The Media Show

This week the BBC announced more cuts as part of its drive to save £500 million, following on from a series of other budget saving measures over the last few months. Katie and Ros talk to BBC Deputy Director-General Rhodri Talfan-Davies, and take stock of everything announced so far with a panel of experts: ex-BBC executive Roger Mosey, MP for Southport Patrick Hurley and Baroness Morgan, former Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

And a new Channel 4 programme investigates public attitudes toward disability. The creators of The Experiment have built a fictional care home for disabled people and invite members of the public into the facility to see if they can recognize Nazi-era concepts disguised as modern social care. Producer Nick Parnes and presenter Sophie Morgan join the show.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins

This week, an extended interview with the screenwriter and producer Russell T Davies. He talks to Katie and Ros about his long career in television, from early days in children's TV, to bringing back Doctor Who, to his more recent successes like the critically acclaimed Tip Toe. He also gives his thoughts on the media landscape today, including the role of AI and the lack of commissioning opportunities.

Also, former barrister and legal correspondent Clive Coleman, now a specialist in crisis PR and reputation management, and former BBC news exec Katy Searle discuss the BBC's defamation settlement with the founder of LGBTQ+ news site Pink News and his husband over a 2024 investigation. How should the BBC respond when it gets things wrong?

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins

What are the challenges of reporting on the Cornell University rape investigation, and how did it emerge in student and social media? We discuss with Kathleen Bartzen Culver, Professor of Journalism Ethics at the University of Wisconsin – Madison; and Dr Robert Topinka, Reader in Digital Culture at Birkbeck University of London.

Manchester City arranged "sham contracts" with a number of commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m, the Premier League says. We discuss how the media was involved in reporting the story over many years with BBC Sport's Laura Scott; Der Spiegel journalist Christoph Winterbach; Nick Harris from Sporting Intelligence and Sky’s sports correspondent Rob Harris.

New research from Stanford University suggests a significant share of newly created websites may now be produced, at least in part, by artificial intelligence. We hear from one of the study's lead researchers, Maty Boháček, alongside technology writer Timandra Harkness, about the scale of AI-generated content online and what it means for the future of the web.

Celebrity Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing are back on our screens. But what goes into casting the stars who make these formats a success? Celebrity talent executive Stef Aleksander takes us behind the scenes of one of television's most important and least visible jobs.

The legal confrontation between Donald Trump and the White House press corps raises questions about press freedom and the limits of presidential control over media access. We talk to Ronnell Anderson Jones, University Distinguished Professor of Law, and Washington Post media reporter Scott Nover.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins

The right of reply has long been a cornerstone of journalism, giving those involved in a story the chance to respond before publication. But with politicians and public figures now using social media to publish their own version first, is this principle being undermined? Guto Harri, former Downing Street Director of Communications, Professor Karen Fowler-Watt from City St George’s, University of London, and journalist Matt Shea assess how the practice is changing.

As streaming services compete for attention, TV remotes usually now include buttons for platforms like Netflix and YouTube often paid for by the services themselves. UK broadcasters argue this disadvantages British platforms and have called for a dedicated ‘British’ button. Technology historian Edd Thomas and Professor Catherine Johnson from the University of Leeds explain why the remote has become such a significant battleground.

Universities are increasingly offering degrees in content creation, with Arizona State University launching a BA in the subject and several UK institutions following suit. But is a degree necessary for success in this field? Damien Jordan, creator of Damien Talks Money, and Jacky Gurr, Course Leader for BA Content Creation at Nottingham Trent University, share their perspectives on what formal education can offer aspiring creators.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins

What does Channel 4's undercover investigation into Reform UK tell us about the relationship between polling, politics and the press? Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins hear from journalists Jake Kanter International Investigations Editor at Deadline, and James Ball Political Editor at The New World, and the polling experts Professor Sir John Curtice and Stephan Shakespeare CEO of YouGov.

Producer: Lisa Jenkinson

Five years after the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet has returned to the country to report on life under the regime, including the secret schools educating girls despite restrictions on female education. Lyse joins us to explain how reporting trips to Afghanistan are organised, what it is like negotiating access with the Taliban and how journalists protect vulnerable sources.

Artificial intelligence is changing the way information is created and shared, and a new phrase has emerged to describe one aspect of that shift: the "meat proxy". Coined by German software engineer Niklas Gruhn, the term refers to people acting as conduits for AI-generated content. Niklas explains why he believes the phenomenon matters and whether AI risks weakening human judgement. We also explore a debate sparked by the Wall Street Journal after it defended publishing an opinion article created with the assistance of AI. Will Oremus of The Atlantic and Diane Brady of Fortune discuss what the controversy means for transparency and the future of opinion journalism.

Good Food has become one of Britain's most successful digital publishing brands, attracting hundreds of millions of recipe views every year. Senior Food Editor Barney Desmazery, who has spent more than two decades with the brand previously known as BBC Good Food, reflects on the evolution of recipe media, from magazines and websites to social media platforms and he explains why trusted food journalism still matters.

The Grand Tour is back with a completely new presenting line-up. Viral train enthusiast Francis Bourgeois joins YouTube creators James Engelman and Thomas Holland of Throttle House as Amazon revives the motoring format made famous by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. Executive producer and director Phil Churchward explains why the programme turned to digital creators and how the new format differs from previous versions,

Presenter: Ros Atkins

As the Edinburgh TV Festival gets under way, attention is focused on YouTube's growing position in the television market. Against a backdrop of changing viewing habits and competition between broadcasters and digital platforms, questions remain about audience reach, commissioning and distribution. Alison Lomax, Managing Director of YouTube UK, talks to Ros Atkins and outlines the company's position.

Producer: Lisa Jenkinson

The death of Cambridge academic Jason Arday has prompted intense debate about media conduct, following weeks of reporting on allegations of plagiarism and questions about aspects of his life story. Critics have accused journalists of contributing to an atmosphere of relentless scrutiny, while others argue that legitimate public interest questions were being pursued. Nick Clark, a childhood friend of Jason Arday, reflects on his experience of speaking to reporters. Charles Moore, columnist at The Telegraph and The Spectator, Seun Matiluko, freelance journalist, Sarah Ditum, Times Columnist and Stephen Bush, columnist at the Financial Times, consider questions of proportionality, public interest and journalistic responsibility.

Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins