Media Confidential

2024 is a crucial year for liberal democracies around the world, with over 50 nations voting in general elections and up to 4.2bn people casting their votes. In this episode, Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber discuss why media election coverage will be more important than ever, as key campaigns spill over from conventional, legacy formats such as print, television and radio and onto a wide range of social media platforms. Will fake news and misinformation become even more widespread, and could artificial intelligence have a decisive impact on outcomes? Alan and Lionel also unpick the importance of a key AI lawsuit between the New York Times and Open AI and Microsoft. And then there’s Twitter, or X. How will the social media platform perform with the challenges that it faces on a daily basis since Elon Musk took over the reins? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sky News’s Political Editor Beth Rigby joins Alan and Lionel to reflect on 2023’s key events and to launch the inaugural Media Confidential “awards”, nominating people, stories and news organisations for recognition in these categories: Most important story of the yearMost under-reported story of the yearTurkey of the yearPolitical scoop of the yearNews organisation of the yearJournalist of the yearVillain of the yearHero/Heroine of the year Here's a new seasonal subscription offer from Prospect. We’re discounting the price of an annual digital subscription by 50%. To take advantage of this great deal, please search for ‘Prospect New Year offer’ or visit https://subscribe.prospectmagazine.co.uk/mc. Offer ends Friday 19th Jan.   We’d love your feedback! Tell us more here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the world’s leading photojournalists discusses her career in conflict zones and tells the story of how she captured a famous, horrific image while under fire in Ukraine.   Lynsey Addario analyses the challenges of war photography in an era when journalists are increasingly likely to be targets and false images on social media make it difficult to assess what is real. She also shares her perspective on the pictures coming out of the war in Gaza and the courage of those capturing them.    Plus, Alan and Lionel discuss the latest phone hacking headlines: court success for Prince Harry, and allegations about the role of Sir William Lewis, who is set to become CEO of The Washington Post.  Here's a new seasonal subscription offer from Prospect. We’re discounting the price of an annual digital subscription by 50%. To take advantage of this great deal, please search for ‘Prospect New Year offer’ or visit https://subscribe.prospectmagazine.co.uk/mc. Offer ends Friday 19th Jan.   We’d love your feedback! Tell us more here.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan and Lionel hear Israeli and Palestinian perspectives on how the war in Gaza is being covered and on the continuing fight to control the media narrative. Palestinian-British writer Samir El-Youssef discusses how the conflict and Hamas are reported on by Arabic-language news channels while Esther Solomon, editor-in-chief of Haaretz English, talks about trying to balance opposition to the politics of Benjamin Netanyahu with covering the on-going impacts and consequences of Hamas’s terrorism on the 7th October. Enjoy one-month's free trial to Prospect's digital content, and get full access to rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives. No commitment - you can cancel at any time. Click https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/1mfd/prospect-magazine/mcpod1mf to unlock your free digital trial today.We'd love your feedback! Tell us more at: https://f9ce3vpjrw3.typeform.com/to/bxJBPxN2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning journalist Nick Davies broke the story of phone hacking by UK newspapers back in 2009 and now lays out the startling implications of News Group Newspapers’ major settlement with former Cabinet minister Chris Huhne, which adds a significant extra dimension to the affair.Plus, Alan and Lionel discuss the issue of BBC funding with the former BBC executive Pat Younge, as the government look set to renege on its agreement with the corporation over the amount of the licence fee. Enjoy one-month's free trial to Prospect's digital content, and get full access to rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives.  No commitment - you can cancel at any time.  Click https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/1mfd/prospect-magazine/mcpod1mf to unlock your free digital trial today.We'd love your feedback! Tell us more at: https://f9ce3vpjrw3.typeform.com/to/bxJBPxN2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A remarkable interview with arguably Britain’s greatest living photographer, Sir Don McCullin. He opens up about his career in-and-out of war zones, saying he's been “damaged” by some of the things he saw in Vietnam, Biafra and elsewhere, and that he was “poisoned” by his profession. McCullin talks about some of his most dramatic photos and about feeling like he was “stealing” images of suffering. The legendary photojournalist also analyses the craft of modern war photography in an age of heavily restricted battlefield access and citizen journalists. Plus, Lionel dissects the latest in the competition to own the Telegraph and Alan updates us about his quest to uncover whether there was interference from a BBC director in who would become chair of the media regulator Ofcom.Enjoy one-month's free trial to Prospect's digital content, and get full access to rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives.  No commitment - you can cancel at any time.   Click https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/1mfd/prospect-magazine/mcpod1mf to unlock your free digital trial today.We'd love your feedback! Tell us more at: https://f9ce3vpjrw3.typeform.com/to/bxJBPxN2 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pulitzer Prize-winning data journalist and artist Mona Chalabi discusses her groundbreaking work, criticism of New York Times coverage on Israel-Palestine and Gaza. They also talk about the surprising ousting and return of Sam Altman as boss of OpenAI, the potential sale of the Daily Telegraph and the implications of foreign ownership.

LBC broadcaster and author James O'Brien discusses media figures who 'broke Britain', including Paul Dacre, Rupert Murdoch, and Andrew Neil. Topics include David Cameron's return, lack of media accountability, manipulation by powerful figures, and the impact on democracy. O'Brien reflects on opinionated broadcasting and offers advice to young journalists.

Media professor Steve Barnett and commentator David Elstein discuss the lack of balance in GB News, Ofcom's role in regulation, climate change denial vs. Holocaust denial, and the controversies surrounding GB News' owner and its impartiality. The podcast also explores the need for more regulation in broadcasting and the role of British individuals in American institutions.

One of the key figures in global media talks to Alan and Lionel about how artificial intelligence will transform the industry. Mathias Döpfner is the CEO of the international media group Axel Springer and he’s a big thinker about how AI will impact news organisations and beyond.  He also talks about public trust in media, his friend Elon Musk at Twitter/X, and how post-Cold War trade with countries like Russia and China has failed to transfer Western ideas of freedom and democracy. Döpfner is questioned about reports that Axel Springer wants to buy The Telegraph, before Barclay brothers biographer Jane Martinson considers the battle to become the newspaper’s next owners, along with the significant concerns that follow some of the interested parties. Plus, Alan and Lionel reflect on the news that former prime minister Boris Johnson is joining GB News and how far Ofcom will allow the politically partisan channel to go. Enjoy one-month's free trial to Prospect's digital content, and get full access to rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives. No commitment - you can cancel at any time.   Unlock your free digital trial today at https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/1mfd/prospect-magazine/mctex1mfWe’d love your feedback! Tell us more at: https://f9ce3vpjrw3.typeform.com/to/bxJBPxN2   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.