Some weeks ago, Sir David Clementi said the current regulatory model of the BBC Trust, was 'flawed and that a unitary board should run the BBC. Since then, John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, has said if board members were appointed by the government, that this would not compromise the independence of the BBC. However, the current chair of the BBC Trust, Rona Fairhead, has concerns. Steve Hewlett talks to her about whether the Clementi model is really the best model, the importance of the ...
Apr 06, 2016•28 min
A report from BARB (The Broadcasters Audience Research Board) estimates that Netflix is now in some 5 million UK households, stating that: 'Netflix is by some margin the market leader' among subscription video on demand services. But can its subscriber base keep pace with its ambition to become 'a global Internet TV network'? To discuss, Steve is joined by media analyst Mathew Horsman, from Mediatique. Channel Five is weeks into its first rebrand in five years, aiming to attract younger and more...
Apr 04, 2016•29 min
Twitter is ten years old and has had an "utterly transformative" impact on journalism. That's according to Emily Bell, Director of the Tow Centre for Digital Journalism at the Columbia Journalism School. She says it has been the most important journalistic tool since the phone. We'll hear from her and from radio and TV presenter Richard Bacon, one of the UK's pioneers in using Twitter. He has 1.5 million followers and has experienced both the bright and very dark sides of Twitter. We'll also ask...
Mar 23, 2016•28 min
Andrea Catherwood is joined by Maria Eagle, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport. The Garston and Halewood MP gives her first interview to the Media Show since being appointed as Labour's Shadow Culture Secretary in January 2016. With BBC Charter Renewal gathering pace and responses to Sir David Clementi's recommendations for BBC regulation and governance emerging from the Government and the BBC, how would Maria Eagle safeguard BBC independence? Sir Joseph Pilling, former per...
Mar 16, 2016•28 min
We hear from the new Controller of BBC TV Channels (BBC 1,2 and 4) and iPlayer Charlotte Moore about her vision for the future. She also gives her response to claims (from Culture Secretary John Whittingdale and a recent report from consultants Oliver & Ohlbaum and Oxera Consulting), that BBC TV has become less distinctive. We hear from Sevgi Akarcesme, Editor in Chief of Today's Zaman about the Turkish state takeover of the anti-government newspaper for which she works, and from the BBC's T...
Mar 09, 2016•28 min
The Secretary of State John Whittingdale has been sharing his views of the BBC at the Oxford Media Conference. We hear what he had to say about BBC distinctiveness and the impact the corporation has on the market and on its commercial competitors. The BBC's head of strategy and digital James Purnell then gives his verdict on the Secretary of State's vision so far. And Sir David Clementi has carried out a review of the governance and regulation of the BBC. Former chairman of the BBC Trust, Sir Mi...
Mar 02, 2016•28 min
The shortlist for the Press Awards 2015 has been unveiled and includes just 20 women, among a total of 114 journalists. The lack of women shortlisted has caused anger amongst some journalists - in response, an alternative awards ceremony 'Words By Women' has been set up, with Kay Burley of Sky News and Lisa Markwell, Editor of the Independent on Sunday on the judging panel. Joining Steve to discuss the representation and recognition of women in journalism are Marie Le Conte, journalist & co-...
Feb 24, 2016•28 min
The Independent Press Standards Organisation, which regulates many national newspapers, says its members have given it enhanced powers and increased independence. The Media Show speaks to IPSO Chairman Sir Alan Moses about exactly how these new powers will work. For instance, under what circumstances will IPSO be able to launch investigations in the absence of a complaint? And will newspapers really be risking a £1 million fine if they misbehave? We'll be asking how IPSO's newly chosen reviewer ...
Feb 10, 2016•28 min
James Murdoch, son of Rupert, has returned to Sky as Chairman. It comes four years after he resigned from the position amid the phone hacking scandal, which led to the closure of the Murdoch-owned newspaper News of the World. Since last July, James Murdoch also served as chief executive of 21st Century Fox, Sky's biggest shareholder. Andrea Catherwood is joined by Sarah Ellison of Vanity Fair, who has closely followed the Murdoch media dynasty, and also Ashley Hamilton Claxton, from Royal London...
Feb 03, 2016•28 min
The chairman of Channel 4 Lord Terry Burns leaves the organisation today. His departure has been seen by some as an indication that the government is favouring 'privatisation options' for the channel. On the last day of his second term, and in his final interview for The Media Show as chairman, we speak to him about the highs and lows of the job, his thoughts on how the broadcaster should be structured in the future, and his view on the BBC's Charter renewal. Idris Elba has put diversity back on...
Jan 27, 2016•28 min
ITV has announced that two of its senior executives will be stepping down; Chairman Archie Norman will be leaving, as will Director of TV Peter Fincham. ITV Studios managing director, Kevin Lygo will replace him. Steve Hewlett discusses the thinking behind the changes with Mathew Horsman from consultancy Mediatique, and Steve Morrison, former CEO of Granada, shares his thoughts on whether this change of leadership means a change of direction for the UK's largest commercial broadcaster. Impress, ...
Jan 20, 2016•28 min
The EC is debating a new law in Poland, feared to be compromising the editorial freedom of public service broadcasters. Last Thursday, President Duda signed a new media bill, giving the government direct control over top appointments at the country's TV & radio stations. The bill had been condemned by press freedom organisations. Steve is joined by Polish journalist Bartosz Wielinski, from newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, and Ingrid Deltenre, Director General of the European Broadcasting Union, wh...
Jan 13, 2016•28 min
Scotland's Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop says the BBC is not spending enough of the licence fee cash raised north of the border in Scotland. Journalists are accused of unfairly harvesting information for stories from children's social media accounts. Is this legitimate use of information that has been put into the public arena? Or should anything posted online by a child always be off-limits to the media no matter what? Channel Four launches a new foreign language drama on demand service called ...
Jan 06, 2016•28 min
Known as 'the newspaper man's newspaper man', Robin Esser's press career spans nearly 60 years. Robin worked on Fleet Street in the 'golden era' of journalism, editing the Daily then Sunday Express before taking on the Daily Mail in 1991, and later becoming its Executive Managing Editor. Robin joins Steve Hewlett to discuss how the media landscape has changed, some of the key strategic decisions he's made, and what he perceives as the challenges and opportunities facing papers like the Daily Mai...
Dec 23, 2015•28 min
In 2011 the Prime Minister announced the two part Leveson inquiry into the role of the press and police in the phone-hacking scandal. Part 1 examined the culture, practices and ethics of the press. However, Part 2 could not commence until police investigations and criminal proceedings had been completed. This week, the CPS announced it would cease any ongoing criminal investigations. So, will Leveson Part 2 now happen? The BBC's legal correspondent Clive Coleman, Prof. Natalie Fenton from Goldsm...
Dec 16, 2015•28 min
The first analysis of the 2015 TV leadership debates, carried out by the University of Leeds and funded by ITV, has been published. It claims to find that TV debates helped people engage with the campaigns, with almost half of people who claimed they were 'not interested' still tuning in. A further 30 per cent of the viewers to the first ITV debate said they had become more interested in the campaign after watching it. Steve Hewlett talks to report author Professor Stephen Coleman, and to Jenni ...
Dec 09, 2015•29 min
Lord David Puttnam, whose credits include the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire and The Killing Fields, is spearheading an inquiry into the future of public service broadcasting. It's aim is to look at the 'nature, purpose and role of public service television today and in the future'. The inquiry is being seen as a challenge to the eight-person advisory committee appointed by Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, to guide his conclusions on the renewal of the BBC's Royal Charter. Steve Hewlett talk...
Dec 02, 2015•28 min
The president of AOL Content, which owns the Huffington Post, says the media industry is undergoing a 'revolutionary change'. In a speech at the Reuters Institute, Jimmy Maymann says it's because of a shift from 'destination' to 'distributed' media. This means that rather than actively visiting branded websites to choose content, users are consuming what's being offered to them, often via social media. Steve Hewlett talks to Jimmy Maymann about the impact of this shift, and Sarah Marshall, socia...
Nov 25, 2015•29 min
A series of co-ordinated attacks in Paris on Friday night have resulted in the deaths of at least 129 people. Media outlets quickly mobilized with blanket coverage across television, radio, newspapers and social media. How do the news media outlet co-ordinate and respond to such a breaking and dangerous situation? How do you decide what is a proportionate amount of coverage? And with so many unconfirmed reports, how can you be sure of the reliability of your story? Steve Hewlett discusses the pi...
Nov 18, 2015•28 min
Trinity Mirror has taken full control of media network Local World, which has over 100 regional titles across England and Wales. Dubbed a 'good day for local media', by Chief Executive Simon Fox, the £187 million deal will create the UK's largest regional media group. In his first appearance on The Media Show, Steve Hewlett talks to Chief Executive Simon Fox about the purchase, what it means for a challenged local press, and whether it raises any issues around media plurality. Britain's biggest-...
Nov 04, 2015•28 min
The Media Show's Steve Hewlett hosts a landmark discussion about the BBC's future as the corporation approaches the review of its Royal Charter. The main players from government, regulators, broadcasters and other media will come together to assess how the BBC should be funded, what it should and should not do, and how it should be regulated. Steve and his guests will challenge the evidence, expose the brinkmanship and explore how specific changes could alter the DNA of the BBC. The no holds bar...
Oct 27, 2015•42 min
Fleet Street's confidence has "worn thin", says the former editor of the Guardian, Alan Rusbridger. In a wide ranging speech at the Society of Editors' annual conference, he also took a swipe at the rest of the UK media by criticising their lack of interest in the Snowden revelations and the subsequent debate about the issue of surveillance. Steve Hewlett talks to him about his legacy and asks where next for the Guardian? The culture secretary John Whittingdale says he is not convinced the time ...
Oct 21, 2015•28 min
The BBC's latest submission to the Government on the Charter Review consultation includes further detail on BBC Studios. The proposal removes the key guarantees and quotas for BBC in-house programmes but establishes BBC Studios as a separate entity, to maintain the BBC's tradition of programme making. To discuss the implications for the UK's independent TV production sector at large, Steve is joined by Cat Lewis, CEO of Nine Lives Media and Debbie Manners, MD Keo Films and former Chair of Pact C...
Oct 14, 2015•28 min
An investigation by BBC's Panorama into alleged VIP Paedophile rings has questioned whether there was in fact any reliable evidence to support claims. It questioned the methods of investigative website Exaro News - who have led the way in covering this story. Mark Watts, Editor in Chief of Exaro News, gives his response to Steve Hewlett. BBC journalist and presenter Robert Peston is to join rival broadcaster ITV as its new political editor. The BBC's economics editor has been lured to switch net...
Oct 07, 2015•28 min
Plans to privatise Channel 4 have been revealed after documents were photographed as they were carried into Downing Street. A sale would raise an estimated £1bn for the Treasury. Steve Hewlett talks to David Elstein, former chief executive of Channel 5, about the potential benefits of having Channel 4 in private hands. Also joining him is historian and journalist Maggie Brown who explains the challenges the broadcaster would face in delivering its public remit, should it be accountable to shareh...
Sep 30, 2015•29 min
The Metropolitan Police have issued a statement acknowledging that when they described allegations of historic child abuse and a VIP paedophile ring as 'credible and true', it suggested that they were pre-empting the outcome of their investigation. They say did not mean to give that impression and that they retain an open mind. The investigation has drawn criticism for appearing to rely too heavily on the evidence of one witness and some high profile people have accused the police of conducting ...
Sep 23, 2015•28 min
The Royal Television Society Convention in Cambridge brings together senior figures from the TV industry to discuss the challenges of a shifting media landscape. This year's convention looks to television in 2020 and the challenges for content, creativity and business models. The Media Show is broadcasting live from the event. Sir Peter Bazalgette, President of the RTS and Chair of the Arts Council England outlines the themes of the event. Media Show presenter Steve Hewlett also hears from David...
Sep 16, 2015•29 min
The BBC outlined its vision this week for a more open and more distinctive BBC that would involve working more closely with arts and science institutions and local news services. Steve Hewlett hears from the BBC's Director of Strategy James Purnell about the plans. A year after the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) was set up, a survey for the pressure group Hacked Off found over sixty percent of people lacked confidence in the regulator, which is backed by the majority of the UK's...
Sep 09, 2015•28 min
Rebekah Brooks is returning to News Corp as chief executive of its UK division, a year after she was cleared of all phone hacking charges. Her appointment has been condemned by Hacked Off and the shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant. What impact will her return have on a business that has tried to re-shape its image in light of the phone hacking scandal? Steve hears from Peter Preston, former editor of the Guardian. The News Media Association, the trade body for the UK newspaper industry, is ca...
Sep 02, 2015•28 min
The Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, says that the government has no desire to dismantle the BBC and that some defenders of the corporation are "tilting at windmills". We hear the first official response from the BBC's Director of Strategy James Purnell. Also in Edinburgh, Channel 5's Director of Programming Ben Frow, reveals how the channel is trying to reposition itself in the market and improve its reputation. And the online music streaming service S...
Aug 26, 2015•29 min
