This week's guess is investigative journalist Mark Watts!
Topics covered by Ava, Sam and Mark include:The freedom of information act which Tony Blair said was his "biggest mistake", Britain's culture of secrecy and the Official Secrets Act + billionaire registered sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein and the difference between FOI in UK and USA. Our usual #HereandFabulous and #GetintheBin segment features too! Mark Watts is a journalist who has worked for a range of national newspapers and broadcasters and is the co-ordinator of the FOIA [pronounced similar to “foyer”] Centre, a specialist research company: www.foiacentre.com. The FOIA Centre uses open-access laws, including the Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection Act, to help unearth stories for the media and uncover evidence for campaigners or legal cases.
Mark was the editor of Exaro, the investigative website, for five years. Exaro closed in 2016 because of financial problems in the group that owned it.
The website exposed how senior civil servants were working off-payroll to enable them to avoid tax, sparking a huge Whitehall review and a ban on the practice.
Exaro revealed a secret recording in which Rupert Murdoch admitted knowing about bribery at his newspapers for decades, a story that made waves around the world. And Exaro led the way in uncovering evidence of sexual abuse by politicians and other establishment figures, forcing the government to order the overarching inquiry into child sexual abuse.
Mark has previously worked for The Sunday Times, the Sunday Telegraph and the Sunday Express as well as World in Action, where he helped to expose Jonathan Aitken, the former defence procurement minister, and has written for just about every national title.
Twitter handle: MarkWatts_1
MUSIC Little Simz - Offence Linda Lewis - Sideway Shuffle Jay Z - Lucifer Inspiration Information Fela Kuti - Confusion
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BIOS
Ava Vidal is a British comedian. She became more widely known after taking part in E4's Kings of Comedy. Her career in comedy began on the BBC's Urban Sketch Show. Before her television career, Vidal worked as a prison officer for five years in London's Pentonville Prison.
Samantha Asumadu is a documentary filmmaker and journalist. She is the founder of Media Diversified, and the co-founder of Bare Lit Festival.
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