Trust in the Media: A conversation with Richard Coles and Ayesha Hazarika

Join the St Paul’s Cathedral Institute and the Associateship of King’s College London as the Reverend Richard Coles and Baroness Ayesha Hazarika discuss trust in contemporary media. 

This lecture brings together two figures who are very familiar with the power and influence of media to explore how the media earns trust, how it loses it, and what is at stake when it fails. Drawing on their experience across broadcasting, politics, and public communication, they will reflect on media credibility and the conditions under which public discourse can still function.

The Revd Richard Coles is a writer, broadcaster, and Church of England priest. Until his retirement from parish ministry in 2022, he served as Vicar of Finedon in Northamptonshire, where he led the parish for over a decade. Alongside his ministry, Richard has had a distinguished media career, including twelve years co-presenting BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live, and frequent appearances on television programmes such as Have I Got News for You and QI. Often described as one of Britain’s most recognisable clergy voices, he writes and speaks widely on faith, culture, and contemporary life, and is the author of numerous books, including the bestselling The Madness of Grief.

The Baroness Hazarika MBE (Ayesha Yousef Hazarika) is a member of the House of Lords and a prominent political commentator, writer, and former senior adviser. A member of the Labour Party, she was appointed to the Lords in March 2024. She served for over eight years as a senior political adviser in government and opposition, including as Chief of Staff to Harriet Harman, and played a key role in preparing Ed Miliband for Prime Minister’s Questions, major speeches, and televised debates. Her work also engaged closely with questions of media ethics and public trust, including Labour’s response to the Leveson Inquiry into phone hacking. She is now a regular commentator across the BBC, Sky, and ITN, and writes for publications including the Financial Times, The Guardian, and New Statesman, offering sharp analysis of politics, media, and public communication. 

This event is sponsored by CCLA Investment Management. 

Today, CCLA is one of the UK’s largest managers of charity, faith and public sector investments, providing pooled and bespoke portfolios, and championing responsible investment. We know that charities and not-for-profit organisations measure success not in profits, but in lives improved and futures secured. At CCLA, we are honoured to stand alongside them – helping to manage their investments and invest with purpose – so that their impact endures across generations.