27/10/2026
"Tell it like it is. It's not about you."
That was one of the lines that stayed with me after an evening with Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's International Editor, at Salisbury City Hall last week for his talk, ‘Truth Under Fire’.
I love getting out to events, meeting new people and listening to those who've genuinely lived what they talk about. This was one of the most thought provoking nights I've had in a long time.
Jeremy has reported from more than 90 countries and 20 wars. He showed clips that never made it on to TV and they were eye opening, showing what reporting from the frontline really involves.
The job of a journalist, in his words, is to find a way to give the best, unobstructed version of the truth. Be factual. Use direct, clear language. Tell people what it is.
Around 2011 Jeremy explained that, as smartphones became widespread, the line between real and fake news started to blur. Today social media, bots and speed are shaping headlines and he described a wall building up around what the truth is. There is no 'think' time as 'news' get shared instantly and there are consequences to that.
Social media rewards opinion, whereas good journalism is meant to be impartial and that's getting harder to protect.
I'll be honest. Like many people, I sometimes question what I'm being told, from the BBC and everyone else. We're bombarded with messages every day. So, it was powerful to hear from someone so clearly committed to getting to the truth and so open about the personal cost of doing it.
The talk was funny, very sad in places and really made me think. As someone who works with journalists every day, it's reminded me why accuracy, clarity and trust matter more than ever and what we put in front of a journalist should always stand up.
Despite everything he has seen, Jeremy still believes there is good in humanity. That's a pretty good note to end on.
Where do you get your news from and do you trust it?
