Better Together And The Question Of Civic Media

On Monday 23 February 2026, the African Caribbean Centre in Leicester hosted the formal launch of the Better Together report, the most detailed independent inquiry so far into the unrest that affected the city in 2022. Introduced by Dr Subir Sinha and chaired by Professor Juan Méndez, with research led in part by Professor Chetan Bhatt, the report represents nearly three years of investigation, testimony and analysis.

The inquiry team interviewed more than eighty witnesses, gathered survey data from over one hundred residents, and engaged directly with hundreds more through public hearings and community meetings. Their purpose was not to allocate criminal responsibility, but to establish what happened, to dispel myths that circulated at the time, and to assess the wider social, political and institutional conditions that allowed tensions to escalate.

A central theme that emerged during the launch event, and in our accompanying podcast, is the role of media. The report is critical of the impact of social media in amplifying fear, misinformation and polarised narratives. It also acknowledges the importance of credible journalism in verifying facts and debunking false claims. Without reliable sources, the inquiry itself would have struggled to separate fact from rumour.

One of the most important questions raised in discussion, however, concerns what might be missing. While the report analyses international media, national coverage and social media toxicity, it prompts a further reflection about the capacity of local, independent and civic media. Trusted local media was described as part of the civic infrastructure of trust needed to counter disinformation and respond rapidly when tensions rise.

This raises a wider issue. If identity-based media channels operate primarily within segmented audiences, what space exists for media that is explicitly place-based and civic in orientation? How can local media foster shared civic identity rather than reinforce parallel narratives? These questions are not fully resolved in the report, but they are clearly implied by its findings and recommendations.

The report also highlights deeper structural issues: deprivation, youth disaffection, inconsistent institutional responses, and the need for stronger civic leadership. It recognises that many residents, particularly women and young people, acted courageously to calm tensions and rebuild relationships. Their voices, the authors argue, need amplification and institutional support.

Our podcast brings together extracts from the launch event and reflections from the authors. It considers what the findings mean for Leicester’s future, and for any city navigating diversity, polarisation and digital misinformation. The underlying message is measured but clear. Social cohesion cannot be assumed. It requires sustained civic effort, institutional accountability and trusted channels of communication.

If Leicester is to strengthen its resilience, then media in all its forms must be part of that conversation. Not as gatekeepers or censors, but as facilitators of truth, dialogue and shared civic purpose.