The Media Show

The former Chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, says that the independence of the BBC is at risk from parts of the government. Lord Patten, also the former Chairman of the Conservative Party, tells The Media Show that the Culture Secretary John Whittingdale is part of a "juvenile ideological fringe who, if given half a chance, will do the BBC real damage." We hear Lord Patten's own proposals for reforming BBC governance while safeguarding its freedom from political interference.When Robert Peston moved from the BBC to ITV amidst much fanfare, he said it was the chance to front his own politics programme that swung the deal. That programme finally gets under way this Sunday morning. We hear from "Pesto" what to expect and how he's been coping out of the limelight so far.The BBC has announced new diversity targets for ethnic minorities, women and LGBT people. But why, despite repeated campaigns, has it been so difficult for the BBC to live up to its diversity aspirations? And is the current picture on diversity quite as rosy as the BBC suggests? The BBC's Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Succession, Tunde Ogungbesan has been in the job almost a year. We hear from him and from critic of BBC diversity efforts David Lammy MP.Presenter: Steve Hewlett. Producer: Paul Waters.

The jury at the new inquests into the deaths of fans at Hillsborough has this week concluded that they played no part in the tragedy. The press coverage following the event in 1989 included damning headlines about fans' behaviour, including that they'd stolen from the dead and urinated on police. Bob Westerdale, now sports editor at the Star Newspaper in Sheffield, was working as a crime reporter on the newspaper at the time and went down to the Hillsborough stadium on that tragic day. He talks to Steve Hewlett about his coverage of the story, and how the versions of the 'truth' unravelled.Veteran journalist and TV news anchor Sir Martyn Lewis is helping spearhead a UN backed campaign encouraging journalists to take a more 'constructive' approach to news stories. Linked to reports that indicate negative news stories can affect the psyche, the move is aimed at tackling a perceived apathy and feelings of disempowerment amongst news audiences. He joins Steve Hewlett and journalist Joan Smith to discuss whether it's the really the role of journalists to balance reporting positive and negative coverage of stories.The BBC World Service has announced it will be moving the bulk of its London based Chinese Service to Hong Kong. The move is aimed at improving the reach and impact of the BBC in China. However, there's concern that the move risks putting the BBC's integrity and journalists safety at risk, as well as diminishing UK soft power abroad. BBC Chinese service journalist and NUJ representative Howard Zhang discusses with Liliane Landor, Controller, Languages, BBC World Service.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

A new report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism suggests that with steadily shrinking news audiences, TV news can expect to experience a disruptive period similar to that faced by the newspapers a decade ago. Joining Andrea to explore the declining viewership, the significance of the threat and how TV news might respond in the future is one of the report authors and former editor of BBC news Richard Sambrook, and Ben de Pear editor of Channel 4 news. Plus John McAndrew Executive Editor of Sky News shares his views and explains how new programme 'The Pledge' and its format could be the way to attract new audiences.The Supreme Court will tomorrow hear the case of a celebrity who wants to keep his name out of a tabloid newspaper story about an alleged extra-marital relationship. Justices are to hear the argument following a decision by Court of Appeal judges on Monday that an injunction preventing his name being revealed should be lifted. This particular injunction has been in the headlines constantly over the last few weeks, leading some to conclude that this has given the story more attention than it otherwise would have had. Andrea Catherwood speaks to PR expert Mark Borkowski about the advice he'd give to celebrity clients when their stories hit the tabloids.Five local TV channels; London, Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford and Southampton, have been given the go ahead by OFCOM to cut their local programming commitments. Joining Andrea Catherwood to discuss why the local TV channels requested the reduction and what the change in local programming might mean for the viability and relevance of local TV is Chris Johnson, chair of Local TV network & CEO of Bay TV. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale is facing calls to withdraw from involvement in regulation of the press following the disclosure that he had a relationship with a prostitute. Four newspapers knew he'd had a relationship with a woman who he later found out was a sex worker, but they didn't publish the story. Steve Hewlett talks to one of the journalists who had been investigating the claims - former political correspondent of the Independent James Cusick, and asks him his views about why he thinks the story didn't run. MPs from across political parties will debate diversity at the BBC in the House of Commons tomorrow. The MP David Lammy is leading the debate - he claims the BBC is falling short when it comes to maintaining its commitment to represent the UK and its nations and regions. Broadcasters have long acknowledged that diversity is a problem, both on and off screen. Steve Hewlett talks to Seetha Kumar, the CEO of Creative Skillset, which works with broadcasters to promote diversity. Formally a BBC Executive, she talks to him about the challenge of attracting BAME employees, and the problem in retaining them. TV dramas form an important part of how channels like ITV and BBC retain and grow audiences. Following the move of BBC controller of drama Polly Hill to ITV, we explore the long standing rivalry between the BBC and ITV; from "Howards Way" and "The Jewel in the Crown" to "Call the Midwife" and "Downton Abbey". Joining Steve Hewlett to discuss the ebbs and flows of TV drama since the 1980s are former BBC1 controller Jonathan Powell, and creator of "Holby City" Mal Young.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Some weeks ago, Sir David Clementi said the current regulatory model of the BBC Trust, was 'flawed and that a unitary board should run the BBC. Since then, John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, has said if board members were appointed by the government, that this would not compromise the independence of the BBC. However, the current chair of the BBC Trust, Rona Fairhead, has concerns. Steve Hewlett talks to her about whether the Clementi model is really the best model, the importance of the BBC retaining its independence, and why she thinks the White Paper on the future of the BBC, initially due out in March, needs to be published as soon as possible.A three page list of "tips for maximising your interview time" with the popstar will.i.am were given to journalists interviewing him recently, dictating what can and cannot be discussed, and offering advice for when to ask the most important questions. Is this level of involvement from celebrity PRs helpful or meddling in journalism? Steve Hewlett talks to Telegraph writer Harry Wallop who was the recipient of the 'tip' checklist. The Sun on Sunday has lost a court battle to print a story about a celebrity's alleged threesome on the grounds their children deserve protection. It's raised concerns amongst press freedom advocates that this defence will be used by claimants more frequently, and offer those with children carte blanche to act in any way they want, with immunity from press coverage. Steve Hewlett discusses the issues with lawyers Sara Mansoori from Matrix Chambers and Mark Stephens from Howard Kennedy. Plus, editor of the Press Gazette Dominic Ponsford explains his concerns about the potential impact on journalism. Prod: Katy Takatsuki.

A report from BARB (The Broadcasters Audience Research Board) estimates that Netflix is now in some 5 million UK households, stating that: 'Netflix is by some margin the market leader' among subscription video on demand services. But can its subscriber base keep pace with its ambition to become 'a global Internet TV network'? To discuss, Steve is joined by media analyst Mathew Horsman, from Mediatique.Channel Five is weeks into its first rebrand in five years, aiming to attract younger and more affluent audiences. Its head of programmes Ben Frow has been reportedly handed a 'double digit increase' in his programming budget to change perceptions about the channel. So, what commissioning decisions is he taking to make this happen? He speaks to Steve Hewlett about his ambitions.A Media Society debate tonight will ask, 'is this the end of print?' The Independent's spin-off, the i, is continuing in print form under new ownership; Trinity Mirror has recently launched a new national daily, The New Day, and the free distributed Metro and London Evening Standard are turning a profit. So is it too soon to write off the traditional newspaper? Steve Hewlett asks journalist and Professor of Journalism at City University Roy Greenslade, Independent Digital Editor Christian Broughton and Sarah Baxter, deputy editor of the Sunday Times.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Twitter is ten years old and has had an "utterly transformative" impact on journalism. That's according to Emily Bell, Director of the Tow Centre for Digital Journalism at the Columbia Journalism School. She says it has been the most important journalistic tool since the phone. We'll hear from her and from radio and TV presenter Richard Bacon, one of the UK's pioneers in using Twitter. He has 1.5 million followers and has experienced both the bright and very dark sides of Twitter.We'll also ask if we - all of us - are too quick to share pictures and video on Twitter and other social media in the aftermath of terror attacks, like those in Brussels yesterday? We'll be hearing from Hend Amry who began #ISISMediaBlackout on Twitter to discourage users from sharing ISIS propaganda online. She feels that sharing footage of attacks inadvertently serves the purpose of terror groups who hope to spread panic.Also - the editor of the Mail on Sunday, Geordie Greig, will reveal what he thinks helped his newspaper to win Newspaper of Year at last night's Society of Editors Press Awards.And the Chief Executive Officer of Johnston Press, Ashley Highfield, will discuss his plans for the i newspaper, which the Johnston Press is in the process of buying. How will the i thrive without the content previously supplied by the Independent newspaper? And with so many local newspapers in the Johnston Press empire now labelled "non-core" or "sub-core", will their future be blighted by cuts, strikes and closures? All questions for Ashley Highfield.

Andrea Catherwood is joined by Maria Eagle, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport. The Garston and Halewood MP gives her first interview to the Media Show since being appointed as Labour's Shadow Culture Secretary in January 2016. With BBC Charter Renewal gathering pace and responses to Sir David Clementi's recommendations for BBC regulation and governance emerging from the Government and the BBC, how would Maria Eagle safeguard BBC independence?Sir Joseph Pilling, former permanent secretary at the Northern Ireland Office, has recently been appointed as the independent reviewer of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). IPSO has been strongly criticised by the Hacked Off campaigning group and victims of phone hacking - and only some national newspapers have signed up to it. Sir Joseph has been appointed by the watchdog to conduct an external review of how well or otherwise it is operating, and he tells us how he plans to do it.Yesterday the Investigatory Powers Bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has voiced serious concerns about the legislation, saying the bill endangers press freedom and offers no protection for sources or whistleblowers. To consider the implications of the proposed digital surveillance legislation for investigative journalism, protection of sources and journalists' safety, Andrea is joined by Professor Sir David Omand, former Director of GCHQ & Pia Sarma, Editorial Legal Director for The Times newspaper.Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Paul Waters.

We hear from the new Controller of BBC TV Channels (BBC 1,2 and 4) and iPlayer Charlotte Moore about her vision for the future. She also gives her response to claims (from Culture Secretary John Whittingdale and a recent report from consultants Oliver & Ohlbaum and Oxera Consulting), that BBC TV has become less distinctive.We hear from Sevgi Akarcesme, Editor in Chief of Today's Zaman about the Turkish state takeover of the anti-government newspaper for which she works, and from the BBC's Turkey correspondent Mark Lowen on the context of this crackdown on press freedom.A recent report by Sir David Clementi into the governance and regulation of the BBC recommended that the government appoint about half of a reformed future BBC's operational board. The Director General of the BBC, Lord Hall, said this recommendation could undermine the BBC's independence from government. So where should the balance lie between BBC freedom from government influence and the public's ability, via the democratically elected government, to have a say in how the BBC licence fee is spent? We hear from "the insider's insider" Tim Suter. He's been a BBC TV executive,worked for the broadcasting regulator Ofcom, is on the board of the Press Recognition Panel, advised the House of Lords Communications Select Committee and is one of the leaders of the European Broadcasting Union's project for developing a vision for European Public Service Broadcasting.

The Secretary of State John Whittingdale has been sharing his views of the BBC at the Oxford Media Conference. We hear what he had to say about BBC distinctiveness and the impact the corporation has on the market and on its commercial competitors. The BBC's head of strategy and digital James Purnell then gives his verdict on the Secretary of State's vision so far.And Sir David Clementi has carried out a review of the governance and regulation of the BBC. Former chairman of the BBC Trust, Sir Michael Lyons discusses in details of his recommendations - in particular that the BBC Trust should be scrapped and a new unitary board created with oversight by the broadcasting regulator Ofcom. Plus reaction from Richard Tait - former BBC Governor and Trustee - and one time editor of Newsnight and editor in Chief at ITN and Professor Lis Howell - head of broadcasting at City University.And, new research suggests that ethnicity is a significant factor in the television programming people watch and that the top twenty most viewed shows are very different for an ethnic minority audience compared to the country at large. We hear from one of the report's authors.

The shortlist for the Press Awards 2015 has been unveiled and includes just 20 women, among a total of 114 journalists. The lack of women shortlisted has caused anger amongst some journalists - in response, an alternative awards ceremony 'Words By Women' has been set up, with Kay Burley of Sky News and Lisa Markwell, Editor of the Independent on Sunday on the judging panel. Joining Steve to discuss the representation and recognition of women in journalism are Marie Le Conte, journalist & co-founder of the awards, plus judge columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, and Bob Satchwell, Executive Director of the Society of Editors & the Press Awards Chair of Judges.Publisher Trinity Mirror is launching a new 'optimistic' and 'politically neutral' national newspaper next week. 'The New Day' will be an entirely new paper, not a sister-title or 'Daily Mirror-light' - making it the first standalone newspaper to be launched for around 30 years. Steve Hewlett talks to editor Alison Phillips about the editorial slant of the publication and how they hope to reverse the declines other papers are facing. The House of Lords Communications Committee says the scale and scope of the BBC should not be cut back. The report, 'Reith not Revolution' - the title of which refers to Lord Reith, whose principles for broadcasting are at the heart of the corporation - follows an eight month inquiry. Steve Hewlett talks to cross party chair of the Committee Lord Best about the findings, the recommendations, and suggested changes the BBC could make. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation, which regulates many national newspapers, says its members have given it enhanced powers and increased independence. The Media Show speaks to IPSO Chairman Sir Alan Moses about exactly how these new powers will work. For instance, under what circumstances will IPSO be able to launch investigations in the absence of a complaint? And will newspapers really be risking a £1 million fine if they misbehave? We'll be asking how IPSO's newly chosen reviewer will oversee the operation of the press regulator. And we'll also get Sir Alan's response to claims from critics that IPSO is both too close to and too lenient towards the newspapers it regulates. Plus, The Guardian's Jane Martinson reacts to his comments.The BBC will tonight air a programme showing an assisted suicide taking place at a facility in Switzerland. It's the latest in a line of similar documentaries shown in recent years, leading to concerns from campaigners that assisted suicide is being 'normalised' in the media. The documentary, called "How to Die: Simon's Choice", was filmed against the backdrop of a House of Commons debate last year, in which MPs voted resoundingly against a Bill to legalise assisted suicide. Steve Hewlett talks to the producer director Rowan Deacon about the making of the film. Plus, Alistair Thompson, spokesman for Care Not Killing, shares his concerns about documentaries depicting assisted suicide; and film maker Charlie Russell, director of Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die discusses the ethical dilemmas he faced.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

James Murdoch, son of Rupert, has returned to Sky as Chairman. It comes four years after he resigned from the position amid the phone hacking scandal, which led to the closure of the Murdoch-owned newspaper News of the World. Since last July, James Murdoch also served as chief executive of 21st Century Fox, Sky's biggest shareholder. Andrea Catherwood is joined by Sarah Ellison of Vanity Fair, who has closely followed the Murdoch media dynasty, and also Ashley Hamilton Claxton, from Royal London Asset Management, a shareholder in Sky, who calls the reappointment 'inappropriate.'Guardian News & Media, the publisher of the Guardian, is to cut running costs by 20% - a little over £50m - in a bid to break even within three years and support future growth. In the words of its Chief executive David Pemsel: 'We need to be an agile, lean and responsive organisation.' Ian Burrell, Assistant Editor & Media Editor of The Independent newspaper joins Andrea to discuss whether the Guardian's model of free content online, amid a climate of reduced print advertising revenues & the rise of ad-blocking, is a sustainable one.Africa's internet penetration will reach 50 percent by 2025 and there are expected to be 360 million smartphones, according to data from McKinsey Consultants. Today, journalist Ismail Einashe is discussing what impact new media in Africa is having on journalism, at a talk for the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. He joins Andrea after the talk. Also joining her is author Anjan Sundaram, whose new book "Bad News" examines press freedom in Rwanda. Together they discuss whether the growth of new media in Africa is a way to improve democracy, or whether it's a mechanism for greater state control?Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The chairman of Channel 4 Lord Terry Burns leaves the organisation today. His departure has been seen by some as an indication that the government is favouring 'privatisation options' for the channel. On the last day of his second term, and in his final interview for The Media Show as chairman, we speak to him about the highs and lows of the job, his thoughts on how the broadcaster should be structured in the future, and his view on the BBC's Charter renewal.Idris Elba has put diversity back on the agenda for UK broadcasters. The British actor said in a speech to MPs last week, "diversity in the modern world is more than just skin colour." New commitments were also announced by both the BBC & Channel 4. So, what's it like at the sharp end for diversity champions working for the broadcasters? Steve is joined by Joyce Adeluwoye-Adams, BBC Diversity Lead for Television & Channel 4's Creative Diversity Manager, Ade Rawcliffe, to discuss their roles, and the challenges they face when trying to make a positive change. Financial Times journalists have voted in favour of a 24-hour strike over proposed changes to the newspaper's pension policy. It would be the first strike in 30 years if it goes ahead. Last July, Pearson struck a deal to sell the Financial Times to Japan's Nikkei Group for nearly 900 million pounds, after nearly 60 years of ownership. The purchase underscored the Nikkei's bid for a global expansion, but it also led to suggestions that the tie-up could lead to a clash of cultures. Since then, staff have expressed concern over a number of issues, including the editorial independence of the FT. Steven Bird is the National Union of Journalists representative at the FT. He joins Steve in the studio. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

ITV has announced that two of its senior executives will be stepping down; Chairman Archie Norman will be leaving, as will Director of TV Peter Fincham. ITV Studios managing director, Kevin Lygo will replace him. Steve Hewlett discusses the thinking behind the changes with Mathew Horsman from consultancy Mediatique, and Steve Morrison, former CEO of Granada, shares his thoughts on whether this change of leadership means a change of direction for the UK's largest commercial broadcaster.Impress, the alternative press regulator to IPSO, will today sign up to the Press Recognition Panel - which was set up following parliament's creation of the royal charter on press regulation. Since its inception in 2013, Impress has failed to gain any members - at present, three major publishers of national titles - the Guardian, Independent and Financial Times - have not signed up to regulation by either Ipso or Impress. Walter Merricks, the chair of Impress, joins Steve Hewlett to announce the six publishers the regulator now has on board. A global survey by PR firm Edelman has found a "huge increase" in levels of trust that British people feel towards traditional media. Its 'Trust Barometer', a survey of over 33,000 people globally, and over 1000 people in the UK, found that university educated individuals with higher incomes felt a big rise in trust of the media - up 14% this year to 52%, compared with those on lower incomes whose "trust score" in the media was 40%. Ed Williams, Edelman UK CEO discusses the findings, and Natalie Fenton, Professor of media and communications at Goldsmiths College & Director at campaign group Hacked Off, considers how consumption habits are changing the way we perceive media brands. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The EC is debating a new law in Poland, feared to be compromising the editorial freedom of public service broadcasters. Last Thursday, President Duda signed a new media bill, giving the government direct control over top appointments at the country's TV & radio stations. The bill had been condemned by press freedom organisations. Steve is joined by Polish journalist Bartosz Wielinski, from newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, and Ingrid Deltenre, Director General of the European Broadcasting Union, which has opposed the bill from the outset.James Harding, the Director of News and Current affairs at the BBC, has launched a review to reshape the operation as it faces millions of pounds worth of costs. In a recent blog post, he wrote to staff saying: "We are going to have to make choices...the funding settlement for the BBC requires both cuts and the reallocation of spending." Steve Hewlett asks one-time ITN Chief Executive and Editor in Chief Stewart Purvis and Jonathan Baker, former Editor of the BBC News at Ten and now Professor of Journalism at Essex University, where cuts might be made. And in a week that's seen the BBC criticised by the Labour party following the on-air resignation of Stephen Doughty, Steve also talks to them about such 'deals' being done, and whether they jeopardise impartiality.The consultancy firm Deloitte has published its 2016 Media Predictions report today. This year's predictions include a growth in virtual reality, especially in gaming, plus a prediction that very few people will use ad-blocking software. In addition, its report says there will be a slowdown in the US pay-TV market and a growth in eSports. Ed Shedd leads the global media and entertainment team at Deloitte Global. He talks Steve Hewlett through some of this year's key predictions. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Scotland's Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop says the BBC is not spending enough of the licence fee cash raised north of the border in Scotland.Journalists are accused of unfairly harvesting information for stories from children's social media accounts. Is this legitimate use of information that has been put into the public arena? Or should anything posted online by a child always be off-limits to the media no matter what?Channel Four launches a new foreign language drama on demand service called Walter Presents. We hear from Walter.

Known as 'the newspaper man's newspaper man', Robin Esser's press career spans nearly 60 years. Robin worked on Fleet Street in the 'golden era' of journalism, editing the Daily then Sunday Express before taking on the Daily Mail in 1991, and later becoming its Executive Managing Editor. Robin joins Steve Hewlett to discuss how the media landscape has changed, some of the key strategic decisions he's made, and what he perceives as the challenges and opportunities facing papers like the Daily Mail today.Journalists fail to tell the story of migration, that's according to a new report by the Ethical Journalism Network. It claims there is too much focus on the fear of migration, problems of security, and too little attention is given to the background situation and the lives of the migrants. Steve Hewlett hears from Zakeera Suffee, one of the report's authors, and from the media commentator Stephen Glover, who is also a columnist for The Daily Mail. BBC Sport is to "reluctantly" end its Formula 1 television contract three years early as part of savings across the corporation. Channel 4 will take on the BBC's F1 broadcast rights from next season. BBC Sport was asked to find £35m of savings, as part of a £150m gap in the corporation's finances from next year. However, the decision has led to questions about whether the BBC is making the right choices in where savings are being made. Steve Hewlett talks to former head of BBC sport, Roger Mosey, and gets his views on the thinking behind this decision, and whether the savings axe has fallen in the right place.And, what will 2016 hold for the big broadcasters? Analyst Claire Enders gives her thoughts on what the big issues will be for Channel 4, Sky and the BBC. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

In 2011 the Prime Minister announced the two part Leveson inquiry into the role of the press and police in the phone-hacking scandal. Part 1 examined the culture, practices and ethics of the press. However, Part 2 could not commence until police investigations and criminal proceedings had been completed. This week, the CPS announced it would cease any ongoing criminal investigations. So, will Leveson Part 2 now happen? The BBC's legal correspondent Clive Coleman, Prof. Natalie Fenton from Goldsmiths University and campaign group Hacked Off, and journalist Neil Wallis, who was tried and acquitted for phone hacking, discuss. The BBC's News at Ten is to run 10 minutes longer in the New Year, with the bulletin set to end at 22:45 GMT on every weekday except Friday. According to the corporation, "the extended Ten will give audiences even more news analysis and explanation". But does the audience want a longer programme? Steve Hewlett talks to Gavin Allen, BBC controller of Daily news programmes, and Jonathan Baker, former BBC editor of the 1, 6 and 10'o clock news bulletins. The last British person to be held at the American military base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba has been telling his story this week. Shaker Aamer was released and sent back to the UK two months ago - after 14 years in captivity as a terror suspect. During that time, he was never charged or put on trial. In a broad-ranging interview with the Mail on Sunday this week, he made allegations about his treatment. Journalist David Rose wrote that story, and has led the campaign for Aamer's release for many years. Steve Hewlett speaks to David about his work, and meeting Shaker for the first time. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The first analysis of the 2015 TV leadership debates, carried out by the University of Leeds and funded by ITV, has been published. It claims to find that TV debates helped people engage with the campaigns, with almost half of people who claimed they were 'not interested' still tuning in. A further 30 per cent of the viewers to the first ITV debate said they had become more interested in the campaign after watching it. Steve Hewlett talks to report author Professor Stephen Coleman, and to Jenni Russell, columnist for the Times, Sunday Times and Evening Standard. Prince Charles has been accused of "North Korea-style" censorship to control TV interviews, after Channel 4 pulled out of a pre-arranged interview with him as it would not agree to conditions stipulated by Clarence House. The contract included clauses like allowing the Prince's contribution to be removed entirely from the final product. Joining Steve Hewlett to discuss the challenges of securing royal interviews is the Evening Standard's royal editor Robert Jobson, royal biographer Catherine Mayer, and Stewart Purvis who made a three part documentary about the royals for ITN.US presidential candidate Donald Trump has claimed he's been named, the 'Ernest Hemmingway of 140 characters', in reference to his activity on Twitter. Choosing to reject traditional advertising to raise his profile, he has instead harnessed the internet, using social media as a platform for his often controversial views, which are then shared immediately, without verification or challenge, to his 5 million+ followers. ." Steve talks to Emily Bell, Director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism in New York, about Trump's social media strategy.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Lord David Puttnam, whose credits include the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire and The Killing Fields, is spearheading an inquiry into the future of public service broadcasting. It's aim is to look at the 'nature, purpose and role of public service television today and in the future'. The inquiry is being seen as a challenge to the eight-person advisory committee appointed by Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, to guide his conclusions on the renewal of the BBC's Royal Charter. Steve Hewlett talks to Lord Puttnam about what he hopes the inquiry will achieve, and gets his views on the current state of the UK's broadcasting ecology.The Media Show recently spoke to Jesse Norman, the Chair of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee following a letter he had sent to the Director General of the BBC Tony Hall. Mr Norman raised concerns over the corporation's plans to turn most of its in house production arm into a new commercial subsidiary, BBC Studios, and let it compete in the market for business. Very little detail of the BBC's proposals has been outlined, raising questions about governance, regulation and conflict of interest. Steve speaks to Peter Salmon, Director BBC studios.The controversial star of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Lady Colin Campbell has unexpectedly left the jungle today. Love her or hate her, fans of the ITV show agree that she has made compelling TV, in this, the fifteenth series of the format. Steve speaks to one of the original I'm a Celebrity creators Natalka Znak, and to Elaine Bedell, Director of entertainment and comedy at ITV, about the enduring appeal of the show, and why it's continuing to attract audiences, where other formats have failed.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The president of AOL Content, which owns the Huffington Post, says the media industry is undergoing a 'revolutionary change'. In a speech at the Reuters Institute, Jimmy Maymann says it's because of a shift from 'destination' to 'distributed' media. This means that rather than actively visiting branded websites to choose content, users are consuming what's being offered to them, often via social media. Steve Hewlett talks to Jimmy Maymann about the impact of this shift, and Sarah Marshall, social media editor at the Wall Street Journal, gives her thoughts on what publishers need to do to respond to this change.A new study by City University's Professor of Broadcasting claims that the news, far from reflecting society, 'distorts society'. In her latest work into the representation of women in the media, Lis Howell has found that while female expertise generally runs at a ratio of about 2.5 male experts to every female expert, in the news men outnumber women by around 3 to 1. Lis talks to Steve Hewlett about the findings, and about what broadcasters could be doing to improve the ratios. Virgin Media provides TV, internet, mobile and fixed-line telephone services in the UK. The company's cable network delivers broadband to over half of all UK homes, and there's a current project to extend this to four million additional premises over the next five years. Tom Mockridge has been at the helm since June 2013, following the company's acquisition by Liberty Global, the world's largest international cable operator. Steve Hewlett talks to him about content, broadband, sports rights and retransmission fees. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

A series of co-ordinated attacks in Paris on Friday night have resulted in the deaths of at least 129 people. Media outlets quickly mobilized with blanket coverage across television, radio, newspapers and social media. How do the news media outlet co-ordinate and respond to such a breaking and dangerous situation? How do you decide what is a proportionate amount of coverage? And with so many unconfirmed reports, how can you be sure of the reliability of your story? Steve Hewlett discusses the pitfalls and challenges with a panel of guests; John McAndrew from Sky News', the BBC's Gavin Allen, Professor of TV journalism Stewart Purvis, Jeremy Griffin from The Times and Ryan Broderick from Buzzfeed UK.The chair of the Commons culture, media and sport select committee has written to BBC director general Tony Hall about his concern over the corporation's plans to spin off its TV production arm into a separate commercial unit and create BBC Studios. Conservative MP Jesse Norman, who replaced John Whittingdale in May, says he has asked Lord Hall about the impact on commercial rivals and the production sector. He tells Steve Hewlett why its important for the public to be fully consulted over the creation of the new subsidiary.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Trinity Mirror has taken full control of media network Local World, which has over 100 regional titles across England and Wales. Dubbed a 'good day for local media', by Chief Executive Simon Fox, the £187 million deal will create the UK's largest regional media group. In his first appearance on The Media Show, Steve Hewlett talks to Chief Executive Simon Fox about the purchase, what it means for a challenged local press, and whether it raises any issues around media plurality. Britain's biggest-selling newspaper the Sun is to take down its online paywall, after failing to win enough readers. Rupert Murdoch's tabloid introduced the subscription model in 2013, when then editor David Dinsmore said that asking readers to pay for content was, "the only way to protect the future of the newspaper industry". Now in his position as newly promoted Chief Operating Officer of News UK, Steve Hewlett asks David what he hopes a free website will do to stem the decline in print circulation.The Leader of the House of Commons Chris Grayling has said that the Freedom of Information Act is being misused as a research tool to generate stories for the media. At the same time, the Government has set up an independent cross party Commission to review how FOI is working. There are concerns this will lead to new restrictions on the release of information, a strengthening of the ministerial veto and the adding of new fees. Steve hears from Heather Brooke, freedom of information campaigner and Professor of Journalism at City University, and Dominic Ponsford, Editor of the Press Gazette which has launched a 'Hands Off FOI' campaign.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The Media Show's Steve Hewlett hosts a landmark discussion about the BBC's future as the corporation approaches the review of its Royal Charter. The main players from government, regulators, broadcasters and other media will come together to assess how the BBC should be funded, what it should and should not do, and how it should be regulated. Steve and his guests will challenge the evidence, expose the brinkmanship and explore how specific changes could alter the DNA of the BBC. The no holds barred discussion will take place in front of a public audience which will put its own questions to the panel.Producer: Paul Waters Editor: Karen Dalziel.

Fleet Street's confidence has "worn thin", says the former editor of the Guardian, Alan Rusbridger. In a wide ranging speech at the Society of Editors' annual conference, he also took a swipe at the rest of the UK media by criticising their lack of interest in the Snowden revelations and the subsequent debate about the issue of surveillance. Steve Hewlett talks to him about his legacy and asks where next for the Guardian?The culture secretary John Whittingdale says he is not convinced the time is right to introduce laws forcing publishers to pay both sides' legal costs in libel and privacy cases, even if they win. Most of the industry has argued that the measures undermine press freedom. However, the prospect of Mr Whittingdale abandoning this key element of the Leveson regime drew criticism from campaign group Hacked Off. Steve speaks to Helen Anthony, author of recent report "Leveson's Illiberal Legacy" and Evan Harris of Hacked Off.The portrayal of LGBT issues in the media still needs improving, according to the Chief Executive of the online site PinkNews which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. Steve hears from Ben Cohen, Chief Executive, about how media outlets are covering LGBT issues today, and whether there is still a need for specialist sites like his now.ITV has bought the Northern Ireland broadcaster UTV for a reported £100 million. UTV's television division, which operates in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland accounted for 36 per cent of its revenue last year, according to Thomson Reuters data. The deal will put 13 of 15 channel 3 licences in the hands of ITV. Media analyst Alex DeGroote explains how media, money and politics have converged to influence the sale.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The BBC's latest submission to the Government on the Charter Review consultation includes further detail on BBC Studios. The proposal removes the key guarantees and quotas for BBC in-house programmes but establishes BBC Studios as a separate entity, to maintain the BBC's tradition of programme making. To discuss the implications for the UK's independent TV production sector at large, Steve is joined by Cat Lewis, CEO of Nine Lives Media and Debbie Manners, MD Keo Films and former Chair of Pact Council.Axel Springer, the owner of the German tabloid Bild, has become the first major German publisher to insist that users of ad-blocking software either pay a monthly fee, or turn off the ad-blockers before viewing its content. Earlier this month, Apple launched its first operating system permitting users to download ad-blocking software from its app store. Media Editor of The Times, Beth Rigby, joins Steve. New research shows 20% of female technology journalists surveyed said they had disguised their gender, name or published anonymously, to avoid abuse. Catherine Adams, freelance journalist & senior lecturer in Communications at Nottingham Trent joins Steve to discuss the conclusions of her new research. And Holly Brockwell, Editor in Chief of Gadgette, a technology website aimed at women, talks about the sexist abuse she has experienced in the course of her work.The BBC have issued a statement denying that it has axed The Voice, saying: "We are in discussions about its future, but we won't get into a bidding war." Reports from The Daily Mirror had suggested the BBC had dropped the programme and that it could appear on ITV. The Guardian's Tara Conlan joins Steve to discuss the wrangling over this Saturday night talent show. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

An investigation by BBC's Panorama into alleged VIP Paedophile rings has questioned whether there was in fact any reliable evidence to support claims. It questioned the methods of investigative website Exaro News - who have led the way in covering this story. Mark Watts, Editor in Chief of Exaro News, gives his response to Steve Hewlett.BBC journalist and presenter Robert Peston is to join rival broadcaster ITV as its new political editor. The BBC's economics editor has been lured to switch networks with a reported salary of around £350,000 and the promise of a Sunday morning chatshow. Steve Hewlett talks to former Editor-in-Chief and CEO of ITN news Stewart Purvis about the reasons why ITV is so keen to hire him.Express Newspapers, the newspaper arm of Desmond's Northern & Shell, has cut the cost of the weekday Daily Star, and the Saturday and Sunday editions. The move, which the company has described as a "very bold move to inject some overdue sales and excitement to the category", will challenge rivals including Trinity Mirror's Mirror and Sunday People and News UK's Sun. Douglas McCabe from Enders Analysis explains the thinking behind the decision.Dennis Publishing today makes its first foray into the freemium magazine market with Coach, a title aimed at 'ABC1 men in the 24-55 age range.' Founded in 1974, Dennis Publishing's magazine portfolio includes the paid-for titles The Week, Viz and Men's Fitness. Coach comes less than 3 weeks after the re-launch of The NME as a free title. The CEO of Dennis Publishing in the UK, James Tye, joins Steve to examine the strategy behind the freemium model for Dennis. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

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.

The Royal Television Society Convention in Cambridge brings together senior figures from the TV industry to discuss the challenges of a shifting media landscape. This year's convention looks to television in 2020 and the challenges for content, creativity and business models. The Media Show is broadcasting live from the event.Sir Peter Bazalgette, President of the RTS and Chair of the Arts Council England outlines the themes of the event. Media Show presenter Steve Hewlett also hears from David Abraham, Chief Executive of Channel 4 and Tim Hincks, President of Endemol Shine Group about whether consolidation and the growth in foreign ownership of UK production is stifling creativity.Brian Elsley, the creator and writer of Skins talks E4 talks about taking his hit show to the USA and why the UK needs more US-style showrunners.And the Guardian's media editor Jane Martinson looks ahead to speeches by Tony Hall, the Director-General of the BBC and John Whittingdale MP, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.Producers: Dianne McGregor and Paul Waters.

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.

Rebekah Brooks is returning to News Corp as chief executive of its UK division, a year after she was cleared of all phone hacking charges. Her appointment has been condemned by Hacked Off and the shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant. What impact will her return have on a business that has tried to re-shape its image in light of the phone hacking scandal? Steve hears from Peter Preston, former editor of the Guardian. The News Media Association, the trade body for the UK newspaper industry, is calling on the government to implement 10 changes around the scope of the BBC's digital news services. In its submission to the government green paper on the BBC charter review, it says it "fundamentally disagrees" with the corporation's ambition to grow this area of its business. Steve Hewlett talks to Mark Oliver, former head of strategy at the BBC, and founder of Oliver and Ohlbaum - the firm commissioned to write the report.Following the arrest of two British journalists working for Vice News on the charge of aiding a terrorist organisation, we discuss the state of press freedom in Turkey. Steve is joined by former editor of The Guardian Peter Preston, who travelled to Turkey in his previous role of chairman of the International Press Institute (IPI) and Turkish journalist Yavuz Baydar, the founding member of P24, the Platform for Independent Media.ATVOD, The Authority for Television On-Demand, is the independent co-regulator for the editorial content of UK video on-demand services. With websites of every stripe publishing video content to entice viewers, Steve speaks to ATVOD's Chief Executive Peter Johnson about the organisation's ever-broadening remit and how regulation differs between news and entertainment content.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, says that the government has no desire to dismantle the BBC and that some defenders of the corporation are "tilting at windmills". We hear the first official response from the BBC's Director of Strategy James Purnell.Also in Edinburgh, Channel 5's Director of Programming Ben Frow, reveals how the channel is trying to reposition itself in the market and improve its reputation.And the online music streaming service Spotify has provoked a fuss with its new terms and conditions. Critics say they're a grab too far for all sorts of personal data. We hear from Emma Carr of Big Brother Watch on how Spotify is responding to the backlash.

Buckingham palace has appealed to the world's media not to publish unauthorised images of Prince George. It says some paparazzi have gone to, "extreme lengths" to take pictures and, "a line has been crossed". The palace said a small number of media organisations, mostly in Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and the US, had published photos of Prince George in "unacceptable circumstances". However it said the "vast majority", and all UK publications, had refused. Are the Palace trying to re-draw the lines of what is acceptable intrusion? Steve Hewlett hears from Robert Jobson, Evening Standard Royal Editor, and Ken Wharfe, former Scotland Yard Protection Officer to Diana, the Princess of Wales and Prince William.Sir Tom Jones has criticised the BBC after being told he would not be returning to The Voice. After four series as coach on the talent show, it's been announced he will be replaced by Boy George. Sir Tom took to Facebook to criticise BBC executives about their, "sub-standard behaviour", in the way he was told, with "no consultation or conversation of any kind". The incident has raised questions about the way media organisations, like the BBC, handle top talent. Steve discusses with two leading agents; Sue Ayton from Knight Ayton Management and Jon Thoday Joint Founder and MD of Avalon.Archant, the fifth largest regional newspaper publisher in the UK, with titles in East Anglia, London, Kent and the South West, has reported its first revenue and profit growth in eight years. Steve Hewlett asks CEO Jeff Henry what they're doing to grow, when similar publishers are declining. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

A prominent sportsman has been granted an injunction preventing The Sun newspaper from publishing a story about a relationship he had before he was married, based on the woman's account. The case has raised questions over how injunctions like this, relating to kiss-and-tells, impact on journalism, especially tabloids. Andrea Catherwood talks to The Sun's editor David Dinsmore, and discusses the efficacy of injunctions in an internet era with two media lawyers; Mark Stephens from Howard Kennedy, and Kirsten Sjovoll from Matrix Chambers.Publishing group Pearson has agreed to sell its fifty per cent stake in the Economist Group for £469m. Exor, the holding group of the Agnelli family, has agreed to buy most of Pearson's shares. Media analyst from Liberum Ian Whittaker explains why Pearson's selling, and why Exor's buying.Following Pearson's sale of the FT to Japanese media group Nikkei, journalists at the paper have written to Nikkei management asking for assurances that editorial independence will be maintained. Nikkei has promised to protect the independence of the FT, but in a letter, writers have called on the Nikkei to "enshrine" its editorial independence. Andrea Catherwood talks to Financial Times journalist Martin Sandu about what guarantees staff are looking for.Last week, the NUJ called on the FA to act on what it described as "a worrying trend" amongst clubs about banning journalists from their grounds if they don't like their reporting. Then on Friday, Channel 4 news was banned from Newcastle United's press conference for wanting to ask the club a question about banning journalists! We hear from Channel 4 news correspondent Alex Thomson about what happened.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on the Football Association to act on a "worrying trend" among its member clubs of handing out media bans. It comes days after Scottish football columnist on The Times, Graham Spiers, along with a BBC journalist, was banned from Rangers. Andrea Catherwood talks to Graham Spiers, who explains how his journalism has impacted on relationships with football clubs; NUJ President Michelle Stanistreet about her concerns over clubs having this power, and Professor Tim Luckhurst from the University of Kent about how the rise in clubs' own TV channels, websites and blog sites are increasing the control they yield.The expanding digital media brand Vice has launched a new women's interest channel. "Broadly" says it will cover stories affecting women that the mainstream media fails to cover properly. It will run in partnership with the multi-national consumer goods company Unilever and cover subjects including politics, sex and fashion. Andrea Catherwood speaks to Editor in Chief Tracie Egan Morrissey about the channel's editorial remit, and what she thinks women want from a news provider. Former BBC Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have been signed up to present a new show on Amazon's streaming video service. They'll front a new motoring programme on Amazon Prime - with the first season available in 2016. Andrea Catherwood talks to Michael Underhill, TV analyst at Enders Analysis, about the platform's market position and how it hopes the trio will boost its offering. And Mark Wells, former ITV controller of Entertainment, discusses how the deal marks a moment that sees top talent no longer beholden to free to air broadcasters like ITV and the BBC. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The Japanese Nikkei group has bought the Financial Times from publisher Pearson for £844 million. Pearson has also confirmed it's now in talks to sell it's 50 per cent stake in the Economist. Steve Hewlett talks to Douglas McCabe from Enders Analysis about the sale and to David McNeill, the Independent's Japan correspondent and Economist writer about how east-meets-west cultural differences might impact on editorial standards.ITV has reported strong half year profits, despite also reporting its lowest audience numbers for at least 15 years. The group, which is home to shows including Downton Abbey and The X Factor, said its share of Britain's television audience fell 4 per cent to 21 per cent. Despite this, profits rose by 25 per cent. Steve Hewlett asks media consultant Mathew Horsman how this has happened, and finds out more about Sky's results, which are also out today.An Egyptian court is expected to issue a verdict tomorrow on the retrial of three Al Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed and Peter Greste who were imprisoned for more than a year. They were originally sentenced for spreading false news and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. Sue Turton was charged in absentia and sentenced to ten years. She talks to Steve about the retrial and why her sentence has forced her to give up her job as correspondent for Al Jazeera EnglishThe Press Recognition Panel - the body which will look at applications from any press self-regulators who want to apply for recognition under the Royal Charter - has been asking for views on how it can put the Leveson criteria into practice. It's hoping to be able to take applications from September. Chair of the panel David Wolfe QC joins Steve to explain where they're at with the process.

The BBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC, has published its response to last week's government green paper on the BBC Charter Review. The review will look at, amongst other things, how the BBC should be governed and regulated - with many thinking the new charter will spell the end of the Trust. In her first interview for The Media Show, Trust Chair Rona Fairhead discusses her vision for the future of the BBC, her involvement in the recent licence fee deal, and the legitimacy of the BBC's governance system.A new book, Innovators in Digital News, looks at how some news organisations - some old, some new - are succeeding with digital news. Drawing on first-hand research inside organisations, it explores how The Guardian, The New York Times, Quartz, BuzzFeed and Vice approach the field. Steve Hewlett talks to author Lucy Kung about how clear strategies and strong leaders are winning combinations that are enabling new digital brands to take on 'old stalwarts' to win the attention of online news audiences. As part of its once in a decade review of the UK digital communications market, OFCOM is considering whether BT should be completely separated from Openreach. Openreach, currently an infrastructure division of the BT Group, is responsible for looking after the fibres, wires and cables, providing wholesale access to broadband and telephone lines. Other providers like Sky and TalkTalk claim it provides poor service and that it gives BT an unfair advantage. BT is strongly opposed to a split saying it would threaten further investment in the network. Steve is joined by Matthew Howett, telecoms and technology analyst from independent consultancy Ovum.

The BBC's Director-General Lord Hall has said it is up to licence fee payers to determine the size and shape of the BBC. It's Annual Report, out yesterday, shows how spending and staff numbers rose, despite cost cutting at the corporation. The Chairman of the BBC Rona Fairhead also said there are likely to be further cuts in "scope," prompting speculation that services would be cut. Steve Hewlett talks to Professor Lis Howell, Director of Broadcasting at City University, and the BBC's former Head of Strategy Mark Oliver, about the health of the BBC, where savings may be made, and how the corporation is positioning itself ahead of Charter renewal.The Shadow Culture Secretary has warned that speculative government plans to scale back the BBC would see it becoming a 'national irrelevance by 2027'. Chris Bryant used a major speech last night to say the 'BBC is under siege' from the government, ahead of a Green Paper on the future of the corporation out on Thursday. Steve Hewlett talks to Chris Bryant about his role as 'critical friend', why he thinks it's important the BBC remains culturally significant, and what he would do to improve the organisation.The presenter and documentary-maker Alan Whicker was best known for Whicker's World, a combination of travelogue and social commentary. In one of the longest running series in British television history he featured a range of people from despots, jet setters to eccentrics. A new foundation set up in his name has launched three documentary filmmaker awards - one for first time documentary makers over 50. Jane Ray, Consultation Artistic Director of the Whicker's World Foundation talks to Steve about the awards, and his style of documentary making.

In today's budget, the Chancellor George Osborne announced that responsibility for the policy and delivery of free TV licences for the over 75s is to be shifted from the government to the BBC - at a cost of more than half a billion pounds.To balance that, says the BBC's Director General Tony Hall, the government has committed to let the licence fee increase by inflation; to close the so-called catch-up loophole which permits viewers to watch TV without a licence; and to return the ring-fenced money from the licence fee which is currently being used to support broadband roll-out.Is it a good deal for the audience and the BBC? Does it mean cuts or continuity? We investigate.

Tim Hincks, the President of Endemol Shine, on defining and nurturing creativity, tackling the middle class bias in TV, why we should embrace the mainstream and why UK television is best when it engages with the rest of the world.Richard Ayre from the BBC Trust explains why the Trust has given a provisional and conditional go-ahead to BBC proposals to close BBC3 as a broadcast channel and move it online, and to extend the evening hours of CBBC - but has said no to the idea of BBC One +1.The former director of the BBC's London 2012 Olympic Games coverage, Roger Mosey discusses the International Olympic Committee's decision to award European TV rights to the games to the US communications company Discovery. How big a blow is it to the BBC and what will it mean for viewers?And we hear the latest on reports of further job cuts at the BBC as it faces what is claimed to be a £150M shortfall in anticipated income, as more viewers choose to watch TV exclusively via online catch-up services - which are exempt from the licence fee.

The BBC Trust says that the BBC's TV commissioning process is not sustainable. Currently, 50% is guaranteed for in house commissions, independent producers compete for 25% and the last 25% is open to all. However, the Trust says there is a strong case for reducing or even removing the 50% currently guaranteed for in house commissions. The decision opens the doors for Director General Tony Hall's BBC Compete or Compare strategy, announced last July. Andrea Catherwood is joined by James Purnell, BBC's Director of Strategy and Digital, and John McVay, Chief Executive of PACT to discuss the pros and cons of changing how BBC TV content is made and supplied.A survey conducted by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford has revealed that millions of young viewers have turned to online sources to access news content, "abandoning television news completely." Facebook was the most popular social network for news in all countries in the study except Japan, and it found that smart phones are the 'defining device' for consuming journalism. Andrea Catherwood talks to author Nic Newman from the Reuters Institute about what the findings tell us about changes in news consumption.Carlisle has become the 34th city to be awarded a local TV licence by Ofcom. However, much to the disappointment of the Local TV Network, this may be the last licence for some time: regulator Ofcom has said that until it makes a decision about what it's going to do with the 700 MHTZ spectrum, it won't be awarding any more licences. Whilst Ofcom has described this as a 'pause', Chairman of the Local TV Network Chris Johnson has some concerns. Andrea Catherwood talks to him about how this delay is affecting the roll-out of local TV.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Chris Evans will replace Jeremy Clarkson as the new presenter of Top Gear. It ends months of speculation over who would fill Jeremy Clarkson's shoes after he was sacked after a 'fracas' with a producer on location. Chris, who previously insisted he was not interested , has now signed a three year deal. Co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May will not be part of the show. Chris Evans tells Steve Hewlett about how the deal was done, and how he sees the future of Top Gear, plus the Controller of BBC 2 Kim Shillinglaw on why she thinks Chris is the best choice. Richard Desmond is the owner of the Daily Express, Daily Star and OK! Magazine. Nicknamed "Dirty Des" for the way he battles competitors, last year he sold his Channel 5 TV station to Viacom for £450 million, over four times the price he originally paid for it. In his new autobiography, The Real Deal, he portrays himself as an unhappy Jewish kid from north London who became a billionaire, developing his entrepreneurial spirit at the age of 13 while working in the cloakroom of the local pub. He set up his first magazines - International Musician and Recording World, and Home Organist - in his early 20s, and in 1983, he snapped up the licence to publish Penthouse in the UK. Steve Hewlett talks to him about his rise to media powerhouse; his portfolio, his philosophy and his position in the UK's press and TV landscape.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The chief executive of not-for-profit Channel 4 has enjoyed a 16 per cent pay increase to £855,000 following an 'exceptional performance', according to the broadcaster's annual results published yesterday. This, despite Channel 4 reporting its lowest audience share since 1984. David Abraham received a maximum bonus of £166,000, but insisted the company was not taking fewer creative risks to hit bonus targets. David joins Steve Hewlett in the studio to discuss the annual report findings, rumours about privatisation, and Channel 4's plans to support start up businesses through advertising. A new BBC 1 five part series about the Met Police began this week. Filmed over the course of a year 'The Met: Policing London' follows the police as they go about their work. But do series' like this and others such as '24 Hours in Police Custody' and 'The Detectives' shine a credible and authentic light on the reality of the police at work, or are they just good PR for the police? Steve is joined by Aysha Rafaele, executive producer of 'The Met: Policing London', and Roger Graef who has made over fifty films about the police and the criminal justice system. Also joining him are Stafford Scott, a community activist based in Tottenham, and Andy Trotter, former Chief Constable who served as ACPOs lead on the media. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Charlie Hebdo, the satirical French magazine, was attacked in January over its cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. Two gunmen stormed its offices shooting dead several people including the magazine's editor Stephane Charbonnier and four of its cartoonists. Witnesses said they shouted "Allahu Akbar" and "we have avenged the prophet". The attack followed a number of serious threats and a 2011 firebombing for Charlie Hebdo's satire on Islam. Gérard Biard has worked at the magazines since 1992, and has been editor in chief for the past 10 years. Steve talks to him about how the magazine can continue to publish in the same way, and whether free speech can exist alongside the threat of extremism. A petition calling on the BBC to abandon its plans for a series, 'Britain's Hardest Worker' which will pitch unemployed and low paid people against each other for a cash prize, now has over 25000 signatures. It's been dubbed by critics as 'poverty porn' and a 'Hunger Games style game show'. Steve Hewlett talks to Labour MP Louise Haigh who fears the programme will demonise working class people, and to executive producer Tim Carter from Twenty Twenty.A workforce survey by Creative Skillset, the creative industry skills body, has found that just five percent of the TV workforce considers themselves to have a disability, compared to eleven percent of the wider UK working population. It's calling on broadcasters and indies to 'urgently' improve the number. Amongst its other findings, it revealed a marked rise in the number of people doing unpaid work in the creative industries. Steve talks to Dr Kion Ahadi, Head of Research at Creative Skillset about the findings and what needs to be done. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Sir Martin Sorrell is the most influential man in advertising. As the CEO of WPP, the world's largest advertising group, he is one of the world's most connected executives. After 30 years, WPP now embraces some of the best known names in advertising and PR - including Ogilvy and Mather, J Walter Thompson and Burson-Marstellar. Steve Hewlett talks to Sir Martin about the balance of power between traditional and digital media; how information about us online is informing creativity in advertising, and as he turns 70, what's next for him, and the advertising empire he has created.The High Court has awarded damages totalling nearly £1.2m to eight people whose phones were hacked by some journalists Trinity Mirror newspaper group. Eight claimants -- including the actors Shane Ritchie and Shobna Gulati - were paid, 'very substantial' damages in the civil case against thr group. The largest amount was awarded to Sadie Frost who received damages of £260,250. Steve Hewlett talks to Hugh Tomlinson QC, lead counsel to victims of the News of the World phone hacking scandal, and Bob Satchwell, Executive Director of the Society of Editors, about the scale of damages and how this case might damage celebrity journalism.On the day Lyse Doucet is presented with the Sanford St. Martin Award for her reporting of religious affairs, Steve meets the BBC's Chief International Correspondent. The Canadian born journalist began her career in West Africa in 1983 and has reported on conflicts in Iraq, Syria and across the Middle East on the Arab Spring. This award acknowledges her work in 'raising the profile of religion in the media.' What are the added challenges that reporting faith-based conflict brings to her role?Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

As Facebook's latest innovation - Instant Articles - gets underway, we discuss the pros and cons for Facebook, news organisations and the public. Could this innovation be a plan to take over the news business or a way for publishers and broadcasters to reach a larger potential audience more quickly? Question: When is Australia part of Europe? Answer: When it comes to Eurovision. This year there'll be an Australian entry in the competition. Ingrid Deltenre, Director General of the European Broadcasting Union tell us why - and which other non-European country she'd like to have on next year.And why UKTV's family of channels is so profitable - could it be all these Top Gear repeats? Presenter: Steve Hewlett. Producer: Paul Waters.

Research from Cardiff University shows that coverage of this election was dominated by the story of the polls, with broadcasters choosing to run stories about the 'horse-race' between Labour and the Conservatives, rather than stories about policy or issues. So, why did they decide to give poll results such prominence, and had they focused more on covering policies, would this have revealed more about the real mood of the public? Steve Hewlett talks to James Harding, director of BBC News; Jonathan Levy, head of news gathering at Sky News, and Richard Sambrook, a former director of BBC news who is now Professor of Journalism at Cardiff University. They discuss the editorial decisions around covering the election campaign, and what can be learned for next time round. Also joining Steve is David Dinsmore, editor of Britain's best-selling daily, The Sun - a paper which prides itself on being closely attuned to what the nation thinks - about his decision to go strong on coverage of the "neck and neck" race between the parties, and whether there was an over-reliance on opinion polls in this years coverage. All3Media is Britain's biggest independent production company, responsible for content ranging from the BBC's acclaimed Wolf Hall, to Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares and Hollyoaks. It was recently bought by Discovery Communications, the US media company behind the Discovery Channel, and Liberty Global - two companies controlled by American billionaire John Malone. Jane Turton, the newly appointed chief executive, talks to Steve Hewlett about the challenges of American ownership, how the indie sector can continue to foster creativity in a global marketplace, and her views on the current industry landscape. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

On the final day of election campaigning, we hear from the front line journalists who have been on the trail with candidates. There have been reports that this election has been more stage-managed by spin doctors than any previously, with national journalists even being excluded from covering events. Steve Hewlett is joined by some leading political journalists; Michael Crick from Channel 4; Patrick Wintour from the Guardian; Andrew Grice the political editor of the Independent, and Isabel Hardman from the Spectator. They discuss how easy, or not, it's been to get access to politicians, why press conferences are now few and far between, and why the growth of social media is making advisers ultra-cautious in their media management strategy.Bloomberg, the financial news provider, has become the latest media agency to launch a dedicated European digital edition. Bloomberg rents out terminals which provide real time data to financial professionals, and currently most of its audience are subscribers. In an effort to attract a more general business audience, it's launched Bloomberg Business Europe - an online site that's free to all. Steve Hewlett talks to CEO of Bloomberg Media Justin B. Smith about expanding the portfolio, and how the company's strategy to build its digital assets will impact on business.And danger, excitement and the challenge of making British TV viewers care about news happening in distant places - Sky News' Alex Crawford talks about life as a foreign correspondent, as she receives the Charles Wheeler Award for outstanding contribution to broadcast journalism.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.