Media Storm

Print is dying. Since the arrival of the internet and fast-paced, free information at the tap of the finger, the news outlets that tell us what’s what have been scrambling to find their footing. Some have been haemorrhaging money for decades, others have become richer than ever. But at what cost? In this special feature to launch our NEXT SEASON, Helena and Mathilda break down the different fundin...

We've been nominated for PODCAST OF THE YEAR at the Visionary Arts Awards 2023! Vote here: https://visionaryarts.org.uk/awards/vote/ From diversity and inclusion, to mental health awareness and the climate crisis, the Visionary Arts Awards showcases that people can create a positive change through arts and culture. So if you think Media Storm has made a social impact, we'd love your vote! Plus, we...

Coming to you from the London Podcast Festival: The Guilty Feminist presents Media Storm’s debut show, live from King’s Place! Presented by journalists Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia, Media Storm is a news podcast that starts with the people who are normally asked last. From migrants to sex workers, trans to indigenous people, convicted criminals to Romani communities— Media Storm puts people...

Media Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday. This week’s episode...

Warning: Discussions around suicide and assisted dying. If you need someone to talk to, call the Samaritans on 116 123.  It happens to everybody but nobody wants to talk about it: the irony is, it's often the not talking about death that makes it such a terrible thing. For our season finale, we bring you a special-length investigation into the real-life consequences of silence and stigma around dy...

Warning: Some strong language Media Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other...

Warning: Some strong language  Welcome to The Menopause Revolution! A new era for a bodily phenomenon we were once too scared to call by name. Menopause is starting to show its face in our mainstream media, but how accurate is the coverage that has emerged? How much of it is stigma-smashing, and how much of it is scaremongering? And has all this talk resulted in any actual change? This week, Media...

Warning: Some strong language  Following on from Media Storm's episode about polyamory, the law, and the mainstream media, Media Storm co-hosts bring you this bonus episode with Leanne Yau from the hugely popular Poly Philia blog to discuss how non-monogamy is portrayed onscreen - looking at depictions of love triangles, Chandler's polyamorous lover in Friends, and reality TV shows like The Ultima...

Warning: Some strong language  Imagine getting fired for your relationship status. Imagine a nosy neighbour deciding they knew what was better for your children. This is the reality for polyamorous people across the UK and abroad. Should we be legislating against their discrimination, rather than their perceived ‘deviation’? This week, Media Storm speaks to polyamorous people who are trying to lov...

Media Storm’s latest investigation looks at a new, post-Brexit era of exploitation targeting Central and Eastern Europeans in the UK. Today’s bonus episode looks at the attitudes behind this exploitation, and asks why a workforce who have proven invaluable were dismissed as undesirable “low-skilled” workers. Is it just a question of economics, or is it a question of prejudice? This bonus episode f...

A post-Brexit Britain has halted visas to low-paid, so-called “low-skilled,” foreign workers - primarily coming from Central and Eastern Europe. Policymakers hoped to increase wages and decrease unemployment for Britain’s own workforce. Yet in some sectors, demand for labour is now outstripping supply. Official figures show a rise in reports of modern slavery and labour exploitation. While the Hom...

Warning: This episode contains references to mental illness and suicide. If you need someone to talk to, contact Samaritans.org or call 116 123.  Recorded the day after #WorldMentalHealthDay, Media Storm co-hosts sat down with author and activist Scarlett Curtis, and journalist and podcast producer Kamilah McInnis, to discuss how to look after your mental health when you work in - or even just rea...

Warning: This episode contains mentions of mental illness, suicide, and self-harm. Recently, doctors have recognised a strange phenomenon: patients turning up with mental health diagnoses in hand. And they all have something in common: social media. A search of the hashtag #depression on Instagram returns more than 25.3 million posts. On TikTok, the hashtag #BPD (borderline personality disorder) h...

Coming to you from the London Podcast Festival: The Guilty Feminist presents Media Storm’s debut show, live from King’s Place! Presented by journalists Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia, Media Storm is a news podcast that starts with the people who are normally asked last. From migrants to sex workers, trans to indigenous people, convicted criminals to Romani communities— Media Storm puts people...

Warning: Some strong language and reference to suicide  We often think of ‘progress’ as an enemy of ‘prejudice’, but when it comes to prejudice towards Gypsy, Roma and Travellers, the opposite is true. YouGov polling shows a decline in British society’s attitudes towards their nomadic members, as the UN flags a rise in hate speech and violence towards the ethnic minority across Europe. Why is this...

Warning: Strong language and frank discussions about sex Media Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists and activists trying to make their imperfect industries a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Broug...

Come to Media Storm's live show at the London Podcast Festival! 18th September, 7pm TICKETS HERE: kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm/  Most people will get the most common STI at some point in their life. It's called human papillomavirus, or HPV, and has more than 100 different strains. Some strains of the virus cause genital warts, and some cause abnormal cell changes that can lead to ca...

Indigenous peoples who live off the land are often the first affected by climate change, just as they are the last to cause it. But what is often told as a story of injustice should be a story of leadership. Indigenous communities around the world have been protecting Mother Earth for centuries. They may be the most qualified to fight climate change— yet they are systematically excluded from polic...

Warning: References to stillbirth WATCH MEDIA STORM’S DEBUT LIVE RECORDING AT KING’S PLACE, 17/09, 7PM: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/media-storm/ Scorching heatwaves and ‘red weather warnings’ have brought climate change onto our doorstep and into our headlines. But hidden from view - be it by distance, dense jungles or disinformation - the effects of the eco-disaster have already t...

Media Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists and activists trying to make their imperfect industries a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday. T...

Warning: In-depth talk about eating disorders, exercise addiction and references to suicide.  Read the transcript here: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/08/30/2-4-masculinity-and-body-image-why-dont-men-seek-help-with-scottee/ Recent analysis from the Royal College of Psychiatrists has revealed that hospital admissions for people with eating disorders have risen 84% in the last five years - with...

Bonus episode - This Is How You Do It: Jamie Wareham Media Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty...

Warning: References to child sexual abuse and pornography Read the transcript here: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/08/08/2-3-unoffending-pedophiles-clinical-or-criminal/ How can we prevent pedophilic acts from happening? Pedophilia is a clinical disorder before it becomes a criminal act. It's estimated to affect as many as 1-5% of the global male population. Does our failure to acknowledge its...

Media Storm hosts Mathilda and Helena meet their mainstream media matches! In this crossover bonus series with The Guilty Feminist, they interview journalists and activists trying to make an imperfect industry a little bit less so, about their noble goals and - you guessed it - the hypocrisies and insecurities that undermine them! Brought to you by The Guilty Feminist, every other Thursday. Today'...

Across the pond, the United States Supreme Court made the decision to overturn Roe v Wade, meaning 33 million women in America were stripped of the right to an abortion. Many US states have already introduced new restrictions on abortion. Women and people who need abortions are having to travel further, often across state borders, and pay more. As expected, this ban will affect the most marginalis...