The Listening Post Season 10, Episode 35: Mecca and the media

1

Media trends to watch in 2015

The Listening Post offers its predictions for media and journalism in the year to come.

2

The reaction to the Charlie Hebdo attack

Debating free speech in the wake of Charlie Hebdo; plus, the relevance of impartiality and objectivity in journalism.

3

The return of Charlie Hebdo

The controversial magazine continues to make headlines; plus, the screwball comedy that turned into political standoff.

4

Reporting the Baga massacre

How has the media covered the latest Boko Haram attack? Plus, the Charlie Hebdo story through the eyes of cartoonists.

5

Greece: Syriza, austerity and the media

Will the new Greek government dismantle the old media networks? Plus, covering the new power structures in Yemen.

6

Syriza and the new economic narrative

Greece's Syriza party challenges the media narrative on austerity. And, the close ties between journalists and NGOs.

7

The Swiss Leaks

The journalist collaboration behind the biggest leak in banking history; plus, a look at the slow journalism movement.

8

The provocation of ISIL propaganda

ISIL propaganda and the narrative of inevitable war; plus, fonts and typefaces, the loaded letters of the news business.

9

The death that divided Argentina's media

The contradictory coverage of a suspicious death; plus, the growing politics behind the world's most watched TV show.

10

Israel elections: The media battle

Netanyahu's allies and enemies in the media; plus, fixers, the local helpers who make international reporting possible.

11

Screening rape: India's debate

Debating the Delhi rape documentary; plus, a look at the internet trolls on the Kremlin's payroll.

12

UK surveillance under scrutiny

A media post-mortem into the UK's surveillance report. Plus, why five years on in Argentina the media looks so familiar.

13

Nigeria's delayed elections

The partisan coverage of Nigeria's vote; plus, the 800 million Indians not deemed newsworthy by their country's media.

14

Challenging coverage: The conflict in Yemen

The Yemen conflict and the geopolitics of the coverage; plus, the resurrection of Greece's state-owned broadcaster.

15

Bangladesh: Politics, religion and the limits of speech

Politics, religion and freedom of speech in Bangladesh; plus, the ethics of native advertising.

16

Spain's new 'gag law' and the media

What Spain's 'gag law' means for the media; and a radio station broadcasting from inside a mental hospital in Argentina.

17

South Africa, xenophobia and the media

The politics and coverage of xenophobia in South Africa; and TV regulation in the UK ahead of a contentious election.

18

Reporting Baltimore

Race and the media – the debate continues; plus, the politics of reforming Italy's state broadcaster.

19

The perilous life of journalists in Iraq

Iraqi journalists are stuck between a rock and a hard place; plus, Thailand, where the media march in step.

20

Examining the British election drama

A media post-mortem into the UK's general election; plus, a wiretapping scandal that has gripped Macedonia's media.

21

Seymour Hersh: Challenging the Bin Laden story

What the coverage of the Bin Laden story reveals about journalism in the US; plus, Cuba's changing media scene.

22

Mass surveillance under the microscope

Two years on from the Snowden leaks, the surveillance debate continues; plus, journalism in Japan - Abe's 'medianomics'.

23

Erdogan, elections and the future of Turkish journalism

As Turks head to the polls, we look at the country's media; plus, an interview with whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg.

24

Beijing's media damage control

How China managed the message after the Yangtze ferry disaster; plus, a look at the face behind the news, the anchorman.

25

Behind the Sunday Times Snowden saga

Anonymous official sources go after Edward Snowden in the UK's media; plus, 30 years of covering Cuba from Miami.

26

Azerbaijan and the European Games: Did the PR pay off?

As the Baku games close, we examine the challenges facing journalists; plus, Angola, Portugal and 'reverse colonialism'.

27

Politics and polemics: Europe's immigration story

We analyse the media coverage of the immigration debate; plus, Cuban bloggers and their quest for freedom of expression.

28

Under scrutiny: Selling the Iran-US nuclear deal

Managing the media message after the historic nuclear deal; plus, the problems and perils of reporting on Boko Haram.

29

Muzzling the media: Egypt's new 'anti-terror' laws

We analyse the consequences of Egypt's new anti-terrorism bill; plus, the risks of reporting on Italy's Mafia.

30

The Pentagon's rules of media engagement

Journalist or belligerent? What the Pentagon's Law of War manual means for conflict reporting; plus, tweeting the news.

31

Egypt: Journalism on trial

A Listening Post special on the jailing of three Al Jazeera staff and the verdict's impact on press freedom.

32

Spinning the refugee crisis

We explore Hungarian TV's decision to not show images of refugee children; plus, Nigeria's 'brown envelope' journalists.

33

Inside Turkey's media battleground

Threats, raids and arrests: Turkey intensifies pressure on the press; Plus, Bosnia's divided media.

34

Disrupting the media with disruptive politics

The media versus the rise of anti-establishment politics; Plus, Syria's TV dramas soldier on.

35

Mecca and the media

The battle for legitimacy in the Saudi-Iranian proxy war of words; plus, the deadly trade of journalism in Mexico.

36

Air strikes and media misses

Battling media narratives in Russian and US bombing campaigns; plus, the conundrum of covering India-Pakistan relations.

37

Turkish media on tenterhooks

A look at Erdogan's tightening grip on the press; plus, how Canada's oil and gas industry affects the media.

38

Israel-Palestine: The conflict and the coverage

We analyse the polarising coverage of the clashes in occupied East Jerusalem; plus, the false binaries in the media.

39

Trump and the media: A marriage made in ratings heaven?

We explore the love-hate relationship between the media and Donald Trump; plus, the future of Canada's CBC television.

40

Turkey's 'free' press

We examine the state of journalism in Erdogan's Turkey; plus, how to separate fact from fiction when news is breaking.

41

The Russian plane crash and the battle of narratives

We examine the conflicting media reports of the Russian plane disaster in Egypt; plus, the rise of automated journalism.

42

Double standards in the Paris attacks coverage

We examine whether there's a double standard for victims of terrorism; plus, fixers: the unsung heroes of journalism.

43

National anthems: beating the drums of war?

We look at the Paris attacks, national anthems and the use of sports to promote war; plus, the battle over Rustavi 2 TV.

44

High crimes and media misdemeanours

We look at Turkey's and Russia's battle in the air and over the airwaves; plus, China's anti-corruption drive.

45

San Bernardino shooting: How not to cover breaking news

We look at the divisive and sensationalist media coverage of the mass shooting; plus, the rise of social news videos.

46

Behind the headlines: Was the climate deal a success?

We look at the coverage of the COP21 climate change summit; plus, the fatal shooting of a black teen by US police.

47

The Murdoch empire strikes back

We examine Rupert Murdoch's relationship with the UK government; plus, Nigeria's 'brown-envelope' journalists.