The Media Show

After news of the devastating earthquake in Japan broke, broadcasters were under pressure to get correspondents to the disaster area to report on developments. But with several presenters now in the region, have news outlets gone overboard? To discuss how decisions about the logistics were reached, Steve is joined by BBC head of newsgathering Fran Unsworth and ITV head of foreign news Tim Singleton. The Independent's spin off paper, the i, publishes its 100th edition today. After a high profile advertising campaign, the number of readers has shot up. Simon Kelner, the editor of both papers, joins Steve Hewlett to discuss whether the current figures are sustainable and what the i's success means for The Independent. There are growing concerns that plans for a "three strikes" rule to tackle internet piracy, which would mean persistent offenders would get their connections cut off, have come to a halt. The Telegraph's Emma Barnett and Jeff Taylor of the BPI, discuss the music industry's worries about piracy and the reasons for the delay. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Richard Peppiatt's published an open letter to Richard Desmond, saying he was quitting his job at the Daily Star on several points of principle. He says he was asked to make up stories (the Star denies this) and was unhappy about the Star's coverage of Muslims in Britain. So, having admitted that he wrote stories he knew to be untrue, does he have a future in journalism? Last week the government decided not to refer News Corp's bid for BSkyB to the competition commission. This followed a report from Ofcom that suggested that increasing News Corp's ownership of the British media might lead to plurality issues. Ed Richards, the chief executive of Ofcom, joins Steve to discuss where Ofcom stands. Jason Gardiner, a judge on ITV's Dancing on Ice, is in trouble again over his acerbic comments and insults to the contestants. Gardiner is the latest in a long line of catty judges from "nasty" Nigel Lythgoe to Simon Cowell. But do all talent shows need a pantomime villain? Nina Myskow, 1980s talent show judge known for her cutting criticism, discusses why the spats between judges now make more headlines than the efforts of the contestants.The Producer is Simon Tillotson.

Veteran foreign correspondent Marie Colvin secured an interview with Colonel Gaddafi this week, alongside the BBC's Jeremy Bowen and ABC's Christiane Amanpour. She joins The Media Show from Tripoli to explain how she fixed the interview and discuss the challenges she faces in reporting for Libya.Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has dominated the headlines as much for his personal battle against extradition as for the activities of his whistle-blowing website. Now Assange is seeking to trademark his own name. His lawyer, Mark Stephens, speaks to Steve Hewlett about the plans. Product placement was launched on UK television programmes this week, with the subtle appearance of a coffee machine on the set of ITV's This Morning. But with advertisers pushing to get maximum exposure for their brands, is there a risk that programmes will suffer? Sally Quick from UKTV and Nick Price from advertising agency MPG discuss striking the delicate balance between products and programmes. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Former Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer shares his thoughts on the future of BBC Trust. What does he think of the man widely expected to be its new Chair, Lord Patten, and what will his biggest challenges be?Steve Hewlett is joined by Alex Thompson, Chief News Correspondent at Channel 4, and the BBC's Wold News Editor Jon Williams. How do they deal with reporting on the protests which are sweeping the Middle East and Northern Africa? Does social media make it easier or more difficult? And, with Western journalists banned from Libya how can you verify what is happening on the ground? And the programme everyone is still talking about - My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. Veteran documentary maker Roger Graef and journalist Anne McElvoy discuss. The Producer is Joe Kent.

Last month, BBC director general Mark Thompson said the arrival of YouView would "herald an intense battle for the living room". This month, though, it became clear that viewers would have to wait for this upgrade to Freeview for up to a year longer than expected and more than two years longer than originally hoped. What are the implications for those viewers who want this next generation of free TV over the internet? Analyst Matthew Horsman, of Mediatique, offers an explanation for the delay and Steve Hewlett asks YouView's chief executive Richard Halton to give a date when it will finally arrive.This week saw the launch of OK!TV on TV Channel 5. Is it, as one reviewer said in the Guardian, neither "ok nor TV" or, according to another in the Express, a "resounding hit"? And how are the chances of OK!TV's success affected by the fact that OK!, Channel 5 and the Express are all owned by Richard Desmond's Northern and Shell, which may also be on the point of buying Big Brother? David Butcher of the Radio Times and Amanda Andrews of the Telegraph discuss the fortunes of 5. And it has been three weeks since Jeremy Hunt, the Culture Secretary, announced he would give Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp more time to address his concerns over "potential threats to media plurality" if NewsCorp buys the remaining 61% of BSkyB. If those concerns are not addressed, he said he would refer the bid to the Competition Commission. David Elstein, formerly of BSkyB and Chris Goodall, formerly of the Competition Commission, give their views on what's going on behind the scenes and what we can expect in the next few weeks.

As Question Time's editor leaves the programme owing to its move from London to Glasgow, Steve Hewlett looks at the BBC's plans to move more programmes to the regions. Former Question Time editor Nick Pisani and Professor of Journalism Tim Luckhurst discuss whether political programmes can work well so far from Westminster. BBC Chief Operation Officer Caroline Thomson explains the BBC's strategy. The commercial giant AOL has bought the pioneering blogs and news website the Huffington Post. Emma Barnett, the Telegraph's digital media editor, discusses whether the acquisition is a good buy for AOL and whether the Huffington Post can remain unique when it becomes part of a larger organisation.Sky Sports presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys left the channel last month amid a storm of controversy following sexist remarks about linesman Sian Massey. Now radio station TalkSport has hired the presenters for a week day show. TalkSport's Programme Director Moz Dee talks to Steve Hewlett about the decision. The Producer is Simon Tillotson.

In the last week, the Guardian, the New York Times and Der Spiegel have each published books telling the story of their relationship with Wikileaks and its leader Julian Assange, following their recent publication of leaked US diplomatic cables. Some of the information in the Guardian's book, referring to the alleged source of the leak, Bradley Manning, prompted Wikileaks to label the Guardian "the slimiest media organisation in the UK". The Guardian's editor Alan Rusbridger talks to Steve Hewlett about working with Julian Assange and how their relationship soured. George Brock is Professor and Head of Journalism at City University London and former foreign news editor at the Times. He picks up on the impact of Wikileaks and comments on its shift this week to the Telegraph. Peta Buscombe of the Press Complaints Commission responds to complaints about its handling of the phone hacking scandal. On Monday, the Financial Times editor Lionel Barber remarked that the PCC had taken no serious action over the allegations and that it was "supine at best". Yesterday, a ComRes poll for the Independent indicated that two thirds of those polled think the affair shows the industry should no longer regulate itself. So does the PCC have the confidence of the public and is it robust enough and responsible enough to be left alone? George Brock comments on Lionel Barber's fear that the UK media risks retribution for the phone hacking, with statutory regulation.

On the day the BBC World Service announces substantial job losses, Steve Hewlett talks to the Director General Mark Thompson about cuts, the licence fee settlement and the corporation's strategy for the forthcoming years. Are the changes at the World Service a sign of things to come, as the BBC finds a way to make efficiency savings following a licence fee settlement that will see its budget reduced by sixteen per cent? And as candidates for the Chairmanship of the BBC Trust are considered, Steve asks him about his relationship with it, as it works to represent licence fee payers. In the studio with us, Broadcasting consultant and former editor of Current Affairs for the BBC Tim Suter, who offers his analysis of Mark Thompson's plans, and Guardian columnist Maggie Brown who tells us what she would hope to see in the next Chairman of the BBC Trust. The media regulator Ofcom has published a report on News Corp's bid to buy the part of BSkyB they don't already own. The Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that he may refer the bid to the competition commission but is first giving News Corp more time to suggest remedies. Stewart Purvis, the former Partner for Content & Standards at Ofcom joins Steve Hewlett to discuss the report's findings. The producer is Kathryn Takatsuki.

As more celebrities threaten to sue the News of the World over alleged phone hacking, Steve Hewlett hears about the latest developments in the case. Guardian columnist Roy Greenslade explains how details that have emerged in recent weeks throw light on the extent of the problem and discusses what the revelations mean for the News of the World. The Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has outlined his plans for the future of local television in a speech at the Oxford Media Convention. Steve Hewlett talks to Jeremy Hunt about his plans to make local television financially viable. Professor Patrick Barwise from London Business School explains why he thinks the plans will result in low viewing, low revenue and have minimal impact on local democracy. The powers of social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook have been credited by some for shaping events in Tunisia in the last week. A tweeter and blogger in Tunis tells Steve Hewlett how social networks mobilised demonstrators. Evgeny Morozov, author of 'The Net Delusion', explains how, far from helping democracy, the internet often helps oppressive governments use cyberspace to stifle dissent. The latest figures show that circulation for all national daily newspapers has fallen month on month and year on year. For some, it was a dramatic decline - circulation of The Times fell by over fourteen percent to around four hundred and fifty thousand. Roy Greenslade offers an overview of how the papers are doing and Professor Patrick Barwise explains why cutting prices might not placate advertisers. The producer is Kathryn Takatsuki.

Steve Hewlett presents a topical programme about the fast-changing media world.As former presenter Miriam O'Reilly celebrates winning an ageism case against the BBC, we ask whether this ruling will impact on who programme executives choose to be their on-air talent. A recent EastEnders storyline on sudden infant death syndrome has prompted a record number of complaints leading producers to announce they will cut the story short. Former channel controller Lorraine Heggessey and scriptwriter Simon Ashford ask whether a culture where complaints have such weight will lead to less creative drama. Why has Northern and Shell, which includes Express Newspapers, withdrawn from the Press Complaints Commission? What are the implications for press regulation in the UK?The Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt is due to outline his plans for local television next week. It follows a report by Nicholas Shott in December, which suggested a network of around 10 local TV stations. But former Director General of the BBC and Chair of the Local Television Advisory Committee, Greg Dyke says the report is too cautious. He suggests that local TV could be commercially viable in at least 60 areas of the UK. We talk to him about how this more extensive network might operate, and how much it's likely to cost. The producer is Kathryn Takatsuki.