This week's News Bites guest is Jeff Sparrow, who has been writing opinion pieces for the past two decades. His new book, Provocations, brings together his best writing from this period.  



Over the years, Jeff has written on topics as diverse as geological time and Australia’s history of slavery. He’s also seen countless media outlets close down, making it harder and harder to work as an opinion writer in Australia.  



He spoke about his craft with The Yarn’s executive producer, Louisa Lim.

This week's News Bites guest is Jeff Sparrow, who has been writing opinion pieces for the past two decades. His new book, Provocations, brings together his best writing from this period.  
 
Over the years, Jeff has written on topics as diverse as geological time and Australia’s history of slavery. He’s also seen countless media outlets close down, making it harder and harder to work as an opinion writer in Australia.  
 
He spoke about his craft with The Yarn’s executive producer, Louisa Lim.

The Yarn is a podcast showcasing work from The Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne.  It features original reporting by students, content from The Citizen publication, as well as talks and events held by the Centre.  

The Yarn is a podcast showcasing work from The Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne.&nbsp; It features original reporting by students, content from The Citizen publication, as well as talks and events held by the Centre.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Yarn

The Yarn is a podcast out of the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne.  It is mixed, produced and edited by students, and showcases student work at its best. 

 

 

The Yarn is a podcast out of the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne.&nbsp; It is mixed, produced and edited by students, and showcases student work at its best.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

News Bites

News Bites: Jeff Sparrow on Opinion Writing

This week, we're bringing you another episode of News Bites, a series of live interviews about the craft of journalism.  

Today’s guest is Khalid Amiri, who was a prominent news presenter for the Afghan state broadcaster RTA. He’s known for his courageous reporting and outspoken criticism of the Taliban.  

After Kabul fell in August 2021, Khalid and his family fled to Australia, where he’s pursuing a Master of International Relations at the University of Melbourne. 

He spoke to senior tutor Bernadette Nunn about the challenging but critical role that journalists play in conflict zones.

This week, we're bringing you another episode of News Bites, a series of live interviews about the craft of journalism.  
Today’s guest is Khalid Amiri, who was a prominent news presenter for the Afghan state broadcaster RTA. He’s known for his courageous reporting and outspoken criticism of the Taliban.  
After Kabul fell in August 2021, Khalid and his family fled to Australia, where he’s pursuing a Master of International Relations at the University of Melbourne. 
He spoke to senior tutor Bernadette Nunn about the challenging but critical role that journalists play in conflict zones.

News Bites:  Journalism in Times of Crisis with Khalid Amiri

In Victorian London, a persistent rumour spread of a murderer who could leap between the city’s alleyways to avoid detection. Newspapers called him spring-heeled jack—one of the first ever urban legends. 

He wasn’t real, but the fears that inspired him were. Fears of rapidly changing urban spaces and the upheavals of industrialization.  

This week, we’re bringing you stories about similar mythical monsters—and what they reflect about the societies that create them.



Featuring stories by Joseph Sadlier, Milla Richardson, Azka Taruna, and Louis Murdoch.

In Victorian London, a persistent rumour spread of a murderer who could leap between the city’s alleyways to avoid detection. Newspapers called him spring-heeled jack—one of the first ever urban legends. 
He wasn’t real, but the fears that inspired him were. Fears of rapidly changing urban spaces and the upheavals of industrialization.  
This week, we’re bringing you stories about similar mythical monsters—and what they reflect about the societies that create them.
 
Featuring stories by Joseph Sadlier, Milla Richardson, Azka Taruna, and Louis Murdoch.

Sci-Fi: Myths and Monsters

A decade before the global internet even existed, William Gibson coined the term "cyberspace". He was describing a realm of pure information in his 1983 novel Neuromancer. The story unfolds in a future where data flows form the arteries of an interconnected world. 

It’s one of many inventions that appeared in novels and films yearsbefore they materialised in reality, along with spaceships, Artificial Intelligence, and even credit cards.  

This week, we’re bringing you stories about the cutting-edge innovations of todaythat arestraight out of the science fiction of yesteryear. 

It’s the fourth episode of Sci-Fi, a series envisioning alternative futures and imaginary realms. These stories were produced for the Science Gallery’s new exhibition — Sci-Fi: Mythologies Transformed, which is open now.



Featuring stories by Anna Lau, Zaid Dia, Aditi Borooah Thekedath, and Nicholas Quinlan.

A decade before the global internet even existed, William Gibson coined the term "cyberspace". He was describing a realm of pure information in his 1983 novel Neuromancer. The story unfolds in a future where data flows form the arteries of an interconnected world. 
It’s one of many inventions that appeared in novels and films years before they materialised in reality, along with spaceships, Artificial Intelligence, and even credit cards.  
This week, we’re bringing you stories about the cutting-edge innovations of today that are straight out of the science fiction of yesteryear. 
It’s the fourth episode of Sci-Fi, a series envisioning alternative futures and imaginary realms. These stories were produced for the Science Gallery’s new exhibition — Sci-Fi: Mythologies Transformed, which is open now.
 
Featuring stories by Anna Lau, Zaid Dia, Aditi Borooah Thekedath, and Nicholas Quinlan.

News Bites: Jeff Sparrow on Opinion Writing

News Bites

In 2 playlist(s)

The Yarn

Follow podcast

Recent clips