Matt Johnson of The The, photo by John Claridge

“I just got a bit fed up with singing and dancing for other people’s profit” – interview with The The’s Matt Johnson

Earlier this year, with Theresa May putting troops on the street during a general election campaign in the UK, I got in touch with The The’s management to see if Matt Johnson might share his thoughts on the political situation…

Thirty years of watching The Fall

Thirty years of watching The Fall

It’s an amazing anniversary today. No, not two months since I last updated my blog. It’s thirty years since I first saw The Fall play live. It’s a gig that has lived long in the memory. I must have seen…

Friday Reading S06E13

Friday Reading is a weekly series of recommended reads from the Guardian’s Social and New Formats Editor Martin Belam, covering journalism, media and technology. It is also available as an email newsletter – sign up here A difficult week. On…

Friday Reading S06E12

Friday Reading is a weekly series of recommended reads from the Guardian’s Social and New Formats Editor Martin Belam, covering journalism, media and technology. It is also available as an email newsletter – sign up here It’s been a decent…

Friday Reading S06E11

Friday Reading S06E11

Friday Reading is a weekly series of recommended reads from the Guardian’s Social and New Formats Editor Martin Belam, covering journalism, media and technology. It is also available as an email newsletter – sign up here I blogged about this…

The ‘alt-left’ media, memes, algorithms, and the price of the MSM not taking the internet seriously

A couple of very good pieces about the impact of online activity on elections that I recommend you take a bit of time to read. First up, Jim Waterson with “The Rise Of The Alt-Left British Media” It’s a look…

Friday Reading S06E10

Friday Reading S06E10

Friday Reading is a weekly series of recommended reads from the Guardian’s Social and New Formats Editor Martin Belam, covering journalism, media and technology. It is also available as an email newsletter – sign up here This is why we…

“You are part of our gang” – running news social media accounts during an election campaign

“You are part of our gang” – running news social media accounts during an election campaign

Having run social media accounts for both the Mirror and the Guardian during election and referendum campaigns, here’s a long rambling brain dump about the whole thing… I suppose one of the things that has driven my career over nearly…

Friday Reading S06E09

Friday Reading S06E09

Friday Reading is a weekly series of recommended reads from the Guardian’s Social and New Formats Editor Martin Belam, covering journalism, media and technology. It is also available as an email newsletter – sign up here. This week I’ve mostly…

(L-R) My dad, James, some bloke a couple of rows back, and me, at Leyton Orient on Boxing Day 2016

What if taking my son to Leyton Orient is ruining football for him?

A couple of weeks ago my wife and children had just landed in Cyprus, and she texted me: “On the bus to the hotel – we’re the first stop – thank God! Flight was fine – no bumps. James wants…