Celebrated journalist to discuss landmark investigative work at University of Exeter event

Celebrated journalist Nick Davies will discuss his landmark investigative work at a University of Exeter event this month.

Mr Davies, also a documentary maker, has been involved in uncovering the phone-hacking scandal in Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper empire; initiating the alliance of news organisations which published US war logs and cables obtained by Wikileaks; and working as part of the team which handled the British end of Edward Snowden’s leaks about the US National Security Agency.

He will discuss his 40-year career with Don Boyd, film director, producer, screenwriter and novelist, and Honorary Professor in Film Practice at the University of Exeter.

Mr Davies, who mainly worked for The Guardian, before retiring in 2016, has been named journalist of the year, feature writer of the year and reporter of the year in British press awards and won the special awards for investigative reporting which are given in memory of Martha Gellhorn, Paul Foot and Tony Bevins. 

Professor Boyd said: “Nick has had a long and distinguished career long before his work on phone hacking, and it will be an honour to hear about his work. He has worked to expose those who abuse power – corporations, governments and powerful individuals – and it will be fascinating to hear about the processes it took to do this.

“Nick and I will talk about the start of his career in local newspapers, crime reporting, the move from print to digital news and changes in journalism and of course his concerns about fake news and Wikileaks.” 

The discussion is part of the University of Exeter’s Creative Dialogues Series of events, which brings a range of high-profile speakers who are leaders in their respective fields, from across the creative arts, journalism and the creative industries to Exeter.

The free talk will be held in the Forum Building at the university’s Streatham Campus on Friday 29 March at 6pm. To register go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/college-of-humanities-creative-dialogues-....

Mr Davies has written six books including Flat Earth News which investigated the flow of falsehood, distortion and propaganda through mainstream news organisations and its devastating impact on the societies around them. His most recent book, Hack Attack, which detailed Rupert Murdoch’s interference in government as well as the crime in his newsrooms, is currently being made into a film by George Clooney.