Media Confidential
Prospect Magazine
You’ve been listening to the Prospect Podcast, Media Confidential’s sister podcast. To subscribe on Spotify, click HERE. For Apple podcasts, click HERE. Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber—two of the world’s greatest editors—dive into the hugely important world of media. What—and who—drives it? What do they get right... And what do they get wrong?Lionel, former editor of the Financial Times, and Alan, editor of Prospect and former editor of the Guardian, will bring you revealing, high profile interviews and in-depth discussion.Media Confidential is produced by Prospect Magazine.Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives. No commitment—you can cancel at any time. Currently you can SAVE up to 50% on a digital subscription: https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/JN5025/prospect-magazine/JN5025G Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 2, 2025 • 21min
Q&A: Would you have interviewed Hitler?
In this week’s Q&A episode, Alan and Lionel are asked if they would ever pay for an interview—and if there are any interviewees who would be off limits. They discuss whether media studies should be added to the UK curriculum for 11-16 year olds to combat misinformation.Plus, will news organisations suffer financially when Donald Trump is no longer president?Send your questions in to us mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 29, 2025 • 41min
Does ‘free speech’ even exist?
This week, Alan and Lionel are joined by historian Fara Dabhoiwala to discuss his new book What is Free Speech?They discuss how the concept of “free speech” came about—and how the notion has always been weaponised. They also analyse the role of media and social media companies and answer: are broadcasters responsible for everything shared on their platforms?And after being called out in a speech, Alan responds to right-wing media baron Paul Marshall, who recently lamented the problems with today’s media landscape. Plus, the hosts reflect on the passing of presenter Alan Yentob.Fara’s book ‘What is Free Speech? The history of a dangerous idea’ is out now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 26, 2025 • 25min
Q&A: What’s happening to the Telegraph?
In this week’s Q&A, Alan and Lionel discuss the sale of the Telegraph and what comes next for the newspaper.They also talk about whether anything can be done to revive the print newspaper and are asked about what's happening with the sale of Paramount in the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 22, 2025 • 47min
Trump v the New York Times
This week on Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel are joined by Joseph Kahn, executive editor of the New York Times. Alan, Lionel and Joe discuss editing in the time of Trump, why US media organisations are bending to the president, and whether publications owned by corporations are really equipped to resist the government.Plus, the hosts talk about Gary Lineker’s departure from the BBC—and a new book which explores what journalists knew about former president Joe Biden’s deteriorating health but withheld from the public, for fear of losing access to the White House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 19, 2025 • 22min
Q&A: Who is the rudest person you've ever interviewed?
In this week’s Q&A episode, Alan and Lionel discuss their most difficult interviews.They also discuss why journalists are no longer sent out to cover council meetings and whether that has an impact on democracy. Plus, the hosts answer an email about the BBC’s dominance over online news in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 15, 2025 • 38min
CNN's CEO: ‘If we didn't have politicians on air who might lie, we'd struggle to fill the airwaves’
At the Truth Tellers summit in London, Alan and Lionel sit down with Mark Thompson, the CEO of American media giant CNN.Mark is asked if he has sat down with Trump since he started in office.Does he feel a slide towards state-owned media, monitored by the White House? And why does CNN continue to give the president airtime?“If the rule was [that] we didn't have politicians on the air who might lie", he says, "we'd be struggling possibly to fill the airwaves.”Plus, after listening to the ‘Rest is Classified’ podcast series on whistleblower Edward Snowden, Alan discusses his role in publishing the Snowden documents, and how he believes the BBC was too timid to cover the story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 12, 2025 • 32min
Q&A: How to make the Evening Standard great again
In this week’s Q&A session, Alan and Lionel are asked whether there’s still a market for the London Standard and what they would do if its owner Evgeny Lebedev came asking for advice.They also discuss undercover reporting: after interviewing Harry Shukman who spent a year infiltrating far right groups in the UK, the editors discuss how to prepare a reporter for covert investigations.Plus, as press freedom hits an all-time low, how can we make the world safer for journalists?To submit your questions to Alan and Lionel, email mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 8, 2025 • 35min
Harry Shukman: Undercover in the Far Right
This week on Media Confidential, journalist Harry Shukman joins Alan and Lionel to discuss his year spent infiltrating the far right.Harry’s new book Year of the Rat explores this journey. He shares why he went undercover to report on the story, why he thinks the threat from the British far right has been underestimated, and moments when he risked discovery.Plus, the editors mull over Jon Voight’s plan to “make Hollywood great again”, and discuss the BBC choosing to shelve a new film about the destruction of Gaza’s health service.Harry’s book ‘Year of the Rat: Undercover in the British Far Right’ is out today (May 8th) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 5, 2025 • 21min
Q&A: It’s ‘Da Business’— The launch of Alan and Lionel's (imaginary) new newspaper
In this week’s Q&A, Alan and Lionel are presented with a thought experiment: if they had to join forces, how would they run a brand new media venture?What’s it all about? Where is the money coming from? And, contentiously…who would be the editor?With half a million households cancelling their licence fee in 2023 alone, the hosts are also asked about alternatives to a TV license fee, as the BBC struggles to connect with younger audiences.They also speculate on who might step into the shoes of Alex Mahon, Channel 4’s outgoing CEO, who joined Media Confidential to talk about gen Z’s media habits back in March.Keep your questions coming via mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 1, 2025 • 36min
New hope for the newsroom?
Alan and Lionel are joined by Lea Korsgaard, co-founder and editor-in-chief at Zetland, the Danish media organisation revolutionising the way people engage with the news.She discusses what makes the media platform, which Alan describes as “a beacon of optimism”, so unique—and shares the secret to its success.Plus, Alan and Lionel cast their editorial eyes over the first edition of the Observer, now under new ownership, and give their professional opinions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
