The Media Show

In October 2021, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would change its name to Meta, reflecting its shift towards “the Metaverse”. Today, the concept is central to the strategies of the world’s biggest tech companies – including Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft – who are spending billions of dollars to build it. But what exactly is the Metaverse, how will it work, and what are the opportunities and dangers ahead?Matthew Ball is a venture capitalist, former head of strategy at Amazon Studios, and now author of "The Metaverse, And How It Will Revolutionise Everything". He joins Ros Atkins for a special edition of The Media Show, dedicated to what some are calling “the next internet”.Producer: Dan Hardoon Presenter: Ros Atkins Editor: Richard Hooper Studio engineer: Emma Harth

There’s a balance of risk and reward for any politician taking part in a TV debate but what's at stake for the presenters? Julie Etchingham and Krishnan Guru-Murthy both grilled the Conservatives candidates for PM over the weekend. They tell us about the negotiating, the cajoling and the hard graft that makes these live TV events happen, and whether you can ever predict what will make candidates get personal. Sky News announced this week that Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss had declined to take part in their planned third debate, effectively cancelling it. Their head of newsgathering Jonathan Levy tells us what he wants to do to take this power out of the politicians hands in future.

What role does the press play in choosing the next Conservative leader? How do you cover an election campaign that most of the public doesn’t have a say in? And what might all of this mean for Channel 4’s planned privatisation – next week’s Media Bill, which would have included details of the sale, has now been delayed.Guests: Fraser Nelson, Editor, The Spectator, Paul Mason, journalist and campaigner, Rosamund Urwin, Media Editor, The Sunday Times , Hardeep Matharu, Editor, Byline Times and Chris Hopkins, Political Research Director, Savanta ComResPresenter: Katie RazzallProducer: Helen Fitzhenry

These are perilous moments for Boris Johnson. As we witness a stream of resignations from his government we look at the role the media has played in this latest scandal. From disastrous broadcast media rounds to increasingly hostile editorials, we’ve seen how politics, power and the press intertwine.With Michael Crick political journalist and author, Jane Martinson Columnist and Marjorie Deane Professor of Financial Journalism at City, Joey Jones spokesman for Theresa May when she was Home Secretary and former deputy political editor at Sky News, James Ball, who writes for the New Statesman, Eleanor Langford, lobby journalist at Politics Home and Kate McCann, political Editor at Talk TV.Presenter: Ros AtkinsProducer: Helen Fitzhenry

QAnon is the conspiracy theory that claims Donald Trump has been waging war on a cabal of satanic paedophiles who stole the 2020 US election. Supporters of the baseless theory were among the mob that stormed the US Capitol in January 2021. After nearly two years of silence, the anonymous message board user who signed off as "Q", has posted again. Also in the programme, why Bristol’s mayor is facing a boycott of his press briefings by journalists.Guests: Gabriel Gatehouse, International Editor, BBC Newsnight and presenter of The Coming Storm, Irene Pasquetto, Assistant Professor of Information, University of Michigan, Martin Booth, Editor, Bristol 24/7, Charlotte Green, Local Democracy Reporter, Manchester Evening News, Shirish Kulkarni, journalist, and Keren Haynes, Co-founder, Shout! CommunicationsPresenter: Katie RazzallStudio engineer: Duncan HannantProducer: Helen Fitzhenry

The media regulator Ofcom has released a review of how the BBC operates. It's considered how the BBC deals with complaints, how it approaches impartiality, and how it decides which services to provide. Across all three, Ofcom wants an improvement.Guests: Kevin Bakhurst, Group Director, Ofcom; Owen Meredith, Chief Executive, News Media Association; Roger Mosey, former Head of TV News, BBC; and Alice Enders, Head of Research, Enders AnalysisProducer: Steven WilliamsPresenter: Ros Atkins

Carole Cadwalladr gives her first interview after Brexit campaigner Arron Bank loses his libel case against her. Mr Banks, the founder of the pro-Brexit campaign group Leave.EU, sued the investigative journalist for defamation over comments she made about his relationship with the Russian state.Guests: Carole Cadwalladr, investigative journalist, and Sarah Palin, barrister, Doughty Street ChambersPresenter: Katie RazzallProducer: Helen FitzhenryClarification:It has been drawn to our attention by Mr Banks’ lawyers since this was broadcast that while the Judge states Ms Cadwalladr had found being subjected to cross examination very stressful, she also expressly noted that the cross examination was undertaken properly and professionally by Mr Banks’ Leading Counsel.Furthermore, during the course of the trial Ms Cadwalladr accepted that the tweet that was put to her did not actually accuse her of sleeping with a fellow journalist.Mr Banks’ lawyers say that he did not sue TED Talks because it is based in the United States (which does not allow enforcement of English libel judgments); nor could he have sued the Observer because Ms Cadwalladr was not acting on behalf of the newspaper but rather as an individual. They also make the point that the allegations previously published by Ms Cadwalladr in the Observer were different to those made in the TED talk.

GB News launched one year ago this week. It promised to disrupt - to hear people, places and issues that other media outlets weren’t paying attention to. The show’s design was certainly different. The opening monologue came from a studio that was almost entirely black. Viewers were noting this, they were noting sound issues too – the start of a range of technical issues for the network as a whole. Within weeks Andrew Neil was on holiday never to return. Within months, Nigel Farage had taken over a primetime show of his own. GB News Chief Executive, Angelos Frangopoulos talks to The Media Show about where the channel has come from and where it goes next.Presenter: Ros AtkinsProducer: Helen Fitzhenry

Dan Walker has quit BBC Breakfast for a job presenting Channel 5’s flagship news show - what made him go? Also in the programme, as the media prepares for days of Jubilee coverage, are journalists who report on the Royal family capable of ever being truly critical?Guests: Dan Walker, Presenter, 5 News, Jonny Dymond, Royal correspondent, BBC News, Chris Ship, Royal editor, ITV News, and Dr Laura Clancy, Lecturer, Lancaster UniversityPresenter: Katie RazzallProducer: Helen Fitzhenry

Sue Gray’s report into what went on in Downing Steet during lockdown has finally been published. We now know that staff broke covid rules with the approval of their bosses. Excessive drinking, with people being sick, abuse of cleaning and security staff – events, Sue Gray says, that “should not have been allowed to happen”. Details of some of the events she investigated only became known to her because of reporting in the media. Ros Atkins asks what role the media has played in the whole saga. Also in the programme, Anneka Rice talks about the return of Challenge Anneka for Channel 5.Guests: Stephen Glover, columnist at the Daily Mail, David Yelland, former editor of The Sun and now director of the communications firm Kitchen Table Partners, Tim Montgomerie, founder of the Conservative Home website and former Boris Johnson advisor, Ayesha Hazarika, broadcaster and former Labour politician adviser, and Anneka Rice, presenter of Challenge Anneka Presenter: Ros AtkinsSound engineer: Tim HefferProducer: Helen Fitzhenry

This week we discuss the Wagatha Christie trial and what it told us about celebrity journalism. Simon Boyle, Executive Showbiz Editor at The Sun, tells us how the newspaper managed to keep their journalists out of court. John Micklethwait, editor-in-chief of Bloomberg, on new UK expansion plans and who Britain's libel laws are really serving. Also in the programme: Jim Waterson, Media Editor at The Guardian and Pandora Sykes, co-host of Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV.

As Channel 4 approaches its 40th birthday it faces one of the most pivotal moments in its history. The broadcaster is funded by advertising but is publicly owned, for now. As part of the Queen’s speech this week the government confirmed its plans to privatise Channel 4 – despite the broadcaster’s opposition. In fact, Channel 4 has published an alternative showing us what it wants to become if it weren’t privatised – something the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said was based on "flawed assumptions". However Channel 4’s future is settled will have major ramifications for the UK’s TV industry. Whether it’ll make such a difference to the programmes that Channel 4 offers viewers depends on who you ask. At the centre of this issue are two key figures, Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary, and our guest in this edition - Alex Mahon, the chief executive of Channel 4.Presenter: Ros AtkinsProducer: Helen FitzhenryEditor: Richard Hooper

Two stories about power – and how it can be abused. The first is the tale of an MP caught looking at porn in the House of Commons and what it might tell us about the culture of political reporting at Westminster. The other is the joint BBC and The Guardian investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by the DJ Tim Westwood. Also in the programme, the future of tech regulation in the UK.Guests: Chi Chi Izundu, Reporter on "Tim Westwood: Abuse of Power", Katie Ferguson, Deputy Political Editor at The Sun, Eleanor Langford, Political Reporter at Politics Home, Margot James, former government minister, Philip Marsden, Professor of Law and Economics at the College of Europe and Kate Beioley, Legal Correspondent at the Financial Times.Presenter: Katie RazzallSound engineer: Duncan HannantProducer: Helen Fitzhenry

Three major stories could change the way we get our news. The multi-million-dollar streaming service CNN+, once billed as the broadcaster’s future, has shut down after less than a month. Over in Silicon Valley, Elon Musk has signed a $44 billion deal to buy Twitter. And the UK has seen the launch of a new broadcast channel in Talk TV. These three models – streaming, social media, and broadcast – offer competing alternatives for how we’ll consume news-based content in the future, but which of them will win out?Guests: Claire Atkinson, Chief Media Correspondent, Insider; Vivian Schiller, Executive Director, Aspen Digital; Christopher Williams, Business Editor, The Telegraph; Lauren Hirsch, reporter, The New York Times.Producer: Dan Hardoon Presenter: Ros Atkins Studio engineer: Tim Heffer

Piers Morgan is the star signing for Rupert Murdoch's new TalkTV channel in the UK. His show, "Piers Morgan Uncensored", will also be streamed on Fox Nation in the US and air on Sky News Australia. It represents a significant bet on one man's ability to transfix a global audience. But is it money well spent? Piers Morgan discusses his departure from Good Morning Britain, "cancel culture" and the limits of free speech, his record on holding Donald Trump to account, and changing business models in the media.Producer: Dan HardoonPresenter: Ros AtkinsEditor: Richard Hooper

The government’s plan to privatise Channel 4 has now been revealed. But who is lining up to buy the broadcaster and what could a change in ownership mean for viewers? Also in the programme, the French newspaper Le Monde is hoping to capitalise on interest in the elections by launching a English language edition. But is there a market for it?Guests: Chris Curtis, editor-in-chief of Broadcast; Elvire Camus, editor of Le Monde in English; Dominic Hinde, lecturer in Media and Communication at Glasgow University; Bénédicte Paviot, France 24’s UK Correspondent.Producer: Dan Hardoon Presenter: Katie Razzall Studio engineer: Duncan Hannant

Ira Glass is the presenter and producer behind This American Life, the first ever radio programme to win a Pulitzer Prize. Its spin off podcast, Serial, is credited with revolutionising podcasting and, in 2020, Glass sold Serial Productions to the New York Times for a reported $25 million. Ira discusses the inspiration behind his shows, the changing audio landscape, and responds to accusations of liberal bias in his journalism.Presenter: Katie Razzall Sound engineer: Bob Nettles Producer: Dan Hardoon

As peace talks between Ukraine and Russia get underway, the war on the ground continues. How is the war being reported differently by Ukrainian and international media? And is there a danger that the public is losing interest in the war?Guests: Oleksiy Sorokin, political editor at the Kyiv Independent; Iryna Matviyishyn, freelance journalist and producer; Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist; Lyse Doucet, BBC Chief International Correspondent; Cristina Nicolotti Squires, director of content at Sky News.Presenter: Ros AtkinsStudio engineer: Duncan HannantProducer: Dan Hardoon

The Media Show is in Hollywood this week, ahead of the 94th Academy awards. Netflix’s The Power of the Dog is nominated for 12 Oscars, including the coveted Best Picture. Katie Razzall meets Scott Stuber, Netflix's Head of Global Film, to find out how the platform continues to disrupt the film industry.Scott discusses his beginnings in the business with a cameo appearance in Free Willy 2, his strategy for luring legendary directors like Steven Spielberg to the platform, and his response to critics who claim that streaming services are killing cinema.Producer: Dan HardoonPresenter: Katie RazzallEditor: Richard Hooper

As governments around the world race to sanction associates of Vladimir Putin, the British media turns its attention to the role Russian oligarchs have played in public life. This week an edition of Panorama aired allegations about the source of Roman Abramovich's wealth. At the weekend The Sunday Times reported that Evgeny Lebedev was made a peer despite the concerns of the security services. But why is it only now that the mainstream press has put the oligarchs in the spotlight? What stopped them before? Guests: Paul Caruana Galizia, reporter at Tortoise Media; Adam Bienkov, Political Editor at Byline Times; Laura Kayali, Tech Correspondent at Politico; Natalia Antelava, journalist and co-founder of Coda Story, a global affairs news site; Lionel Barber, former editor of The Financial Times.Producer: Hannah SanderStudio engineer: Tim HefferPresenter: Katie Razzall

A media crackdown in Russia, including a new law against ‘fake news’, has led many independent news outlets to shut down. Some major western media have pulled out of the country completely. But the BBC is not only staying - it is actually increasing its services aimed at Russians. So what news can ordinary Russians access? And what impact is that information is having?Guests: Jamie Angus, Controller of BBC News Output & Commissioning; Peter Pomerantsev, author of This Is Not Propaganda; Vera Krichevskaya, co-founder of TV Rain; Olga Irisova, Editor-in-chief of Riddle Russia; Dr Ian Garner, Russian propaganda expert; Julia Davis, Columnist at The Daily Beast.Producer: Hannah SanderStudio engineer: Tim HefferPresenter: Ros Atkins

Alongside fighting in Ukraine, an "information war" is playing out. While Western media on the ground are describing a brutal war, Russian media offers a very different narrative. Journalists are not even allowed to describe the situation in Ukraine as a "war". So how will the latest crackdown on independent Russian media affect what people in the country see? And what does that mean for the future of this conflict?Guests: Ivan Kolpakov, Editor-in-Chief at Meduza; Olga Malchevska, Journalist at the BBC Ukrainian service; Professor Samuel Greene, Director of the Russia Institute at King’s College, London; Luke Harding, Senior International Correspondent at The Guardian; Roland Oliphant, Senior Foreign Correspondent at The Telegraph; Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor at Channel 4 News. Producer: Hannah SanderStudio Engineer: Tim HefferPresenter: Ros Atkins

What are the limits of free media? The Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries is calling on regulator Ofcom to consider action against Russian "propaganda" in the UK, shining a spotlight on TV channel RT. Elsewhere in the UK, the Supreme Court has stopped Bloomberg from publishing an investigation, on privacy grounds. Some have condemned this as threat to journalists’ ability to investigate. So when should a state or the law intervene in press freedom? Guests: Erika Solomon, Berlin Correspondent at the Financial Times; David Merritt, Senior Executive Editor at Bloomberg News; Hugh Tomlinson QC; Francis Scarr, BBC Monitoring journalist in Moscow; Chris Curtis, Editor-in-Chief at Broadcast Magazine.Studio engineer: Tim HefferProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Ros Atkins

How much power do our newspapers really have? John Witherow has been at the heart of Fleet Street for decades, He is one of the longest-serving national newspaper editors, first at the Sunday Times and now The Times, exposing cash for honours, abuse in Rotherham and corruption at Oxfam. But what role has his paper played in exposing the Partygate scandal that could bring down the Prime Minister? And what does this tell us about the relationship between the press and those running the country?Guest: John Witherow, Editor of The TimesProducers: Hannah Sander and Emily FinchPresenter: Katie Razzall

Open-source investigators forensically analyse digital evidence - social media posts, eyewitness videos, satellite imagery - to find the truth behind news events. Their techniques are now increasingly used by investigative journalists to achieve big impact. An investigation by The New York Times into civilian deaths from air and drone strikes has resulted in a policy change by the US military. Also in the programme - in the west it's headlined as "the Ukraine crisis", but how is the situation being reported in Russian and Ukrainian media?Guests: Alexa Koenig, Executive Director, Human Rights Center, Haley Willis, Visual Investigations Reporter, The New York Times, Benjamin Strick, Investigations Director, Centre for Information Resilience, Alison Killing, Winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting, and Francis Scarr, Senior Digital Journalist, BBC Monitoring in Moscow.Presenter: Katie RazzallStudio engineer: Tim HefferAssistant producer: Emily FinchEditor: Richard Hooper

One of the world's most popular podcasters has given Spotify a headache. Some critics and musicians claim that Joe Rogan is promoting COVID misinformation in his podcasts, which are exclusive to Spotify after a reported $100m deal in 2020. So how did Spotify - originally a music streaming service - become embroiled in a free speech debate? Also in the programme, BBC Three returns as a traditional TV channel, six years after the BBC decided it should be online only. Guests: Elizabeth Dwoskin, Silicon Valley Correspondent at the Washington Post; Jake Kanter Media Correspondent at The Times; Rosanna Pound-Woods, producer of The Catch Up on BBC Three; Batya Ungar-Sargon, Deputy Opinion Editor, Newsweek; Marianna Spring, BBC Disinformation ReporterStudio engineer: Tim HefferProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Ros Atkins

A major trial will take place this year in the US. Elshafee El Sheikh is accused of being a member of the Islamic State group, and of being one of the notorious IS Beatles, so named by their hostages because of their British accents - and accused of torturing and beheading journalists and aid workers. ITV News’ Rohit Kachroo secured interviews with El Sheikh and another of these men before they were transferred to US custody. Those interviews are expected to form part of the trial. So what are the ethics of interviewing suspected members of a terrorist group? Is it ever OK to give what amounts to publicity to people accused of such serious crimes? And how do you even go about doing it? Guest: Rohit Kachroo, Global Security Editor at ITV News.Studio engineer: John BolandProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Katie Razzall(Picture credit: ITV News)

The Prime Minister is under intense scrutiny, with political journalists reporting on backbencher unrest and a fiery PMQs. But is there really a government media strategy called "Operation Red Meat", using headline-grabbing policies to distract the media? Should we worry about the apparent cosy relationship between those in government setting these policies – and those in Fleet Street reporting on them? And amidst all this - what does the new BBC licence fee deal mean for the industry? Guests: Helen Lewis, staff writer at The Atlantic; Laura Hughes, political commentator at the Financial Times; Joey Jones, former spokesman for Theresa May, and former Deputy Political Editor at Sky News; Phil Riley, Chief Executive of Boom Radio.Studio engineer: Donald MacDonaldProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Katie Razzall

A bold new media start-up plans to create from scratch a news provider that will rival the likes of CNN, the New York Times and the BBC. The people behind it are Justin Smith, boss of Bloomberg Media, and Ben Smith, former editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News and media columnist at the New York Times. And with those two at the helm, journalists around the world are paying attention... But what does this new company tell us about the state of global journalism, the aftermath of the Trump years and declining trust in the news?Guest: Ben Smith, former editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed NewsStudio engineer: Duncan Hannant Producer: Hannah Sander Editor: Richard Hooper Presenter: Ros Atkins

A year on from the storming of the US Capitol and the media is still coming to terms with what happened. Some US news outlets have been accused of "obsessing over" the scenes on 6 January 2021. Others have condemned parts of the media for "normalising" the violence. So how can these divisions be healed? And in the week that several political figures were banned from Twitter, what role do the tech giants now play in our democracy?Guests: David Folkenflik, Media Correspondent at NPR; Robert Costa, Political Reporter at the Washington Post and co-author of Peril; Susan Ferrechio, Chief Congressional Correspondent at the Washington Examiner; Chris Stokel-Walker, tech journalist; Zing Tsjeng, Editor-in-Chief at Vice UK Studio engineer: Donald MacDonaldProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Ros Atkins

Their voices resound in living rooms across the country, but how much do we really know about the people who talk between the programmes? From impeccable composure to a catchy turn of phrase, there’s a lot that goes into good continuity. So what does the future hold for this familiar feature of TV and radio – is it set to go the same way as teletext or the Red Button?Guests: Duncan Newmarch, announcer for BBC One and BBC Two; Andrea Fox, ITV announcer; Jeanna Gallagher, announcer for Channel 4 and Film 4; Jane Steel, announcer and newsreader for BBC Radio 4; David Allan, former announcer on BBC Television.Producer: Dan HardoonPresenter: Katie RazzallStudio engineer: John BolandEditor: Richard Hooper

Decisions about how we should behave at Christmas are heavily influenced by the media – from online Twitter threads and infographics to interviews with scientists and public health officials. As a result of the pandemic, certain scientists and journalists have themselves become well-known characters in the Covid story – but is it a role they welcome?Guests: Professor Neil Ferguson, epidemiologist and member of SAGE; Professor Christina Pagel, Director of UCL’s Clinical Operational Research Unit; Dr Margaret Harris, spokesperson for the World Health Organisation; John Burn-Murdoch, chief data reporter at Financial Times. Producer: Dan Hardoon Presenter: Ros Atkins Studio engineer: Bob NettlesEditor: Richard Hooper

Jon Snow is the longest-running presenter of Channel 4 News and one of the most famous faces in broadcasting. Over the course of three decades, he has grilled every prime minister from Margaret Thatcher to Theresa May. He drew the iconic words ‘Let bygones be bygones’ from Nelson Mandela, shared a plane with Idi Amin, and reported on wars in Iran and crises in Vietnam. But he has also been accused of being partisan, of having political views that were too obvious – and which undermine the network’s impartiality. And so, at a time when the future of Channel 4 is up for grabs, his words have come under unprecedented scrutiny. Studio engineer: Giles AspenProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Katie Razzall

Was there a Christmas party in 10 Downing Street last year during lockdown? The Mirror received a tip-off from an anonymous source, alleging that a party took place. ITV News then secured footage of Downing Street aides joking about a party. How did the journalists involved get hold of these stories, and what did they do to "stand them up"? These two scoops dominated Prime Minister's Questions and every news bulletin. So what is the relationship between the government and the Lobby?Guests: Pippa Crerar, Political Editor at The Mirror; Paul Brand, UK Editor at ITV News; Kitty Donaldson, Political Editor at Bloomberg; Michael Crick, Political Correspondent at Mail Plus; Katie Perrior, former Director of Communications at 10 Downing Street.Studio engineer: Giles AspenProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Ros AtkinsEditor: Richard Hooper

What is the relationship between journalists and their audiences? Reporters covering the Omicron variant say they’ve received abuse from people angry about the government’s response – and blaming the journalists. One newspaper group announced they’ve had to disable reader comments altogether on their coverage of the tragedy in the English Channel. So are the trolls making it impossible to have a healthy debate between reader and reporter? Plus, Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter, is stepping away from the company. What are the big tasks facing new CEO Parag Agrawal?Guests: John Thornhill, Innovation Editor and Tech Columnist at the Financial Times; Rizwana Hamid, Director of the Centre for Media Monitoring; Isobel Asher Hamilton, Senior Tech Reporter at Insider; Ian Carter, Editorial Director at Iliffe Media; Rebecca Whittington, Online Safety Editor at Reach. Studio engineer; John BolandProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Katie Razzall

A faltering speech by Boris Johnson has Westminster journalists in a spin. The government changed its stance on lobbying following attacks in the Daily Mail and other bits of the media. And a BBC interview with Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus, has made headlines. But how much do political stories like these actually cut through with the public?Guests: Anushka Asthana, Deputy Political Editor at ITV News; Chris Williams, Business Editor at The Telegraph; Joe Twyman, Director at DeltaPoll; Steve Rosenberg, BBC Moscow Correspondent.Studio engineer: Nigel DixProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Ros Atkins

Nadine Dorries was made Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in September. In this interview, her first sit-down discussion with the BBC since she started her role, Dorries speaks to Katie Razzall about arts and media in schools, cancel culture, social media harms, and the future of the BBC.

After Sunday’s attack in Liverpool, journalists are questioning the right way to report responsibly on these types of incident. When should the words "terror attack" be used on a front page? And is it morally wrong to "door-step" victims and members of the public caught up in an attack? Also in the programme, Sky in the UK have launched a new streaming service, Peacock, in the week that Netflix says it will double its studio space in the UK. Can the traditional TV giants claw back an audience from the likes of Netflix and Disney? Guests: Maria Breslin, Editor at the Liverpool Echo; Kamal Ahmed, Editor-in-Chief at The News Movement; Julia Alexander, Senior Strategy Analyst at Parrot Analytics; Simon Walker, Chief Executive at Marquee TV.Studio engineer: Nigel DixProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Katie Razzall

The UK has become a production hub, with giant companies like Amazon and Netflix filming on our shores - and driving up the cost of shoots. But how easy is it to build up a thriving TV industry in a new part of the country? And faced with an influx of US programmes, should the government lay down legal requirements for ‘Britishness' on TV?Guests: Sarah Doole, Chief Executive of Red Production Company; Tony Wood, Chief Executive of Buccaneer Media; Sir Phil Redmond, creator of Grange Hill, Hollyoaks and Brookside; Chris Curtis, Editor of Broadcast.Studio engineer: Donald MacDonaldProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Ros Atkins

This has been a nervy week in the media world, as radio stations finally found out what happened to listening habits. Audience data was suspended during the pandemic and has only just returned. So what did the RAJARS (Radio Joint Audience Research) reveal about audiences? Who were the big winners and losers? And can broadcast radio stand up against the giants of Silicon Valley with their well funded podcast plans? Guests: Dick Stone, Chief Content Officer at Jack Media; Miranda Sawyer, Radio Critic at The Observer; Ashley Carman, Senior Reporter at The Verge and lead writer at Hot Pod; Matt Deegan, Creative Director at Folder Media.Studio engineer: Duncan HannantProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Datshiane Navanayagam

It's been another tough week for Facebook, as the world's biggest news brands publish co-ordinated and critical stories, all based on whistle-blower Frances Haugen and her trove of documents. How did Haugen, a former Facebook Product Manager, come to have such strong media and PR support? Facing difficulties in the real-world, Facebook are investing heavily in alternative-reality. But what exactly is the "metaverse" - and how soon before we all live in it?Guests: Emily Birnbaum, Tech Lobbying Reporter at Politico; Madhumita Murgia, European Tech Correspondent at The Financial Times; Nicola Millard, Principal Innovation Partner at BT; Lauren Goode, Senior Writer at Wired.Studio engineer: Steve GreenwoodProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Datshiane Navanayagam

Heat pumps, net zero, decarbonisation, the Paris agreement. With less than 2 weeks to go until Cop26, we’re being deluged with detail and jargon. But how much do you actually understand about climate change? Do you even know what COP actually stands for? (It’s Conference of the Parties if you don’t). Katie Razzall asks what role the media has in educating us about climate change. Maybe you feel hectored rather than informed? Or maybe you think the media isn’t going far enough; if we now face an existential crisis, should journalists dispense with the notion of objectivity and become activists in the fight to save the planet? Guests: Daniela Chiaretti, environment reporter at Brazil’s biggest financial newspaper Valor Econômico, Natasha Clark, environment correspondent for The Sun, Tom Chivers, science editor for UnHerd, and Wolfgang Blau, co-founder of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network.Presenter: Katie RazzallStudio engineer: Tim HefferProducer: Richard Hooper

The Saudi Arabian purchase of Newcastle football club has been a huge news story. But football isn't the only area of British public life in which the Saudis play a part. The Evening Standard and The Independent can both trace their ownership back to Saudi Arabia, while in the US, media giants including Disney and Netflix have large Saudi investments. But does this actually affect the journalism we read or the television we watch? Also in the programme, the classic American music magazine Rolling Stone has launched in the UK. So why – when so many publications are shrinking – was this the right moment to launch? Guests: Vivienne Walt, correspondent at Fortune, Areeb Ullah, journalist at Middle East Eye, Sanam Vakil, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, Jim Waterson, Media Editor at The Guardian and Darren Styles, Managing Director of Rolling Stone UK.Studio engineer: Giles AspenProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Katie Razzall

A global investigation and the largest leak of offshore data in history has produced the Pandora Papers. Journalists around the world have had front-page splashes on alleged corruption and money-laundering. Meanwhile in the US, a whistle-blowing former Facebook employee has appeared before Congress, accusing the company of harming democracy. And a piece in The New York Times seems to have brought down a wunderkind news organisation.But how interested are the public in these public interest stories? Is there a trick to keeping stories of this size at the top of the bulletins? And can public interest journalism still have an impact on the world?Guests: Juliette Garside, Deputy Business Editor at The Guardian; Margot Gibbs, Investigative Reporter at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists; Ben Smith, Media Columnist at The New York Times, Alexandra Suich Bass, Senior Columnist at The Economist.Studio engineer: Donald MacDonaldProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Rajan Datar(Picture credit: Facebook whistle-blower Frances Haugen speaks to the US Congress. Getty Images)

It’s party conference season. Political journalists are dashing around the country from fringe event to meeting room. Politicians beyond government are having their moment in the media spotlight. So how has Labour leader Keir Starmer handled the press attention? Does he have the same level of newspaper backing that Tony Blair or Boris Johnson could count on? Also in the programme, Netflix has revealed its most watched shows. How has a Korean horror-drama claimed top spot - and where is The Crown?Guests: Aaron Bastani, co-founder of Novara Media; Jane Merrick, Policy Editor at the i newspaper; Jack Peat, founder of The London Economic; Lara O'Reilly, Media Editor at Insider.Studio engineer: Donald MacDonaldProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Rajan Datar

His TV audience is in the millions. His new game show launches soon on ITV. He has over 8 million followers on Twitter. And he wasn’t too bad at football either. So how did Gary Lineker become a media powerhouse? From Des Lynham's presenting tips to the effect of TV rights deals on football, Lineker tracks his transition from superstar player to Saturday night TV host. But does he ever worry his social media posts could damage the BBC's reputation for impartiality?Studio engineer: Sue MaillotProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Ros Atkins

The world is waiting nervously to see what kind of Afghanistan emerges. A power struggle has broken out among Taliban leaders. But much of the Western media seems to have lost interest - right at the crucial moment. So what story are they missing? And why can't some Western news outlets deal with a story as complicated as Afghanistan?Guests: Clarissa Ward, Chief International Correspondent at CNN; Sana Safi, Journalist at BBC Pashtu; Alex Shephard, Staff Writer at The New Republic; Saad Mohseni, Chief Executive of Moby Group, including Tolo News; Secunder Kermani, BBC Pakistan and Afghanistan Correspondent.Studio engineer: Duncan HannantProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Ros Atkins

Jack Thorne is the acclaimed screenwriter behind episodes of His Dark Materials, Shameless and Skins. In this year's MacTaggart Lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival he set out why he believes the industry has failed disabled people "utterly and totally". Ros Atkins and guests discuss. Also in the programme, David Elstein, former Channel 5 CEO, sets out his case for the privatisation of Channel 4.Guests: Jack Thorne, screenwriter, Bryony Arnold, Co-Director of Deaf & Disabled People in TV, Cherylee Houston, actor and founder of the Disabled Artists Networking Community, Deborah Williams, executive director of the Creative Diversity Network, and David Elstein, former Channel 5 CEO.Producer: Emma WallacePresenter: Ros Atkins

To tell the story of the UK more fairly and more equitably there need to be more reporting voices outside London - that seems to be the journalistic mood of the moment. The BBC in March announced plans to shift focus from the capital in a “commitment to better reflect, represent, and serve all parts of the country". When GB News launched, it promised to “reach out to non-metropolitan audiences beyond London and engage them in our national conversation". So what does it mean to have a "non-metropolitan" bias?Guests: Lorna Willis, CEO of Archant, Nick Mitchell, Editor of NationalWorld, Ifan Morgan Jones, founder of Nation.Cymru, and Shazia Ali, The People’s NewsroomProducer: Emma WallacePresenter: Julian Worricker

Welcome to the era of the reboot. Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen doing up people’s living rooms, Ruby Wax interviewing Hollywood stars. New versions of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Blankety Blank, Sex and the City. So why are there so many rebooted formats? Is it because the 90s and 00s were the real golden age of TV after all? Or is competition for viewers now so fierce that commissioners need trusted hits from yesteryear? Guests: Ruby Wax, broadcaster and writer; Clive Tulloh, Executive Producer of When Ruby Wax Met..., Layla Smith, Head of Objective Media Group; Mark Sammon, Executive Producer of Changing Rooms.Studio engineer: Nigel DixProducer: Hannah SanderPresenter: Julian Worricker