'Fake News' - NPHFI 2017 Conference, Newcastle

The 2017 conference of the Newspaper and Periodical History Forum of Ireland (NPHFI) took place in Newcastle University on 10 and 11 November 2017. The theme of the conference was 'Fake News! An Historical Perspective'. A timely theme given how much it has featured in the international media in the last 12 months. 'Fake News has even been voted 'word of the year' by the Collins Dictionary. More information.

'Fake news' is Collins Dictionary's word of the year for 2017.

Although, as we found out at the conference - fake news is nothing new. Prof Aled Gruffydd Jones of Panteion University, Athens gave a brilliant keynote address on the historical perspective. Apparently, the earliest recorded newspaper reference to 'fake news' or 'false news' and truth dates from at least 1731 when the integrity of news was discussed in the UK House of Commons. 

Newcastle University building.

Sixteen speakers from universities in Ireland, UK, Canada, USA, France, and Greece addressed the theme of fake news through conference papers based on French, Irish, Russian, British, and American journalists, editors and newspapers. I gave paper based on one of the French journalists that I have been researching as part of my post graduate studies.

2017 Conference Poster, designed by Joe Breen.

Well done to the NPHFI secretary, Dr James O'Donnell (Moore Institute, NUI Galway), the local organiser Dr Joan Allen (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Newcastle University), Dr Richard Allen, and the rest of the NPHFI committee members who helped to make it such a success.