Helena Wadia and Mathilda Mallinson kick up a Media Storm

House of The Guilty Feminist is to present a brand-new podcast designed to tackle the thorny issue of ‘Right of Reply’ in journalism.

“If you’ve lost some of your faith in journalism, Mathilda and Helena are out to restore it. When they told me that they were frustrated by the way that the 24-hour news cycle & staff cuts had eroded the integrity of many hard-working journalists – I wanted to help them do something about it. It was the first thing that I felt that The House of the Guilty Feminist simply must do.

 “Their youth, joy, energy, spirit, compassion and humanity brings each story to life in a way speaks to the engagement that Guilty Feminist listeners expect. It’s a privilege to get in their car every week and join them on the trail, as they introduce us to people we need to know and hear from and reveal truths to us that will change the way we think, make us question what we’re told and, I hope, changed the way we act and advocate.” – Deborah Frances-White

Seeking a multidimensional counterpoint to the media cycle, Media Storm is a news podcast that starts with the people who are normally asked last. Brought to you by the team behind The Guilty Feminist, and presented by journalists Helena Wadia and Mathilda Mallinson, Media Storm hands the mic to people with lived experience to shed new light on old stories and roast the headlines that love to roast them.

In a digital era of instant news, the journalism industry faces an existential crisis. Wrestling with saturated attention spans, fake news factories and mutating business models, it’s become harder and less of a priority for reporters to venture beyond the newsroom.

But rule number one is being forgotten: right of reply— for everyone. And too often, the very real people caught in the eye of the media storm are not actually asked to comment. “Migrants”, “criminals”, “sex workers”, “transgender people”, “disabled people”, “rough sleepers” “drug users”… these are some of the biggest stars of our headlines, yet we rarely hear about the issues that matter to them. Instead, their lives, experiences and sometimes their very existence get put up for ‘debate’. Without equal say, ‘freedom of speech’ – a banner readily wielded by the purveyors of clickbait and stokers of fiery discourse – is just a bullhorn for the privileged.

It‘s time for those who are reported on to report back.

Ofcom Broadcasting Code, Section 7: Fairness

7.11: If a programme alleges wrongdoing or incompetence or makes other significant allegations, those concerned should normally be given an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond.

IPSO Editor‘s Code Of Practice, Section 1: Accuracy:

1.3: A fair opportunity to reply to significant inaccuracies should be given.

Each 35-minute episode of Media Storm has two distinct parts: an immersive investigative report with just a touch of true-crime, and a roasting of relevant recent headlines featuring some very special guests who bring their lived experience to the studio.

Media Storm is part of the Acast Creator Network. Images by photographer Callum Baker, stylist Venetia Tyler.