J-Lab

A forum for professional, student and community journalists in the north east of England to meet, learn and collaborate. It’s supported by Newcastle University.

J-Lab is a news podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 46 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts J-Lab, a news show with 46 episodes published.

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  J-Lab

  J-Lab Episode 46: Reimagining local news, with Jim Waterson of London Centric

  Mar 5, 202627 minS0

  Jim Waterson is former media editor at The Guardian and now the publisher of London Centric, which covers politics, business and life in the UK capital via a fast-growing Substack newsletter as well as TikTok videos. After years reporting on national media, Jim made a striking decision: to step away from one of the most influential journalism jobs in Britain and try to build something new — a reader-funded local news operation focused on London. London Centric combines deep investigations with explainers and features about the city — and it’s built around a simple idea: that a core of paying subscribers can su...

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  J-Lab

  J-Lab Episode 45: The Salt Path scandal, with Chloe Hadjimatheou of the Observer

  Jan 8, 202633 minS0

  This episode centres on The Salt Path, a publishing phenomenon that has sold millions of copies worldwide, inspired a major film starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, and has become, for many readers, a story of endurance, love and hope in the face of loss. But over the past year, that story has also become the subject of a major investigation by The Observer. Our guest is Chloe Hadjimatheou, narrative editor at The Observer, whose reporting has examined serious questions about the truth-claims of The Salt Path, including the authors’ identities, the circumstances around the loss of their home, the pr...

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  J-Lab

  J-Lab Episode 44: Reporting on the deaths of young people in custody, with Dani Garavelli

  Dec 12, 202526 minS0

  In this episode, we talk with award-winning investigative journalist Dani Garavelli, whose reporting for the London Review of Books on the suicides of Katie Allan and William Lindsay at Polmont Young Offenders Institution has been nominated for a British Journalism Award. Dani has spent years uncovering the systemic failures that contributed to these deaths — and has also reported some of Scotland’s most significant recent stories, from the Sheku Bayoh case to the Alex Salmond trial, as well as long-form investigations into domestic abuse, youth justice and institutional accountability. In our conversation we talk about how she gained the trust of g...

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  J-Lab

  J-Lab Episode 43: Doing the 92 with The i Paper's Daniel Storey

  Nov 14, 202526 minS0

  Our guest on this episode is The i Paper’s chief football writer, Daniel Storey, who has just completed an extraordinary project: visiting and reporting from all 92 Premier and EFL (English Football League) clubs in a single season. Seventeen-thousand miles, 80 interviews and nearly 200,000 words later, he has produced a portrait of English football that’s as much about people and place as it is about goals. In this conversation, you'll hear Daniel explain how he convinced himself, and his editors, to take on the project, what he learned about football clubs and the vital civic role they perform in their town...

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  J-Lab

  J-Lab Episode 42: An ethical approach to crime reporting and true crime content, with Bethany Usher

  Oct 30, 202457 minS0

  As the public’s fascination with crime stories grows, so too does the responsibility of those who bring these stories to light. Whether through traditional journalism or increasingly popular true crime content, the way these narratives are crafted can shape perceptions, impact communities and, significantly, affect the lives of victims and their families. Our first guest on this episode is Bethany Usher, lecturer in journalism at Newcastle University, and author of a new book titled Journalism and Crime. Bethany is researching how we might create new codes of practice, for crime reporters, true crime content creators and police comms teams as...

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