British poet Robert Southey first wrote The Story of the Three Bears in 1837, before Goldilocks and the Three Bears became popular. The original protagonist was a nasty old woman; Joseph Cundall renamed her Silver-Hair in 1850 before Flora Annie Steele changed her to Goldilocks. According to literary critic Christopher Booker, however, it’s Goldilocks who’s the villain, not the bears. Perhaps it is time to revisit our childhood stories with a new lens. 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
