In the era of Brexit and Trump, journalism is generating more heat than light. In the 2018 Christopher Hitchens lecture, this is how James O’Brien diagnosed the contemporary flaw in the fourth estate. Sarfraz Manzoor’s thorough interview with the popular host of LBC gave the audience an insight into his early days as a struggling journalist, and his views on some burning political issues. O’Brien shared his excitement about the current Irish referendum on abortion and how the Eighth Amendment affected his parents in Ireland and later his own life as an orphan in England.
Following controversial comments on Trump and Brexit, O’Brien jumped ship from BBC’s Newsnight to his current talk show, where he often produces clips for the internet that go viral. Known for his liberal views, O’Brien reserved his right to convey his personal opinions on important issues, rather than sticking religiously to objective journalism.
"I always prefer a debate to an unchallenged speech," O'Brien said.
He referred to the tribal loyalty in modern politics and said he believed it had compromised truth. In his view, the recent political wins for the right are a result of the public receiving misinformation. He criticised news organizations that give a platform to controversial politicians such as Trump's former chief strategist Steve Bannon, unless they were to be firmly questioned.
If you missed this, you might like to go to event number 136, How Britain Really Works, at 11.30 am on Tuesday 28 May.