To many, we're living through a golden age of TV. But behind the rich offerings for consumers lie several growing structural issues, from a market oversupplied by streamers desperate for subscriptions, to the consequences of the US actors and writers strike, to a downturn in the advertising spend that powers the UK industry. Ros talks to a panel of TV big hitters at the Edinburgh International TV Festival. We hear from the Democratic National Convention where Kamala Harris is about to accept her...
Aug 21, 2024•57 min
Lorna Woods' thinking was central to the new Online Safety Act, designed to tackle dangerous content online. After the recent riots, which many argue were fomented on social media, the law is being put to the test in the courts. We talk to Lorna alongside Nazir Afzal, former Chief Crown Prosecutor. We also look at the role the traditional media plays in the discourse around immigration with Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, columnist, at The I and Sunder Katwala, Director of the British Future thinktank. We...
Aug 14, 2024•57 min
We talk to Tom Witherow from The Times who's been tracing where the false claim the Southport attacker is Muslim began, as well as reporters covering the riots on the ground. The Editor of The Sun, Victoria Newton, discusses that paper's coverage of Huw Edwards. What qualities do you need to be a journalist? The National Council for the Training of Journalists say the younger generation lacks confidence when it comes to tasks like cold calling and phone interviews. We find out more. Plus get the...
Aug 07, 2024•57 min
David Silito reflects on Huw Edwards's guilty plea to making indecent images of children, 41 images that had been shared with him by another man on WhatsApp. We look at how the story broke and the challenges of covering it for journalists inside the BBC. Katie talks to Channel 4 News’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy. Amid controversy surrounding the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing show, he secured an exclusive interview with contestant Amanda Abbington about her experiences on the programme. A former Strictly...
Jul 31, 2024•58 min
The trial of five activists who disrupted the M25 in London in 2022 concluded last week with them receiving the longest ever UK sentences for non-violent protest. Summing up, the judge thanked a journalist from The Sun newspaper who provided key evidence after secretly recording a Just Stop Oil meeting. Damien Gayle describes how he navigated reporting restrictions to cover dramatic scenes in court as the defendants attempted to draw attention to their cause. Jack Chapman is a producer who has a...
Jul 24, 2024•57 min
We talk to three journalists who were there when a gunman tried to assassinate Donald Trump. The attack has brought renewed attention on the nature of America’s political discourse and the media’s role. We discuss this too. Katie has been reporting on Strictly Come Dancing as new claims about contestants’ experiences emerge. We talk with an agent whose clients have appeared on the show. Also in the programme, now that Euros are over we hear about the relationship between Gareth Southgate’s team ...
Jul 17, 2024•57 min
In the aftermath of the Labour landslide Roger Mosey, former Editorial Directior of BBC News, accuses broadcasters of spending too much time on 'the kind of trivia that alienates voters.' Should journalism do better? We test the thesis with new research from Dominic Wring of Loughborough University outlining the topics journalists covered most, plus Sam Jeffers from media transparency organisation Who Targets Me explains how the parties used social media and Harriet Line from The Daily Mail tell...
Jul 10, 2024•58 min
In the aftermath of his halting debate performance, the editorial boards of some of the major US newspapers have called on Joe Biden to withdraw from the race for re-election. We ask why this issue is only being discussed so widely now, talking to a journalist who raised a comprehensive set of concerns but faced a backlash from others in the media and a former Executive Editor of The New York Times. Also in the programme, we explore how the disappearance of teenager Jay Slater in Tenerife has dr...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 1 min
On the day Julian Assange is freed, we explore the story of WikiLeaks' unprecedented data releases, how he and the organisation changed the way journalists and newsrooms operate and how these releases ultimately led to his incarceration. Also in the programme, ITV's Julie Etchingham explains the secrets behind chairing prime ministerial debates and Steven Moffat, writer of new comedy drama Douglas is Cancelled, on why he's making journalism his subject. Guests: Leila Nathoo, Political Correspond...
Jun 26, 2024•58 min
What's behind the glut of politics podcasts? Hardly a month goes by without a new title being launched, competing with established brands like The New York Times’s The Daily and the wildly popular The Rest is Politics with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. We talk to the team behind the latter about the secrets of its success, and the opportunities for journalists who want to break free of the strictures of traditional broadcasting. We also consider their appeal to politicians and reflect on t...
Jun 19, 2024•58 min
We explore how political scandals unfold across the media and the art of the 'get to know' interview with two journalists who recently interviewed Rishi Sunak. As one of the alleged subjects of the Netflix drama Baby Reindeer sues the streamer for defamation, negligence and privacy violations, we weigh the legal arguments. Also in the programme, new online reality TV formats and how they're challenging the primacy of broadcasters and we look at LGBT representation in Dr Who and BBC dating show I...
Jun 12, 2024•57 min
How do we gauge the power of newspapers in this election? Will press endorsements from the mainstream media prove decisive, or does power now stem from corners of the media that are harder to define, boosted by opaque social media algorithms? And as big tech increasingly squeezes the revenue and audiences of news outlets, we talk to the Editor of The Atlantic on how to make journalism pay. Andrew Neil, presenter, Times Radio; Caroline Waterston, Editor-in-Chief, The Mirror; Jeffrey Goldberg, Edi...
Jun 05, 2024•58 min
A week into the election, we explore party control of the media message and the gaffes that happen when things go wrong. We hear live from the Labour battle bus, talk to Boris Johnson's former social media strategist and look at the way the different campaigns are crafting their message on TikTok. Guests: Shona Ghosh, Senior Editor, Bloomberg; Martha Lane Fox, former Board Member, Twitter/X; Katy Balls, Political Editor, The Spectator; Sean Topham, Co-Founder, Topham Guerin; Jessica Elgot, Deput...
May 29, 2024•58 min
At the end of this week Newsnight as we know it comes to an end. From Tuesday, its format will change – and it’ll be shorter too. To discuss the end of an era, Katie and Ros speak to an all-star Newsnight line up: Kirsty Wark, Peter Snow, Michael Crick. They're also joined by Professor Suzanne Franks, who researches changing broadcast news consumption. On Saturday, Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury to become boxing's undisputed heavyweight champion. The high-profile match was held in the Kingdom Ar...
May 22, 2024•54 min
Katie and Ros go inside the controversy about Netflix drama Baby Reindeer which has raised questions about the impact drama inspired by true events can have on real people. They’ll be helped by Piers Morgan who just interviewed one of the alleged subjects; Clive Coleman, legal expert and dramatist; and Chris Banatvala, former Head of Standards at Ofcom who can explain the rules for these kinds of productions. Also in the programme, ahead of the infected blood inquiry publishing its final report ...
May 15, 2024•58 min
US university campuses have been the scene of pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the last month. We assess the challenges of reporting the protests and hear why student journalists have been crucial to our understanding of the story. We also look at Israel’s ban of Al Jazeera where the government accuses it of being a mouthpiece for Hamas, a charge the network denies. Plus, what’s it like to cover the Met Gala? And how are the media strategies of political parties evolving as we approach a gene...
May 08, 2024•58 min
An information iron curtain has fallen across large parts of the globe, where access to impartial news reporting and information has never been more difficult. With the help of BBC specialists, Ros and Katie consider the impact of censorship and technological controls on Russia, Iran and China; how ingrained state disinformation has become and how it has distorted their citizens’ perception of the world. Our panel also look at attempts to circumvent internet blocking and state restrictions on fr...
May 01, 2024•58 min
Katie and Ros explore the place of creativity in modern media, from advertising to game show formats. They talk to the producers behind ITV’s The 1% Club and Channel 4’s Hunted. They’ll also hear about concerns over dating app Grindr’s use of user data and talk to media regulator Ofcom about new research into how audiences feel about politicians presenting current affairs programmes. Guests: Cristina Nicolotti Squires, Group Director, Ofcom; Decca Aitkenhead, Chief Interviewer, The Sunday Times;...
Apr 24, 2024•58 min
Last week Dr Hilary Cass published her final report and recommendations to NHS England in her role as Chair of the Independent Review of gender identity services for children and young people. The Cass report recommends a new approach for clinicians. But what might journalism do differently in the way it covers such a polarising subject? We discuss with Hannah Barnes, the author of Time to Think: the Inside Story of the Collapse of the Tavistock’s Gender Service for Children ; and Rebecca Coombe...
Apr 17, 2024•57 min
The Executive Chairman of the Sky News Group, David Rhodes shares his plans for Sky News – and on his years as a senior TV news exec in New York. Elon Musk has predicted that AI will surpass human intelligence within a year. OpenAI and Meta have also said that they're on the brink of releasing new AI models that will be capable of reason and planning. What will be the impact of these advanced AI models on the news media? We're joined by Madhumita Murgia, the AI Editor at the Financial Times, and...
Apr 10, 2024•58 min
British counter terrorism officers are investigating the stabbing last Friday of an Iranian TV host outside his home in London. Iran International presenter Pouria Zeraati was hospitalised, before being discharged and moving to a safe place under the supervision of the Metropolitan Police. We talk to British Iranian journalist Sima Sabet, who has also been targeted. Have US diplomats been targeted by Russian sonic weaponry? A joint report between The Insider, Der Spiegel and CBS's 60 Minutes all...
Apr 03, 2024•58 min
Last week, the Princess of Wales announced that she is undergoing treatment for cancer. It was preceded by weeks of speculation about her whereabouts that went well into conspiracy territory. How exactly did conspiracy theories move from the fringes to the mainstream? And what are the responsibilities of the "mainstream media" when covering them? Also on the programme, BBC Radio 5 Live celebrates its 30th anniversary and what Tim Davie's speech means for the future of the BBC. Guests: Chris Curt...
Mar 27, 2024•28 min
As the US Congress moves to ban TikTok on national security grounds, we ask could the UK follow? Elon Musk lured former CNN journalist Don Lemon to boost X's video credentials but the pair fell out after a recent interview. We find out why. Also on the programme, why the BBC has announced plans to move into UK podcast advertising and we explore what one journalist found when she downloaded all the data held on her after years of using Meta's services. Guests: Ciaran Martin, Professor, Blavatnik ...
Mar 20, 2024•29 min
We discuss the controversial photo of the Princess of Wales and her children released by Kensington Palace on Sunday which was removed from circulation by photo agencies due to concerns it had been inappropriately edited. The story raises many questions about how images in the media are sourced, how they’re checked and how they’re distributed. We talk to press photographers, picture agencies and newspaper picture editors. Also in the programme, two developing stories concerning Tiktok and the Da...
Mar 13, 2024•29 min
Exclusive interview with one of Hollywood's most powerful executives
Mar 08, 2024•44 min
With the scandal still all over the front as well as the back pages, we explore what the Christian Horner allegations tell us about the challenges journalists face in holding sports leaders to account. TalkTV is moving to online only and GB News has been censured by Ofcom. We consider the successes and failures of both channels. Plus, as pictures of the Princess of Wales are published in the United States we hear why codes of behaviour among British journalists mean, despite being freely availab...
Mar 06, 2024•29 min
With Islamophobia, antisemitism, and threats against MPs all in the news, what role has the media itself played in stoking tensions? Also in the programme, as international broadcasters sign a letter calling for access to Gaza, what impact would that have on how the conflict is reported? Guests: Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, Sky News; Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor, Sunday Times; Ayesha Hazarika, Columnist and Presenter, Times Radio; Tim Montgomerie, Columnist and Founder of Conserva...
Feb 28, 2024•28 min
Two years on from Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine and in the week of the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, what have reports from the region taught us about journalism and its ability to inform and influence? Has Western reporting got Russia and Putin fundamentally wrong? Meanwhile, what's the state of journalism in Russia itself, after Putin's crackdown on independent news outlets? We talk to the journalists and experts following the conflict and hear the story of Novaya Gazeta...
Feb 21, 2024•28 min
Last week Prince Harry settled his outstanding claims with the Mirror titles – but only after he took them to court – where a judge ruled the Prince had been the subject of extensive phone hacking by Mirror Group Newspapers. We explore the meaning of the verdict and the resulting settlement. Is traditional broadcast TV dead? Piers Morgan seems to think so – he’s leaving his nightly TV show and setting up shop on YouTube. Ben Smith from Semafor, who broke the story, joins us. Also on the programm...
Feb 14, 2024•28 min
Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News presenter, has travelled to Moscow to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin. What will both men hope to gain from the encounter? Also in the programme, Anushka Asthana on following Rishi Sunak for a new ITV programme, and the BBC's plans to launch four new music radio stations. Guests: Francis Scarr, Journalist, BBC Monitoring; Brian Stelter, Special Correspondent, Vanity Fair; Anushka Asthana, Deputy Political Editor, ITV News; Lorna Clarke, Director of ...
Feb 07, 2024•29 min
