It’s been said that “More than a podcast, Media Storm is a campaign” – why did you choose podcasting as the medium for these conversations?

Media Storm is an ethical news venture with the aim to execute and embody targeted editorial reform in the news sector. We set out on this aim for reform after we discovered ingrained malpractices while working together at leading national news outlets. Podcasting is the perfect medium for these conversations – you’re not bound by traditional editorial conventions, some which are so fixated on appearing “balanced”, they end up platforming fiction as much as fact. Plus, podcasting provides a much-needed balm for the fast-paced 24 hour clickbait news cycle – you can take your time to reach out to communities who may be wary of speaking to traditional media.

What do you consider when taking on a new topic?

Our core principle is to provide ‘right of reply’ to marginalised groups that are denied due representation in everyday news coverage. This means prioritising refugee voices in immigration coverage, indigenous and frontline voices in climate coverage, or people with experiences of homelessness, disability, prison, addiction, sexual assault, or racism (and so on) in social policy discussions affecting them. When taking on a new topic, we ask ourselves: who are the critical missing voices in the biggest news stories? And crucially: what expertise can they provide? Too often, “case studies” in the news are valued only for their trauma, heartstring tugs for the end of the story. But those with experience are also experts: they have knowledge of the system, knowledge of the cause, and knowledge of the impact.

Did you take inspiration from any podcasts in particular before you started?

Most current affairs podcasts take a more traditional approach to news, but we have been inspired by those taking a slower approach to stories – such as Serial, Tortoise’s The Slow Newscast, or more recently, A Bit Fruity. We’ve also been inspired by dynamic female duos, whatever the genre! 2 Dope Queens, Closet Confessions, All Killa No Filla, to name a few.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from creating Media Storm?

Don’t give up when the going gets tough. Trying to build a podcast from the ground up without massive financial investment or celebrity fronting is not a goal with many models of success. Nor is trying to sustainably monetise ethical, non-sensationalist, source-led journalism. We are not following a well-trodden path here, and sometimes we lose the trail or struggle to see the way ahead, but we have always found a way to continue and it has always been worth it – it just takes a bit of determination and unconditional support for each another as partners. Just because the path isn’t clear, doesn’t mean there isn’t a way through. And we have learned time and again that there are enough people who value our work and share our frustrations with modern news practices to make Media Storm work in the long-term. Lessons are: trust yourself, think creatively about obstacles ahead, and never compromise on the standards of your work.

Is there one thing that excites you the most about Series 4 you can’t wait for listeners to hear?

There’s so many things it’s hard to choose! We’re excited to launch our new weekly current affairs format, digging more directly into the biggest news story of each week. We’ve got special investigative episodes coming up, the first on the 13th June about the opaqueness of rape ‘justice’ trials. We’ve got a killer guest-host, a segment that will help take listeners outside of the Western worldview on news, and plenty of speakers that will help us find the facts behind the fear-mongering. Most importantly, we’re excited to leave people after each episode with something to talk about.

Do you have any podcast recommendations for listeners to continue learning between episodes/seasons?

We would always encourage listeners to continue learning from people with lived experience! We recommend Life After Prison – hosted by Zak Addae-Kodua and Jules Rowan, who have both spent time in prison. It’s a podcast for people whose lives have been affected by the criminal justice system – but also for people who have no experience with it to learn directly from people who have! We’d also recommend Homo Sapiens: conversations, stories and a good old laugh with LGBTQ+ icons and allies, and Maintenance Phase – debunking the junk science behind health fads, wellness scams and nonsensical nutrition advice.

Listen to Media Storm series 4 now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

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The UK’s political landscape can be confusing at the best of times. We continue to gain and lose party leaders quicker than it takes a lettuce to wilt, and when it comes to election season, UK politics can be downright impenetrable. Trying to keep up with local elections, general elections, by-elections and party-internal-elections, it can be easy to be overwhelmed, angered or downright bored by what’s happening in the news.

Luckily, there are podcasters out there doing the good work of picking apart just what is happening. From roaring entertainment to shows that carry out important reporting, these podcasts can help you unpack what’s really happening in politics and current affairs.

The Bugle
Recommended by Suchandrika Chakrabarti

Launched in 2007 by Andy Zaltzman (Radio 4’s The News Quiz) and John Oliver, who co-hosted until 2015, when Oliver sadly disappeared from public life. The podcast was originally on Times Online, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News International, but the podcast has never been afraid to bite the hand that feeds it, particularly during the 2011 News International phone hacking scandal. The Times dropped The Bugle at the end of that year for completely unrelated reasons… Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell could never. It’s proudly left-wing, bitingly satirical and filled with inventive cricket-related imagery: the perfect politics podcast. Listen here >>

Trendy
Recommend by Tom Nicholson

It can often feel like politics and the idea of ‘what people are really talking about’ is just something to be booted around by pundits, but if you’re a bit sick of the Westminster machine Trendy plants itself sturdily on facts and evidence rather than personality and narrative. Each time a big topic in British or international politics – social mobility, populism, net zero – is examined through polls and data. It could be a bit wonkish and dry, but the nation’s favourite pollster Sir John Curtice and former Downing Street advisor Rachel Wolff keep things moving smoothly. Listen here >>

The Bunker
Recommended by Zainab Amer

Finding a politics podcast disseminating news away from the mainstream is tricky. Thankfully, I stumbled across The Bunker. This podcast delivers daily reporting alongside a weekly round-up of hot topics. The mix of bite-sized episodes and under-reported stories offers a unique perspective on traditional political discourse. Hosted by a diverse array of commentators, from comedians to academics, The Bunker explores fascinating topics from across the globe. Standout episodes include expert analysis of illegal mining in South Africa and the proliferation of digital nomadism, including its connection to racism. While some reporting indeed toes political lines, it provides fresh outlooks on others. Listen here >>

Oh God, What Now?
Recommended by Katie Stokes

When keeping up with British politics, I find myself using the title phrase of this podcast more and more frequently. Oh God, What Now?, formerly known as Remainiacs, is a bi-weekly panel show making politics entertaining and bearable. If you hadn’t guessed from the former name, the show is left-leaning so don’t expect impartial views. But the chemistry of the panel is fun and they have great segments including ‘Stories under the radar’ and ‘Heroes and villains of the week’ alongside their central question and commentary on the latest developments in UK politics. An engaging and digestible listen! Listen here >>

Paper Cuts
Recommended by Francesca Turauskis

I find it really difficult to read newspapers – not just because of the space it takes to sit down with them (mental space, time space, and physical space if we’re talking about broadsheets…) but also because I can’t help but see the agenda of the various papers, rather than the stories. If you’re the same, Paper Cuts is the perfect podcast to help – I find the tagline “we read the newspapers so you don’t have to” very accurate. A mixed panel of writers, political commentators and comedians riffle through the headlines of the British Press every week day, explaining, analysing and applauding the wit of the best headlines. It’s very entertaining, with just enough information. (Ed. note – I’m realising as I upload that this makes a Podmasters triple for this list, alongside The Bunker and Oh God, What Now?) Listen here >>

Recommendations from our Newsletter:

The Trouble with Politics – Marverine Cole explores the state of the UK’s political system with a focus on “perspectives often skimmed over on mainstream news programmes”. This gives a much-needed discussion on the racist comments made about Diane Abbott by a Tory donor, and Marverine unashamedly promotes the need to vote, with one of her television friends announcing this at the end of episodes. Listen here >>

Media Storm – Media Storm is a news podcast that starts with the people who are usually asked last. “Migrants”, “criminals” and “sex workers” are some of the biggest stars in the headlines, yet we rarely actually hear from them. This show hands them the mic. Listen now >>

Pod Save The UK – Our cover stars from Issue #027 have remained chart-topping since it launched a year ago. As host Coco Khan explained best, Pod Save The UK is a “progressive politics podcast from an outsider’s perspective, where the listener isn’t talked down to and instead lifted up and encouraged to engage in politics – all through the prism of hope and humour.” Listen now >>

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

We’re Brenda Gazzar and Georgia Brewer, co-producers of Code WACK!, a podcast on America’s callous healthcare system and what we can do about it.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Serial (Brenda loves good investigative journalism)

NurseTalk (Georgia loves to hear sassy nurses talking health policy)

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

Podcasting is an intimate way of sharing people’s powerful stories, eliciting emotion and inspiring change. We wanted to explore a new way to inform and engage people to fight for a healthcare system that works for everyone.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Compelling NPR-style interviews focused on real-life injustices that demonstrate our vulnerability and humanity.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Brenda: Actor Kiefer Sutherland because Brenda is a fan and his grandfather was Tommy Douglas, a politician who was the father of Canada’s single-payer healthcare system.

Georgia: The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., because he understood structural injustice in every form.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

You’re only as good as your last podcast episode!

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Brenda: A Shocking Sacrifice featuring Rebecca Wood

Georgia: Cruel & Stupid featuring Ron Birnbaum MD, Paul Y. Song MD and James G. Kahn MD/MPH

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

Check us both out on LinkedIn: Brenda Gazzar and Georgia Brewer.

Listen to Code WACK! now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps.

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