Alastair Campbell

Humanitas Visiting Professorship in Media (2013-2014)

The Humanitas Visiting Professorship in Media is one of the highlights in its field at the University of Cambridge. Ambitious in its scope, the initiative holds Visiting Professorships that bring individuals of outstanding practical and academic expertise to give students, scholars, and members of the general public unique insight into the complex and fascinating role the media plays in global society

The Visiting Professorship in Media has been made possible by the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation and is hosted by St John’s College, Cambridge.

Alastair Campbell is the former Director of Strategy and Communication for British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Alastair Campbell’s Humanitas Visiting Professorship examined the complex relationships between the media and politics.

In his first lecture, Why Journalism, and why it matters in a world of flux, Campbell argued for the increased professionalism of journalists. He made the point that to endure, the press must strive to be something that adds value to society, and be more than just another form of commerce. Campbell was adamant that to endure, the press must not just cover, but challenge.

Addressing media ownership and regulations in his second lecture, entitled Journalism and democracy: grounds for optimism in the face of the future?, Campbell asserted that the threat to journalism today comes not from politicians, but from within the press itself.