

The Media Show
BBC Radio 4
Social media, anti-social media, breaking news, faking news: this is the programme about a revolution in media.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 16, 2025 • 58min
Reporting on the British Steel crisis, should we 'ditch' intellectual property law? and Saturday Night Live for Britain?
Katie Razzall talks to Katy Balls, Political Editor of the Spectator as she heads off for her new posting as Washington Editor for the Times and Sunday Times.
What's it like reporting on the industrial crisis which led to the recall of parliament at the weekend? Sky's Economics Editor Ed Conway describes his difficulties gaining
access to the Chinese owned British Steel factory in Scunthorpe, BBC North reporter Jo Makel has followed the story for years and former BBC political correspondent Nick Jones is a veteran of industrial reporting and author of "The Lost Tribe: Whatever Happened to Fleet Street's Industrial Correspondents?"
Intellectual property law in the age of artificial intelligence under threat: At the weekend Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, posted “delete all IP law” on the social media platform, now rebranded as X. Current owner Elon Musk swiftly responded to the tweet with: “I agree." Dr Hayleigh Bosher, Reader in Intellectual Property Law at Brunel University, takes us through Dorsey's argument and what it tells us about Big Tech's changing attitude towards copyright.
Amit Katwala, features editor at Wired, profiles Alexis Ohanian. The co-founder of Reddit is now a venture capitalist who has made headlines for acquiring the social media platform Digg, and joining Frank McCourt's 'People's Bid' for US TikTok.
And is the UK ready for Sky's Saturday Night Live, the hit American show which will soon be on our screens ? We talk to comedian Tamar Broadbent and Caroline Frost from the Radio Times about what we can expect from the remake.Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

Apr 9, 2025 • 57min
IPL cricket , the end of The Lady magazine, Tech bro profile Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, impact of tariffs on TV and the streamers
Katie Razzall and guests discuss some of the biggest media stories this week: As the cricket season gets going Tim Wigmore cricket commentator at The Telegraph focuses on the Indian Premier League which has become one of the most valuable sports media events ever. Former Editor of The Lady magazine Rachel Johnson and current editor Helen Budworth discuss the closure of the UK's oldest women's magazine and the BBC's deputy economic editor Dharshini David and Max Goldbart the International TV editor at Deadline news site consider the impact of President Trump's tariffs on the TV and streaming industries as well as tech companies. Tony Allen, CEO of the Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) based in Stockport has been tasked by the Australian government to trial age assurance technologies, following the government's decision to ban social media for those under 16. He'll be giving an update on his progress . Our latest tech-bro profile tells the story of Jensen Huang who founded the chip company Nvidia. Stephen Witt, author of "The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip" out this week tells his story.Producer: Lisa Jenkinson

Apr 2, 2025 • 57min
Impact of Adolescence drama, Nintendo 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

Mar 26, 2025 • 57min
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

Mar 20, 2025 • 57min
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 docPresenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins
Producer: Simon Richardson
Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

Mar 12, 2025 • 57min
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

Mar 6, 2025 • 57min
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

11 snips
Feb 26, 2025 • 57min
Mehdi Hasan, BBC Gaza doc controversy, Peter Thiel profile
In this discussion, Mehdi Hasan, a British-American broadcaster and CEO of Zeteo, shares insights on his career in opinion journalism and the launch of his new media venture. Chi Onwurah, Labour MP, reacts to a parliamentary inquiry into social media's accountability following misinformation issues. Dorothy Byrne critiques the BBC's controversial Gaza documentary, emphasizing transparency in journalism. Meanwhile, Peter Thiel's significant influence on tech and his complex biography are explored, revealing the tensions between innovation and ethical practices.

Feb 19, 2025 • 57min
Media diplomacy, The New Yorker at 100, Sam Altman profile
Larisa Brown, Defence Editor at The Times, and Oana Lungescu, former NATO spokesperson, delve into media's influence on global diplomacy amid the Ukraine conflict. David Remnick, Editor of The New Yorker, shares insights on the magazine's evolution and the challenges of maintaining journalistic integrity in today's landscape. Mike Isaac, Tech Correspondent, discusses the impact of AI and the journey of OpenAI's CEO. Together, they explore how Gen Z's consumption of media impacts trust and truth in journalism.

Feb 12, 2025 • 58min
In the room with Trump and Musk, BBC Media Action answers its critics, what makes tech bros tick?
Jeff Mason, White House Correspondent for Reuters, shares insider details from the unusual press conference with Trump and Musk, showcasing the complexities of media access and accountability. Max Tani from Semafor discusses Trump's lawsuit against CBS News, raising questions about media integrity. Simon Bishop, CEO of BBC Media Action, addresses the consequences of USAID cuts on global media. Lauren Goode profiles venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, while Chris Hayes explores the attention economy and its impact on society.


