Often falling on Easter Sunday, the witches’ Sabbath is an old Swedish superstition from the 16th and 17th centuries where witches were said to commune with Satan in Blåkulla, a place where everything is reversed. On Easter Sunday, Swedish youth used to dress up as witches to convince people that a real witches’ Sabbath was occurring. They would cross-dress and play tricks like knocking over wagons and pouring ash down chimneys. The tradition survives today in a different form; young girls wear aprons and visit family during Easter Sunday. 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
