Andy Dickinson

This bbc thing is an unholy mess and the relentless self-applied autopsy the corporation is inevitable but painful. Almost as painful as the numerous right leaning commentators getting bbc airtime to complain they don’t get fair coverage.

It’s an interesting read. But at the risk of sounding like an old fart, the amount of tinny loudspeaker sodcasting and groups of people gathering around Bluetooth speakers would suggest music is in the cultural space with or without our consent. Which is kind of how it should be

How much does Congress talk about democracy? How often do they worry that democracy is eroding? @alv9n.com's latest project analyzes every congressional speech in the last 145 years.

pudding.cool/2025/11/demo...

RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute invites proposals from individuals and organizations who wish to build practical and innovative resources for community-centered news, journalists and the…

Are you applying for an RJI Fellowship this year? Applications open Dec 1! rjionline.org/about-rji-fe...

Should come with note: “Article image may contain product placement”

More than just an engine: Why the GM Civic University Agreement needs a conscience The announcement of a refresh of the priorities of the Greater Manchester Civic University Agreement caught my eye this week. My uni MMU, is one of the universities involved.  The agreement comes fro...

Some Friday thinking about universities as a strategic conscience www.andydickinson.net/2025/10/31/m...

Everyday this week I’ve spoken to a student about attendance.The response. “I’ve got to work to stay at uni.” They are missing uni to pay for being at uni! These are students who *should* (not could or are ) be at uni. They want it, and it will give them the step up they deserve. It makes me sad.

This is a great point to make. It's important to recognize many news orgs go against their readers interests and lobby on behalf of advertisers. But it's difficult to find a case more blatant and hideous than this one

Classic stats rambling on #r4today 8% increase in asylum hotel use. 8% of what? From what to what?

from my lunch today; "the trouble is not so much AI making you more productive, but that it's tripling the output of the biggest f***ing idiot where you work"

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I not o - obvs

The Colour of Spring

Not a one of a regular series but thought I’d share an album I revisited today that o need to revisit more . In an 80s sea of tinny, over-produced pap this was over-produced perfection. spotify.link/9gsaEpaHEXb

‘Teach kids internet bollocks, not my old rubbish,’ says Shakespeare: the Stephen Collins cartoon Shakespeare’s ghost comes to the rescue of divided Britain

Brilliant @stephencollinscomics today. Perfectly summarising the importance of media literacy and why current curriculum just doesn’t cut it - www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Oh look. They’ve just invented an AI “reviewer 2”

I didn’t really want to heart that but I I felt I needed to leave a mark in the same way it did!

When Knowledge is Free, What are Professors For? Higher Education Must Stop Competing with AI on Information and Start Teaching What Machines Can’t Do

My first response to this is “where do you think the f-ing knowledge comes from”. Also. What. The. Actual. F-grade woodchuck is this bobbins. www.forbes.com/sites/shanno...

I think that he believes the current situation is the wedge he needs to make it work.

Jenrick and the right got such an easy ride given his recent track record. How helpful for social cohesion is climbing up ladders and flag hanging!

You could have asked each of them the same questions. Made the same criticisms. It’s an own goal for journalism whilst trying to score points.

I have to say I’m disappointed at the inconsistent tone of the political interviews on #r4today. Comparing Jenrick and Polanski interviews is frustrating in the way it feeds and creates criticism of bias.

Absolutely awful to have to re-circulate @onthemedia.bsky.social's Breaking News Consumer's Handbook on Yom Kippur, but here we are. Stay safe, everyone.

I think the best reflection of this in the uk is the Sunday morning cycle. A decreasing number of increasingly bigger sharks swimming in a smaller pond.

It’s not about being seen to inform but simply being seen. The news machine in some quarters has come to believe it is like a shark - if it’s not moving, it will die.

It’s clear this is not because there is an agenda. It’s precisely because there isn’t one. We have a core of reactive and so thoughtless, political reporting that can’t keep pace with events.

Connolly is getting more press than she deserves/warrants etc because we have a set of broken news values. She is a “politicians wife” according to news values and so is worthy of reporting (elites etc).

More reflections...on being a student. It’s A-level results day, so it feels like a good moment to share some more of my reflections - this time on being a student.

A-level day so it seemed like a good time to reflect a little more www.andydickinson.net/2025/08/14/m...

Thanks for the mention Richard. It’s the burning through of trust that really gets me at the moment. There’s a strata of journalism - rich with old fossils of columnists - that’s just gone into full climate change denial for short term gain.

25 years of journalism teaching This coming academic year will be my 25th academic year. Here are a few observations on universities and journalism at university.

Some thoughts that occurred to me as I get ready for my 25th year teaching journalism - www.andydickinson.net/2025/08/04/2...

If I ruled the world all coffee shops would have two queues. The priority queue would be for people who have less than three ingredients in their coffee.