm on⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

This episode deals with themes of suicide. If you are struggling, Samaritans are available free, day and night, on 116 123.

This episode is about Jason Arday. Never has a story encapsulated the words ‘media storm’ so well.  

It is not intended to add to the storm, but to critically analyse how an accusation of plagiarism against Arday made by Nathan Cofnas, a man with extremely racist views (though no mainstream media outlet described them as such) managed to make so many front pages.

Jason Arday was a 41-year-old academic, and the youngest ever Black professor at Cambridge University. He was found dead on Friday 14th August at his home in London, following weeks of intense media scrutiny of many aspects of his qualifications and personal life by the majority of the UK press establishment – both on the Right and the Left.

In media articles about Jason Arday’s life, and his death, you’ll read that the professor “found himself at the centre of a plagiarism row”. But the story is far deeper than this. It’s a story about who gets a voice in our national press, a media intent on villainization, and a racist narrative about diversity allowed to run wild.

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

It was edited by⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Christy Callaway-Gale⁠⁠⁠⁠

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠⁠⁠⁠

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64 years ago, national news journalist and editor Francis Williams lamented the decline of the local press in the UK. “Once the battle for freedom of news and opinion found its daily reflection in competing morning and evening newspapers with deep roots in local interests and loyalties. The position has so altered that [the public] must content themselves with what is offered to them by one evening paper only.”

In 1958, Williams was outraged by the close of 225 newspapers in 40 years. Yet fast forward, and in just 10 years (2009-2019) more than 320 local titles closed. 

Why is this happening?

The decline is multifaceted: a huge shift to online advertising means stretched publications push to get clicks on the company website at any cost. Local news stories fade away while celebrity gossip grows. Time-poor journalists replace court reporting with write-ups of press releases, and duplicated clickbait becomes the bread and butter of ‘zombie’ papers. 

Why does it matter? 

Well, bad journalism is bad for democracy, bad for community – and good for disinformation. Multiple studies have concluded that people who live in areas with poor local news coverage are less likely to vote. Plus, with less information on local health or education services and a lack of understanding of your local area, communities become more insular and isolated. 

To talk through all this and more are two journalists who live and love local news. Before becoming head of news at both HuffPost UK and openDemocracy, Ramzy Alwakeel edited the Islington Gazette and Hackney Gazette, and worked at the Barking & Dagenham Post and the Romford Recorder. Joshi Herrmann is the founder of Mill Media – launched during the Covid-19 lockdown as a newsletter in Manchester, the local news company has since grown across seven cities. 

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

It was edited by ⁠⁠⁠Christy Callaway-Gale⁠⁠⁠

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Almost half of us in the UK now say we actively avoid the news. The main reason is it's just 'too depressing', and it 'doesn’t make a difference'. But it's not just the UK, and it’s not just the news. Globally, the average election turnout has fallen from 65% to 55% in 15 years.

The thing is, you can’t tune out politics. Because EVERYTHING is politics. How safe you feel walking home at night, the price of a pint, hot summers, trying to book the dentist, the World Cup – all of this involves political choices made by someone, somewhere.

This week: why so many people are switching off from politics altogether, who benefits from that, and what it would take to win them back.

Mathilda and Helena are joined by Natasha Devon, whose upcoming book The Nuance Drought is an autopsy of today’s toxic political discourse - and Femi Oluwole, an outspoken critic of the people who lie and cheat in Westminster, and the system that lets them get away with it.

They also speak to John Stevens of the Rejoin EU party - about why he's running against Nigel Farage and Count Binface in the Clacton by-election!

A healthy democracy needs four basic pillars: Fair information. Fair influence. Fair votes. Fair play. Learn more about Open Britain’s Bigger Than Politics campaign.

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

It was edited by ⁠⁠Christy Callaway-Gale⁠⁠

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠⁠⁠

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Last week, we talked about ‘New research shows…’ headlines, and how the media commodifies science into clickbait. This week, it's part two of that episode, looking at bad social science. Because this issue is not just about influencers selling us bogus diets and face creams. There’s also think tanks selling us bogus research on highly political topics: like abortion, immigration, or fossil fuels.

Their funding is highly opaque, but if you trace the money, it tells a terrifying story about who shapes the truth in our information economy. Joining us this week is Peter Jukes, the co-founder and Executive Editor of Byline Times, who has written on the Murdoch empire, Russian influence, and "dark money" in politics – and exposed many a think tank scandal.

We talk about the bad think tanks based at 55 Tufton Street, how media narratives about immigration and climate change were meticulously planned and peddled, and how we as news consumers can change the narrative.

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

It was edited by ⁠Christy Callaway-Gale⁠

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Care about ethical news? Support Media Storm on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Learn more about Open Britain’s petition for electoral reform: you have until 28th July!

Does coffee cause or cure cancer?! Do eggs heal or herald heart attacks?! If you were to read everything you need in the press, you’d be very confused! It’s ALL - and also NONE - of the above!

This episode is about ‘New research shows…’ headlines, and how the media commodifies science into clickbait. Take this Washington Post article from earlier this month: ‘4 proven health benefits of drinking coffee”. Note the term “proven”. Yet as one physician commented: “not a single study you referenced demonstrated causation”.

Whether it’s for clickbait or e-commerce or ‘churnalism’ (press releases by private corporations regurgitated as news), we’re inundated with ‘health’ articles that too often feed us useless, non-information. They might not kill you, but by systematically undermining the public’s understanding of science and evidence, they may be doing a huge amount of harm.

It is precisely this that allows things like anti-vax conspiracy theories, climate-denialism or exploitative wellness influencing to flourish.

Our guest today, Dr Deborah Cohen, is an expert in the “Wellness Industrial Complex”. Drug companies aren’t allowed to market straight to patients in the UK, but by using celebrity influencers and news outlets, they’re getting around that. The result? Cohen argues: “Health has been commodified in an age of anxiety, to the point where we can no longer tell medicine apart from marketing.”

Get ready to learn about stats and quacks– but don’t worry, it’s not all maths. It’s media literacy.

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

It was edited by Christy Callaway-Gale

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Since 1945, no party has won more than 50% of the vote in a general election. In 2019, the Conservative Party won a big majority despite getting less than 44% of the popular vote. In 2024, Keir Starmer won Labour a victory, yet he got fewer votes than Jeremy Corbyn in the election before him (an election Labour lost – with half a million more votes). At the last general election, nearly three quarters of all votes cast had no bearing on the result.

How does this happen? The answer lies in our electoral system, called First Past The Post. A winning candidate does not need to get the majority of the votes cast in their constituency, only more than any other candidate.

This is not the only way to do democracy. The UK is in a minority – just under one third of countries use First Past The Post. Many others use Proportional Representation – where a party’s share of seats mirrors its actual share of votes.

This week we are joined by Mark Kieran, CEO of Open Britain, and Shaun Roberts from Unlock Democracy to ask: if 60% of people now back Proportional Representation, why has it not been implemented yet? What are the true alternatives to FPTP? Will the Representation of the People Bill heading through Parliament next week change anything? Will Andy Burnham stick to a promise of electoral reform, or will he U-turn like Keir Starmer did? And will any government ever change a system that works for them?

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This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠

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Are you thrilled to see the back of Keir Starmer? Or - like us - are you oh so sick of the Westminster drama? The UK is set to see its seventh Prime Ministers in 10 years after Andy Burnham’s Makerfield coup. You couldn’t write it… or could you? One might argue, that’s exactly what our media did. Today we assess: do political correspondents enflame political chaos? Should Westminster gossip constantly be centre stage (and front-page). And for the media’s endless analysis of “what went wrong for Starmer”, why does none of it look at itself?

After the break… everyone’s talking about the World Cup! But there’s a glaring gap in the coverage. Did you know that several of the men now dominating global screens have been charged with or accused of rape and sexual assault? Football pundits keep repeating the familiar refrain: 'innocent until proven guilty'. We examine why this doesn't actually hold up in the context of rape and sexual assault.

This episode is hosted and produced by Mathilda Mallinson (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@mathildamall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Helena Wadia (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@helenawadia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 

Edited by Toka Omer

The music is by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @soundofsamfire⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow us⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠@mediastormpod⁠

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