A year ago the Merseyside Pensioners Association (MPA) decided to produce a regular podcast in response to the pandemic and to enable the group to keep MPA campaigns in the public consciousness. It was released on a number of platforms including anchor.fm and Liverpool Community Radio. The MPA motto is “Fighting for pensioners and all those who follow us.”
Following the success of the podcast MPA has decided to launch its own TV programme on a monthly basis. It will be premiered by SKWAWKBOX and Socialist Telly at 4pm on Sunday March 21st and will be available on catch up afterwards. It will also be available on the Merseyside Pensioners YouTube channel.
MPA secretary Audrey White said:
We are delighted that we are able to provide this free service which is not just for pensioners but for everyone. In particular we are excited by our partnership with SKWAWKBOX who have a fearless reputation for pioneering investigative journalism. It’s really important that there are alternatives to the mainstream media. MPATV will give a voice to pensioners, Trade Unionists and community groups.
The programme will be a mixture of commentary on contemporary events, campaign news, music and satire. The first episode features the #NHSpay15 campaign, a look at the brilliant Durham Miners Gala, an exclusive interview with UNITE general secretary Len McCluskey and interviews with members of the famous ’47’ – the councillors who rebelled against Thatcher’s cuts in the 1980s. MPA chair Julie Lyon-Taylor talks about the importance of keeping Council One Stop Shops open. Matt Hancock, Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer also make cameo appearances. Watch a short trailer below:
Award winning film makers and MPA members Hazuan Hashim and Phil Maxwell will be producing the programmes as part of their ‘The Art Of Resistance’ series.
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