The Media Show

Chief exec of Trinity Mirror Simon Fox discusses taking control of Local World, while News UK's David Dinsmore talks about removing the Sun's paywall. Heather Brooke shares insights on the Freedom of Information Act challenges. Topics include media plurality, online subscriptions, and FOI misuse.

Steve Hewlett hosts a discussion on the future of the BBC, covering funding challenges, government relations, role in the media landscape, and potential changes to its funding model. Guests debate governance, accountability, and possible integration of internet services.

Former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger discusses media confidence, Leveson laws debated, PinkNews CEO talks LGBT representation, ITV's acquisition of UTV discussed.

Guests Cat Lewis and Debbie Manners discuss BBC Studios restructuring. The rise of ad-blocking and effects on online advertising revenue models. Challenges faced by female tech journalists and their struggle with online abuse and sexism. Discussion on a potential show acquisition impacting the BBC's programming decisions.

Mark Watts, Editor in Chief of Exaro News, discusses the Panorama investigation on VIP Paedophile rings. The podcast also covers Robert Peston's move to ITV, Desmond newspaper price cuts, and Dennis Publishing's launch of Coach magazine targeting men. The episode explores media shake-ups, pay rates, and future BBC debates.

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 shareholders, rather than the government.New Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn began his maiden Party Conference speech with jokes aimed at the national press. He went on to talk about media commentators who have 'sneered' at the growth in Labour's popularity, and called for an end to cyberbullying. It's not the first time he's criticised the press - recently describing headlines about himself as 'unpleasant' and 'unfair'. Steve Hewlett talks to Fraser Nelson of The Spectator about the growing hostility between Corbyn and the media.The free to air TV service Freeview is launching Freeview Play this week. It's a new TV catch up service bringing together BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 on demand services. Steve asks Caroline Thomson, Chair of Digital UK, the organisation behind Freeview, why people would buy a box when there are so many packages on offer?Trinity Mirror is in talks to buy the shares of Local World it does not already own. Local World is one of the largest media networks in the UK - with over 100 print titles and 70 websites. The Daily Mail and General Trust currently own just over 38% of the business. So why does it want to sell, and why would Trinity Mirror want to buy? Ian Whittaker, media analyst with Liberum, explains.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

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 a witch hunt. It's not the first time that the police have got into difficulties in the way they communicate with the media. Steve talks to Sean O'Neill, crime editor at the Times about police media relations.The heads of seven Nordic public service broadcasters have warned the UK government not to weaken the BBC. In an open letter, published in the Guardian they argue it is a model for how public service broadcasters should be set up in new democracies and have called for its international role to be taken into account during charter renewal. Steve hears from Cilla Benko, director general of Sweden's national publicly funded radio broadcaster SR, Sweden.Egypt has pardoned Al Jazeera journalists Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed who were convicted of broadcasting false news. Steve speaks to former Al Jazeera English journalist Sue Turton who was convicted in absentia.Greenpeace has hired a team of investigative journalists. Can investigative journalism by a campaigning group with an agenda ever be truly trusted? Steve hears from former BBC Newsnight and Panorama journalist Meirion Jones who is now a consultant on the project.Producer Dianne McGregor.

Sir Peter Bazalgette, President of the RTS and Chair of the Arts Council England, discusses challenges in the TV industry at the RTS Convention. Topics include UK vs US showrunners, British TV drama in global markets, and the impact of foreign ownership on creativity.

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 major newspaper publishers. A letter in this week's Guardian signed by eleven people who had taken a complaint to IPSO denounced the regulator as a sham body. Steve speaks to Evan Harris, Joint Executive Director Hacked Off, about its concerns, and to Matt Tee, Chief Executive of IPSO, about the criticisms, and gets his reflections on the last year and what's next for the regulator.The X Factor has been criticised for scouting for contestants with a pre-existing professional pedigree rather than relying solely on genuine walk-in applicants. The show has also come under attack for contestants giving humble back stories, like this week's "I work on a farm", that do not reflect their true previous success in showbiz. So has the well of UK talent dried up? Should the X Factor format be put out of its misery? Is the audience too jaded, too cynical and too small to care anyway? Steve hears from Kevin O'Sullivan, the Sunday Mirror's TV columnist.Producer: Dianne McGregor.

Former News Corp UK CEO Rebekah Brooks returns amid controversy. Debate over BBC's digital news growth. Press freedom issues in Turkey discussed with journalists. Overview of Atvod's role as video on-demand regulator in the UK.