Breaking the News

Fabulous exhibition at the British Library looking at 500 years of news in Britain via news stories.

It was arranged under a series of questions eg what makes a good story, can the news be objective and includes some fabulous items such as the earliest surviving piece of printed news in Great Britain, a report of the battle of Flodden 1513! They also had the first newspaper published in England “Corante” which only has continental news due to censorship under James II.

It was great to see whole bound newspapers included as you see the context of adverts etc around them.

I found yourself drawn to the salacious stories and came out with lots to look up on old murders, political scandals etc. It comes right up to date with Covid reporting and #wagathachristie.

There were some great juxtaposition of stories eg Civil War opposite Brexit as each saw opposing sides using a relatively new technology to spread ideas and the Daily Worker and Blackshirt reports of Cable Street Riots.

There was just so much in this show both things you already know and ideas to set you thinking. Wish I’d come earlier so I could have encouraged others to go.

Closes 21 August 2022

 

 

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