

The News Meeting
The Observer
Every Monday and Friday three journalists battle it out to try and convince the editor that their pitch should lead the news. Discover what goes on behind the scenes in a newsroom. Why do some stories dominate, while others fail to make the cut?Tell us if you agree with the final running order - email newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.com Book your place at a news meeting live in our newsroom - https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events Executive Producer: Rebecca MooreProducer: Casey MagloireTo find out more about The Observer:Subscribe to TheObserver+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentHead to our website observer.co.uk Download the Tortoise app – for a listening experience curated by our journalistsIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 15, 2024 • 8min
Sensemaker: Zelensky fires his top general
After a year of tension between the two men, the Ukrainian president fired his top military commander. What does it tell us about Volodymyr Zelensky’s plan for the next stage of the war with Russia?To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 14, 2024 • 6min
Sensemaker: Asylum hotels: hundreds evicted with a week’s notice
At the end of January almost 400 asylum seekers were given less than a week to leave the hotel they were being housed in. Where did they go and what does it tell us about the UK’s asylum system?To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 13, 2024 • 7min
Sensemaker: EU farmers ramp up protests
Farmers across the European Union are throwing eggs at buildings and setting tires on fire. What do they want?To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 12, 2024 • 32min
News Meeting: Israel’s Rafah offensive and Keir Starmer under pressure over antisemitism
What should lead the news? Three people pitch the story they think matters most to Tortoise’s deputy editor Giles Whittell.In this episode he’s joined by journalist and author Donald Macintrye, political editor Cat Neilan and climate editor Jeevan Vasagar to discuss the prospect of an Israeli ground operation in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, allegations of antisemitism against Labour’s candidate in the Rochdale by-election and Taylor Swift’s private jet.Email: newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.comGuests:Donald Macintyre, journalist and author of ‘Gaza: Preparing for Dawn’Cat Neilan, political editor at TortoiseJeevan Vasagar, climate editor at TortoiseHost: Giles Whittell, deputy editor at TortoiseProducer: Rebecca MooreExecutive producer: Lewis VickersTo find out more about Tortoise:- Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalists- Subscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and exclusive content- Become a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 12, 2024 • 7min
Sensemaker: Keir Starmer and the mysterious case of the £28bn green plan
Keir Starmer finally killed off Labour’s £28bn green plan. This may have ended months of will-he-won’t-he speculation about the future of the policy - but it has sparked a new debate about what the Labour leader stands for.To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 9, 2024 • 35min
News Meeting: A Labour u-turn and a failed peace agreement
What should lead the news? Three people pitch the story they think matters most to Tortoise’s editor James HardingIn this episode the team discuss the news that Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the Gaza peace deal, Labour has dropped its £28 billion green investment plan, and the hydroelectric dam that could power a lot of AfricaEmail: newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.comGuests:Giles Whittell, Tortoise's deputy editorChloe Hadjimatheou, Tortoise's reporterPhil Collins, author and columnist Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 9, 2024 • 8min
Sensemaker: 23andMe’s cybercrime crisis
A new class-action lawsuit is accusing the genetic testing company 23andMe of failing to protect the privacy of millions of its customers after the data identifying their ethnicity was posted on the dark web.To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 8, 2024 • 38min
Trendy: Going places: is social mobility alive and well?
The number of university graduates has never been higher, but what does that mean for social mobility? Has it stalled and if so, what does that reveal about inequality?Email: trendy@tortoisemedia.comHosts: John Curtice and Rachel WolfExecutive producer: Jasper CorbettTo find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 8, 2024 • 6min
Sensemaker: Lewis Hamilton's new era
Lewis Hamilton is the most successful Formula 1 driver in history. At the age of 39, he has decided to make the biggest move of his career, to Ferrari. To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 7, 2024 • 8min
Sensemaker: Imran Khan imprisoned
Once a world famous cricket captain and playboy, Imran Khan became Pakistan’s prime minister in 2018. Now, ahead of the county’s election on Thursday, he’s been imprisoned for 14 years. Why?To find out more about Tortoise:Download the Tortoise app - for a listening experience curated by our journalistsSubscribe to Tortoise+ on Apple Podcasts for early access and ad-free contentBecome a member and get access to all of Tortoise's premium audio offerings and moreIf you want to get in touch with us directly about a story, or tell us more about the stories you want to hear about contact hello@tortoisemedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.