NottsPod

What can a 1920s Nottingham newspaper editor teach us about the crisis facing local journalism today? In this episode, we return to Cecil Roberts, who became editor of the Nottingham Journal at just 28. His experiences reveal surprisingly familiar problems: relentless workloads, dependence on advertising, declining readership and the constant pressure to produce more content. We explore the histor...

What do 1920s newspaper letters have in common with social media bots? Quite a lot, it turns out. In this episode, we look at the surprising history of manufactured public opinion—from the letters pages of 1920s local newspapers to influencers, fake accounts, sock puppets and AI-powered bots. As editor of the Nottingham Journal in the 1920s, Cecil Roberts found it challenging to differentiate betw...

Trolling isn't a modern invention. In the 1920s, Nottingham Journal editor Cecil Roberts was dealing with anonymous trolls sending him abusive letters. From hate mail through to out-of-control comments sections, we take a look at how people in Nottingham have shared news, opinions, complaints and controversy from the days of the printing press to today's social media age.

In the series finale, we consider what we can learn from the history of rivers and water, and what the future could hold. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibliography. If you want to help make the future River Trent smug and silver, consider donating time or money to one of these charities that do river restoration and rewilding work: Trent Rivers Trust Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Canal & Riv...

The government has published its vision for the future of water - how radical is it? Click here for the Trentbelly Bibliography.

We go on a tour to see how other countries are doing with their rivers and water. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibliography.

Why did privatized water go so wrong? Click here for the Trentbelly Bibliography.

Margaret Thatcher and the Great Sewer Sell-Off. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibiliography.

Water doesn't respect council boundaries. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibiliography.

It's council vs company in a battle over Nottingham's water, and one workaholic leaves a huge legacy. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibiliography.

Returning to the Victorians, we learn about the local Notts engineer who pioneered the water system we take for granted today. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibiliography.

Our rivers are unnatural, and not just because of pollution. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibiliography.

NottsPod's first ever special guest, Dr Scott McKenzie, head of rivers and nature-based solutions at the Trent Rivers Trust, chats to us about healing the Trent. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibiliography.

It turns out there's a lot more than just sewage ruining our rivers. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibiliography.

In the first episode of Trentbelly, we explore why sewage flows into our rivers. Click here for the Trentbelly Bibiliography.

Welcome to NottsPod, your new local podcast where Tom Suchoruczka and Michael Krawec investigate and discuss issues affecting your area!