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'{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox website | name = Novara Media | favicon = | logo = File:Novara_Media_logo.jpg | screenshot = File:Novara Media homepage screenshot.jpeg | caption = Screenshot of Novara Media homepage on a mobile device | url = {{URL|novaramedia.com}} | commercial = | type = Political commentary | registration = | owner = | launch_date = {{start date and age|df=y|2011}} | current_status = Active | revenue = | alexa = ~13,677 (UK 12/2018)<ref>[https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/novaramedia.com novaramedia.com Traffic Statistics] (12/2018) from [[Alexa Internet|Alexa]]</ref> }} '''Novara Media''' (often shortened to '''Novara''')<ref name="JM"/><ref name="AC"/><ref name="bigissue"/><ref name="NK"/> is an [[Independent media|independent]],<ref name="Mayhew">F. Mayhew, '[https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/organisation-looking-to-revolutionise-the-way-independent-media-is-funded-wants-to-step-away-from-profit-driven-models/ The Media Fund offers 'democratic' alternative to billionaire press owners and BBC]' (11/10/17) in [[Press Gazette]]</ref> self described radical left-wing [[alternative media]] organisation based in the United Kingdom.<ref name="AC"/> Novara Media was founded in 2011 by James Butler and Aaron Bastani. It is owned by Thousand Hands Ltd and its office and studio is in south-east London. ==Launch== Novara was founded in June 2011 by James Butler and Aaron Bastani. Initially, Bastani and Butler hosted an hour-long live show and [[podcast]], called Novara FM, on [[community radio]] station [[Resonance FM]]<ref name="GentWalker">C. Gent and M. Walker, 'Alternative Media: A new factor in electoral politics?' in D. Wring, R. Mortimore and S. Atkinson (eds), ''Political Communication in Britain'' ([[Palgrave Macmillan]], 2018),p. 117-128: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00822-2_8</ref> as a kind of 'socialist [[night school]].'<ref name="FT">{{cite news | last = Judah | first = Ben |url= https://www.ft.com/content/0e99fc98-4872-11e8-8ae9-4b5ddcca99b3 |title=Momentum: inside Labour's revolutionary movement |work = Financial Times |date=27 April 2018 |accessdate=5 June 2018}}</ref> The intention was to feed into the leftist movement that had resulted in the student protests.<ref name="FT"/> They named the show after the Italian town in [[Elio Petri]]'s 1971 film ''[[The Working Class Goes to Heaven]]''.<ref name="AC"/><ref name="FT"/> The venture developed into Novara Media in 2013 with the involvement of others engaged in [[direct action]] in the student movement.<ref name="GentWalker"/> Novara diversified and, in addition to audio, written and video content were produced,<ref name="bigissue"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://euroalter.com/projects/novara-media |title=Novara Media | website = euroalter.com | publisher = [[European Alternatives]] |accessdate=5 June 2018}}</ref> and Novara Media established itself as a multimedia project.<ref name="GentWalker"/> ==Corporate structure== In October 2017, Novara Media joined The Media Fund, a [[cooperative]] organisation which aims to help digital platforms counteract an "old media system" by creating an "[[independent media]] free from [[Right-wing politics|rightwing]] bias".<ref name="NK">{{cite news |last=Khomami |first= Nadia |title=Fund launched to create independent media free from rightwing bias |nopp=yes |page= Media |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/oct/02/fund-launched-to-create-independent-media |work=The Guardian |date= 2 October 2017 |accessdate=5 June 2018}}</ref><ref name="Mayhew"/> Novara Media Ltd was dissolved in January 2018 for failing to file required documents by [[Companies House]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Walker |first= James |title=Novara Media Ltd dissolved by Companies House after failing to file document |url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/novara-media-ltd-dissolved-by-companies-house-after-failing-to-file-document/ |work=The Press Gazette |date= 3 January 2018 |accessdate=5 June 2018}}</ref> Novara Media is now owned by Thousand Hands Ltd;<ref name="about"/> it has been sponsored by the Barry Amiel & Norman Melburn Trust.<ref name="about">'[https://novaramedia.com/about/ About]' on Novara Media</ref><ref>'[http://www.amielandmelburn.org.uk/awards/novara-media/ Novara Media]' (2016) on the Barry Amiel & Norman Melburn Trust website</ref> The general objectives of the Barry Amiel & Norman Melburn Trust are to advance public education, learning and knowledge in all aspects of the philosophy of [[Marxism]], the history of socialism, and the working class movement. <ref name="home">'[http://www.amielandmelburn.org.uk/]' on the Barry Amiel & Norman Melburn Trust website Home page</ref> The company's office and studio is in [[Peckham]], south London.<ref name="AC">{{cite news |last=Chakelian |first=Anoosh |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/media/2017/09/luxury-communism-now-rise-pro-corbyn-media |title="Luxury communism now!" The rise of the pro-Corbyn media |work =New Statesman |date=25 September 2017 |accessdate=5 June 2018}}</ref> ==Editorial position== At its inception, Novara Media's attitude towards the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] "veered between sceptical and hostile – but certainly not hopeful".<ref name="GentWalker"/> The media outlet's affinities, however, were drawn towards the Labour Party by the interest generated by [[Jeremy Corbyn]]'s [[2015 Labour Party (UK) leadership election|2015 bid to be the leader of the party]]—unlike many within Labour, Corbyn and his allies [[John McDonnell]] and [[Diane Abbott]] were seen by those at Novara to be allies of extra-parliamentary political movements on the left, like those in which Novara Media's team were involved.<ref name="GentWalker"/> It generally has a left-wing editorial position and is supportive of [[Jeremy Corbyn]]'s leadership of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]].<ref name="AC"/> The organisation has frequently advocated the political idea of "[[Post-scarcity economy#Automated Luxury Communism|fully automated luxury communism]]", "a political vision which advocates a transition to [[post-work society]] where [[Post-scarcity economy|abundance]] is [[Common ownership|held in common]]"<ref name="GentWalker"/> – or, as Bastani puts it, "the full [[automation]] of everything and common ownership of that which is automated".<ref>{{cite news |last=Merchant |first=Brian |title=Fully automated luxury communism |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/mar/18/fully-automated-luxury-communism-robots-employment |work=The Guardian |date= 18 March 2015 |accessdate=26 November 2018}}</ref> Ash Sarkar, who described herself as "literally a communist" during an appearance on ''[[Good Morning Britain (2014 TV programme)|Good Morning Britain]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.itv.com/goodmorningbritain/news/piers-morgan-clashes-with-trump-protester-in-fiery-debate |title=Piers Morgan clashes with Trump protester in fiery debate |date=12 July 2018 |website=itv.com |publisher=ITV |access-date=27 November 2018}}</ref> subsequently defined communism being "about the desire to see the coercive structures of state dismantled, while also having fun".<ref>{{cite news |last=Hogan |first=Michael |date=22 July 2018 |title=‘That's when I lost my temper’: Ash Sarkar on her clash with Piers Morgan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/22/thats-when-i-lost-my-temper-ash-sarkar-on-her-clash-with-piers-morgan |work=The Guardian |access-date=27 November 2018 }}</ref> Novara offered varied perspectives on [[Brexit]], with Bastani initially advocating the UK's withdrawal from the EU,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://novaramedia.com/2016/04/18/why-the-left-should-vote-to-leave-the-eu/|title=Why the left should vote to leave the EU |website=novaramedia.com |access-date=9 September 2016}}</ref> and James Butler advocating a pro-remain argument.<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Novara Media | date=4 July 2016 | title=I voted remain, but ignoring the outcome would be terrible for democracy | URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0n3TpCLAcg | access-date=26 November 2018}}</ref> Novara "sets itself in opposition to what it sees as biased "mainstream media".<ref>A. Panjwani, '[https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/novara-media-pulls-video-wrongly-using-clip-from-2012-strike-in-report-on-catalonia-independence-vote-violence/ Novara Media pulls video wrongly using clip from 2012 strike in report on Catalonia independence vote violence] (11/10/17) on [[Press Gazette]]</ref> Its staff and editorial team believe traditional media outlets express a narrow view of politics and are out of touch with a segment of the UK public,<ref name="AC"/> have missed a shift in the UK's political mood,<ref name="NK"/> and has a corrupting influence on the UK's democracy.<ref>Aaron Bastani, interviewed on ''[[The Listening Post]]'', '[https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/listeningpost/2017/05/british-media-coverage-corbyn-balanced-biased-170520081734337.html British media's coverage of Corbyn: Balanced or biased?]' (20/05/17) on [[Al Jazeera English]]</ref> In a ''[[The Guardian|Guardian]]'' article, [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''[[Today (BBC Radio 4)|Today]]'' programme presenter [[Nick Robinson (journalist)|Nick Robinson]] said Novara Media, along with other alternative media organisations, were involved in a "[[Guerrilla warfare|guerrilla war]]" on the [[BBC]] and mainstream media as part of an attack on what they saw as [[the establishment]]—and that this was undermining public trust in mainstream news outlets.<ref>N. Robinson, '[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/27/mainstream-news-win-back-trust-dissident-voices If mainstream news wants to win back trust, it cannot silence dissident voices] (27/09/17) on [[The Guardian]]</ref> Ash Sarkar responded that Robinson had incorrectly identified the reasons people were losing trust in mainstream media, stating that the "political classes"—including the "establishment political media"—had been trying for a number of years to assure the public that they (i.e., the political classes) were "still responsible custodians of power, which after a [[Iraq War|disastrous intervention in the middle east]] and a [[Financial crisis of 2007–2008|financial calamity]] people aren't feeling any more".<ref>G. Ruddick and N. Khomami, '[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/sep/28/alternative-news-sites-attack-nick-robinsons-claim-of-guerilla-war-on-bbc Alternative news sites attack Nick Robinson’s claim of 'guerrilla war' on BBC]' (28/09/17) on [[The Guardian]]</ref> ==Contributors== The list of contributors grew to include [[Ash Sarkar]]<ref>L. Diavolo, '[https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ash-sarkar-communist-called-piers-morgan-idiot Meet Ash Sarkar, the Communist Who Called Piers Morgan an "Idiot"] (15/07/18) in [[Teen Vogue]]</ref> and [[Shon Faye]].<ref>L. Corner, '[https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/83540/olly-alexander-says-will-take-queer-popstar-big-beyonce/ Olly Alexander says it will take a while for a queer popstar to be as big as Beyoncé]' (15/08/17) in [[Gay Times]]</ref> By September 2017, Novara was run by a core team of 15 [[Volunteering|volunteers]], and had about 200 paid contributing writers.<ref name="AC"/> The writers are external to the organisation.<ref name="GentWalker"/> ==Readership== A breakthrough for Novara took place with a July 2015 interview with [[Jeremy Corbyn]] on the day he became the [[bookmaker]]s' favourite to win the [[2015 Labour Party (UK) leadership election|2015 Labour Party leadership election]]; the interview attracted 60,000 views in its week of publication.<ref name="FT"/> Those at Novara Media believe Corbyn was willing to give interviews to them because they—in contrast to a mainstream media largely hostile towards him—took his policies seriously and believed them worthy of scrutiny.<ref name="GentWalker"/> A number of other interviews with Corbyn and McDonnell followed.<ref name="GentWalker"/> Other guests on Novara have included Labour Shadow Home Secretary [[Diane Abbott]], the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]]’s former co-leader [[Caroline Lucas]], and [[Chris Williamson (politician)|Chris Williamson]].<ref name="FT"/> Novara's self-reported [[Web traffic|site traffic]] statistics for the period of the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 UK general election]] were "modest": their election [[Liveblogging|liveblog]] attracting 5,500 readers and their most popular election-related [[Article (publishing)|article]] 3,700 readers. This increased during the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general elections]]: the Novara website received a quarter of a million [[Hit (Internet)|hits]]; their videos on Facebook received 2.3&nbsp;million views; and on the day of the elections Novara reached 1.2&nbsp;million people via Facebook.<ref name="GentWalker"/> Along with other left-wing UK media outlets founded in the early-to-mid-2000s, Novara Media's growth was in part due to a lack of trust, on the part of people in the UK who identify as left-wing, of [[mainstream media]] organisations.<ref name="AC"/> Novara's readership is typically 18 to 30-year-olds<ref name="bigissue">[[Ash Sarkar]] in A. Lobb, '[https://www.bigissue.com/interviews/novara-building-social-majority-negotiating-differences/ Novara: "Building a social majority is about negotiating differences"]' (07/07/17) in [[The Big Issue]]</ref> and left-leaning people dissatisfied with mainstream media [[News media|news outlets]].<ref name="JM">[[Jane Martinson]], '[https://amp.theguardian.com/media/2017/jun/18/a-question-for-a-dystopian-age-what-counts-as-fake-news A question for a dystopian age: what counts as fake news?]' (18/06/17) On [[The Guardian]]</ref><ref name="AC"/> ==Responses== In 2015 the [[Institute for Public Policy Research]] described Novara Media as "innovative" within a "narrowed ... media landscape" that needed further reform as part of the UK's "architecture of democracy" to ensure "that all voices are heard in the political system".<ref>M. Lawrence and S. Birch, ''[https://www.ippr.org/files/publications/pdf/democracy-commission_Aug2015.pdf The Democracy Commission: Reforming democracy to combat political inequality]'' (Aug. 2015), [[Institute for Public Policy Research]], p. 29-30</ref> Bastani attracted controversy in November 2018 for his position on the poppy appeal, an annual fundraising campaign run by [[the Royal British Legion]] for [[veteran]]s of the [[British armed forces]]. In an episode of Novara Media [[podcast]] "The Bastani Factor", Bastani described the poppy appeal as "[[racism|racist]]" and "[[White supremacy|white supremacist]]" because, in his opinion, the appeal "has a kind of [[Triumphalism|triumphalist]] [[militarism]] to it".<ref>{{cite news |last=Murphy |first= Neil |title=Outrage as Labour supporter brands poppies RACIST in online rant |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/outrage-labour-supporter-brands-poppies-13556832 |work=The Mirror |date= 8 November 2018 |accessdate=26 November 2018}}</ref> The comments attracted widespread criticism in the national media, including from the Labour Party's [[Shadow Secretary of State for Defence|Shadow Defence Secretary]], [[Nia Griffith]], who suggested Bastani should be expelled from the Party.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.skygroup.sky/corporate/media-centre/articles/en-gb/Sophy-Ridge-on-Sunday-Interview-with-Nia-Griffith-Shadow-Defence-Secretary |title=Sophy Ridge on Sunday Interview with Nia Griffith Shadow Defence Secretary | website = skygroup.sky |publisher=Sky News |date=11 November 2018 |accessdate=26 November 2018}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *{{Official website|novaramedia.com}} [[Category:British political websites]] [[Category:Internet properties established in 2011]] [[Category:2011 establishments in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Left-wing politics in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Internet publication stubs]] [[Category:British news websites]] [[Category:News website stubs]] [[Category:Alternative journalism organizations]] [[Category:United Kingdom journalism organisations]]'