The Economist’s appointment of former 77th Brigade commander Major General Alex Turner as defence editor raises questions about whether the esteemed paper’s defence journalism can now maintain sufficient independence from military institutions when senior practitioners of information warfare move into such influential media roles.
The general and the magazine: why The Economist’s new Defence Editor appointment raises questions about the military-industrial complex’s reach
Has the British media become obsessed with ‘World War Three?
Using quantitative and qualitative data, AOAV examines the frequency and context in which the phrase ‘World War Three’ has been used by British media outlets between August 2025 and January 2026.