Stephen Holland - Multimedia Journalist

This radio series, that originally aired on Flirt.FM a licensed student radio station for NUIG, takes one particular type of music, subculture, sub-genre, or moment in time each week and examines it in detail. Listening to some of the best or underrated music of that time and looking at the history behind it. Episode 18 is Protest Music. It’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world with plenty of injustice and whole lot wrong. The conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd this week shows that, at least some of the time, the fight for social justice can lead to results and I am hopeful this sets a precedent for the consequences police brutality. People are stronger when we all come together on the issues we believe in, and one thing that has the power to unite us is music. Throughout history music has been used as a vehicle for social change, to inspire and to ignite, music has the power to put into words the unspeakable. Join me this week on Sound Thinking for an episod...

 

This radio series, that originally aired on Flirt.FM a licensed student radio station for NUIG, takes one particular type of music, subculture, sub-genre, or moment in time each week and examines it in detail. Listening to some of the best or underrated music of that time and looking at the history behind it. Episode 17 is all about the far reaching influence of Caribbean music. That’s reggae, rocksteady, dancehall and ska. While a lot of people just think of one or two names associated with these genres a lot of modern music today owes a lot to these styles. With pop, rock, rap, and punk all taking bits here and there. Listen: Here (Originally aired 19/04/21)

 

In an interview between BBC journalist Andrew Marr and social critic Noam Chomsky, Marr posed the question, “How can you know that I’m self-censoring?” to which Chomsky replied, “I’m not saying you’re self-censoring. I’m sure you believe everything you’re saying. But what I’m saying is that if you believed something different, you wouldn’t be sitting where you’re sitting (BBC, 1996)”.  These words encapsulate the central theory of Manufacturing Consent, a 1988 book written by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky which argues that mass media in the U.S are “effective and powerful ideological institutions that carry out a system-supportive propaganda function, by reliance on market forces, internalized assumptions, and self-censorship, and without overt coercion (Herman and Chomsky, 2002, p. 306)”. Essentially, the book describes the way media skews the news narrative to best serve the interests of the powerful. This can be explained by means of a propaganda model of communication devel...

The rise in populism is a societal response to the breakdown of trust in institutions. When people no longer have faith in the political, social, and religious institutions of their country it is very likely that a populist message can take hold. A charismatic leader can appear and speak directly to the discontent of everyday people, promising to solve their problems and fix what has been broken. This message can be very enticing and today across the world we are seeing a rise in populism and populist politics. This piece will analyse the rise of populism with a particular focus on Turkey and their president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Firstly, it will examine populism itself and the reasons it has taken hold in so many parts of the world. Secondly, it will look at the history of Turkey and the context through which Erdoğan was able to come to power. It will then look at how charismatic leaders tap into this breakdown of trust in institutions and use it to their advantage, with a particular ...

Stephen Holland · Bye Bye Briquette Podcast This podcast explores Bord na Móna's decision to end the producer of the peat briquette by 2024. Presenter: Philip Downes Producer: Louise Toal Researchers: Stephen Holland, Charlotte Lavin, Erika Sossane

Stephen Holland · Galway2020: What Happened? This half-hour radio show aired on Flirt.FM on April 1st 2021. It explores Galway's role as European Capital of Culture 2020 and the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the festivities.  Presenters: Stephen Holland & Erika Sossane Producer: Louise Toal Researchers: Philip Downes & Charlotte Lavin