Making News - Professor Mel Bunce Inaugural Lecture

International news shapes the world as we know it. It influences our opinion of distant people and places, and it can topple whole governments. But the news is not a mirror of the world we live in – and it never has been. By deciding where to direct our gaze, journalists can influence which humanitarian crises receive attention and support, and whose suffering goes unnoticed.

In this personal, wide-ranging talk, Professor Mel Bunce pulls back the curtain on the making and breaking of international news and explores the myriad – and sometimes surprising - factors that influence its production. From a decision made in a newsroom that leads to a politician’s resignation - to the instincts of a foreign correspondent who takes the perfect photo and helps to end a war. The talk explores how we can better support and educate the next generation of journalists, as they make the news and change the world.

Introduced by Professor Anna Whitelock, Dean of the School of Communication & Creativity.

Professor Mel Bunce is the Head of the Journalism Department at City, University of London. She is a researcher and media commentator focusing on changing journalism practice, media freedom, and the reporting of Africa and humanitarian crises. Born in New Zealand, Mel came to the UK in 2006 to study for her MPhil in International Development followed by a DPhil in Politics at Oxford University. She joined City in 2012 and became Professor of International Journalism in August 2021.