News, Events & Media

Commission of inquiry calls for levies to promote new media, warning that too few interests control too many outlets

Randeep Ramesh, social affairs editor
The Guardian
Saturday 13 March 2010

Google and other websites that carry news they do not produce should be taxed and the money generated used to prop up local newspapers, says a report which warns control of the media is concentrated in too few hands.

The Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society, headed by Tony Blair's former head of policy, Geoff Mulgan, will warn next week that news is becoming "recycled 'churnalism' and aggregated content". In a report, Making Good Society, the commission says a future government must preserve freedom on the internet, ensure the media is not controlled by powerful interests, and promote accuracy.

The Guardian has today published an article on the Commission of Inquiry's work around democratising media. The feature picks up on the Commission's call for a more pluralist media landscape and highlights the potential for alternative media ownership models to develop through new funding streams.

To read the article click here. 

Commissioners Geoff Mulgan and Anna Nicholl will be leading the event hosted at WCVA on Monday 22 March.

Guest speakers at the event will include:

• Graham Benfield, WCVA
• Paul O'Shea, Unison

For more information about this event and to book your place contact: Morven Masterton

There are now limited places available for the Edinburgh launch event for the final report of the Commission of the Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society. If you would like to attend this event please contact info@carnegieuk.org by Monday 15 March.

Commissioners, Joyce McMIllan, Philomena de Lima, Richard Atkinson and Anna Nicholl will be attending the event hosted at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Thursday 18 March.

Guest speakers at the event will include:

• Martin Johnstone, Faith in Community Scotland
• Martin Sime, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
• Antonia Swinson, Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition

For more information about this event contact: Morven Masterton

The London launch event for the final report of the Commission of the Inquiry is now FULLY BOOKED.

The Chair of the Commission, Geoff Mulgan, will be hosting the event at St Ethelburga's Centre on Monday 15 March. The Commission will present its findings and calls to action and civil society leaders will respond to the calls to action.

Guest speakers at the event will include:

• Brendan Barber, TUC
• Mary Marsh, Clore Social Leadership Programme
• Ed Mayo, Co-operatives UK
• Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International

For more information about this event contact: Morven Masterton

The launch of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK and Ireland, Making good society, will take place at events in March, April and May 2010. To book a place at launch events (London - 15 March, Edinburgh - 18 March, Cardiff - 22 March) or to order a free copy of the Commission report e-mail catherine@carnegieuk.org

The Carnegie Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society is pleased to share a write up of a public event it hosted as part of Edinburgh's annual Festival of Politics.

More than 100 civil society representatives gathered at the event, held at the Scottish Parliament in August 2009, to debate how they could use their ‘moral muscle’ to help build a fairer, more sustainable economy.

George Reid, Inquiry Commission Vice-Chair, chaired the event. Speakers included:

• Karl Dayson, Community Finance Solutions
• Craig Campbell, Social Investment Scotland
• Elizabeth Leighton, World Wildlife Fund Scotland
• Ian Fraser, journalist, editor and blogger

The paper summarises the presentations and discussion from this event.

Geoff Mulgan, Chair of the Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society, gave a speech to a packed audience at this year’s Financial Services Research Forum autumn seminar, ‘After the Crunch: What Has Been Learned?’. Whilst other speakers focused on the responsibility of government, the financial regulators, and the functioning of the market, Geoff’s speech reflected on the role of civil society in relation to the financial sector.

A summary of the speech which featured in The Independent on Friday 20 November is presented below.

Geoff Mulgan: Only with an act of political courage can we re-civilise our economy

The Carnegie UK Trust hosted an event at the Festival of Politics in Edinburgh on 22 August to explore the roles of civil society associations in growing a civil economy. Chaired by George Reid, the Vice-Chair of the Carnegie Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK and Ireland, speakers included Karl Dayson of Community Finance Solutions, Elizabeth Leighton of the World Wildlife Fund, Craig Campbell of Social Investment Scotland and Ian Fraser, journalist and blogger .

Kumi Naidoo, a visiting research fellow at the Carnegie UK Trust and International Advisory Group Member of the Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society is profiled in the Guardian Society today. Kumi was interviewed ahead of his speech next week at the Inquiry event on the role of civil society in enabling dissent. For more information about this work contact morven@carnegieuk.org. Annie Kelly's Guardian article is featured below.