As we experience a wave of strikes in the coming weeks from nurses, train, postal, bus, ambulance and highway workers amongst others, how well is the BBC reporting on this myriad of industrial conflicts we are now faced with, and how does it compare to yesteryear? Nick Jones, who spent thirty years as a BBC industrial and political correspondent until 2002 gives us his views and reaction to ‘that’ interview between Mick Lynch, head of the RMT trade union and presenter Mishal Husain on the Today ...
Dec 15, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 13
On Thursday the first three of six Netflix documentaries about Harry and Meghan were released and BBC News led with the story. Did BBC News fall for the PR and were its correspondents impartial in their coverage? And in the same week the BBC hierarchy began a coordinated campaign to secure its future. The Chairman, the former hedge fund boss and Conservative donor, Richard Sharp gave his first interview as chairman to the Sunday Times, and a few days later his Director General,Tim Davie, made hi...
Dec 09, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 12
In a week when the 2021 census revealed a 5.5 million fall in the number of people who described themselves as Christian and that 22.2 million people declared they had “no religion” at all, the BBC’s ex-Head of Religious Broadcasting, Ernie Rea, casts a critical eye over the BBC’s coverage of religion and ethics. “When you think that about 82% of the population of the world cling to a faith tradition, and what an important part that faith tradition plays in the politics, the culture, the society...
Dec 02, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Peter York, best known for co-authoring 'The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook' back in the 80’s has written another book ‘The War Against the BBC’ with Professor Patrick Barwise. On this week’s programme he bursts some BBC myths, discusses astroturfing and urges the BBC to defend itself more robustly and report on the threat to the corporation for the sake of democracy. “The war against the BBC has been fought for decades. What’s happening now is that those convergent interests are more insistent...
Nov 25, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 10
If anyone deserves to be called a Renaissance man then one of the leading contenders must surely be Stephen Fry, actor, novelist, comedian, campaigner, Norwich City Football fanatic, long time host of QI, gay icon and the list goes on. Having just closed his twitter account after Elon Musk’s takeover, transferring his loyalties to Mastodon, we talked to him about the BBC, the future of public service broadcasting, JK Rowling and cancel culture, and much else. “I would...wish them both to retreat...
Nov 18, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 9
The most recent evidence of the BBC’s financial strait jacket are the cuts to local radio, and the difficulties of deciding what to cut is evident in the continuing outcry at the announcement made last week. Not least in parliament. Alice Enders the director of research at Enders Analysis, one of the foremost media research analysts, spells out the financial challenges that the BBC faces. “We estimate three million households have already abandoned the licence fee and that is a trend which will ...
Nov 11, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Ahead of COP27 and free of BBC constraints, former BBC science editor, David Shukman tells us whether he thinks COPS are worthwhile, reflects on his reporting during his 38 year career at the BBC and responds to the charges made by Charles Moore on last week's programme on climate change coverage. “Looking back, I don’t think we were robust enough about just saying absolutely bluntly, this is what the very best science is saying.” And in the week when major cuts have been announced in BBC local ...
Nov 04, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 7
What would Charles Moore, former editor of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator have done if he had become chairman of the BBC? These are one of the many questions put to one of the BBC's most outspoken critics on 'Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch' this week. We discuss impartiality, group think, climate change coverage and whether the BBC is worth saving and is capable of being saved. Please support this podcast by subscribing here . @BeebRoger roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Ho...
Oct 28, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 6
The BBC has been celebrating its 100th anniversary – if you hadn’t noticed - and on ‘Beeb Watch’ this week Roger Bolton talks to one of it's greatest broadcasters – Melvyn Bragg. They discuss arts programming, BBC World Service cuts and the future of the BBC. “I think we should start panicking now. There is an encroaching mass, not dependent or related to each other, but it’s out there in force who would benefit if there were no BBC.” “I’ve talked directly to all of the people at the top of the ...
Oct 21, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In the run up to the BBC’s centenary, the Dimbleby broadcasting dynasty has nearly spanned its 100 years. David Dimbleby, Panorama presenter, editor of Question Time for 25 years, the anchor of numerous general election and referendum programmes talks to former colleague Roger Bolton. Looking back over his years in broadcasting, David discusses the rigour of news gathering and political interviewing slipping, fighting to extol the virtues of the BBC, the reluctance to examine the monarchy, being...
Oct 14, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Dame Joan Bakewell is synonymous with our arts broadcasting landscape: former BBC television art correspondent in the 1980’s, columnist for most of the major broadsheets at one time or other and presenter of numerous radio and televisions series. Former colleagues, Roger and Joan discuss how broadcasting has evolved, ageism, ethics and fake phone-ins. “There was an immediacy about it, which was very enjoyable, people liked that it was real, it was live. People could phone in, we sometimes faked ...
Oct 07, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Mark Mardell, the former BBC presenter joins Roger to discuss the ongoing financial squeeze at the BBC after the Corporation announced this week that the World Service will lose 382 jobs in order to make a saving of £28.5m. In his 30-year career Mark was Europe Editor, North America Editor and, before he left the corporation nearly two years ago the presenter of Radio 4’s The World At One and The World This Weekend. As well as delving into the challenges the BBC faces, Mark also reveals his Park...
Sep 30, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 2
After over 50 years in broadcasting, and being fired twice by the BBC, Roger Bolton will cast a very independent eye on the public service broadcaster. No views will be censored, no question go unasked. Whether you care about, or are frustrated by, the BBC, this is the podcast for you. Whether you love or loathe the BBC this is the podcast for you. Roger Bolton, formerly presenter of BBC Radio 4's 'Feedback' launches his very first podcast. Free from the constraints of broadcasting on the BBC, w...
Sep 24, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1
