The Media Show

As James Murdoch steps down from News International to expand the international TV side of the business and as the police claim there was a "culture of illegal payments" at the Sun, what next for the Sun and the newborn Sun on Sunday? Ben Fenton, media correspondent of the Financial Times and Sarah Ellison of Vanity Fair discuss the latest news and what this means for News Corp. They are joined by Nick Davies who has just won the Paul Foot Award for campaigning journalism for his breaking stories on phone hacking.Last autumn the BBC invited radio executive John Myers to review the planned changes to local radio which, broadly, would cut output rather than management. He tells Steve why it should be the other way round.Media analyst Theresa Wise looks at ITV's figures, out today. The broadcaster wants to move away from its reliance on advertising to pay for programmes. What signs are there that this is happening? The producer is Simon Tillotson.

John Witherow, editor of the Sunday Times and Lindsey Hilsum, Channel 4 News international editor, talk about the renowned war correspondent Marie Colvin who was killed this morning in Syria. The Sun on Sunday is to launch this weekend. Sun associate editor Trevor Kavanagh, media commentator Roy Greenslade and analyst Claire Enders discuss its prospects and its impact on the newspaper market.And, following last week's discussion on women in the media, Rowan Atkinson contacted the programme to question whether anti-discrimination laws had any place in the creative industries. Lorraine Heggessey has been invited back to see how far she supports his view. The full text of his email is on The Media Show's web page.The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Following the arrests of more journalists at the Sun over the weekend, Geoffrey Robertson QC explains why handing over the details of journalists' e-mails to the police may violate a moral and legal duty to protect sources.After more journalists at the Sun were arrested over the weekend, the Sun's associate editor Trevor Kavanagh accused police of a "witch-hunt". But has the police investigation gone too far? Prof Brian Cathcart and Peter Preston discuss the latest developments. Last week the BBC's director general Mark Thompson admitted that there aren't enough older women on television and radio. But is anything being done to address the problem? Former controller of BBC 1 Lorraine Heggessey and journalist and broadcaster Joan Smith discuss women on screen. Following the news of the death of veteran Royal correspondent James Whitaker, we hear from Ingrid Seward of Majesty Magazine and photographer Arthur Edwards who both knew and worked with him. The producer is Olivia Skinner.

When Facebook filed for an initial public offering last week, there were suggestions it could be valued at around $100 billion. Since then, more questions have been raised about the challenges it faces in justifying that value. Olivia Solon, associate editor at Wired magazine and James Ball, data journalist at the Guardian, discuss the prospects.The BBC was thrust into Scottish politics at the weekend, when it was reported that it cancelled an invitation to First Minister Alex Salmond to take part in coverage of the Calcutta Cup rugby match at Murrayfield. The BBC adviser who vetoed the appearance, Ric Bailey, responds to claims he was bowing to political pressure. Broadcaster Lesley Riddoch and former BBC editor Phil Harding discuss why the BBC could face further problems when covering Scottish politics, ahead of a possible referendum on independence.And, as many of the victims of phone hacking settle their claims today, Duncan Lamont of Charles Russell solicitors explains what impact this could have on the several investigations into what went wrong at the News of the World.

Last week the Chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, announced he's started looking for a successor for the current Director General, Mark Thompson. The following day Thompson reportedly confirmed he'll step down after the Olympics. Is he going voluntarily or is he being pushed? And what qualities will his replacement need to have? Steve discusses BBC Director General succession with former DG Greg Dyke.The Sunday Times magazine is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend. Steve looks back on half a century of iconic photojournalism with the current editor Sarah Baxter and photographers Stuart Franklin and Chris Floyd.Lord Hunt of Wirral, the new chairman of the Press Complaint Commission, took the stand at the Leveson Inquiry on Tuesday. He used the opportunity to set out his plans for a reformed 'PCC 2'. But are they any good, and will they satisfy victims of press misbehaviour? Charlotte Harris is a lawyer who's represented several victims of phone hacking and had her phone hacked herself. She joins Steve and Media Editor at The Guardian, Dan Sabbagh, to discuss Lord Hunt's proposals. And in a week which has seen four people from The Sun arrested as part of an ongoing police investigation into corruption, Dan stays on to discuss the prospects for the launch of a Sun on Sunday. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Last Autumn BBC management proposed a wide-ranging series of cuts which would see the Corporation's local radio services cut by 20%. As the BBC Trust prepares to publish the results of its consultation on the plan, Steve talks to Lord Patten, Chair of the Trust. Will the cuts go ahead? And if not, what can the BBC do instead to make the savings?Plus, Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, on the Government's plans for the communications sector, to be laid out for consultation early this year. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Steve Hewlett talks to James Harding, editor of The Times and Alan Rusbridger, editor of The Guardian. Harding reflects on his evidence to the Leveson inquiry this week, Rusbridger on the falling sales which have forced The Guardian to reduce "pagination." Supplements have been folded into the paper and the sport has returned to the back page instead of being in a separate mini-paper. We also hear why Associated Press has opened up a bureau in North Korea and we discuss the growing controversy over intellectual property on the internet. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Steve Hewlett presents a topical programme about the fast-changing media world including, today, Netflix and the future of TV. Netflix, the video streaming service which enables customers to watch films and selected TV programmes over the internet, launched in the UK on Monday. Reed Hastings, the company's founder, claims that 'on demand' services like Netflix represent the future of TV. For the past 70 years or so, TV viewing habits have been dominated by schedules set by TV networks. With the rise of catchup and on demand services like the BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and Channel 4's 4OD, viewers have been able to take more control over what they watch and when they watch it. So is Netflix really the beginning of the end for traditional TV? Or will it struggle to make an impact in the UK market, where several catchup and on demand services are already well established? Reed Hastings makes his case to Steve, who discusses the issues with Tess Alps from the TV marketing organisation Thinkbox and Geoff Slaughter from comparison website SimplifyDigital. Steve is also joined by broadcast consultant Stephen Price for an overview of the last year's viewing figures. Who's going up, who's going down and what does that tell us about longer term viewing trends? The Leveson Inquiry into the culture, ethics and practices of the press has resumed after the Christmas break. This week it's been the turn of the newspaper editors to have their say, from Dominic Mohan of The Sun to Lionel Barber of the Financial Times.The Financial Times' chief media correspondent Ben Fenton has been following developments. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

The Daily Mail carries the Stephen Lawrence case over 21 pages today, a mark of the significance the story had for the paper and, according to many including the Mail, the significance the paper had to the story. Brian Cathcart has been following the Lawrence case from the start and written on it extensively and, through Hacked Off, is a campaigner for media reform. When the media are under such scrutiny in the Leveson inquiry, could awareness of the Mail's long campaign be ideally timed, showing the difference newspapers can make when they break the rules? Meanwhile, a report by Dame Elizabeth Filkin into the Metropolitan police and the media has warned officers over links with journalists. Sean O'Neill is the Crime Editor for The Times, and as such he deals with the police on a day-to-day basis. What will Filkin's recommendations mean for his work? Rupert Murdoch joined Twitter on New Year's Eve, closely followed by somebody claiming to be his wife, Wendi Deng. Both accounts were verified by Twitter, but the Deng account has since been revealed as a fake. So what happened? And does Murdoch's interest in the site mean he's thinking about investing in it? Emma Barnett, Digital Media Editor at the Daily Telegraph, has been following developments.And the editor of the Financial Times, Lionel Barber, gives his views on the reporting of the economy. What, if anything, went wrong before and what role do newspapers have in warning of financial hazards ahead? The producer is Simon Tillotson.

The media like stories claiming to link TV with harm to children, but is the picture so clear? Focussing on two recent pieces of research by Prof Dimitri Christakis and Prof Angeline Lillard, Steve discusses the extent to which media reports of the link can be justified. Joining him are David Buckingham who is Professor of Education at the Institute of Education at London University and Director of the Centre for the study of Children, Youth and Media, Baroness Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist and Professor of Synaptic Pharmacology at Oxford University and Hannah Devlin, Science Correspondent for the Times with a PhD in brain imaging from Oxford University.The producer is Luke Mulhall.

Steve discusses the changes to tabloids and the wider media since David Cameron announced the Leveson Inquiry in July, following the closure of the News of the World, with Simon Jenkins, George Brock, Claire Enders and Trevor Kavanagh. Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist and former Times and Evening Standard editor, Claire Enders is the founder of media consultants Enders Analysis, Prof George Brock is Head of Journalism at City University and Trevor Kavanagh is a Sun columnist and former political editor.The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Harriet Harman MP is the new shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport, replacing Ivan Lewis MP. So what are Labour's policies on the media generally and, specifically, on the BBC and on cross-media ownership? Neville Thurlbeck was chief news reporter at the News of the World when it closed in July, where he had worked for twenty years. He was the reporter on the Max Mosley story and, separately, his name came up in reports of the Gordon Taylor phone hacking scandal when the phrase "for Neville" appeared on an emailed transcript of hacked voicemails. He denies involvement in phone hacking and tells Steve how he tried to clear his name when his connection with it was first suggested. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Anne McElvoy presents the programme this week.Jonathan Miller is back from Syria, where he's been reporting for ITN and working on a documentary for Channel 4, "Syria's Torture Machine". Following on from his experience in the making of "Sri Lanka's Killing Fields", the new documentary includes images taken from mobile phone videos, allegedly showing abuse and torture. He tells Anne what it is like to work openly as a foreign reporter in Syria and what happened when he tried to talk to people who had not been approved by his minders. The documentary will be shown on Channel 4 on Monday 19th December at 11.10pm.Attorney General Dominic Grieve MP has been flagging up his intention to prosecute journalists who threaten to prejudice or impede trials, with a handful of convictions already since he took office 18 months ago. He is trying to stem the flow of stories about people who have been arrested with new emphasis on the risk of discouraging witnesses from coming forward if the suspect's name has been tarnished. Will he fine journalists in future, or go further and jail them? And The Independent's had two front page stories this week which have made the news more widely, on lobbyists Bell Pottinger, based on secret filming of their staff when bidding for new business. Bell Pottinger say they are complaining to the PCC and have instructed lawyers. Iain Overton worked on the story for the Bureau of Investigation - is this story really in the public interest, when it arguably shows little more than lobbyists boasting to attract new clients? And how does The Times' Danny Finkelstein respond to the lobbyists claims that he is worth targeting to place ideas in his columns? The producer is Simon Tillotson.

With tabloid newspapers under sustained attack at the Leveson Inquiry, The Sun's managing editor Richard Caseby talks about his paper's future.The front pages of the upmarket newspapers yesterday carried the story told by Charlotte Church in Monday's Leveson session: that, when she was 13, she turned down £100,000 to sing Pie Jesu at Rupert Murdoch's wedding to Wendi Deng in exchange for favourable coverage. Jonathan Shalit was her agent at the time and he tells Steve what he remembers of the deal - business as usual or a "Faustian pact"?And paparazzo Max Cisotti responds to the series of claims made against press and celebrity photographers in the Leveson sessions so far - in his view, are celebrities and people in the news really responsible for the way they are treated? The producer is Simon Tillotson.

As the Leveson Inquiry takes evidence from alleged victims of phone hacking and other intrusions of privacy, one of the first witnesses, Joan Smith, tells Steve how she and other participants found common ground and why she believes it was important for her to give evidence. As the inquiry's broad remit become increasingly clear, two former editors discuss the potential impact on tabloid practices and press freedom: Jules Stenson, the features editor at the News of the World when it closed in July and Peter Preston, former Guardian editor.And, not much more than a year after they joined from BBC1's The One Show, there are reports that Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley are to leave ITV's Daybreak in the new year. Liam Hamilton used to edit its predecessor at GMTV and Sue Ayton is an agent who has helped cast the presenters on several breakfast tv programmes - what future do they see for this slot on ITV and for the presenters once they've gone their separate ways? The producer is Simon Tillotson.

The Leveson Inquiry into the culture, ethics and practices of the media has started this week, with opening statements from lawyers for the inquiry, newspapers and 'victims' and, today, from journalists' union the NUJ. General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet tells the Media Show that a culture of fear kept most journalists from speaking out when they saw unethical practices over the last ten years. Can she suggest a viable solution? Meanwhile, on Monday, print editors gathered in a hotel in Surrey to discuss how they could address the perceived problems of self-regulation, at the Society of Editors conference. Mirror editor Richard Wallace, Graham Dudman of News International and the Mail's executive managing editor, Robin Esser, offer their views of what if anything should replace the Press Complaints Commission. The new chair of the PCC, Lord Hunt, responds and Stewart Purvis, formerly of Ofcom, discusses the options.

Max Mosley has won damages in Paris from the publishers of the News of the World for invasion of privacy. Is this the end of his actions against the News of the World or does he now have new targets?Last week the Arab League secured an agreement with Syria to stop violence against protesters and to allow journalists to monitor the situation in the country. It is not the first time Syrian authorities have said journalists can work in the country without fear, even if the reality is very different. A Syrian dissident who's fled the country tells Steve why she tries to help foreign journalists, despite the danger to them and to the people they interview. Sue Lloyd Roberts has recently returned from Syria where she reported undercover for BBC2's Newsnight and she talks about the precautions she has to take to protect her sources from arrest and punishment.Tomorrow, James Murdoch returns to give evidence on what he did and did not know about phone hacking at the News of the World. The evidence he gave in July has been contradicted by the newspaper's editor Colin Myler and lawyer Tom Crone and so the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee has asked for clarification. Sarah Ellison has written extensively for Vanity Fair on the impact of the phone hacking claims on the Murdoch family and, from New York, she comments on where the latest claims leave James Murdoch while Damian Collins MP outlines the questions he will be putting in tomorrow's crucial session. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Peter Salmon, the director of BBC North and the driving force behind the BBC's move to MediaCity, explains his vision for a global base for the media in Salford. Several BBC departments are already broadcasting from Salford, with more set to move in early 2012, but will the move make a noticeable difference to BBC programmes?This year's Radio Festival comes from Salford where the radio industry has been discussing the "death of local radio." Dee Ford is the director of Bauer Media, which is one of the major players in commercial radio and owns stations including Magic, Heart and Kiss. She explains why local radio stations are doing well for Bauer and discusses whether BBC cut backs to local radio services could present commercial opportunities. It has been promised that the BBC's move north will regenerate Salford and benefit the entire region. But how do independent TV producers based in the north west see the move? Cat Lewis, who runs Manchester based production company Nine Lives, and Alex Connock of Pretend discuss the future for production in the area. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

WikiLeaks has said that it may have to close after payment companies, including Visa, Mastercard and Paypal, blocked payments to the site, cutting off its funding. So why are these companies targeting WikiLeaks and what does the move mean for freedom of speech? Journalist and former WikLeaks employee James Ball and Jean-Francois Julliard of Reporters Without Borders ask whether WikiLeaks can survive.It's a year since The Independent launched its compact sister paper, the i. The move, which was seen as a risky tactic at a time of declining newspaper sales, seems to have paid off and the i is now outselling The Independent. To discuss what i's success could mean for the future of the Independent, Steve Hewlett is joined by Andrew Mullins, the managing director of both newspapers as well as the London Evening Standard.ITV's hit entertainment show The X-Factor has seen a drop in ratings compared to last year's series, as bigger audiences for Strictly Come Dancing close the gap between the rival shows. Has the X-Factor lost appeal without Simon Cowell? Or could this be a sign that its format needs refreshing? Showbiz journalist Dan Wootton and former ITV director of programmes Simon Shaps discuss how producers can maintain the appeal of long running formats. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

The Press Complaints Commission has appointed Lord Hunt as its new chairman, after Baroness Buscombe resigned following criticisms of the PCC's handling of the phone hacking scandal. To hear about the challenges facing Lord Hunt and how the PCC might change, Steve Hewlett is joined by former PCC chairman Sir Christopher Meyer. James Murdoch is back under the spotlight as a House of Commons Media Select Committee hears more about his alleged involvement in negotiating a pay off with phone hacking victim Graham Taylor. Lawyer Mark Lewis, who gave evidence to the committee, discusses the most recent revelations. As BSkyB announces its first quarter results, there are also suggestions that some shareholders are unhappy with James Murdoch's role on the board. Financial Times Media correspondent Ben Fenton discusses BSkyB's results and whether the call for Murdoch's resignation will be answered. The US public broadcaster PBS is set to launch a subscription channel in the UK which it hopes will find a wider audience for its news, current affairs and documentary programmes. Paula Kerger, the CEO of PBS, explains what the brand, which is highly regarded in the US, can bring to UK viewers more used to watching US comedy and drama. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

The BBC has announced its proposals for "Delivering Quality First", a strategy to cut twenty percent of the BBC's spending over the next five years. No BBC channels will be scrapped but there are concerns that the savings could overstretch resources and erode the quality of BBC programmes. Steve Hewlett hears about the decisions from the BBC's director of policy and strategy, John Tate. The BBC's proposals include big cuts to local radio and reductions in budgets for network radio although Radio 4 will be protected more than others. Radio critic Gillian Reynolds explains why she fears the cuts to BBC radio are worse than they seem. The Daily Mail's editor in chief Paul Dacre has addressed the Leveson Inquiry into phone hacking, calling for continued self regulation of a press which he said is "vastly better behaved" now than it was when he started working in journalism. The Guardian's media correspondent Dan Sabbagh, who was at the seminar, picks out some of Paul Dacre's main suggestions. According to a report commissioned by the BBC executive, the corporation pays fees of about £10 million a year to Sky to carry BBC channels. The report says this is an unusual set-up as, in many countries, the opposite is true and satellite broadcasters pay terrestrial channels for their programmes. In the light of the recent budget cuts, John Tate tells Steve Hewlett the BBC should stop the payments to Sky and spend the money on local radio and BBC Four instead. Sky says the payments are a fair and proportionate contribution towards its running costs.The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were freed from prison in Perugia on Monday, having had their convictions for murdering British student Meredith Kercher overturned. But, as the verdict was being read out, parts of the British media wrongly reported that Knox and Sollecito had lost their appeal. Steve Hewlett asks how the mistake came about and why the misinformation spread so rapidly. The coverage of the trial has been described as a media circus, driven by the press and public's fascination with Amanda Knox. American journalist Nina Burleigh has argued that there is a serious problem with Italian reporters who failed to properly investigate the case or ask the right questions. Nina Burleigh and Marco Colombo ask whether there is really a problem with Italian investigative journalism.A British landlady won her fight against the Premier League and Sky this week after the European Court ruled that she should be able to show Premiership football matches in her pub without buying a Sky box. To discuss what the ruling means for Sky and other broadcasters, Steve is joined by Ashling O'Connor, sports correspondent for The Times, and sports rights lawyer Morris Bentata. The BBC is due to announce its Delivery Quality First proposals tomorrow, a new strategy designed to make savings for licence fee payers. Media commentator Maggie Brown explains which areas are likely to see cuts and what this may mean for BBC audiences. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Chris Blackhurst, the editor of the Independent, joins Steve Hewlett to discuss Ivan Lewis's suggestion that journalists guilty of malpractice should be "struck off", his plans for the Independent and the decision to suspend, but not dismiss, Johann Hari after he admitted to plagiarism. Facebook has unveiled major changes, including a revamped timeline page that encourages you to share information to "tell your story on the web" and partnerships with organisations such as The Guardian, Huffington Post and The Independent. But some users have raised concerns about privacy and what Facebook will do with their data. Meg Pickard of The Guardian explains how the new social apps will work and Christian Hernandez, Facebook's director of platform partnerships, discusses what the changes mean for Facebook users. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Veteran newspaper editor Sir Harold Evans discusses News International's payment to the Dowler family and whether the British press is in danger of statutory regulation. Professor Roy Greenslade and Baroness Jay discuss how the press might be regulated in future and whether newspapers would be able to break stories like the MPs' expenses scandal if there were tighter regulation of the press. A new documentary, Page One, follows the fortunes of the New York Times's media desk as the paper faces new challenges in a digital world. Steve is joined by New York Times media reporter and star of the film, David Carr, to discuss how newspapers can survive.There has been criticism of the X-Factor after Ceri Rees, a contestant on the programme, performed and was rejected for the fourth time. Steve Hewlett hears from her singing coach, Amanda Richards, who believes the programme makers have exploited Ceri - something the X Factor team denies. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Simon Heffer, the long standing associate editor of The Telegraph, has moved to the Daily Mail to edit RightMinds, the paper's new comment and blogs website. Simon Heffer outlines his vision for RightMinds and how he plans to make it distinctive in an already crowded market. The Australian government has decided to investigate the media following suggestions that Rupert Murdoch owns too large a share of the country's press. Emma Alberici, ABC's Europe correspondent, explains that the UK's worries about media plurality are nothing compared to Australia's, where two newspaper owners dominate. The culture secretary Jeremy Hunt is going to approach Ofcom, the media regulator, to ask for new rules on the way media ownership is measured. The guidelines aim to identify situations where one media group has too much of a share of the UK media. David Elstein explains how media ownership might be measured and why there's a sting in the tail for the BBC.This week information about the boundary review of MPs' constituencies, which had been given to the mainstream media under embargo, was published on the Guido Fawkes political blog before the embargo was lifted. To discuss whether embargoes still make sense in a digital age, Steve Hewlett is joined by political blogger Paul Staines, of the Guido Fawkes blog, and the Guardian's Michael White. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Celebrity Big Brother has been a ratings smash for Channel 5, sometimes pulling in bigger audiences than Channel 4 and ITV in the prime time spot. But will this success continue with the 12th series of Big Brother, which features members of the public? Channel 5's director of programmes Jeff Ford joins Steve Hewlett to discuss what's next for Channel 5.Channel 4 dropped Ortis Deley as the main presenter of the World Athletics Championships after he struggled with the live format and forgot athletes' names. But why did Channel 4 choose a presenter with little relevant specialist sports knowledge or live experience to host the high profile event? Veteran sports presenter Des Lynam explains why he thinks Deley was the wrong choice, while Channel 4's director of creative diversity Stuart Cosgrove explains the channel's approach to presenting sport. The Leveson Inquiry, which reconvened yesterday, has been set up to investigate the practices and ethics of the media following the phone hacking scandal. The inquiry will look at journalists' relationships with politicians and the police. But is there a danger that more regulation could result in draconian restrictions for journalists? Sean O'Neil, crime and security editor at The Times and Andrew Gowers, former editor of the Financial Times discuss what the panel should be asking.

WikiLeaks has released thousands of new diplomatic cables but the latest leak has failed to make such an impact in the UK media and there are suggestions that unredacted documents have been published, putting sources at risk. Can WikiLeaks continue to influence the headlines now that its partnerships with traditional media outlets have fallen apart? Heather Brooke and Emily Bell discuss WikiLeaks' future. Google's Eric Schmidt gave the MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh Television Festival over the weekend, the first person from a non broadcast background to do so. But was his speech an olive branch to an industry which has described Google as a "parasite" in the past? To discuss how Google and TV might work together, and who stands to gain, Steve Hewlett is joined by Anthony Lilley. Ivan Lewis, the Shadow Culture Secretary, has called for stricter rules on media takeovers, following the controversy around News Corp's bid for BSkyB and fears News Corp could renew their bid. Ivan Lewis explains why he feels the current laws are not good enough and why parliament should "act urgently to close the loopholes" on media ownership.

All eyes were on Libya this week as rebels entered Tripoli and battled Colonel Gaddafi's loyalist soldiers. Sky's correspondent Alex Crawford broadcast extraordinary scenes as she rode into Tripoli on the back of a rebel convoy, sending her report using a satellite and laptop plugged into the truck's cigarette lighter. But which news organisations have provided the best analysis and how well informed can viewers really be about the rapidly changing events? Sky News's Head of International News Sarah Whitehead and the BBC's World News Editor Jon Williams explain the challenges involved. Professor Tim Luckhurst, who has been watching coverage of Libya as the situation unfolds, discusses how well audiences are served by print, radio and rolling TV news. Channel 4's International Editor Lindsey Hilsum, who is currently reporting from Tripoli, discusses how this conflict differs from those she has covered in the past and Marie Colvin of the Sunday Times, who is also in Libya, explains how newspaper reporters can delve further into a story by being less conspicuous than TV crews in dangerous territory.

In a twist in the phone hacking story, parliament has released new evidence, including a letter from former Royal Correspondent Clive Goodman which claims phone hacking was "widely discussed" at The News of the World. John Whittingdale MP, chairman of the select committee investigating phone hacking, and Ian Katz, the deputy editor of The Guardian, discuss where the latest revelations leave the Murdochs. Big Brother re-launches tomorrow in its new home on Channel 5, a year after Channel 4 axed the show due to plummeting ratings. So will we still be watching Big Brother and can it be a commercial success for Channel 5? To discuss what a ratings success would mean for rival broadcaster Channel 4, Steve Hewlett is joined by Liz Warner, who produced the first series of Big Brother, and media analyst Matthew Horsman. There have been suggestions that Newnight, the BBC's flagship news and current affairs programme, may be in trouble as audience figures have fallen. The editor Peter Rippon explains why he believes people still turn to Newsnight for serious analysis.

Rioting in London and the rest of England has dominated the news this week but how well has the media covered the story? Photographer Amy Weston, who took the defining picture of the unrest - a dramatic shot of a woman jumping from a burning building - and Sky News reporter Mark Stone reveal what its like to report from the violence and chaos of the riots.Fran Unsworth, BBC Head of Newsgathering and Roy Greenslade, Professor of Journalism, discuss the challenges for broadcasters when covering the crisis and which parts of the media have been most successful in getting the fast moving story to the public.The Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced the sixty five UK cities which he believes could be pioneers for local television. But who does he expect to bid for the first local television licences and will his plans for local television be commercially viable? Steve Hewlett hears from Jeremy Hunt about his plans. Mark Dodson, the former chief executive of Manchester local TV news station Channel M, discusses whether the plans make financial sense and whether local TV could work nationwide.

With the press themselves making headlines yet again - following settlements over libel allegations and two rulings over contempt, in the wake of the Chris Jefferies case - Steve Hewlett tries to find out what this latest scandal means for newspapers. As the former Managing Editor of the News of the World Stuart Kuttner is arrested, are we any nearer to finding out exactly who knew what and when at News Corp? And will Google+ finally open up the social network market for the search engine giant?

How's the jewel in the crown of the Murdoch empire coping following the hacking scandal ? James Harding the Editor of The Times talks to Steve Hewlett about the impact it's having on its reputation its readers and its revenue. And the challenges facing ITV. Profits may be up but can they keep pulling in the viewers.

Yesterday Rupert and James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks were questioned by MPs about exactly what went wrong at the News of the World. But has their evidence thrown any new light on the phone hacking scandal or made clear who will take responsibility at News International? Paul Farrelly, one of the MPs who questioned Rebekah Brooks and the Murdochs during yesterday's select committee, discusses what we have learned about the workings of News International and the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson joins Steve Hewlett from Westminster for an update on the political fall out of the scandal. Roger Alton, the executive editor of The Times looks at Rebekah Brooks's assertions that The News of the World was not the only newspaper to use private investigators to source information and discusses what wider investigation could mean for British journalism. Media lawyer Duncan Lamont discusses James Murdoch's explanation of why such high payments were made to Gordon Taylor and Max Clifford to settle a case for invasion of privacy. And Sarah Ellison, the US based journalist who has been following the News of the World phone hacking scandal for Vanity Fair, joins The Media Show from New York to discuss how the story is developing in the USA.

Last week, as the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World escalated, Lord Fowler joined The Media Show to discuss the shocking allegations. A week later the News of the World has closed and News International is under serious pressure. Lord Fowler joins Steve again to discuss the difference a week makes and the implications for News Corporation's future. Since taking over as Chairman of the BBC Trust in May, Lord Patten has addressed the issue of "toxic" BBC executive pay, suggested the BBC streamline the complaints system and urged programme makers against representing a "small metropolitan pond of stereotypes." Lord Patten outlines his plans for the BBC at a time when it is facing significant cuts.Last week the Press Complaints Commission came under fire for its handling of the phone hacking scandal. After being described by Ed Miliband as a "toothless poodle" and by David Cameron as "ineffective and lacking in rigour" the PCC faces questions about its future. Stephen Abell, the director of the PCC, discusses whether it can survive.

A special edition of The Media Show investigates the lasting impact of the end of the News of the World. Does the end of Britain's best selling newspaper signal the end for "red-top" investigative print journalism? Or is it just a staging post on the way to establishing a Sunday edition of that other top-selling News International title, The Sun? And what does the closure mean for Mr Murdoch's plans to increase his share of the UK television market? Steve Hewlett is joined by News of the World columnist Carole Malone, former Guardian editor Peter Preston, and former People editor Bill Hagerty to discuss the history and legacy of the News of the World.Clare Enders of Enders Analysis and media relations expert Andrew Gowers are also in the studio to discuss the commercial implications and whether closing the paper can salvage News International's reputation.

The phone hacking scandal at the News of the World moved to another level this week after it emerged that private investigators working for the paper hacked the phone of Milly Dowler after her abduction. As further revelations about phone hacking come to light and MPs call an emergency debate, The Media Show hears from the experts about what this means for the News of the World and its owner News International. Have the allegations about phone hacking irreparably damaged the paper? And can Rebekah Brooks, who was the editor at the time phones were hacked, continue?Steve Hewlett hears from Lord Fowler, who has launched a campaign for an official inquiry, Bob Satchwell of the Society of Editors, Stuart Purvis, former partner at the media regulator Ofcom, Ben Fenton of the Financial Times and Dan Sabbagh of The Guardian, about what the latest developments mean for the British press.

Johann Hari, a journalist with The Independent, is under fire after admitting he lifted quotes from other articles and books to use in his interviews, without attributing them to the original source. Independent editor Simon Kelner defends Hari, explaining he made a genuine mistake. In his defence, Johann Hari has explained that other journalists told him adding quotes was "normal practice and they had done it themselves from time to time". Former Times editor George Brock and Guardian journalist Deborah Orr discuss whether there are ever blurred boundaries when it comes to using quotes in this way. David Collins, a journalist with The Mirror has written about the part he played in getting crucial evidence in the case of Levi Bellfield, who was last week convicted of murdering Milly Dowler. David Collins joins Steve Hewlett to explain how he got access to Bellfield. A House of Lords report into the BBC has concluded that the BBC complaints system is too complicated and should be simplified. The author of the report, Lord Inglewood, discusses whether Ofcom or the BBC Trust should ultimately deal with complaints about BBC programmes. The Producer is Simon Tillotson.

The chief executive of the Guardian Media Group, Andrew Miller, has warned staff that The Guardian and Observer could run out of money in three to five years if the newspapers don't make drastic changes. To try and avoid a cash crisis, the newspapers are planning to move from a print to a "digital first" model. The editor of The Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, explains his plans for the transformation.The BBC is going to broadcast this year's Wimbledon finals in 3D and Sky is also investing in 3D programmes and coverage of sporting events. But, despite investment in the technology from broadcasters, a report from Informa suggests that 3D TV will remain a novelty, rarely watched even by those with 3D enabled TVs. To discuss whether anyone will actually be watching programmes in 3D, Steve Hewlett is joined by the BBC head of 3D Danielle Nagler and Sky's head of 3D John Cassy. The Shadow Culture Secretary Ivan Lewis has accused opponents of the BBC's move to Salford of "outdated prejudices" against the north of England. Ivan Lewis explains why he believes the BBC's new MediaCity site will benefit the BBC and outlines how he would distribute money from the BBC licence fee.

John Myers, the head of the Radio Academy, has been taking a look at how the BBC's music radio stations operate. John Myers explains his recommendations for streamlining and his suggestions for how the stations could cut costs. Tim Davie, the head of BBC Audio and Music who commissioned the report, joins Steve Hewlett to discuss John Myers's suggestions and whether BBC music radio's accounting is too opaque. Last month, the media reported on fears that a prominent Syrian lesbian blogger, Amina Arraf, had been arrested. This week it emerged that "Amina" was not what she seemed. The blog was a hoax, written by an American man living in Scotland. Jillian C York from blog platform Global Voices explains how the media was taken in by the fake and what the revelations mean for real bloggers in Syria. Mark Damazer, the former head of BBC Radio 4, has given a speech about BBC journalism which, while broadly positive, outlines some failings in BBC reporting. Mark Damazer speaks to Steve about where the BBC got it wrong and how mistakes can be avoided in future.

Channel 4 is to screen what it calls "probably the most horrific images it has ever shown" and which, last year, it said were too gruesome to transmit. They are part of a documentary on the final days of the Sri Lankan army's battle with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, shown last week at the UN Human Rights Council. The UN special rapporteur says the images are prima facie evidence of war crimes, something the Sri Lankan government strongly refutes, saying the videos are not authentic. C4's head of news and current affairs, Dorothy Byrne, explains the decision to broadcast and, with Prof Richard Tait of Cardiff University, discusses the value and risks of showing death on screen.The Financial Times reports that Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt's plans for Local TV may be facing a further setback, with claims that commercial TV companies have rebuffed his requests for funding. The FT's Ben Fenton joins Steve Hewlett in the studio with an update on this and on the NewsCorp BSkyB bid.Caryn Mandabach was one of the key people behind a string of comedy hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including "Roseanne", "The Cosby Show" and "3rd Rock from the Sun". Tonight, she's launching "In with the Flynns" on BBC1, a UK version of one of another of her US shows, "Grounded for Life". How confident can she be that a US comedy format can work in the UK?

In a recent speech to the Royal Television Society, the Chief Executive of Channel 4 set out the channel's mission to support "freedom of the imagination." As Channel 4 faces up to its first summer without Big Brother, David Abraham talks to Steve Hewlett about how Channel 4 intends to reinvent itself. Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions, says he supports proposals to allow television cameras into some of the UK's courts. But how would it work in practice? Keir Starmer explains why the public may soon be able to watch justice being done on TV.The new X Factor judging panel has been announced - it's a line up that doesn't include Simon Cowell or Cheryl Cole. To hear how producers go about choosing judging panels and what this may mean for Cole and Cowell, Steve Hewlett is joined by Emma Cox and former ITV director of programmes David Liddiment. The presenter is Steve Hewlett. The producer is Kathryn Takatsuki.

Al Gore, the chairman of Current TV, has accused Sky Italia of refusing to renew Current TV's contract due to a political agenda. Gore claims that his channel was dropped after it hired left wing commentator Keith Olbermann, a directive he says came from News Corp headquarters. Sky Italia have dismissed the claims as "nonsense" and say the decision was a purely commercial one. Steve Hewlett hears from Al Gore and the head of Sky Italia Tom Mockridge. Despite a judge granting an injunction to protect his privacy, thousands of people have made allegations about Ryan Giggs's personal life on Twitter. Does the law need to be re-assessed to take the impact of social networks into account? And can Twitter be held responsible for its millions of users? The Telegraph's Emma Barnett explains where Twitter stands now. Ofcom has upheld a complaint against Press TV, finding the broadcaster in serious breach of the rules. Last year Press TV broadcast a clip of an interview with journalist Maziar Bahari, which was given while he was imprisoned in Iran but the fact that the interview was given under extreme duress was not made clear. Maziar Bahari joins Steve Hewlett to discuss Ofcom's ruling and the future for Press TV in the UK.Producer SIMON TILLOTSON.

This week Mr Justice Eady ruled that Imogen Thomas could not publish her story about her relationship with a married footballer, or even name the footballer, due to his right to privacy. Media lawyer Duncan Lamont and PR consultant Max Clifford discuss whether the latest judgement signals the end of the "Kiss and Tell" story. When he announced the Hargreaves Review into intellectual property last year, David Cameron promised that this was the first step towards creating copyright laws "fit for the internet age". The report, which is published today, recommends changes to the law but is not as radical as some digital companies might have hoped. To discuss his report, and how he hopes the changes will encourage innovation, Steve Hewlett is joined by author, Professor Ian Hargreaves. Forbes Magazine is best known for its rich lists of the world's billionaires. But can America's best selling business magazine, with its focus on capitalism and making big money, translate for a European audience? Steve Hewlett hears from Steve Forbes, the editor in chief of Forbes Magazine, about his plans for a European edition.

Questions about privacy and freedom of the press have dominated the headlines this week. Twitter users allegedly breaking super-injunctions, Max Mosley losing his case for stronger privacy laws in the European Court and a complaint from the Middletons to the PCC have re-ignited the debate about public figures' right to privacy. But is there a real threat to freedom of the press? And are tabloid exposes more about boosting newspaper sales than upholding public morals? Dominic Lawson, Kelvin MacKenzie and Professor Roy Greenslade discuss whether privacy legislation poses a challenge for the media. Channel 4 releases its annual report today, following suggestions that the broadcaster could be doing better than expected. Media commentator Maggie Brown joins Steve Hewlett, straight from Channel 4's chief executive David Abraham's announcement, to discuss whether this has been a good financial year for Channel 4.

Yesterday Lord Patten took up his new role as Chairman of the BBC Trust. He has already said that BBC executive pay is still too high and that the BBC can't rule out cutting a service. The Telegraph's Neil Midgley takes a look at the early signals from Lord Patten on how his approach could differ from his predecessor, Sir Michael Lyons.The media regulator Ofcom recently ruled that performances from Christina Aguilera and Rihanna on ITV's The X-Factor were not too sexy for family viewing but were "at the very margin of acceptability." The ruling coincides with a new report on the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood, due out later this month, which is likely to look at the impact of the media. Dr Katherine Rake and Steward Purvis discuss whether TV is making the right calls on pre-watershed content and what, if anything, needs to change. The New York Times is a month into its second version of a paywall and the paper's taking encouragement from the early figures on subscribers. Martin Nisenholtz, senior vice president of digital operations at The New York Times, explains how the paywall works and why he expects it to succeed. Emily Bell, Professor at Columbia University's School of Journalism, looks at how the New York Times compares with paywalls in the UK.

Hugh Tomlinson QC is the barrister in several of the recent high profile, yet secret, celebrity privacy cases. Gill Phillips is head of editorial legal services at the Guardian, who guided the paper through the challenge to the Trafigura superinjunction. What do they make of the recent media reports of celebrities allegedly over-using injunctions to protect their private lives - and can they devise a system that's fair to individuals and the media? Piers Morgan is in the UK this week for CNN, to cover the royal wedding. In his pub in west London, he tells Steve Hewlett how he landed his CNN job, what he thinks of his critics and whether he stands by his previous comment that phone hacking was "an investigative practice that everyone knows was going on at almost every paper in Fleet Street for years".

The BBC Trust begins a service licence review into BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live extra today. It comes as the Trust rejects a complaint by the commercial radio station talkSPORT that 5 Live, its main competitor, broadcasts too little news and sport. Whilst it's not been upheld, the BBC Trust says the claim raises "significant and valid questions about what constitutes news on 5 Live", which will now be looked at as part of the review. Anne McElvoy asks Moz Dee, talkSPORT's Programme Director, about the commercial impact the BBC station is having on the network, and Jonathan Wall Deputy Controller of Radio 5 Live 5 explains how it makes sure it meets its public service news remit. This year's Royal Wedding has hardly been out of the headlines as the media gears up to cover one of the biggest events in television history. But how do the logistics of filming the wedding work and how will broadcasters ensure that everything goes smoothly on the day? Anne McElvoy joins APTV's head of operations, Tim Santhouse, in London's Green Park where APTV staff are preparing reporting platforms for the world's media, whilst CNN correspondent Richard Quest joins Anne in the studio to discuss how he's preparing to bring a unique angle to his coverage of the big day. The Independent's sister paper i has announced a new Saturday edition from May. Costing 30p, it'll be 10p more than its week day edition, with sections on leisure and TV. It comes as i reports a drop in circulation of 2.5 per cent. Editor in Chief Simon Kelner tells us why he's remaining buoyant, despite the fall in numbers, and explains how the new Saturday edition of will go some way to boosting sales. Presenter: Anne McElvoy. Producer: Kathryn Takatsuki.

Last October, Danny Cohen was appointed as channel controller of BBC1, having been head of the BBC's youth channel, BBC3. In his first interview with The Media Show since taking over at the UK's most watched TV channel, Danny Cohen speaks to Steve Hewlett about competition from ITV, older on screen talent and whether BBC 1 could be more edgy. Last week News International made an apology and offered to compensate several celebrities who had their phones hacked by the News of the World. But does the apology settle the matter or raise more questions about phone hacking and the British press? John Whittingdale MP, who chaired a committee which investigated phone hacking in 2007, explains why he feels a further enquiry is necessary. Steve Hewlett is joined by Natalie Fenton, professor of media at Goldsmiths, University of London and Peter Preston, former editor of The Guardian, to discuss what the recent revelations have exposed and whether there should be tougher regulation of the press.

At last night's British Press Awards, the News of the World and the Guardian were both up for Scoop of the Year - the Guardian, for its stories about phone hacking at the News of the World. It came on the day when two News of the World journalists were arrested as part of the Met Police inquiry into phone hacking. Steve Hewlett went along to the awards discuss the developments with some of the award nominees and with Bob Satchwell of the Society of Editors, which runs the awards.This week Ofcom published its finding on Frankie Boyle's joke about Katie Price's son Harvey, broadcast last year on his Channel 4 show Tramadol Nights. Ofcom found that Channel 4 had made an "erroneous decision on a matter of editorial judgement" but that there was no failure in its compliance process and imposed no sanction. Katie Price's lawyer, Mark Bateman, explains why she is still calling for an apology.And Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of the BBC Trust, looks at the challenges facing the BBC in his final few weeks in office, ahead of the appointment of his replacement Lord Patten.

Last weekend, a Libyan woman, Eman al-Obeidi, broke through the security surrounding foreign journalists in a Tripoli hotel to tell a horrific story. She accused Gaddafi's forces of beating and raping her before being dragged away. Jonathan Miller, foreign correspondent for Channel 4 News, was attacked as he tried to record Eman al-Obeidi's story. He explains the difficulties of reporting objectively from Libya where "the lies and spin and obfuscation are boundless."The culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has faced a series of challenges in recent months including negotiations over the BBC's new licence fee settlement, questions about digital piracy, plans for local television and the controversy over News Corp's bid for BSkyB. On the day that hundreds of arts organisations hear they have lost their funding due to Arts Council cuts, Jeremy Hunt talks to Steve Hewlett about his plans. The question of whether paywalls pay is up for debate again as The New York Times launches its second attempt at a paywall and The Times announces apparently encouraging figures. But can online subscribers, who pay significantly less than those who buy The Times in print form, make up for falling readers of the paper? The editor of The Times, James Harding, explains how the figures break down. The Producer is Simon Tillotson.