

The Media Show
BBC Radio 4
Social media, anti-social media, breaking news, faking news: this is the programme about a revolution in media.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 24, 2018 • 43min
Murdoch fights back
Rupert Murdoch has proposed that Facebook pay a "carriage fee" to publishers in exchange for distributing their news articles. Amol Rajan is joined by the former Culture Minister John Whittingdale, Krishnan Guru-Murthy of Channel 4 News, Eleanor Mills of The Sunday Times, Mark Di Stefano of BuzzFeed, and Brian Fung of the Washington Post.The podcast version of this programme contains an extended interview with Krishnan Guru-Murthy.Presenter: Amol Rajan
Producer: Richard Hooper.

Jan 17, 2018 • 28min
Facebook's algorithm change and why you should care
Facebook has announced it will change how its news feed works. Posts from friends and family will take priority over content from media companies. Adweek has called it "the digital equivalent of a nuclear bomb on the media industry". Andrea Catherwood is joined by Niall McGarry founder of JOE Media and Piers North, Trinity Mirror's Head of Digital.Also in the programme, Emma Scott, CEO of Beano Studios on 80 years of The Beano, and Professor Brian Cathcart, founder of Hacked Off and Gary Shipton, Deputy Editor in Chief at Johnston Press discuss calls for further press regulation.Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Richard Hooper
Assistant producer: Eleanor Kifvel.

Jan 10, 2018 • 33min
When journalists burn their sources
What can journalism learn from Fire and Fury, Michael Wolff's blockbuster account of life inside President Trump's White House? How does a reporter persuade the rich and powerful to let them into their world - and when they've got what they wanted, is it ever OK to burn their sources on the way out? Also, why the tech giants are now taking the digital detox trend very seriously.Andrea Catherwood is joined by Polly Curtis, HuffPost UK editor in chief, Maija Palmer, social media journalist at The Financial Times, Camilla Long of The Sunday Times, Patrick Forbes, documentary maker, and lawyer and writer Arwa Mahdawi.Producer: Richard Hooper.

Jan 3, 2018 • 28min
The battle for Christmas
Christmas has traditionally been a big event for broadcasters. But this year, how did British TV channels perform in the age of Netflix and Amazon? Also in the programme, a look-ahead to some of the big media stories coming up in 2018 including the government's decision on moving Channel 4.Julian Worricker is joined by Justin Sampson, Chief Executive of BARB, Clare Enders, founder of Enders Analysis, Nick North, BBC Director of Audiences, Cat Lewis, CEO of Nine Lives Media, and John Fairley, former managing director of Yorkshire Tyne Tees Television.Presenter: Julian Worricker
Producer: Richard Hooper and Paul WatersPicture shows Brendan O'Carroll in Mrs Brown's Boys, one of Christmas Day's most watched shows.

Dec 27, 2017 • 28min
Who wants to be a TV format millionaire?
British TV producers are responsible for some of the world's most popular shows. What is the secret to creating a hit format? Amol Rajan gets advice from Richard Osman, creative director of Endemol UK, Karen Smith, co-devisor of Strictly Come Dancing and Paul Smith who was part of the team behind Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Robin Hilton is a partner at the law firm Sheridans and John McVay is Chief Executive of Pact.Presenter: Amol Rajan
Producer: Richard Hooper
Assistant producer: Eleanor KifvelPicture shows Richard Osman and Amol Rajan.

Dec 20, 2017 • 40min
Peston's Brexit confession and BBC religious coverage
Robert Peston found fame for his string of scoops during the financial crisis of 2007. In his new book WTF he admits to how he voted in the EU referendum but insists his impartiality as ITV Political Editor has not been compromised.The BBC has announced substantial changes to the way it covers religion and says it should do more to reflect non-Christian life. Stephen Pollard is editor of The Jewish Chronicle, Aaqil Ahmed is the former head of religion at the BBC, Nisha Parti is producer of The Boy with the Topknot, and Justin Brierley presents on Premier Christian Radio.Presenter: Amol Rajan
Producer: Richard Hooper

Dec 13, 2017 • 33min
End of the Age of Murdoch?
Walt Disney is rumoured to be finalising a $60bn takeover of the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox. Brian Wieser is an analyst for Pivotal Research Group and Matthew Garrahan is the FT's global media editor.The publicist Max Clifford has died - what is left of the culture of celebrity journalism that he did so much to create? Rosie Nixon is editor in chief of HELLO! and Camilla Wright is the co-founder and editor of Popbitch.Buzzfeed has announced job cuts in the UK. James Ball was a special correspondent for Buzzfeed.Presenter: Amol Rajan
Producer: Richard Hooper.

Dec 6, 2017 • 39min
The Guardian's Kath Viner, Spin doctors v broadcasters, Channel 4 News editor Ben De Pear
Katharine Viner, the editor-in-chief of Guardian News and Media, discusses the newspaper's financial and digital future with Media Show presenter Amol Rajan.Also - we lift the lid on the intimate and sometimes fraught relationship between political party directors of communication and spin doctors on the one hand, and political programmes and broadcasters on the other. Each side needs the other, but what happens when their interests do not coincide? We gain an insight into the rows, manipulation and behind-the-scenes deals from three insiders:
Sue Inglish, the former head of political programmes for BBC News
Tom Baldwin, who was director of communications for then Labour leader Ed Miliband
Ben de Pear, editor of Channel 4 NewsPresenter: Amol Rajan
Producer: Paul Waters.

Nov 29, 2017 • 53min
The Royal Family and critical journalism
Prince Harry is getting married and newspapers have devoted dozens of pages to the story. But do British journalists abandon their principles when it comes to the Monarchy? Charles Anson was the Queen's press secretary, Emily Andrews is Royal correspondent for The Sun, Tim Ewart was ITN's Royal Editor and Tim Montgomerie is the founder of UnHerd.The Financial Times is now reaching a record number of paying subscribers. FT editor Lionel Barber explains his strategy.Presenter: Amol Rajan
Producer: Richard Hooper

Nov 22, 2017 • 40min
The power of the crowd
Paperchase has apologised for a promotion offered in the Daily Mail. The stationery retailer backtracked after being targeted on social media by campaigners. Stop Funding Hate believes that an advertising boycott can change the editorial stance of newspapers they disagree with. Amol Rajan is joined by Owen Jones, Johnny Hornby, founder of The&Partnership, Christian May, editor of the newspaper City AM, and Jane Martinson of The Guardian.Donald Trelford was the editor of The Observer from 1975 to 1993. His new autobiography is called Shouting In The Street.Mashable has reportedly been sold for $50m, just a fifth of how much it was valued at last year. Buzzfeed and Vice are also expected to miss revenue targets for the year. As advertisers now concentrate their spending on Google and Facebook, do some digital publishers have an unsustainable business model? Will consolidation in the industry mean reduced choice for consumers?Presenter: Amol Rajan
Producer: Richard Hooper.


