The Media Show

As Channel 4 approaches its 40th birthday it faces one of the most pivotal moments in its history. The broadcaster is funded by advertising but is publicly owned, for now. As part of the Queen’s speech this week the government confirmed its plans to privatise Channel 4 – despite the broadcaster’s opposition. In fact, Channel 4 has published an alternative showing us what it wants to become if it weren’t privatised – something the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said was based on "flawed assumptions". However Channel 4’s future is settled will have major ramifications for the UK’s TV industry. Whether it’ll make such a difference to the programmes that Channel 4 offers viewers depends on who you ask. At the centre of this issue are two key figures, Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary, and our guest in this edition - Alex Mahon, the chief executive of Channel 4.Presenter: Ros AtkinsProducer: Helen FitzhenryEditor: Richard Hooper

Two stories about power – and how it can be abused. The first is the tale of an MP caught looking at porn in the House of Commons and what it might tell us about the culture of political reporting at Westminster. The other is the joint BBC and The Guardian investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by the DJ Tim Westwood. Also in the programme, the future of tech regulation in the UK.Guests: Chi Chi Izundu, Reporter on "Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power", Katie Ferguson, Deputy Political Editor at The Sun, Eleanor Langford, Political Reporter at Politics Home, Margot James, former government minister, Philip Marsden, Professor of Law and Economics at the College of Europe and Kate Beioley, Legal Correspondent at the Financial Times.Presenter: Katie RazzallSound engineer: Duncan HannantProducer: Helen Fitzhenry

Three major stories could change the way we get our news. The multi-million-dollar streaming service CNN+, once billed as the broadcaster’s future, has shut down after less than a month. Over in Silicon Valley, Elon Musk has signed a $44 billion deal to buy Twitter. And the UK has seen the launch of a new broadcast channel in Talk TV. These three models – streaming, social media, and broadcast – offer competing alternatives for how we’ll consume news-based content in the future, but which of them will win out?Guests: Claire Atkinson, Chief Media Correspondent, Insider; Vivian Schiller, Executive Director, Aspen Digital; Christopher Williams, Business Editor, The Telegraph; Lauren Hirsch, reporter, The New York Times.Producer: Dan Hardoon Presenter: Ros Atkins Studio engineer: Tim Heffer

Piers Morgan is the star signing for Rupert Murdoch's new TalkTV channel in the UK. His show, "Piers Morgan Uncensored", will also be streamed on Fox Nation in the US and air on Sky News Australia. It represents a significant bet on one man's ability to transfix a global audience. But is it money well spent? Piers Morgan discusses his departure from Good Morning Britain, "cancel culture" and the limits of free speech, his record on holding Donald Trump to account, and changing business models in the media.Producer: Dan HardoonPresenter: Ros AtkinsEditor: Richard Hooper

The government’s plan to privatise Channel 4 has now been revealed. But who is lining up to buy the broadcaster and what could a change in ownership mean for viewers? Also in the programme, the French newspaper Le Monde is hoping to capitalise on interest in the elections by launching a English language edition. But is there a market for it?Guests: Chris Curtis, editor-in-chief of Broadcast; Elvire Camus, editor of Le Monde in English; Dominic Hinde, lecturer in Media and Communication at Glasgow University; Bénédicte Paviot, France 24’s UK Correspondent.Producer: Dan Hardoon Presenter: Katie Razzall Studio engineer: Duncan Hannant

Ira Glass is the presenter and producer behind This American Life, the first ever radio programme to win a Pulitzer Prize. Its spin off podcast, Serial, is credited with revolutionising podcasting and, in 2020, Glass sold Serial Productions to the New York Times for a reported $25 million. Ira discusses the inspiration behind his shows, the changing audio landscape, and responds to accusations of liberal bias in his journalism.Presenter: Katie Razzall Sound engineer: Bob Nettles Producer: Dan Hardoon

As peace talks between Ukraine and Russia get underway, the war on the ground continues. How is the war being reported differently by Ukrainian and international media? And is there a danger that the public is losing interest in the war?Guests: Oleksiy Sorokin, political editor at the Kyiv Independent; Iryna Matviyishyn, freelance journalist and producer; Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist; Lyse Doucet, BBC Chief International Correspondent; Cristina Nicolotti Squires, director of content at Sky News.Presenter: Ros AtkinsStudio engineer: Duncan HannantProducer: Dan Hardoon

The Media Show is in Hollywood this week, ahead of the 94th Academy awards. Netflix’s The Power of the Dog is nominated for 12 Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture. Katie Razzall meets Scott Stuber, Netflix's Head of Global Film, to find out how the platform continues to disrupt the film industry.Scott discusses his beginnings in the business with a cameo appearance in Free Willy 2, his strategy for luring legendary directors like Steven Spielberg to the platform, and his response to critics who claim that streaming services are killing cinema.Producer: Dan HardoonPresenter: Katie RazzallEditor: Richard Hooper

As governments around the world race to sanction associates of Vladimir Putin, the British media turns its attention to the role Russian oligarchs have played in public life. This week an edition of Panorama aired allegations about the source of Roman Abramovich's wealth. At the weekend The Sunday Times reported that Evgeny Lebedev was made a peer despite the concerns of the security services. But why is it only now that the mainstream press has put the oligarchs in the spotlight? What stopped them before? Guests: Paul Caruana Galizia, reporter at Tortoise Media; Adam Bienkov, Political Editor at Byline Times; Laura Kayali, Tech Correspondent at Politico; Natalia Antelava, journalist and co-founder of Coda Story, a global affairs news site; Lionel Barber, former editor of The Financial Times.Producer: Hannah SanderStudio engineer: Tim HefferPresenter: Katie Razzall

A media crackdown in Russia, including a new law against ‘fake news’, has led many independent news outlets to shut down. Some major western media have pulled out of the country completely. But the BBC is not only staying - it is actually increasing its services aimed at Russians. So what news can ordinary Russians access? And what impact is that information is having?Guests: Jamie Angus, Controller of BBC News Output & Commissioning; Peter Pomerantsev, author of This Is Not Propaganda; Vera Krichevskaya, co-founder of TV Rain; Olga Irisova, Editor-in-chief of Riddle Russia; Dr Ian Garner, Russian propaganda expert; Julia Davis, Columnist at The Daily Beast.Producer: Hannah SanderStudio engineer: Tim HefferPresenter: Ros Atkins