Media Storm

Off-label antibiotics ordered from Hong Kong, bacteriophages cultivated in Georgia, bladder fulguration undergone in Turkey - these are some of the lengths countless women are resorting to in desperate bids to rid themselves of chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs).

In March, the NHS finally recognised the existence of chronic UTI, a debilitating condition affecting 1.7 million people - mostly women - in the UK...

Media Storm is back next week! Helena and Mathilda take on the mainstream media and embark on new investigations that put people with lived experience back at the centre of the story.

This season takes listeners from London and Berlin, to the frontlines of the climate crisis, to the depths of the dark web, in its quest to seek out unheard voices. Polyamory, abortion, paedophilia, radicalisation… brace yourself to head back into the eye of the storm...

We won a Silver ARIA Award for Best Speech Presenters! 

In this bonus episode we recount our experiences of awards night, who we met, what it was like to be in a category with radio giant nominees (hello imposter syndrome!), and what we'll be listening to next. 

We also wanted to say a huge thank you to the people who came on Media Storm series one and let us platform their insights and experiences...

The episode is hosted by Deborah Frances-White (@DeborahFW) with guests Mathilda Mallinson (@mathildamall) and Helena Wadia (@helenawadia).

Get in touch

• Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/mediastormpod
• or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mediastormpod
• or Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@mediastormpod
• like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MediaStormPod
• send us an email mediastormpodcast@gmail...

After looking at the prevalence of ableism in UK workplaces and the lack of legal recourse for those affected in last week’s episode, Media Storm is handing the mic - for the final instalment of this season - to some of its sources, who share with listeners ways to help. Whether you are an employer or colleague, here are some of dos and do NOTs to help you be a better ally to disabled and chronically ill workers...

Media Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia.

Warning: Some swearing

Disabled workers are over twice as likely to be unemployed as non-disabled workers — even not counting those who are ‘economically inactive’ due to health or other reasons. Countless testimonies point to ableism at every stage of the employment game, from applying to jobs to being made redundant...

Laws that criminalise certain aspects of sex work force people into unsafe, unregulated environments, where they become even more vulnerable. Last week, on International Women’s Day, we joined the Sex/Work Strike and heard the rallying cry from protestors campaigning for the full decriminalisation of sex work...

Media Storm presented by Mathilda Mallinson and Helena Wadia. 

Warning: Some strong language and references to sex

Transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/07/06/1-9-sex-workers-ignored-and-under-threat/

Online or offline, the stigma that comes with being a sex worker is pervasive. But sex work is not just stigmatised - it's criminalised...

Since 1971, the US has led a global campaign to criminalise and eradicate certain psychoactive substances: this is known as the war on drugs. On last week’s episode of Media Storm, we looked at the racialised impact of this punitive policy, which - despite aiming for the eradication of drugs - has seen drug-related deaths increase and drug use remain commonplace...

Read the transcript: https://mediastormpodcast.com/2022/03/17/1-8-the-uks-war-on-drugs-politics-and-prohibition/

Warning: Strong language, drug use

‘DRUG TRAGEDY’, ‘DRUG CRIME’, ‘DRUG FEARS’— these are common tabloid staples. But are drugs the problem? Or is it in fact the war on drugs?

Data that links drug use to crime and death rates are often used to justify militant political crackdowns...