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Piers Gregory Robinson (born September 1970) is a British academic. He is professor of politics, society and political journalism at Sheffield University. Earlier in his career, Robinson was a staff member of Liverpool University as Lecturer in Political Communication from 1999 to 2005 and Senior Lecturer in International Politics at Manchester University from 2005 to 2011.

According to Robinson, writing in The Guardian in August 2016, "one can gain useful insights and information from a variety of news sources – including those that are derided as 'propaganda' outlets", such as RT (formerly Russia Today), the Qatar-based Al Jazeera and the Iranian Press TV, which "should certainly not be off-limits". He recommends "exploring alternative news and information sites" such as Media Lens. "There’s a perverse narcissism to this" wrote Padraig Reidy for Little Atoms. "At no point in his article does Robinson actually address criticisms of RT - indeed he dismisses them out of hand". Reidy says "useful" for Robinson means "it tells you what you want to hear".

Robinson is a director of the Organisation for Propaganda Studies and the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media (SPM). The later group's members include Professor Tim Hayward of Edinburgh University. It was accused by The Times of responsibility for "pro-Assad disinformation" in articles published on 14 April 2018. In particular, the group is accused of spreading false information about the Syrian Civil War and of relying on individuals, such as the blogger Vanessa Beeley, who are believed to follow the official line of the government of Bashar al-Assad. Beeley alleges the White Helmets (formally known as Syria Civil Defence) are affiliated with Al-Qaeda who, as "terrorists", are therefore a legitimate target for Assad’s military forces.

Robinson told The Times in April 2018: "Everything I say and write I can defend as based on good faith research and due consideration of available evidence", and said that Beeley "produces information that is worthy of consideration", including her work on the White Helmets. Robinson later retweeted a claim calling The Times coverage, a "McCarthyite witch hunt".

The Guardian, Robinson has said, should employ Beeley and another blogger, Eva Bartlett (who reputedly wears an “I ♥ Bashar” bracelet). In so doing, it would become more "ethical, independent and glamorous" by doing so. According to Idrees Ahmad, writing for the openDemocracy website, Robinson, on numerous occasions, has advocated listening to an interview with Vanessa Beeley in which she calls for the White Helmets to be targeted, which Ahmad says would be a war crime in international law.

An event at Leeds City Museum, "Media on Trial", with Beeley, Robinson and Hayward due to speak, was scheduled for 27 May 2018. It was to debate whether journalists from BBC News and Channel 4 News, when they cover stories from rebel held areas in Syria, should be prosecuted under UK terrorism laws and considered as terrorists. It was cancelled by the local authority on 3 May 2018.

Robinson broadcasts regularly for Sputnik and RT.

Selected publications

• The CNN Effect: The Myth of News, Foreign Policy and Intervention. Routledge, 2002. ISBN 978-0415259057
• "Deception and Britain's Road to War in Iraq", International Journal of Contemporary Iraqi Studies, 2014, 8 (2): pp. 213-232. (With Eric Herring)
• "Report X Marks the Spot: the British Government’s Deceptive Dossier on Iraq and WMD", Political Science Quarterly, 2014/15, 129 (4): 551-584. (With Eric Herring)
• Routledge Handbook of Media, Conflict and Security. Routledge, 2016. (joint editor) ISBN 978-0415712910

References

1. "Professor Piers Robinson". Department of Journalism Studies, University of Sheffield. 21 April 2018.
2. Robinson, Piers (2 August 2016). "Russian news may be biased – but so is much western media". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
3. Reidy, Padraig (2 August 2016). "Russia Today is not alternative news: it is propaganda". Little Atoms. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
4. York, Chris (19 April 2018). "'Whitewashing War Crimes': How UK Academics Promote Pro-Assad Conspiracy Theories About Syria". HuffPost. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
5. ^ Keate, Georgie; Kennedy, Dominic; Shveda, Krystina; Haynes, Deborah (14 April 2018). "Apologists for Assad working in British universities". The Times. Retrieved 19 April 2018. (subscription required)
6. Webster, Ben (16 April 2018). "Academics accused of speaking for Assad condemn Syria raids". The Times. Retrieved 19 April 2018. (subscription required)
7. ^ Ahmad, Muhammad Idrees (26 April 2018). "Syria: on academic freedom and responsibility". openDemocracy. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
8. Palma, Bethania (3 May 2018). "Assad Supporters Plan to Put the 'Media on Trial' for Doing Journalism in Syria". Snopes. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
9. ^ York, Chris (3 May 2018). "Controversial Event Featuring Pro-Assad Speakers Cancelled By Leeds Council". HuffPost. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
10. York, Chris (24 April 2018). "Pro-Assad Academics Blame Criticism On Conspiracy". HuffPost. Retrieved 26 April 2018.

External links

• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Piers_Robinson
• http://www.cfom.org.uk/2017/02/propaganda-here-and-now/

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