Beyond Borders Podcast × Backlight | Reclaiming the Migration Narrative #PodcastSwap
Episode notes
What happens when we change the way we talk about migration?
For this special podcast swap, Beyond Borders is bringing you an episode of Backlight, Lighthouse Reports’ podcast about the people, methods and stories behind collaborative investigations.
In this episode, “Reclaiming the Migration Narrative,” the conversation looks at how migration is often framed through fear, crisis and invasion — and asks how journalism can push back against those narratives.
Three journalists and storytellers bring very different perspectives to the conversation:
🎙️ Sakhr Al-Makhadhi — Executive Producer, AJ+ 🎙️ May Bulman — Investigations Editor, Lighthouse Reports 🎙️ Coco Khan — Journalist, writer and co-host of Pod Save the UK
They discuss investigative journalism, social media, cultural commentary, humour and the challenges of telling more nuanced stories about migration.
Hosted by: Beatriz Ramalho da Silva & Tessa Pang
Sound edited & designed by: Elli Xypolitaki / Spoovio
Music: Mobygratis
Beyond Borders Podcast: Aakriti Dhawan
This is a podcast swap between Beyond Borders and Backlight — so if you enjoy this conversation, check out Backlight for more behind-the-scenes conversations about collaborative investigations and investigative journalism.
00:00 – Introduction: Beyond Borders Podcast × Backlight
00:33 – Why migration narratives are changing
01:01 – The rise of anti-migration rhetoric
01:58 – Can journalism change the migration narrative?
03:44 – Meet the journalists covering migration differently
05:27 – The changing political climate around migration
06:50 – Social media, algorithms and rage bait
07:15 – Has media ever humanised migration?
09:04 – Why traditional reporting is losing its impact
10:30 – Are mainstream media amplifying crisis narratives?
11:41 – Moving beyond statistics: Human-centred migration reporting
12:46 – Journalism, government access and the question of empathy
15:07 – Putting people at the centre of the story
17:02 – Telling the human stories behind the numbers
18:21 – “Europe’s Dreamers” and undocumented young people
19:14 – Social media: threat or opportunity?
21:09 – Reaching audiences outside the bubble
22:38 – Why news organisations are changing their media partners
24:11 – Can humour change the way we talk about migration?
25:43 – Using humour to discuss sensitive issues
27:09 – Authenticity, political identity and reaching new audiences
28:15 – Who gets to shape the media narrative?
29:14 – The problem with “objectivity” and elite perspectives
38:20 – How journalists can get involved
#BeyondBorders #Backlight #LighthouseReports #Migration #Journalism #InvestigativeJournalism #PodcastSwap #MigrationNarrative