Where next for the sometimes tricky relationship between football and crypto companies? We look at how some of the biggest clubs, and players, have embraced crypto products, and what that means for supporters. From fan engagement tokens to NFTs, advertised by the world’s biggest stars, to deals with Premier League clubs which turned out to be fraudulent. Is it putting fans in a potentially difficult financial position? Or just giving them another way to support the team they love? Produced and p...
May 16, 2024•17 min
Picture a rock 'n' roll icon like Jimmy Page, or Jimi Hendrix, and they've probably got an electric guitar in their hands. But, as classic rock - and classic rockers - continue to age, is the guitar industry struggling to attract younger customers? In six years, electric guitar company Gibson has gone from filing for bankruptcy to opening its first flagship store outside the US. We hear from Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Grammy nominated singer James Bay, and one of the world's foremost female luth...
May 14, 2024•17 min
Sports betting is a relatively new industry in the US. Until 2018 you could only legally bet on sports in the state on Nevada, the home to Las Vegas. New Jersey was the first state to legalise sports betting six years ago and since then, a total of 38 states across America have done the same. Hannah Mullane looks at how the industry has grown so rapidly and discusses the consequences of the industry which has been allowed to evolve with very little regulation. (Produced and presented by Hannah M...
May 13, 2024•17 min
Stella, Dawa and Salome arrived at the Bidi Bidi refugee camp in north-western Uganda with little more than the clothes they were wearing. Now, all three are entrepreneurs and businesswomen, running thriving businesses and earning enough money to clothe, feed and send their children to school. Can their stories help development agencies and governments deliver support to those most in need? (Picture: Salome, picking crops in a field in Uganda. Copyright: Village Enterprise) Presented and produce...
May 12, 2024•18 min
The Nigerian-born businessman tells us about his journey from working in a fast food restaurant and facing racism from some customers, to being inspired to start his own business in London. He also talks about the influence of his Christian faith on his business decisions - and how it opened up a network of business connections which allowed his property portfolio to grow. Sanmi Adegoke's Rehoboth group has now undertaken more than 20 major renovation projects and has £35m worth of property asse...
May 09, 2024•17 min
The Eurovision Song Contest has transformed itself from a TV show experiment to the world's largest live music event. 160 million people are expected to watch this year's competition in Sweden, as 37 countries take part. The acts participating will be hoping to become global superstars following the likes of ABBA, Celine Dion and Måneskin. And outside of the competition many fans around have turned their love of Eurovision into a business: from side-hustles to songwriters. We hear their stories ...
May 08, 2024•17 min
In Scotland in the 1980s, a slump in the whisky market brought about the closure of some of the country's most iconic distilleries. These sites become known as 'ghost' distilleries - where spirit production has stopped, but where some stock is still available. In this programme, Elizabeth Hotson will be discovering why some of these distilleries are now being brought back to life. She visits the legendary Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay for its much-anticipated re-opening and hears from the mast...
May 07, 2024•17 min
Elton John, Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran - all artists who've had sell-out world tours in recent years. And new markets, such as India, are being added to the global tour map. But the same can’t be said for smaller venues. In the UK and Australia, the lights are off, and thousands are closing their doors. We hear from musicians, promoters and the people who run venues; asking why there’s such a contrast between sell out stadium tours and struggling grassroots venues. And we see what the ...
May 06, 2024•18 min
Ed Butler travels to Kosovo to find out what the prospects are for this young, ethnically divided population. After Ukraine, it's Europe's poorest region, where a brutal past still casts a shadow. But it's also a territory full of economic promise – with precious minerals buried underground, and vast vineyards. If only the politics would stop getting in the way. (Image: A wine maker in Kosovo, Milan Lakicevic, standing in front of stainless steel tanks, while holding a bottle of his wine.) Prese...
May 05, 2024•17 min
Meet Sharvari, Belinda and Brenna, three female bike mechanics from different corners of the world. From setting up a female run workshop in India, teaching skills to other women, or working within elite sport: these three are all making a living in the male dominated world of bike mechanics. Hear their stories and find out what happened when we got them all talking to each other. Presenter/producer: Lexy O'Connor (Photo: Bicycle mechanic Belinda Everett, Credit: Ryan Goff, #rygoff)...
May 01, 2024•17 min
Over its long history women have been mostly excluded from the Tour de France. Until recently. In 2022, after a long campaign by some of female cycling's biggest names, the Tour de France Femmes was introduced. So how is it doing? And will it ever be on a level footing with the much older and long-established men's race? We hear from competitors, sponsors, broadcasters and race director Marion Rousse. Produced and presented by Lexy O'Connor (Team Jumbo Visma rider Marianne Vos wears the yellow j...
Apr 30, 2024•17 min
The 'pink pound' or 'pink dollar' is believed to be worth billions of dollars, and tourism is one sector looking to benefit. We find out how the industry is trying to attract LGBT travellers, with countries like Nepal taking steps to be a more appealing destination. Plus, we head to the coastal town of Sitges in Spain, where gay people have been holidaying for more than 100 years. Producer/presenter: Daniel Rosney (Photo: The Nomadic Boys in New Zealand. Credit: The Nomadic Boys)...
Apr 29, 2024•17 min
Ireland has just launched a scheme to charge a deposit on bottles and cans which is refunded when consumers return them to recycling machines in supermarkets. The Irish have set up a non profit making company to manage the scheme, funded by the drinks making firms, which should avoid the financial problems that have dogged the industry in the United States. Many privately owned American recycling companies are in danger of going out of business because the fee they get from state governments, un...
Apr 28, 2024•22 min
We speak to the Armenian entrepreneur behind the popular photo editing app used by millions on Instagram, and by businesses too. Mr Avoyan tells us about his childhood, growing up in a country which only gained independence when he was in his 20s. He tells us how this liberation set free his entrepreneurial spirit, and why he relocated his company from Armenia to the US. Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw (Image: Hovhannes Avoyan)
Apr 25, 2024•18 min
As modest fashion week starts in Istanbul, we look at the growth of this area of the fashion industry. Long considered a faith-based choice, it is gaining in popularity, proven by the modest-friendly options that many leading brands now offer. We hear the thoughts of retailers and designers on why more women are choosing to dress modestly. And content creator Maha Gondal explains how she's bringing her take on modest fashion to her thousands of followers. Plus we look at what can go wrong when b...
Apr 25, 2024•17 min
What happens when your favourite movies and TV shows fall off streaming sites? We find out why, speaking to industry insiders, and those preserving our film and TV titles. Plus, we speak to a US-based writer whose programme has disappeared to find out what the impact is on creators when their work no longer exists online. (Image: Man watching TV next to a dog. Credit: Getty Images) Presented and produced by Matt Lines
Apr 23, 2024•18 min
Earlier this year, on International Women's Day, the Irish electorate was asked to vote in two referendums on changing Ireland's constitution regarding family and care. One of those questions was whether they wished to remove a reference to the role of women in the home, which some view as being out-of-step with modern Irish society. A lot has changed since the constitution was written in 1937. Ireland is now among the highest-ranking countries in Europe for gender equality. However, in both ref...
Apr 22, 2024•17 min
More of us are searching for cheaper and efficient ways to power and heat our homes. As energy prices remain high, what about taking matters into your own hands and putting solar panels on your roof, or putting a small wind turbine in your garden? Produced and presented by Rick Kelsey (Image: A wind turbine on a roof of a house in Amsterdam. Credit: Getty Images)
Apr 21, 2024•17 min
It’s estimated that 90% of traded goods travel over the oceans. But for the seafarers who make that happen, it’s not always an easy process. Thousands of incidents of corruption within the industry have been reported to the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, who in this episode, tell Ruth Alexander what they’re doing to help the problem. Seafarers can often be put in an impossible position, and one former captain tells us how he was arrested at gunpoint after refusing to hand over a carton of cig...
Apr 17, 2024•17 min
As India enters election season, we look at the crucial female vote. For decades, the number of women turning out to vote in India has been low, but that’s changed in the last decade. Now, political parties are deliberately targeting policies at women, to try and win over this key group. We hear from a group of women about their priorities in the 2024 general election - for the workplace, in business, and their day-to-day lives. (Picture: A group of women in India lining up to vote. Credit: AFP)...
Apr 16, 2024•17 min
We depend on online reviews for everything from hotel and restaurant bookings, to what products to buy, and as we hear in this programme, medical and cosmetic procedures. If a customer feels unhappy with a service they've paid for, they might want to leave a bad review. But what happens if the company they're complaining about doesn't like it? In the UK, a cosmetic surgery company, Signature Clinic, is taking some of its former patients to court after they posted negative reviews or comments on ...
Apr 14, 2024•17 min
Brenda Romero's breakthrough game Wizardry is legendary, and she’s made and contributed to more than 50 titles since. Now, with her own company in Ireland, what does she think is the key to a great game? And in a vulnerable time for the industry, what does she think its future holds? (Picture: Brenda Romero. Credit: John Press photos) Presenter: Steffan Powell Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Apr 11, 2024•17 min
There are an estimated 200 million gamers on the African continent. The industry is growing fast, and generating millions of dollars for gaming companies. However, there's a problem - many gamers in Africa don't have access to the credit and debit cards needed for in app purchases. We meet the fintech companies who think they've got a solution. Produced and presented by Mo Allie (Image: A woman gaming on her phone. Credit: Getty Images)
Apr 10, 2024•17 min
The music composed for video games has come a long way. Once limited to simple tunes generated by early synthesizer chips, it now encompasses complex musical works composed for full orchestra. Video game music is now also considered a key access point to orchestral music among young people, and concert venues around the world are seeing new and diverse audiences attend live performances of gaming soundtracks. Unsure at first, the classical music world is now embracing the genre - and for good re...
Apr 08, 2024•17 min
Tens of thousands of people in the video game industry have lost their jobs in the past year. The industry itself is valued around 200 billion dollars - one of the biggest in the world. And last year saw some of the biggest releases so far. So with so much success, why are there so many struggles? We speak to two workers who recently lost their jobs in the industry, and hear about the effect it’s had on their lives. Tech expert Matthew Ball tells us why there’s a simultaneous battle between succ...
Apr 07, 2024•17 min
The Dutch swimmer won gold in Beijing, having been diagnosed with cancer seven years earlier. We hear why he decided to stop competing, and instead turn his attention to charity fundraising - setting up his own foundation and raising millions for cancer research through long-distance swimming endurance events. And how he ensures that the money raised is correctly managed. Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon. (Image: Maarten van der Weijden setting a new world record in 2021, by swimming con...
Apr 04, 2024•17 min
Kidnapping is endemic in nearly all parts of Nigeria, as shown by the recent high profile mass abduction and release of nearly 300 schoolchildren. And for young Nigerians who are taking part in the national youth service programme - NYSC - they are particularly vulnerable as they travel to their postings along the country's long rural roads. Service is mandatory if you want to use your degree - but are the risks just too great now? And what impact does it have on young people’s futures? Produced...
Apr 03, 2024•17 min
Smell is a powerful sense that can evoke memories and spark emotional connections. And it's increasingly big business. In this programme, we lift the lid on the multi-billion dollar fragrance industry; finding out how scent can influence customer behaviour, build teams, and even help to sell houses. We hear from a perfume-maker who crowdsources some of the world's most expensive fragrance ingredients, and visit a 15 million dollar house on the market in London, to find out how the right aroma in...
Apr 02, 2024•17 min
We're in Iceland, where, in attempt to fight climate change, huge machines are being used to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. And then locking it away deep underground, turning it into stone. The business behind the technology believes this is a crucial step in reducing the amount of CO2 in the air. But how economical, and impactful, is this carbon capture? Presented and produced by Adrienne Murray (Image: A carbon injection site run by Carbfix in Hellisheidi, Iceland. Credit: Getty Im...
Apr 01, 2024•17 min
We explore the fashion trend that involves minimal labels and logos. Loved by celebrities and social media influencers, what is it about the quiet luxury trend that is so appealing – particularly in countries like China? And can you follow the 'stealth wealth' trend on a low budget? (Picture: Woman standing in luxury hotel suite looking at view with curtains blowing in wind. Credit: Getty Images) Presented and produced by Gabriele Shaw
Mar 31, 2024•17 min
