How the mega-rich pay to change the truth – with Cuckooland author Tom Burgis

We think our media is mostly truthful, honest and fearless, but investigative journalism is increasingly stymied by legal threats and the infamous SLAPP (“Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation”) from the powerful. In Cuckooland: Where The Rich Own The Truth, Guardian investigations correspondent Tom Burgis follows a trail of money and influence from Uzbekistan, Nepal and Putin’s Russia to the heart of the Conservative Party – and an extraordinary encounter with Tory donor Mohamed Amersi. If money, power and limitless legal resources mean the rich can redefine the truth, as Burgis claims, what can we do about it?

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• “People think journalists can report things honestly, but what you don’t see is that … a lot of journalists self-censor, choose not to write about people who are litigious.” - Tom Burgis

• “This is the reality of journalism these days. We’re always carrying a lawyer around in our heads. - Tom Burgis

• “The story of our time, from Putin to Trump and all points in between, is how these kleptocrats seize and maintain power through corruption.” - Tom Burgis

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Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard and Chris Jones. Audio editor: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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