Dr Martin Roberts
@robertsmartino.bsky.social
Medieval & Early Modern Historian (PhD Nottingham 2020). Writes about C16 Church Courts. Postdoctoral Researcher @ University of Lincoln. Once a lawyer. Still overweight. Increasingly bald. Never keen on Fascists. Philogynist.
Pinned
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
“When I was [at the BBC], at the height of Boris Johnson’s strength, that fear was ubiquitous. Scripts were sometimes written with a view not solely to their impartiality or truth, but the management of perception of impartiality from one side of the spectrum.“ @lewisgoodall.com
The truth about impartiality at the BBC
And the hysteria of the current "crisis"
goodallandgoodluck.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:21 PM
“When I was [at the BBC], at the height of Boris Johnson’s strength, that fear was ubiquitous. Scripts were sometimes written with a view not solely to their impartiality or truth, but the management of perception of impartiality from one side of the spectrum.“ @lewisgoodall.com
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
"Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, called for [Theresa May’s former communications chief, Robbie] Gibb to be removed from the BBC’s board before the search for a new director general begins." www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n... Which means Labour have to respond one way or another. 👀
BBC board member with Tory links ‘led charge’ in systemic bias claims, say insiders
Sources say Robbie Gibb amplified criticisms of Trump, Gaza and trans rights coverage, and had ‘a lot of oxygen in the room’
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:42 PM
"Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, called for [Theresa May’s former communications chief, Robbie] Gibb to be removed from the BBC’s board before the search for a new director general begins." www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n... Which means Labour have to respond one way or another. 👀
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
BBC: "While President Trump has not disclosed any legal cause of action against us, we wish to apologise unreservedly to him, lick his boots, cancel shows that he doesn't like and which we never had any intention of broadcasting, and give him all our licence-fee payers' money by way of settlement"
November 10, 2025 at 4:07 PM
BBC: "While President Trump has not disclosed any legal cause of action against us, we wish to apologise unreservedly to him, lick his boots, cancel shows that he doesn't like and which we never had any intention of broadcasting, and give him all our licence-fee payers' money by way of settlement"
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Eviscerating, and rightly, this from @janemartinson.bsky.social, about the inept attack that brought down the BBC's inept leadership. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The BBC is facing a coordinated, politically motivated attack. With these resignations, it has given in | Jane Martinson
The corporation should have stood up to the Telegraph, Trump and the Tories. Now, its enemies know how little it takes for it to fold, says Jane Martinson, professor of financial journalism
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Eviscerating, and rightly, this from @janemartinson.bsky.social, about the inept attack that brought down the BBC's inept leadership. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
A group of scientists has called on EC president Ursula von der Leyen to retract a statement she made suggesting A.I. would soon reach parity with human intelligence. Her statements were based on marketing statements from US Tech firms not empirical evidence or real proof. #ResistAI
Stop overhyping AI, scientists tell von der Leyen | Euractiv
Open letter criticises the Commission President for remarks earlier this year – when she anticipated AI would “approach human reasoning” in 2026
www.euractiv.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM
A group of scientists has called on EC president Ursula von der Leyen to retract a statement she made suggesting A.I. would soon reach parity with human intelligence. Her statements were based on marketing statements from US Tech firms not empirical evidence or real proof. #ResistAI
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
iirc 1 trans woman has qualified for the Olympics in over 20 years and she came last
Olympics organisers moving towards blanket ban on transgender women from women's sport
Olympics organisers moving towards blanket ban on transgender women from women's sport
The International Olympic Committee is moving towards a blanket ban on transgender women from women's sport, Sky News understands.
news.sky.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:28 PM
iirc 1 trans woman has qualified for the Olympics in over 20 years and she came last
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
My former employer, @uniofnottingham.bsky.social, will be the first Russell Group university to cut #Theology degrees from next year onwards: thetab.com/2025/11/06/r...
Do consider to sign this student-led petitions: www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
@uonucu.bsky.social
Do consider to sign this student-led petitions: www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
@uonucu.bsky.social
Russell Group uni plans to axe a huge 48 courses that aren't 'financially viable' enough
The uni won't accept freshers for 15 subject areas
thetab.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:20 AM
My former employer, @uniofnottingham.bsky.social, will be the first Russell Group university to cut #Theology degrees from next year onwards: thetab.com/2025/11/06/r...
Do consider to sign this student-led petitions: www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
@uonucu.bsky.social
Do consider to sign this student-led petitions: www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...
@uonucu.bsky.social
FFS!
Last night, Dick Tice launched Students4Reform (See what they did there, the scamps? They replaced "for" WITH THE NUMBER).
It will be led by Matt Goodwin, a man in his mid-forties, and it looked exactly like you imagine. ~AA
It will be led by Matt Goodwin, a man in his mid-forties, and it looked exactly like you imagine. ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 11:27 AM
FFS!
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
The Trump Administration is now pushing Brits to watch GB News instead of the BBC. The Far Right are trying to seize this moment of chaos in British media.
November 10, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The Trump Administration is now pushing Brits to watch GB News instead of the BBC. The Far Right are trying to seize this moment of chaos in British media.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Interested in pursuing a #PhD in #History in a uniquely multicultural environment?
📣 Applications for our fully-funded PhD programme are now open 👉 loom.ly/pvk17dc
⏰ Apply by 15 January 2026
Want to know more? Meet us on our:
🌐Virtual Open Day - 2 December 2025 👉 loom.ly/sp5lOKM
🎓 #academicsky
📣 Applications for our fully-funded PhD programme are now open 👉 loom.ly/pvk17dc
⏰ Apply by 15 January 2026
Want to know more? Meet us on our:
🌐Virtual Open Day - 2 December 2025 👉 loom.ly/sp5lOKM
🎓 #academicsky
Doctoral Programme in History and Civilisation
strongImportant note: The deadline to apply for the 202627 academic year is 15 January 2026 at 14:00 CET Time in Italy Later applications will not be accepted
loom.ly
November 10, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Interested in pursuing a #PhD in #History in a uniquely multicultural environment?
📣 Applications for our fully-funded PhD programme are now open 👉 loom.ly/pvk17dc
⏰ Apply by 15 January 2026
Want to know more? Meet us on our:
🌐Virtual Open Day - 2 December 2025 👉 loom.ly/sp5lOKM
🎓 #academicsky
📣 Applications for our fully-funded PhD programme are now open 👉 loom.ly/pvk17dc
⏰ Apply by 15 January 2026
Want to know more? Meet us on our:
🌐Virtual Open Day - 2 December 2025 👉 loom.ly/sp5lOKM
🎓 #academicsky
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
ICYMI the Telegraph's reporting on the BBC bias 'crisis' included the fantastical claim that the right-wing and unabashedly anti-woke History Reclaimed website is a legitimate arbiter either of historical fact or political balance
November 10, 2025 at 9:10 AM
ICYMI the Telegraph's reporting on the BBC bias 'crisis' included the fantastical claim that the right-wing and unabashedly anti-woke History Reclaimed website is a legitimate arbiter either of historical fact or political balance
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Meanwhile, the government lets AI companies get away with the systemic ecocide that will lead to mass human suffering and deaths from heat and famine. Despicable.
Good folk doing the right thing being treated like extremists.
#climate
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
#climate
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...
Jailed UK climate protesters facing conditions reserved for extremists on release
Exclusive: Just Stop Oil activist was banned from attending gatherings, including meeting a friend in a cafe, without permission
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Meanwhile, the government lets AI companies get away with the systemic ecocide that will lead to mass human suffering and deaths from heat and famine. Despicable.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Just absolutely classic BBC. You've just broadcast the most successful programme of the year, uniting Gen Z kids online and Boomers on broadcast in a return to appointment television. And instead of celebrating, your DG reigns due to a made-up right-wing scandal.
November 9, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Just absolutely classic BBC. You've just broadcast the most successful programme of the year, uniting Gen Z kids online and Boomers on broadcast in a return to appointment television. And instead of celebrating, your DG reigns due to a made-up right-wing scandal.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Depressing that the BBC has so little inherent institutional strength, it is kicked about so easily.
This is not good sign for our polity.
This is not good sign for our polity.
November 9, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Depressing that the BBC has so little inherent institutional strength, it is kicked about so easily.
This is not good sign for our polity.
This is not good sign for our polity.
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
November 9, 2025 at 9:23 AM
1/ The US Government has quietly removed a memorial to Black soldiers who died in World War II from the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, South Limburg. The move follows a complaint from the right-wing Heritage Foundation to the American Battle Monuments Commission. ⬇️
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
I honestly don’t get the value of this company. They hoover up energy and water. Their product constantly gets things wrong and, in extreme cases, coaches people into suicide.
And it’s all built on what seems to be malicious and vast intellectual property theft.
What does OpenAI offer the world?
And it’s all built on what seems to be malicious and vast intellectual property theft.
What does OpenAI offer the world?
“authors & publishers who filed a lawsuit against the Sam Altman-led firm have secured access to internal Slack messages… discussing the mass deletion of a pirated books dataset… A NY district court ordered OpenAI to hand over the communications regarding data deletion”
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
OpenAI in Danger After Authors Suing It Gain Access to Its Internal Slack Messages
Authors and publishers, who are suing OpenAI, secured access to internal Slack messages and emails discussing the deletion of pirated books.
futurism.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:35 AM
I honestly don’t get the value of this company. They hoover up energy and water. Their product constantly gets things wrong and, in extreme cases, coaches people into suicide.
And it’s all built on what seems to be malicious and vast intellectual property theft.
What does OpenAI offer the world?
And it’s all built on what seems to be malicious and vast intellectual property theft.
What does OpenAI offer the world?
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Excellent essay here on the slow strangling of mass literary culture in the West - most clearly in the US, but it's obviously happening here too
November 9, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Excellent essay here on the slow strangling of mass literary culture in the West - most clearly in the US, but it's obviously happening here too
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
writing a journal article
proportion of time taken writing the article: 20%
proportion of time taken learning an entirely new reference system you'll never use again: 80%
proportion of time taken writing the article: 20%
proportion of time taken learning an entirely new reference system you'll never use again: 80%
November 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
writing a journal article
proportion of time taken writing the article: 20%
proportion of time taken learning an entirely new reference system you'll never use again: 80%
proportion of time taken writing the article: 20%
proportion of time taken learning an entirely new reference system you'll never use again: 80%
c.org/JfW4mVWQMz I've signed. Please do so too.
Sign the Petition
Stop the removal of Modern Languages courses at the University of Nottingham!
c.org
November 7, 2025 at 4:48 PM
c.org/JfW4mVWQMz I've signed. Please do so too.
Our government does business with these freaks!
November 7, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Our government does business with these freaks!
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Tell me you don’t understand the art of translation without telling me you don’t understand the art of translation PART 2
(i HATE THIS.)
(i HATE THIS.)
Amazon has launched a new AI-driven translation service, Kindle Translate, for Kindle Direct Publishing authors 👇 #BookSky
Amazon launches AI translation service for indie authors
ebx.sh
November 7, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Tell me you don’t understand the art of translation without telling me you don’t understand the art of translation PART 2
(i HATE THIS.)
(i HATE THIS.)
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Holy shit. Noam Shazeer, one of the original authors on the "Attention is All You Need" paper and Character.AI founder, came out as major transphobe. Like Trumpian levels of "this is child mutilation" of transphobia.
(via The Information)
(via The Information)
November 7, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Holy shit. Noam Shazeer, one of the original authors on the "Attention is All You Need" paper and Character.AI founder, came out as major transphobe. Like Trumpian levels of "this is child mutilation" of transphobia.
(via The Information)
(via The Information)
Reposted by Dr Martin Roberts
Honestly, how do outlets keep looking at a sector in freefall, at 15,000 jobs lost, at maddening spikes in mental health concerns, and not think 'maybe we should hear from the people who actually care about that sector and what it does, and not just from those who've been wrecking it'?
🚨OUT NOW🚨 Are unis about to collapse? 🎓
Ex-minister Jo Johnson, UUK's Vivienne Stern, Public First's Jess Lister and Russell Group's Sarah Stevens join PolHome's @matildamartin.bsky.social & @alaintolhurst.bsky.social to discuss the strain on higher education
Listen: podfollow.com/politicshome...
Ex-minister Jo Johnson, UUK's Vivienne Stern, Public First's Jess Lister and Russell Group's Sarah Stevens join PolHome's @matildamartin.bsky.social & @alaintolhurst.bsky.social to discuss the strain on higher education
Listen: podfollow.com/politicshome...
November 7, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Honestly, how do outlets keep looking at a sector in freefall, at 15,000 jobs lost, at maddening spikes in mental health concerns, and not think 'maybe we should hear from the people who actually care about that sector and what it does, and not just from those who've been wrecking it'?