The Explanation

BBC World Service

Where the world is explained. Making sense of the big stories - looking behind the spin. Exploring the important questions about long-running stories and the latest global news. An honest, unvarnished, explanation of the world. Episodes from The Explanation, Unspun World, The Global Jigsaw and The Media Show.

  • 22 minutes 58 seconds
    The Media Show: Jake Paul v Mike Tyson

    Friday’s Netflix boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson was more than a fight; it was a media moment. Evan Shapiro, media commentator, sees it as evidence of influencer dominance over traditional media. Oliver Brown, Chief Sports Writer of The Daily Telegraph, discusses whether such events mark a shift from genuine sport to spectacle. Crosswords and puzzles are becoming an integral part of newspaper business strategies. Zoe Bell, Executive Producer of Games at The New York Times, explains how games like Wordle and Spelling Bee are driving engagement and subscriptions. Crossword setter John Halpern shares his journey into the world of puzzles and the creative process behind setting crosswords for major newspapers. Bluesky, a social media platform created by Jack Dorsey, is gaining traction as an alternative to Elon Musk's X. With a significant increase in users, Bluesky is being seen as a platform that offers a different experience from traditional social media. Katie Martin from the Financial Times discusses the platform's growth and its potential impact on the media landscape. Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant producer: Lucy Wai

    21 November 2024, 7:30 am
  • 26 minutes 29 seconds
    Unspun World: What can the world expect from a second Trump term?

    John Simpson explores the implications of a second Trump term for US foreign policy, the role of Saudi Arabia in the search for stability in the Middle East, and the appeal of South Korean culture.

    15 November 2024, 1:30 am
  • 22 minutes 59 seconds
    The Media Show: US Election and its impact on media

    The US election has brought about significant challenges for the mainstream media. Edward Luce of the Financial Times, Megan McArdle of The Washington Post, and Katie Drummond of WIRED discuss the diversification of media sources and the struggle for relevance among traditional news organisations.

    Taskmaster has become a standout success in the world of TV comedy. Alex Horne, the creator and co-host of the UK edition, provides insights into the show’s enduring popularity and its international adaptations.

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

    14 November 2024, 7:37 am
  • 26 minutes 29 seconds
    Unspun World: What does the US election tell us about America?

    John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, examines how the US Presidential campaign has highlighted the deep divisions in the country, analyses the future for Hezbollah in Lebanon in the wake of Israel’s attacks, and looks at how difficult life is now in Afghanistan under the Taliban.

    8 November 2024, 1:30 am
  • 22 minutes 58 seconds
    The Media Show: Trump's winning media strategy

    Much of the traditional media were blindsided by Trump’s election victory. To discuss why, Katie is joined by James Harding, Founder, Tortoise Media, Claire Atkinson, The Media Mix newsletter, and Max Tani, Media Editor, Semafor.

    Also on the show, a new investigation into the finances of the British Royal family. Alistair Jackson, Investigations Editor, Channel 4, Jennie Bond, former BBC Royal Correspondent and Kinsey Schofield, Host, To Di for Daily ask whether the Royals get an easy ride from the journalists tasked with scrutinising them.

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

    7 November 2024, 7:28 am
  • 39 minutes 42 seconds
    The Global Jigsaw: Russia’s “special demographic operation”

    Why is the Kremlin worried about population decline? President Putin has made the increase of human capital a national priority. Decision-makers have been competing to offer a solution, from fiscal incentives to encourage women to have more children, to restricting access to abortion, to banning "propaganda" of “childless lifestyle”. Will their plan work?

    Producer: Francis Scarr, Veronika Malinboym, Kriszta Satori, Elchin Suleymanov Presenter: Krassi Twigg

    2 November 2024, 1:30 am
  • 26 minutes 29 seconds
    Unspun World: What will Iran do now?

    John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses how the Iranian regime might respond to Israel’s attack on the country, examines the role of disinformation in the US Presidential election and looks at whether a rape trial in Provence will change French society.

    1 November 2024, 1:30 am
  • 22 minutes 58 seconds
    The Media Show: Ballots, bias and big tech

    Ros Atkins is in Washington DC and asks what what the upcoming election tells us about the role the media plays in modern America.

    The Washington Post finds itself at the heart of a debate on media impartiality after a reported loss of thousands of subscribers following its decision not to endorse a candidate. NPR's media correspondent, David Folkenflik, joins us to unpack the unfolding crisis.

    With tech billionaires wielding significant influence, this election has seen figures like Elon Musk openly backing Donald Trump. Critics argue that big tech’s sway over public discourse has become too potent. Jennifer Huddleston, a senior fellow in technology policy at the Cato Institute, and Marietje Schaake, a former MEP now with Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center, debate the issues.

    And for over 170 years, the Associated Press has been at the forefront of election coverage, calling winners across the nation. Anna Johnson, AP’s Washington bureau chief, explains how it does what might be "the single largest act of journalism in the world".

    Presenter:: Ros Atkins

    30 October 2024, 5:00 pm
  • 30 minutes 1 second
    The Global Jigsaw: Turkey’s anti-LGBT drive

    What’s behind the evolution of President Erdogan’s narrative on LGBT issues, and how did Turkey’s Islamic conservatives find common ground with American Evangelicals? President Erdogan skipped the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris in August after his granddaughter warned him about the “LGBT show”. He berated the French organisers for “debasing humanity to a level below animals”. His anti-LGBT push is relatively recent. We take a look at one battlefield of the global culture war. Producer: Kriszta Satori Presenter: Krassi Twigg

    26 October 2024, 12:30 am
  • 26 minutes 29 seconds
    Unspun World: The Middle East: The regional perspective

    John Simpson, in discussion with the BBC's unparalleled range of experts across the world, analyses the attitudes of other countries in the Middle East towards Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon, examines the signs of a recovery in the global economy and looks at the Italian Prime Minister’s right-wing domestic agenda.

    25 October 2024, 12:30 am
  • 22 minutes 58 seconds
    The Media Show: The king of reality TV

    Andy Cohen is the executive producer behind the Real Housewives TV franchise. He tells Katie how it became a global phenomenon. Also in the programme, after Yulia Navalnaya’s BBC interview, an assessment of Putin’s crackdown on the media which her husband Alexei Navalny used to promote his message. Francis Scarr of BBC Monitoring explains. Presenter: Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

    24 October 2024, 6:15 am
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