Touch Paper:
Launching a News Club Network

At the heart of today’s intersecting crises – climate breakdown, inequality, conflict, and social division – is a media landscape heavily shaped by political, corporate, and nefarious interests. These forces create misleading narratives which are algorithmically boosted to obstruct the call for the urgent societal changes needed for a just and sustainable future.

Join Media Revolution and Conway Hall Ethical Society as we launch a News Club Network. News Clubs make media consumption a conscientious, collective, empowering community activity, where we can discuss and challenge the news we consume – together. By disrupting the doom-scroll and division and by strengthening media literacy, News Clubs can help us reduce our susceptibility to disinformation and deepen our understanding of how powerful interests shape public opinion.

Keynote speaker Gail Bradbrook, Founder of Extinction Rebellion, will join an expert panel for an evening of discussion, community-building and an interactive introduction to how News Clubs work.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Gail Bradbrook • Co-founder, Extinction Rebellion

Dr Gail Bradbrook is the co-founder of the global environmental movement Extinction Rebellion (XR) and holds a PhD in molecular biophysics. With a background in strategy, partnerships, and tax justice, she has spent over a decade researching and organising around mass civil disobedience and paradigm shift.

Her current work focuses on cross-community collaboration, collective sense-making, and building community resilience in the face of ecological, financial, and media system breakdown.

Tom Chivers • Chair, Media Reform Coalition

Dr Tom Chivers is the Chair of the Media Reform Coalition and a lecturer and researcher in media and communications at Goldsmiths, University of London.

His research and campaigning focus on breaking up billionaire media monopolies, democratising media ownership, and building accountable, public-interest media futures.

Lexie Kirkonnel Kawana • CEO, IMPRESS

Lexie Kirkconnell-Kawana is the Chief Executive of IMPRESS, the UK’s independent press monitor and only Leveson-compliant press regulator.

Specialising in media law, regulatory policy, and ethical journalism standards, her work focuses on independent press accountability, protecting the public from disinformation, and supporting a thriving ethical and community journalism sector.

Nima Akram • Founder, NewsCord

Nima Akram is the founder of NewsCord, an AI-powered news comparison and media transparency platform.

Built to expose media bias, missing context, and “platformicide” through side-by-side article analysis, Newscord gives everyday readers practical tools to spot spin and see the fuller picture behind mainstream headlines.

Liz Pendleton • Co-founder, Media Revolution

Liz Pendleton is a community organiser, activist, campaigner and co-founder of Media Revolution, an organisation challenging billionaire media ownership and building people-powered alternatives.

She leads the News Club Network and developed the CAPE Toolkit (Content, Accuracy, Politics, Emotions) to turn critical media literacy into collective community action. Alongside her work with the Media Democracy Festival and the Climate Media Coalition, she has campaigned extensively for press accountability and ethical journalism.

Age Recommendation:

16+

Price:

*A £2 venue levy is applied to each ticket purchased. This levy helps to support us in covering the costs of keeping our grade II listed building running and our doors open.*

In advance: • Supporter £20 • Standard £15 • Living Support £8 • Student £9     (+ £2 venue levy)
On the Door: • Supporter £21 • Standard £16 • Living Support £9 • Student £10  (+ £2 venue levy)

Access Information:

This event is in the Main Hall, which is located on the ground floor.

All the ground-floor rooms are fully accessible by wheelchair. Main Hall (street access, step-free), Brockway Room (street access, step-free), Russell Room (street access, shallow ramp), Cafe (street access, step-free). There is also an accessible toilet on the ground floor opposite the Brockway Room.