The Media Club · 17 June 2022 · 30 min
Paul Foot Awards & crowd-funding investigative journalism
- Post Office Horizon Scandal
- Investigative Journalism
- Depp v. Heard Trial
- Trust in Journalism
- Social Media and Misinformation
- Crowdfunding Journalism
- Paul Foot Awards
In this special episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan interviews journalist Nick Wallis about his work on the Post Office Horizon scandal and the Depp v. Heard trial. Wallis discusses receiving a special award at the Private Eye Paul Foot Awards, his decade-long investigation into the wrongful prosecution of over 700 postmasters, and how he used crowdfunding to cover the Depp-Heard trial in the US. The conversation also explores trust in journalism, the impact of social media on public perception, and Wallis's upcoming projects including a podcast with Rebecca Thompson and a book on the Depp-Heard case.
Key takeaways
- Nick Wallis received a special award at the Private Eye Paul Foot Awards for his investigative work on the Post Office Horizon scandal.
- Wallis detailed how the Post Office wrongfully prosecuted over 700 postmasters based on faulty Horizon software, with investigations lacking proper oversight.
- Wallis crowdfunded his coverage of the Depp v. Heard trial, which he described as the 'first TikTok trial'.
- Wallis discussed the erosion of trust in journalism and the challenges of maintaining neutrality in a polarized media environment.
- Wallis announced upcoming projects including a podcast with Rebecca Thompson about the Post Office scandal and a potential book on the Depp v. Heard case.
In this episode
- Introduction and Paul Foot Awards
- Post Office Scandal Deep Dive
- Trust in Journalism and Social Media
- Depp v. Heard Trial Coverage
- Future Projects and Wrap-up
Notable quotes
“I was alerted to the story in 2010 when a taxi driver told me his pregnant wife had been thrown in prison for a crime she didn't commit.”
“The state committed harm against a huge cohort of incredibly trusting loyal and hard-working people and that is unforgivable.”
“I don't hold a candle for Amber Heard or Johnny Depp. I'm not being paid by anyone to have an opinion.”
Discussed
Mentioned or recommended
- The Great Post Office Scandal
- Paul Foot Awards
- Depp v. Heard
- Inside Out
- Panorama
- The One Show
- Computer Weekly
