Did you know that salt has caused wars? The abundance of this substance makes it easy for us to take it for granted, but it was heavily controlled centuries ago. Governments knew that having control of salt meant control over the population, as everyone was so reliant on it to preserve their food. But if they had too tight of a grip, their subjects retaliated; for example, Gandhi rallied the Indians to revolt through his Salt March, where he defied British laws against Indian salt production. 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
