"He thought I must be a cop: I had rung him in the middle of Novara". Perhaps this story - told recently by one of my openDemocracy colleagues - is evidence of activist paranoia. But the fact that it didn't surprise me shows something else. Novara Media has permeated the radical left.
Whilst hardly a mainstream broadcaster, its weekly radio show and podcast; snappy films and Buzzfeed style listickles have built up a significant cult following in recent years. From Aaron Bastani's iconic call for Fully Automated Luxury Communism and interviews with Jeremy Corbyn and Caroline Lucas to James Butler's sweeping analyses of the world and how to change it, it's played a significant role in shaping the ideology of the young left in the years after the student movement of 2010 exploded. Now, they've launched a campaign to raise £10,000 to fund their efforts, so I sent co-editor James Butler a few quick questions. Enjoy.
