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

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

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

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.

We talk to reporters in Los Angeles about the challenges of covering the fires there. As the government prepares to begin the charter renewal process which will decide the future of the BBC, one option being discussed is mutualisation. We explore what that could look like. A new podcast features celebrities interviewed by a reincarnated AI Michael Parkinson. We meet the team behind it. We get an update on the possibility of Tiktok being banned in the US, plus sift the TV industry’s viewing data for Christmas to see what it tells us about the kind of TV we all want to watch.

Presenter: Ros Atkins

Guests: Jonathan Hunt, Chief Correspondent, Fox News; Emma Vardy, LA Correspondent, BBC News; Allison Agsten, Director, USC Annenberg’s Center for Climate Journalism and Communication; Caroline Frost, Columnist, Radio Times; Lara O'Reilly, Senior Correspondent, Business Insider; Tom Mills, Chair, Media Reform Coalition; Benjamin Field, Executive Producer, Deep Fusion Films

We talk to Andrew Norfolk, one of the first journalists to report on the grooming gangs story, an issue now in headlines around the world because of the interventions of Elon Musk. Nazir Afzal, former prosecutor explains how journalists helped advise the Crown Prosecution Service about the case. Meta’s decision to scrap US fact-checkers in favor of user-led "community notes," has proved controversial. We find out why. We ask what journalists in the so-called legacy media can learn from news influencers on TikTok. Plus get the latest on one of the most hyped releases of the year (if it happens) Grand Theft Auto 6.

Guests: Andrew Norfolk, Former Chief Investigative Reporter, The Times; Nazir Afzal, former chief prosecutor for the North West England region; Julia Angwin, journalist and fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School; Angie Drobnic Holan, Director, PolitiFact; Joey Contino, TikTok news influencer; Alessandra Galloni, Thompson Reuters editor-in-chief; Vic Hood, games critic

A New Years Day programme where we look forward and back. The Media Show teams up with Radio 4's crisis communications podcast, When it Hits the Fan, to discuss what the big stories of the year tell us about how journalists and PR professionals interact. It’s a year since the hugely influential ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office brought the plight of hundreds of sub-postmasters and mistresses wrongly accused of fraud into our living rooms. We hear how those affected have approached their relationship with the media since then. Plus we assemble a panel of media experts to get their predictions of major trends we'll see in 2025.

Guests: David Yelland and Simon Lewis, presenters, When it Hits the Fan; Rebekah Foot, Chair, Lost Chances; Madhumita Murgia, AI Editor, FT; Charlotte Tobitt, UK Editor, Press Gazette; Rebecca Jennings, Senior correspondent, Vox

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins

We discuss why CNN is under pressure after a viral news report from Syria turned out not to be all it claimed to be. As ABC News settles a defamation lawsuit with Donald Trump for $15m, we look at what it means for journalism. Also on the programme, a BBC World Service investigation has found that Steven Bartlett’s Diary of A CEO is amplifying harmful health misinformation with little or no challenge. We hear why health and wellness content has proven so popular on podcasts and social media. One half of the Youtube comedy group Map Men reveal how they turned their passion for cartography into a global phenomenon. Plus the editor-in-chief of Time Magazine tells us why they have selected President Elect Trump as their Person of the Year.

Guests:

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins

Kholoud Helmi, co-founder of independent Syrian newspaper Enab Baladi and reporter Edmund Bower discuss the fall of the Assad regime. We hear about claims of misconduct at one of the world’s largest LGBT media platforms. Mia Sato from The Verge and influencer Michael McWhorter examine how online communities responded to the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO and we discuss a controversial lawsuit about the ownership of social media aesthetics. Plus Benjamin Strick, an expert in open-source intelligence, reveals simple tools to uncover the truth behind online content.

Guests: Kholoud Helmi, founder of Syrian independent newspaper Enab Baladi; Benjamin Strick, Investigations Director, Centre for Information Resilience; Josh Parry, BBC journalist, LGBT and Identity; Mia Sato, Platforms & Communities Reporter, The Verge; Michael McWhorter, social media influencer known as Tizzy Ent; Edmund Bower, freelance reporter covering Syria for The Times

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins

Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour talks to Katie about her career and the new exhibition, VOGUE: Inventing the Runway. As more allegations emerge about the conduct of Master Chef host Gregg Wallace, we hear about the on-set rules supposed to protect participants in reality TV. The civil war in Syria has a sophisticated social media front. We get a briefing now the conflict is back in the headlines. Plus we've a guide to getting started on Reddit, the fastest-growing social media platform in the UK.

Guests: Jo Hemmings, Duty of Care Psychologist; James Ball, Political editor, The New European; Robert H Peck, Associate Professor, The University of Iowa; Charlie Winter, Associate Fellow, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism; Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue; Hadley Freeman, Columnist, Sunday Times

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins

We talk to journalists and influencers about how they discuss assisted dying. As staff at The Observer vote to go on strike over the plans, its outgoing editor explains why he's against a proposed sale of the Sunday newspaper to Toirtoise media. We ask if department store Christmas adverts still retain their iconic status in 2024 and we consider what presenter Mishal Husain's departure means for BBC flagship news show, Today. Plus we get the latest on the feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which is now heading for the courts.

Guests: Alex Farber, Media Correspondent, The Times; Paul Webster, outgoing Editor, The Observer; Franki Goodwin, Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi and Saatchi; Maisie McCabe, UK editor, Campaign magazine; Julie McFadden, end of life care influencer; Janet Eastham, Social and Religious Affairs Editor, The Telegraph; Mark Savage, BBC Music Correspondent

Presenters: Ros Atkins and Katie Razzall

The resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury has sparked renewed discussion about accountability in the Church of England. Cathy Newman, Presenter and Investigations Editor, Channel 4 News, reflects on her investigation which triggered it. Mark Stibbe, one of Cathy's original sources, discusses the impact of coming forward with his story. Colin Campbell, Investigative Journalist, BBC News, shares his experience of reporting on cover-ups and systemic failures in the Church’s handling of abuse cases.

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 and ‘Media Cartographer,’ sees it as evidence of influencer dominance over traditional media. Oliver Brown, Chief Sports Writer, Daily Telegraph, discusses whether such events mark a shift from genuine sport to spectacle.

Games are more than leisure activities; they are now central to media business models. Zoe Bell, Executive Producer of Games, The New York Times, explains how puzzles like Wordle and its new game Zorse contribute to subscription growth. John Halpern, crossword setter, shares insights into his process for crafting puzzles and the timeless appeal of crosswords.

Katie Martin, Columnist, Financial Times, discusses her move from X to Bluesky. She reflects on the challenges of platform migration, the persistence of echo chambers, and the broader implications for media spaces.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins