The Media Show

BBC

Social media, anti-social media, breaking news, faking news: this is the programme about a revolution in media.

  • 57 minutes 26 seconds
    Impact of Adolescence drama, Nintento Switch 2 launch, The Young Turks

    We explore the impact of the hit Netflix drama, Adolescence, which has sparked national debate over boys' media consumption and online misogyny. Katie talks to Cenk Uygur, founder of US progressive network The Young Turks and, on the afternoon it's released, we get the lowdown on Nintendo's long-awaited Switch 2 console.

    Guests: Claire Holubowskyj, Senior Research Analyst, Enders Analysis; Dr Marcus Gilroy-Ware, Lecturer in Creative Digital Media SOAS, University of London; Oli Dugmore, Editor, Joe; Cenk Uygur, Host, Founder, CEO, Young Turks; Keza MacDonald, Video Games Editor, The Guardian

    Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producers: Simon Richardson and Lucy Wai

    2 April 2025, 4:51 pm
  • 56 minutes 54 seconds
    Peter Kosminsky, AI and publishing, Media crackdown in Turkey

    The director of Wolf Hall, Peter Kosminsky, and CEO of Bad Wolf, Jane Tranter, discuss a TV industry in crisis. As the editor of the Atlantic magazine reveals he was added to a White House group chat on Signal, we profile the founder of the messaging app. Also on the programme, how authors and publishers are responding to their works allegedly being used to train AI models. And as protests continue in Turkey, we speak to a reporter about the detention of journalists covering the events.

    Guests: Peter Kosminsky, Director, Wolf Hall; Jane Tranter, Co-founder, Bad Wolf; Alex Reisner, programmer and contributing writer, The Atlantic; Rosie Wilby, author, The Breakup Monologues; Catriona MacLeod Stevenson, Deputy CEO, Publishers Association; James Ball, Political Editor, The New European; Selin Girit, journalist, BBC

    Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Lucy Wai Assistant Producers: Flora McWilliam and Elena Angelides

    26 March 2025, 6:57 pm
  • 56 minutes 41 seconds
    Welfare reform coverage, Michael Jackson documentary, cuts to US-backed overseas media

    Ros, Katie and guests assess Labour's media strategy amid its £5bn welfare cuts and weigh up the impact of Donald Trump’s defunding of US state-backed broadcasters. We've another in our series of 'tech bro' profiles, this week of Chinese AI entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng, whose Deepseek chatbot is challenging the US tech giants. Plus we talk to Dan Reed about Leaving Neverland 2, his latest documentary on the fallout from allegations against Michael Jackson.

    Guests: Kate McCann, Breakfast Presenter, Times Radio; Sophia Smith Galer, writer and creator; Bay Fang, President, Radio Free Asia; Jennifer Gyrgiel, Associate Professor, Syracuse University; Richard Spencer, China Correspondent, The Times; Dan Reed, Michael Jackson doc

    Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    20 March 2025, 4:14 pm
  • 56 minutes 49 seconds
    New Facebook memoir, TV show Chess Masters, books to films at London Book Fair

    An exclusive interview with Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Facebook executive publishing a revealing new book, Careless People, about her time at the company. Having held a top global public policy role, she shares her views on the tech giant’s values and policies. Also in the programme, literary agent Jonny Geller live from the London Book Fair, we profile AI leader Demis Hassabis and get the inside track on a new reality TV show all about chess, Chess Masters.

    Guests: Sarah Wynn Williams, former Facebook executive; Suzanne Nossel, Member, Meta Oversight Board; Jonny Geller, CEO, Curtis Brown; Melissa Heikkilä, AI Correspondent, FT; Camilla Lewis, CEO, Curve Media

    Presenter: Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Emily Channon

    12 March 2025, 6:14 pm
  • 56 minutes 47 seconds
    White House press access, Kursk documentary, Jeff Bezos's new rules for the Washington Post

    As the Trump administration takes control of the 100 year-old media pool system, Eugene Daniels, President of the White House Correspondents' Association shares concerns about government transparency and who now gets access to the President. Max Tani, Media Editor at Semafor explains the Washington Post's controversial new opinions policy and former Managing Editor Cameron Barr tells us why he resigned in protest. A new documentary, Kursk: 10 Days That Shaped Putin, sheds light on the early days of the Russian leader's presidency. Its Director Becky Read tells us how she made it alongside BBC Monitoring’s Francis Scarr who explains how the 2000 submarine disaster shaped Putin’s media strategy. We hear a profile of Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos from Greg Williams, Deputy Global Editorial Director at WIRED. Also in the show, Oscar-winning director Molly O’Brien discusses her film The Only Girl in the Orchestra and the media demands of winning an Academy Award.

    Eugene Daniels, Chief Playbook and White House Correspondent, POLITICO and WHCA President; Cameron Barr, former Senior Managing Editor, Washington Post; Max Tani, Media Editor, Semafor; Becky Read, Director, Kursk: 10 Days That Shaped Putin; Francis Scarr, Russia Specialist, BBC Monitoring; Greg Williams, Deputy Global Editorial Director, WIRED; Molly O’Brien, Director, The Only Girl in the Orchestra

    Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    6 March 2025, 6:29 pm
  • 57 minutes 19 seconds
    Mehdi Hasan, BBC Gaza doc controversy, Peter Thiel profile

    Social media bosses from Meta, X, TikTok and Google were grilled by the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee yesterday. We speak to Labour Chair of the committee, Chi Onwurah, for her reaction. Also on the programme, a career interview with the British-American broadcaster Mehdi Hasan. He discusses his new media business Zeteo, his departure from MSNBC and the importance of opinion journalism. As the BBC faces criticism about its Gaza documentary – it’s emerged that the boy who narrates the film is the son of a Hamas official – we discuss the controversy with former Head of News & Current Affairs at Channel 4, Dorothy Byrne, and TV executive Leo Pearlman. Plus, Max Chafkin, Bloomberg reporter and author of The Contrarian, profiles Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel.

    Guests: Chi Onwurah, MP, Labour; Mehdi Hasan, broadcaster and CEO, Zeteo; Dorothy Byrne, former Head of News and Current Affairs, Channel Four; Leo Pearlman, Co-CEO, Fulwell Entertainment; Max Chafkin, tech reporter and author, Bloomberg

    Presenters: Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    26 February 2025, 6:30 pm
  • 56 minutes 53 seconds
    Media diplomacy, The New Yorker at 100, Sam Altman profile

    As international talks continue about the war in Ukraine, former NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu and Times defence editor Larisa Brown compare notes. David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, joins us to discuss his editorial process and business strategy as the magazine turns 100. Also on the programme, Mike Isaac from The New York Times profiles the CEO of OpenAI. Plus, how can the media adapt to the needs of Gen Z? We discuss with the FT’s Stephanie Stacey and Hilary Xherimeja, CEO of the media recruitment company Sondr.

    Guests: Oana Lungescu, former spokesperson, NATO; Larisa Brown, Defence Editor, The Times; David Remnick, Editor, The New Yorker; Mike Isaac, Tech Correspondent, The New York Times; Stephanie Stacey, Tech Reporter and graduate trainee, FT; Hilary Xherimeja, CEO, Sondr

    Presenter: Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    19 February 2025, 5:39 pm
  • 57 minutes 48 seconds
    In the room with Trump and Musk, BBC Media Action answers its critics, what makes tech bros tick?

    What happened at Elon Musk’s unexpected White House press conference alongside President Trump? Reuters’ Jeff Mason was there. Semafor’s Max Tani and First Amendment expert Katie Fallow discuss Trump’s $20 million lawsuit against CBS News. We also examine the impact of US AID cuts on global media, with BBC Media Action’s Simon Bishop addressing claims of foreign influence. Wired’s Lauren Goode profiles venture capitalist Marc Andreessen in a new series on Silicon Valley elites and MSNBC’s Chris Hayes discusses his book The Siren's Call, all about the attention economy and big tech’s grip on our focus.

    Guests: Max Tani, Media Editor, Semafor; Katie Fallow, litigation expert, Knight First Amendment Institute; Simon Bishop, CEO, BBC Media Action; Chris Hayes, Host, MSNBC, Lauren Goode, Senior Writer, Wired; Jeff Mason, White House Correspondent, Reuters

    Presenter: Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    12 February 2025, 5:42 pm
  • 56 minutes 43 seconds
    Future-proofing media

    Katie and Ros are joined by some of the biggest names in media to dissect the shifting landscape of news, business models, and audience trust. Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon discusses the network’s latest research on Gen Z’s relationship with truth and news consumption, while Sky News Group Executive Chair David Rhodes lays out his vision for the future of Sky’s journalism in a digital-first world. Lorna Woods from The University of Essex weighs up how some of the proposals we've heard to regulate online content might work in practice. The Independent’s Editor-in-Chief Geordie Greig reflects on the publication’s digital success and its latest funding from the Bill Gates Foundation. Plus, an exclusive interview with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who reflects on the power and pitfalls of big tech.

    Guests: Alex Mahon, CEO, Channel 4; David Rhodes, Executive Chairman, Sky News Group; Geordie Greig, Editor-in-Chief, The Independent; Lorna Woods, Professor of Internet Law, University of Essex; Bill Gates, Co-Founder, Microsoft

    Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    5 February 2025, 5:41 pm
  • 57 minutes 28 seconds
    China's AI win, transparency in family courts, refugee life close up

    From TikTok to AI, concerns are growing around the world about the influence of Chinese technology. Kathrin Hille, FT Greater China correspondent, tells us how TikTok might be influencing the political views of young people in Taiwan but former Head of Cybersecurity at GCHQ Ciaran Martin says the threat may not be as it seems. What will new reporting rules mean for the way the press covers the family court? We get two perspectvies. Katie and Ros meet the producer of a controversial new Channel 4 programme which puts people with strong opinions about immigration into the shoes of those attempting to come to the UK. Plus, we find out why a gang of nerds has been flocking to Las Vegas to solve unusual game tasks in Microsoft Excel.

    Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    Guests: Shirin Ghaffary, AI Reporter, Bloomberg; Ciaran Martin, Professor, Oxford University Blavatnik School of Government; Kathrin Hille, Greater China correspondent, Financial Times; Hannah Summers, Family Courts Journalist, Bureau of Investigative Journalism; Emily Verity, Barrister, 1GC Family Law; Emma Young, Executive Producer, Minnow Films; Robert McMillan, Reporter, Wall Street Journal

    29 January 2025, 5:20 pm
  • 55 minutes 38 seconds
    Prince Harry settles, Gaza ceasefire coverage, Children’s TV

    The long-running legal battle between Prince Harry and the British tabloids has come to a dramatic end. As the owner of the Sun newspaper offers him a full apology and substantial damages, we unpick the significance of the settlement. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have also made headlines as subjects of a new cover story in Vanity Fair - we speak to its author. Also on the programme, we look at how news outlets have reported the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Plus the BBC’s Director of Children & Education joins us to discuss the crisis facing children’s TV.

    Presenter: Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    Guests: Jake Kanter, International Investigations Editor, Deadline; Joshua Rozenberg, legal commentator; Chris Huhne, former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change; Anna Peele, Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair; Noga Tarnopolsky, freelance journalist; Patricia Hidalgo, Director of Children & Education, BBC; David Kleeman, Senior Vice President of Global Trends, Dubit.

    22 January 2025, 6:28 pm
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