‘News on the Street’ – a live journalism event at Nottingham’s Speakers' Corner

Women journalists will be in Nottingham next month to share their unpublished stories with the public face-to-face in a unique live journalism event.

Six female reporters will stand on soapboxes to tell their exclusive stories to passers-by and answer questions from 12 pm - 2 pm on Saturday 18 May at Speakers' Corner, in front of the Brian Clough Statue in King Street, just off the Old Market Square.

Journalists will bring the audience real breaking news in person, as town criers used to do there hundreds of years ago.

'News on the Street' is part of a research project into public engagement and journalism, called News on Stage, which was co-created by two academics at the forefront of the growing international live journalism scene: Catherine Adams from Nottingham Trent University and Dr Glenda Cooper from City, University of London.

In an era of ‘news avoidance,’ ‘filter bubbles’ and growing distrust of journalists, the researchers are investigating what happens when journalism presents its human face in a public space.

"We hope people going into town on a Saturday stop for a moment to listen to these great stories told by women journalists," said Ms Adams.

"We can’t have good democracy without good journalism. We want to see whether direct interaction between journalists and their audience encourages people to engage more with what’s going on in the world around them."

Dr Cooper added: "One of the biggest challenges for journalism today is people’s lack of trust in it. By bringing journalists and their audience together we hope to break this disconnect and allow people to hear new and important stories."

People attending are invited to chat with the journalists as part of the project’s aim to democratise the news. The organisers also hope that the event encourages women in journalism and raises their profile.

Louise Third, Chair of Speakers’ Corner Trust and a founder of Nottingham Speakers’ Corner, said: "I am delighted to confirm our involvement in the News on the Street project as event host in Nottingham.

"As a national charity, we are passionate about improving the public participation in open discussion, debate, and wider civic involvement in the issues of the day.

"Our aims are to advocate for freedom of expression, to promote and deliver debates of a high standard, and to educate the next generation to have the confidence to speak and express their views."

The event will be British Sign Language interpreted.