Frontline Club
FRONTLINE CLUB SPECIAL: Protest, technology and the end of fear
EXTERNAL EVENT AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF GREAT BRITAIN
The start of 2011 will be remembered as a period in which the barrier of fear fell across the Middle East and North Africa as people took to the streets demanding freedom from the tyrants who had governed for so long.
No one can predict where these momentous events will lead and what the repercussions will be for years to come.
For this special event held at the The Royal Institution of Great Britain the Frontline Club and BBC Arabic Service will be bringing together some of the key players, journalists and experts to discuss what has taken place so far and to try to gauge what the future might hold.
FULLY BOOKED Insight with Ahdaf Soueif: The spirit of revolution in Egypt
Egyptian author, political and cultural commentator Ahdaf Soueif will be joining us in conversation with BBC presenter Mishal Husain, to discuss her experiences at the heart of the protest in Tahrir Square during those momentous 18 days, looking at the roots of the pro-democracy movement and addressing the question of where her country goes from here.
March Club Quiz with David Dickinson
Please join us for March’s Club Quiz with quizmaster David Dickinson.
You can enter as an individual or as a team of six. All money raised will go to the Fixers’ Fund which raises money for families of fixers around the world killed or injured while working with the international media. This event is open to everyone.
David Dickinson is a historical crime writer and former editor of Newsnight.
POSTPONED Trial by media: Is press coverage redefining justice?
The coverage of the Joanna Yeates murder investigation has again raised questions about contempt of court laws and the way the media appears to be pushing the boundaries of reporting restrictions.
While the banning of ITV journalists at a police press conference during the investigation into the murder reflects tensions between the police and the media, the News International phone hacking scandal raises questions about the working relationship between the police and the tabloid press in particular.
Frontline partnered screenings at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival
The Frontline Club is proudly partnering with three screenings at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival. The festival is running between March 23 – April 1 and there are many important, and excellent, films featured. We highly recommend seeing the three we’re partnering with (details below). Also if you missed them at the club please […]
Reflections: Nick Robinson
In the sixth of this series of events in which journalists discuss the stories that have impacted them most and the journalists whose work has helped shape their careers. BBC political editor Nick Robinson will be in conversation with former BBC executive Vin Ray.
The Afghan Peace Process: What is at stake?
View in iTunes At what stage are peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban and what role is the international community playing? Following recent reports of talks to discuss peace proposals aimed at ending the fighting in London we will be looking at the peace process and examining what the price will be […]
First Wednesday: People, Protest and Democracy in the Middle East and North Africa
As protests continue across the Middle East and North Africa, March’s First Wednesday event will be an opportunity to discuss the Libya crisis and take stock of events elsewhere in the region.
FULLY BOOKED Zimbabwe 2011: An Opportunity for Change?
Zimbabwe’s leaders have been locked in a shaky power sharing coalition since opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as Prime Minister in January 2009. President Mugabe is now pressing for fresh elections in 2011, despite MDC leader Tsvangirai saying that they could not take place without reforms and constitutional review. Join us at the Frontline Club with a panel of experts to discuss what the coming year holds for Zimbabwe – could there be a fair election, or will violence and intimidation again escalate?
FULLY BOOKED Masterclass: The Art of the Interview
Rottweiler or poodle? Good cop or bad cop? What is the best way for journalists to get a good interview?
We will joined by interviewer, film analyst, writer, mentor to screenwriters and conversationalist Warren Etheredge to discuss his thought-provoking ideas and tips about interviewing and his assertion that a great interview needs more than tough questioning.
Blood and Dust film
Vaughan’s new film, Blood and Dust, is below for those who didn’t catch it on Al Jazeera’s People and Power strand. If you want to see it on a large screen we will showing it at the Frontline Clubon 6 March. Followed by a discussion about how war is represented by the broadcast media. Vaughan writes: I have […]
FULLY BOOKED FIRST WEDNESDAY SPECIAL: What now for Egypt and its neighbours in the Middle East?
View in iTunes Following the tumultuous events in Egypt we are holding a special First Wednesday debate to both take stock and to look at the impact that the ousting of president Hosni Mubarak could have on Egypt and its neighbours in the Middle East. We will be joined by experts on the region […]
How Twitter and Facebook are changing protests and journalism
By Will Spens The recent demonstrations across the Arab world, unrest in Ireland, Greece and France and the student protests in Britain have highlighted what appears to be an unprecedented revolt against power structures around the world. Chaired by Steve Crawshaw, author and international advocacy director for Amnesty International, the discussion focused on […]
FULLY BOOKED The changing nature of protest: does the mainstream media get it?
From regime change in Tunisia, persistent calls for President Mubarak to step down in Egypt, and protests in Jordan and Syria to student demonstrations in Britain and unrest in Ireland, Greece and France – we are witnessing unprecedented revolt against power structures around the world. But are journalists equipped to understand the nature of these protests, what drives them and how they are organised?
FULLY BOOKED Will the internet be the battleground of the 21st Century?
“Whether we like it or not, cyber is going to be part of future warfare, just as tanks and aircraft are today. It’s a cultural change.” These were the words of General Sir David Richards, chief of the defence staff. Join us at the Frontline Club where we will be examining the claims about what has been described as the “fifth domain of warfare” and assessing the threats posed by states launching attacks against another’s military infrastructure, government and communications systems, and financial markets.
David E. Hoffman: Reagan, Gorbachev and the Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race
By Camilla Groom Watch the event here. With detailed insider knowledge David E Hoffman told the story of how the president of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev and the US president Ronald Reagan prevented the escalation of the Cold War into a full-blown conflict. As a reporter for the Washington Post Hoffman followed Reagan throughout […]
Insight with David E. Hoffman: Reagan, Gorbachev and the Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race
David E. Hoffman, who worked for 27 years as a reporter and editor at The Washington Post, will be at the Frontline Club to discuss the relationship between US president Ronald Reagan and Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev and the dying days of the Cold War.
FULLY BOOKED First Wednesday: The Tunisian domino effect and the Middle East
At February’s First Wednesday we will be bringing together a panel of experts to discuss the recent unrest in the Middle East since demonstrators in Tunisia ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
Following unrest in a number of North African and Middle East countries, the world’s attention is now on Egypt, where the next 48 hours are considered crucial in determining the future of this pivotal country.
We hope you will join us to discuss the remarkable events of recent weeks and on the nature of the changes that are taking place in Egypt and what they mean for the future of the region.
Members meeting with Vaughan Smith on WikiLeaks
Members of the Frontline Club got together on Thursday 20 January for what chair John Owen described as an “unprecedented meeting of the clan”. Called to discuss Club founder Vaughan Smith’s support of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and his decision to give him a bail address, the meeting was an opportunity for members to express […]
Aid and the Media
In the third of this series of events looking at aid and development we will be examining the often troubled relationship between the media and aid agencies. With an expert panel we will be discussing how the media and aid agencies work together and the problems that arise.
Wilbert Rideau: In the Place of Justice
By Shyamalie Satkunanandan Wilbert Rideau’s decision to rob a bank ended in the hostage taking of three employees and the death of a white female bank teller. Amid lynch mobs baying for blood, an all-white jury and a defence team comprised of two real estate lawyers the then 19-year-old was sentenced to death in 1961 […]
Insight with Wilbert Rideau: In the Place of Justice
In 1961 Wilbert Rideau was a nineteen year old African-American living in Louisiana, the deep south of segregated America. An eighth-grade dropout despaired by the dead-end and small-town future his life held for him he set out to rob a local bank. The robbery went very wrong and Rideau found himself sentenced to death row. Award winning journalist Wilbert Rideau will be joining us at the Frontline Club in conversation with Afua Hirsch, the Guardian’s legal affairs correspondent to recount his extraordinary story and the work he now does educating people about the realities of the world behind bars.
WikiLeaks: Holding up a mirror to journalism?
View in iTunes Watch the event here. By Will Spens The Frontline Club’s first ‘On The Media’ event of 2011 was a fascinating discussion focusing on the changing and sometimes wrought relationship between the worlds media and WikiLeaks. The controversial whistle-blowing website has attracted intense worldwide interest following the massive releases of leaked US military […]
On the Media: WikiLeaks – Holding up a mirror to journalism?
Throughout 2010 whistleblower website WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange were making headlines with the release of classified documents. Both the leaks and the controversy surrounding Assange have been covered extensively by the media. For the first On the Media discussion of the year we are going to be putting the spotlight on the media and asking what the WikiLeaks operation and the media coverage of it tells us about the press.
First Wednesday: Inside Al-Qaeda
Another opportunity to join in a lively public meeting, hosted by Paddy O’Connell of BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House. We will be beginning the year by bringing together a panel of experts and commentators to discuss the inner workings of Al-Qaeda with our audience.
Looking back at 2010: Wikileaks at the Frontline Club
By Will Spens WikiLeaks, the whistle-blowing website that is in the process of releasing tens of thousands of classified documents relating to US military and diplomatic affairs, has been the subject of intense media scrutiny in recent months. Now under arrest following allegations of sexual assault, Julian Assange and his legal team is now fighting his possible […]
WikiLeaks – The US embassy cables
Watch event here. By Will Spens The continued release from WikiLeaks and several major newspapers including The Guardian, Der Spiegel and The New York Times of 251,287 leaked US embassy cables is causing a flood of headlines across the world. Last night at the Frontline Club author and broadcaster Tom Fenton chaired a heated discussion […]
First Wednesday: WikiLeaks – The US embassy cables
Following the release this weekend of 251,287 confidential United States embassy cables, this month’s First Wednesday debate will focus on the revelations of this latest leak from whistle-blower website WikiLeaks. We will be joined by WikiLeaks spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson and an expert panel.
The Frontline Club’s Fixers’ Fund Auction 2010
At this year’s Frontline Annual Party and Awards we will be holding a charity auction in aid of the Fixers’ Fund. Click here to find the lots so far kindly donated by friends and members of the club.
Forget about projects, give money to the people instead
By Gianluca Mezzofiore Experts on international aid marked yesterday the importance of effectiveness and risk-taking in delivering money to countries in need of help. In a panel discussion chaired by Humphrey Hawksley, leading BBC foreign correspondent, four professionals on humanitarian issues admitted the failure of project-based development and stressed on the major role of local […]