The story of penicillin’s first patient is a popular one, but the origins of his infection seem to be hidden in propaganda. Hailing from Oxford, police officer Albert Alexander was dying from sepsis when he was treated with penicillin; the infection was said to arise from a rosebush’s thorn. However, his family maintains that his infected wound was the result of shrapnel from a German bomb raid on the city. It’s speculated that the rosebush story was fabricated to minimise the effects of bombings and keep morale high. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
