The Frontline Club

Fatima Bhutto, writer, political commentator and outspoken critic of Pakistan’s current regime will be at the Frontline Club in conversation with Owen Bennett-Jones, BBC Pakistan correspondent between 1998 and 2001 and author of Pakistan: Eye Of The Storm, to talk about her new book Songs of Blood and Sword and her vision for the future of Pakistan.

Songs of Blood and Sword tells the story of the Bhutto dynasty a history that mirrors the tumultuous events of Pakistan itself. In September 1996, a fourteen-year-old Fatima Bhutto hid in a windowless dressing room, shielding her baby brother while shots rang out in the streets outside the family home in Karachi. This was the evening that her father Murtaza was murdered, along with six of his associates.

In December 2007, Benazir Bhutto, Fatima’s aunt, was assassinated in Rawalpindi. It was the latest in a long line of tragedies for one of the world’s best known political dynasties.

Fatima Bhutto is an Afghan born Pakistani poetess and writer. She studied at Columbia University, and the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. She currently writes columns for The Daily Beast, New Statesman and other publications. She lives in Karachi.

Owen Bennett-Jones was BBC Pakistan correspondent between 1998 and 2001

There’s no shortage of news around at the moment, but is anyone making anyone any money from it?

As the print-based media come to terms with a shrinking advertising market and a promiscuous digital audience, many are looking to high-end devices such as Apple’s iPhone and iPad, which touches down in Britain on May 28, as a way to charge readers.

But is Apple’s tightly controlled app economy really the great hope that newspaper and magazine publishers hope it is, or just another false dawn?

At the same time, Rupert Murdoch’s Times and Sunday Times are about to launch paid-for premium websites featuring exclusive text and video content any day now — yet consumer research has consistently shown that readers are reluctant to cough up for web news. Will Murdoch have the last laugh?

With an expert panel we investigate the prospects for news publishers to recoup revenue lost to the digital revolution. Panelists include:

Special guest Gurtej Sandhu, digital director of The Times, which this month will (re)launch two paid-for, paywalled sites, thetimes.co.uk and thesundaytimes.co.uk.

Douglas McCabe from Enders Analysis, an expert in online publishing, new media business models and the impact of new media on existing markets,

Ewan McLeod, founder and editor of Mobile Industry Review and entrepreneur

Marybeth Christie, head of product management at FT.com,

Chaired by Steve Hewlett, journalist, consultant and presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Media Show

This event is in partnership with the BBC College of Journalism.

There’s no shortage of news around at the moment, but is anyone making anyone any money from it?

As the print-based media come to terms with a shrinking advertising market and a promiscuous digital audience, many are looking to high-end devices such as Apple’s iPhone and iPad, which touches down in Britain on May 28, as a way to charge readers.

But is Apple’s tightly controlled app economy really the great hope that newspaper and magazine publishers hope it is, or just another false dawn?

At the same time, Rupert Murdoch’s Times and Sunday Times are about to launch paid-for premium websites featuring exclusive text and video content any day now — yet consumer research has consistently shown that readers are reluctant to cough up for web news. Will Murdoch have the last laugh?

With an expert panel we investigate the prospects for news publishers to recoup revenue lost to the digital revolution. Panelists include:

Special guest Gurtej Sandhu, digital director of The Times, which this month will (re)launch two paid-for, paywalled sites, thetimes.co.uk and thesundaytimes.co.uk.

Douglas McCabe from Enders Analysis, an expert in online publishing, new media business models and the impact of new media on existing markets,

Ewan McLeod, founder and editor of Mobile Industry Review and entrepreneur

Marybeth Christie, head of product management at FT.com,

Chaired by Steve Hewlett, journalist, consultant and presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Media Show

This event is in partnership with the BBC College of Journalism.

What has been the impact of "Climategate"? What is the way forward after the release of hacked emails from staff at the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research triggered such fierce debate about the science behind climate change? What does the science really tell us and what are the challenges facing journalists and scientists in covering the issues?

Join us at the Frontline Club in association with the Global Campaign for Climate Action and Communications INC, where we will discuss the aftermath of "climategate" and examine the roles played by science, politics and the media.

With a distinguished panel we will be taking stock of the issue of climate change and also asking what comes next in the wake of climate conference in Copenghagen?

Is there a way to re-energise the debate and re-engage politicians and the public and what will be the consequences if the preservation of our world remains a niche issue rather than a core one?

With: Julian Rush, science correspondent, Channel 4 News

Kelly Rigg, executive director of the Global Campaign for Climate Action; Richard Black, environment correspondent for the BBC News website and author of BBC Earth Watch and James Randerson, editor of environmentguardian.co.uk.

What has been the impact of "Climategate"? What is the way forward after the release of hacked emails from staff at the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research triggered such fierce debate about the science behind climate change? What does the science really tell us and what are the challenges facing journalists and scientists in covering the issues?

Join us at the Frontline Club in association with the Global Campaign for Climate Action and Communications INC, where we will discuss the aftermath of "climategate" and examine the roles played by science, politics and the media.

With a distinguished panel we will be taking stock of the issue of climate change and also asking what comes next in the wake of climate conference in Copenghagen?

Is there a way to re-energise the debate and re-engage politicians and the public and what will be the consequences if the preservation of our world remains a niche issue rather than a core one?

With: Julian Rush, science correspondent, Channel 4 News

Kelly Rigg, executive director of the Global Campaign for Climate Action; Richard Black, environment correspondent for the BBC News website and author of BBC Earth Watch and James Randerson, editor of environmentguardian.co.uk.

Speakers on the night include Mail on Sunday reporter Peter Hitchens; Guardian social affairs reporter Amelia Gentleman and freelancer John Arlidge, who writes for the Sunday Times.

With our chair Paddy O’Connell, the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House, we’ll get the inside story on their nominees’ scoops, investigations and insights and find out what makes hard-hitting political journalists tick in 2010.

We also ask: is investigative journalism under threat from the pressures of the modern media industry?

See the full list of nominees and links to their work here.

Speakers on the night include Mail on Sunday reporter Peter Hitchens; Guardian social affairs reporter Amelia Gentleman and freelancer John Arlidge, who writes for the Sunday Times.

With our chair Paddy O’Connell, the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House, we’ll get the inside story on their nominees’ scoops, investigations and insights and find out what makes hard-hitting political journalists tick in 2010.

We also ask: is investigative journalism under threat from the pressures of the modern media industry?

See the full list of nominees and links to their work here.

What is the reality of the humanitarian aid industry and what impact is it having on the people at the receiving end? How is the money spent and is there enough accountability to make sure it is spent in the right way?

Do you agree with Linda Polman, author of War Games: The Story of Aid and War in Modern Times that the humanitarian aid industry, the media and warmongers the world over are locked in a cycle of mutual support?

We will also be discussing Western intervention in countries such as Kosovo and Iraq. Those and other interventions may have been driven by humanitarian principles but have they worked?

In his recent book, The Thin Blue Line: How Humanitarianism Went to War Conor Foley argues that the multi-billion industry that has emerged in the past 20 years has played a leading role in shaping foreign policy in the West and that international law has been used to override the sovereignty of the poorest countries of the world.

Join us to discuss the criticisms that have been levelled at the aid industry and humanitarian intervention.

With Conor Foley, humanitarian aid worker who has worked for a variety of human rights and humanitarian aid organisations and writes regularly for The Guardian Comment is Free; Linda Polman, freelance journalist and author of We Did Nothing: Why the Truth Doesn’t Always Come Out When the UN Goes In; Amany Abouzeid, ActionAid human security policy coordinator and Sarah Bailey, research officer for ODI Humanitarian Policy Group.

Moderated by Humphrey Hawksley, leading BBC foreign correspondent, author and commentator on world affairs.

What is the reality of the humanitarian aid industry and what impact is it having on the people at the receiving end? How is the money spent and is there enough accountability to make sure it is spent in the right way?

Do you agree with Linda Polman, author of War Games: The Story of Aid and War in Modern Times that the humanitarian aid industry, the media and warmongers the world over are locked in a cycle of mutual support?

We will also be discussing Western intervention in countries such as Kosovo and Iraq. Those and other interventions may have been driven by humanitarian principles but have they worked?

In his recent book, The Thin Blue Line: How Humanitarianism Went to War Conor Foley argues that the multi-billion industry that has emerged in the past 20 years has played a leading role in shaping foreign policy in the West and that international law has been used to override the sovereignty of the poorest countries of the world.

Join us to discuss the criticisms that have been levelled at the aid industry and humanitarian intervention.

With Conor Foley, humanitarian aid worker who has worked for a variety of human rights and humanitarian aid organisations and writes regularly for The Guardian Comment is Free; Linda Polman, freelance journalist and author of We Did Nothing: Why the Truth Doesn’t Always Come Out When the UN Goes In; Amany Abouzeid, ActionAid human security policy coordinator and Sarah Bailey, research officer for ODI Humanitarian Policy Group.

Moderated by Humphrey Hawksley, leading BBC foreign correspondent, author and commentator on world affairs.

Political apathy may be on the rise in the UK, but no one can say the 2010 General Election campaign has been the predictable two-party race of old.

After his strong performance in the televised leaders’ debates, opinion polls now consistently put Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats in second place, making this the first genuine three-horse race election in living memory, perhaps marking the end of the Labour-Tory dominance at Westminster.

With polls pointing to a hung parliament, the Lib Dems could form part of a government – making a radical shake-up of our voting system almost certain. But is this really a watershed moment in British political history or are we getting carried away with Cleggmania? And whatever the outcome of Thursday’s poll, will claims of change really be made when women’s representation is likely to have made so little progress?

Paddy O’Connell of BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House will be in the chair for another of our First Wednesday discussions, lively public meetings that bring together experts and commentators and mix their views with contributions from our audience.

With: Vernon Bogdanor, professor of government at the University of Oxford and one of Britain’s foremost constitutional experts; Kat Banyard, director, UK Feminista and author of The Equality Illusion: The truth about women and men today (Faber and Faber); Ivor Gaber, professor of political campaigning at City University London; Ashok Viswanathan, deputy co-ordinator, Operation Black Vote.