@davidmascord.bsky.social
Freelance trainer in journalism, media law, business writing. Part-time university lecturer in law for journalists, media & communications. I live in the New Forest, Hampshire, UK.
Freedom of Information requests are not only one of the best ways to get original and exclusive stories that set your reporting apart — they’re also a good way to develop core journalism habits like curiosity, scepticism, and creativity. Here’s how:
onlinejournalismblog.com/2026/03/02/h...
Magnificent. Make sure you click on the "1 more reply" link to make sure you read the whole thread. You will not regret it.
10.01.2026 10:50 — 👍 193 🔁 62 💬 6 📌 2
Full government report: www.gov.uk/government/p...
15.12.2025 13:05 — 👍 83 🔁 13 💬 0 📌 1
Headline idea:
‘No Sweat’ says Andrew As He Drops Royal Titles.
Screenshot of an Express article; it says: Robert Jenrick lists 30 'activist judges' he vows to axe in war on UK's open border In a bold move, Robert Jenrick is set to unveil a controversial plan targeting what he calls 'activist' judges, at the Conservative Party conference.
I say this with the bluntness it requires: they will get people murdered if this continues. This is not just populism anymore either: it’s completely unhinged and a deliberate choice that does endanger lives. I am not saying this lightly at all.
07.10.2025 07:19 — 👍 960 🔁 428 💬 52 📌 38
I’ve never felt so disheartened. My small business means everything to me and I want to keep going.
Please have a look at my website. Buy things, commission me or repost.
www.gailmyerscough.co.uk
Thank you.
They’ve missed out on the opportunity to cast Gavin & Stacey actor Larry Lamb as Larry Lamb.
21.08.2025 10:52 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Wired and Business Insider have removed features written by a freelance journalist after concerns they are likely AI-generated.
Freedom of expression non-profit Index on Censorship is also in the process of taking down a magazine article by the same author pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/d...
No rules. No big sponsors.
Just a wild idea, a lot of grit, and a love of books.
This is how a festival was born – and it starts Saturday...
Jackie Carreira has the story
The Supreme Court has quashed the conviction of Tom Hayes for conspiracy to defraud. He was accused of conspiring to manipulate the LIBOR, key benchmark interest rates used in financial markets. In 2015, he was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, later reduced to 11 years on appeal.
23.07.2025 09:14 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 2 📌 0
Daily Star: World to come to an end with 'Big Crunch' and 'humans will burn in cosmic hell'.
At last, some good news.
22.07.2025 15:51 — 👍 1839 🔁 208 💬 139 📌 36
BBC threatens legal action against AI company
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Could a dead person be elected to #Parliament?
Yes - or at least this was the case in May 1728, when Sidney Wortley Montagu was declared the winning candidate in the disputed 1727 general election return for Peterborough, even though he had died six months earlier.
#HistParl
American archivists: y'all need to up your social media game! 🗃️
10.06.2025 13:01 — 👍 28 🔁 6 💬 1 📌 0
UK ministers delay AI regulation amid plans for more ‘comprehensive’ bill
07.06.2025 18:06 — 👍 30 🔁 9 💬 5 📌 3
“The revelation means that MI5 has effectively given false evidence in this case to every organisation or court which is supposed to have access to the Security Service's secrets and is responsible for holding it to account” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
07.06.2025 07:43 — 👍 107 🔁 25 💬 2 📌 3
Ayinde, quick summary of the non AI bits … lawyerwatch.wordpress.com/2025/06/06/t...
06.06.2025 16:29 — 👍 5 🔁 5 💬 2 📌 0
Exclusive: Telegraph was deceived by source in case of "faked" story about £345k per year banking couple who had to cut down on Waitrose shops to fund school fees pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/n...
07.06.2025 06:39 — 👍 91 🔁 33 💬 24 📌 30
Sending an #FOI is great.
Not having to send one because the info is already available. Also great.
The ICO has some tips for finding what you want. If not, you could send a request like these:
Meta lawsuit poses first big test of AI copyright battle
https://www.ft.com/content/b1f4965f-6ea6-4afd-968b-76bb2f7acfc4
The next few days are going to be tough as we wait to find out the results of the local elections.
I’m super proud of the dedicated team at @hopenothate.org.uk who expose candidates, mobilise our supporters and speak directly to voters.
Give them a follow: go.bsky.app/Eh5ysHL
Ministers have drawn up concessions on copyright changes in an attempt to appease artists and creators before a crucial vote in parliament next week, the Guardian has learned. The government will promise to carry out an economic impact assessment of its proposed copyright changes and to publish reports on issues including transparency, licensing and access to data for AI developers. The concessions are designed to mollify concerns in parliament and in creative industries about the government’s proposed shake-up of copyright rules.
UK ministers to amend data bill amid artists' concerns over AI and copyright theguardian.com/music/2025/a...
Bill bills.parliament.uk/bills/3825/p...
Report stage is next week. These amendments don't sound consequential, and are unlikely to shut anybody up, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
#DUABill #genAI #IPlaw
linkedin post screenshot: Ken Cheng - I want to connect with you, emotionally) Al will never be able to write like me. Why? Because | am now inserting random sentences into every post to throw off their language learning models. Any Al emulating me will radiator freak yellow horse spout nonsense. 1 wiite all my emails, That's Not My Baby and reports like this to protect my data waffle iron 40% off. 1 suggest all writers and artists do the same Strawberry mango Forklift. The robot nerds will never get the better of Ken Hey can | have whipped cream please? Cheng. We can tuna fish tango foxtrot defeat Al. We just have to talk like this. All. The. Time. Piss on carpet
unfollowing everyone on linkedin except this guy
23.04.2025 06:35 — 👍 45365 🔁 11528 💬 701 📌 969
NEW: She’s one of the most widely quoted psychologists, but her pronouncements have begun disappearing from the internet.
Could her persona be an elaborate hoax?
As AI progresses, journalists face a “wake up call” over checking their sources.
This story follows top @pressgazette.co.uk work:
A light blue diagram depicting the sea, with the water's surface at the top, and just below it is an outline of the Mary Rose, with the depth (12m, 40ft or 6.7 fathoms). There is a line showing the seabed, which takes a rapid dive into the vertical...
On the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we thought we'd answer a question that's often asked,
"If they raised the Mary Rose, why not raise the Titanic?"
Allow our scaled diagram to explain...
Verb Your Enthusiasm I recall the first time it circumstanced, this problem that routines with my words – I was in the kitchen, plating my food, when my nouns conversioned to verbs. Friending others with similar troubles, we workshopped hard at it for days, as we dialogued in search of solutions, and flipcharted the hours away. I can’t stop myself languaging weirdly. Are they called nerbs or vouns? I’m not sure. The doctors cannot antidote me, while to poem provisions no cure. Now I diarise each time they’re eventing – whenever I coffee or Youtube or gift. I’d podium, too – if I ever won anything, and it weren’t for those medalling kids. Brian Bilston
I’ve been poeming about how my nouns keep conversioning to verbs.
15.04.2025 10:09 — 👍 402 🔁 100 💬 18 📌 11
