Shows
Over to YouGetting to grips with a new BBC App, part 2Part two of our conversation with a senior BBC executive about the switch from BBC Sounds to using a new BBC app and BBC.com for international listeners.
Among the questions listeners ask is the subject of paying a subscription - might that give access to what used to be available before? And we get the definitive answer as to how to keep listening to the World Service now the switchover is complete.Plus a listener gives us his critique of the BBC Eye investigation The Battle for Bangladesh.Presenter Rajan Datar
Producer Howard Shannon
...
2025-08-0908 min
AmericastDonald Trump's BBC interview in full and the story behind itAdam Fleming from Newscast speaks to the BBC's Chief North America Correspondent Gary O'Donoghue about his exclusive interview with Donald Trump. It happened by phone call, waking Gary up in his apartment as he was asleep. Donald Trump told Gary that he is disappointed but not done with Vladimir Putin.
The US president was pressed on whether he trusts the Russian leader, and replied: "I trust almost nobody."
Trump was speaking hours after he announced plans to send weapons to Ukraine and warned of severe tariffs on Russia if there was no ceasefire deal in 50 days.
In...
2025-07-1524 min
NewscastTrump Calls The BBCToday, President Trump gives an exclusive interview to the BBCAdam speaks to BBC chief North America correspondent Gary O’Donoghue about his call with President Trump, a year on from the Trump shooting that Gary witnessed.Gary was woken up by a call from President Trump on Monday, where he spoke candidly about whether he trusts Russia’s President Putin.President Trump also spoke about Brexit, his upcoming UK visit and whether he still thinks about the attempt on his life.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart spea...
2025-07-1530 minNewscastWhat Went Wrong With The BBC Gaza Documentary?Today, we discuss the findings of a BBC report which found that the documentary Gaza: How To Survive a Warzone had breached editorial guidelines.The BBC previously pulled the documentary from iPlayer after it was uncovered that the 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official. The report says the production company Hoyo Films bears most of the responsibility for the failures. Hoyo Films said it took the reviews findings "extremely seriously" and said it "apologises for the mistake that resulted in a breach of the editorial guidelines".Another report looking into BBC show...
2025-07-1439 min
The State of UsEXTRA: Gerry Adams v The BBC – The VerdictAn extra episode of The State of Us. Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams wins his libel case against the BBC and is awarded €100,000 (£84,000) in damages. Tara Mills and Declan Harvey talk to BBC Crime and Justice Correspondent Julian O’Neill who has covered everyday of the high profile case and former BBC Political Editor Mark Devenport who has written a book about Gerry Adams.Mr Adams sued the BBC over a 2016 Spotlight programme and online report in which an anonymous source alleged he sanctioned the murder of a British agent, Denis Donald...
2025-05-3038 min
The ExplanationThe Media Show: Full-time for Lineker at the BBCGary Lineker, a former England football captain and longtime presenter of the BBC’s football highlights programme Match of the Day, has left the corporation after sharing a controversial post on social media. His exit followed years of internal debate over his political commentary online and the BBC’s impartiality rules. Steve Ryder, former BBC sports presenter, reflects on Lineker’s elevated status within the BBC and why many saw his departure as long overdue. Rosamund Urwin, Media Editor at The Sunday Times, and football writer Henry Winter reflect on events and the evolving expectations of presenters in the social...
2025-05-2222 min
Radical with Amol RajanGary Lineker, the BBC and celebrity influencersIt’s the end of an era for Match of the Day – with Gary Lineker hosting for the final time after 25 years in the hot seat. He will now leave the BBC a year earlier than expected in the wake of an antisemitism row.
Amol – who recently sat down with Lineker for a long television interview – reflects on the former footballer’s run-ins with the BBC over impartiality and use of social media – and his legacy both as a presenter and a modern celebrity influencer.
He’s joined by former culture minister, Conservative peer Lord Vaizey, and by former Sun editor Dav...
2025-05-2235 min
FeedbackCoverage of Pope Francis funeral. Radio 3's Music on the Front Line. Our BBC, Our Future.The death of Pope Francis on the 21st April understandably led to a wave of media coverage, but did the BBC get it right? Andrea Catherwood puts your views to Aleem Maqbool, Religion Editor for BBC News, and hears about what it takes to prepare for such a solemn occasion. And what did listeners think of the episode of Witness History that came directly after the Pope's Requiem Mass on the Sunday morning?Listeners talk about Clive Myrie's Music on the Front Line which returned for another series as part of Radio 3's Music Matters this Spring...
2025-05-0128 minFeedbackRadio listening across the generations. In Our Time. BBC Sounds overseas.In last week's episode we announced that the BBC will be continuing to allow access to BBC Sounds for international listeners until adequate alternative provisions have been put in place. This week, we hear listeners' reaction to the BBC's statement.Elizabeth and Jack are grandmother and grandson, and are also Radio 4 listeners. When Elizabeth got in contact with Feedback to tell us that she regularly sends her grandson recommendations for listening material, Andrea was curious to know more - so she invited them into the studio to share their perspectives on what the BBC can provide for...
2025-04-2428 min
NewscastThe BBC Journalist Arrested in TurkeyToday, Laura and Paddy speak to Mark Lowen, the BBC journalist who was deported from Turkey after being arrested in Istanbul. Mark had been there for several days to report on the ongoing protests that were sparked by the Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's arrest last week. He tells about what happened to him and the political situation in the country. And Laura tells us about her interview with Justin Welby. In November, he became the first Archbishop to quit as a result of a scandal in the Church in more than 1,000 years, after a damning...
2025-03-2934 minNewscastHow Does BBC News Cover President Trump?Today, we look at how BBC News will cover Donald Trump - ahead of his inauguration as President for a second time. Adam is joined by BBC News Anchor in Washington Caitrionia Perry, Senior North America Correspondent Gary O’Donoghue and Head of Foreign at BBC News Paul Danahar.You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhereNewscast brin...
2025-01-2037 min
Radical with Amol RajanBonus: The BBC’s Russia Editor on Life in MoscowAfter listener Margaret got in touch asking about Steve Rosenberg’s life in Moscow as the BBC’s Russia Editor, Nick and Amol sat down with him to find out how the country has changed over the years that he has lived there and what it’s like reporting from Russia now.They talk about the challenges he faces, how he reports impartially and accurately on Vladimir Putin, how he relaxes and what it was like playing the piano for Mikhail Gorbachev.To get Amol and Nick's take on the biggest stories and insights from behind...
2025-01-1327 min
Woman's HourBonus episode: Raye in conversation with BBC 100 WomenIn this episode, Woman's Hour's Nuala McGovern introduces a bonus podcast in collaboration with BBC 100 Women. It’s an interview with the award-winning singer-songwriter Raye, who has been named as one of the people on this year's BBC 100 Women list, which celebrates 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world.Raye speaks to BBC 100 Women’s Kirsty Grant about her huge success, the abuse she says female artists get for doing well, and her dream of opening a jazz club.You can read more about the women on the BBC 100 Women list here: http...
2024-12-0326 minFeedbackBBC Radio 3 Unwind, and farmers' inheritance tax.BBC Radio 3 has unveiled a new online-only stream - Unwind. It's dedicated to calming classical music and broadcasts 24/7 on BBC Sounds. For some listeners it's unlocked the mystery of a good night's sleep, but for others the playlists are more mindless than mindful. Andrea Catherwood puts your comments to Radio 3 Controller Sam Jackson.In a week where farmers shot to the top of the news agenda following changes to their inheritance tax exemptions in the 2024 Budget, Andrea talks to Dimitri Houtart - who was until recently the Executive Editor of Rural Affairs, and Rural Affairs Champion at...
2024-11-2128 minRadical with Amol RajanBonus Q&A – BBC jargon, who makes Today and covering the US electionHow do independent MPs work together to hold the government to account? What do the producers behind Today do? And why does the programme mark the end of each hour with the pips?Amol and Nick return with answers to more listener questions.You too can put a question to Amol and Nick. Get in touch by sending us a message or voice note to WhatsApp to +44 330 123 4346 or you can email Today@bbc.co.ukEpisodes of The Today Podcast with Amol and Nick land first on BBC Sounds. Get Amol and Nick's...
2024-09-1630 minFeedbackWhat is the BBC's plan for younger listeners?The future of the BBC depends on renewing its listener base - but younger people are switching off linear radio and focusing on personally tailored forms of media. So how does the BBC compete, and what are its strategies for winning over younger listeners?Andrea Catherwood speaks to Matt Walsh from the University of Cardiff, hears a panel of students discuss their listening habits, and quizzes BBC Sounds commissioning editor Dylan Haskins and Head of Radio 1 Aled Haydn Jones on what they're doing to try and attract new generations of listeners. She also asks whether the BBC's...
2024-08-1528 min
The Global StoryWest Bank: A BBC investigation into alleged war crimesAs part of an investigation into the conduct of Israel's security forces in the West Bank, which has been under military occupation for more than half a century, the BBC has pieced together what happened on the day two boys were killed. With violence having surged in the enclave in the months since the Hamas led attack on Israel on 7 October, the BBC team also found evidence of civilians threatened with weapons and increasing tensions. On today’s episode, Katya is joined by director Josh Baker and reporter Isobel Yeung. They discuss what they saw and share th...
2024-05-0328 minRadical with Amol RajanWhy should you have to pay for the BBC?BBC director general Tim Davie has outlined his vision for the future of the BBC. He fired the starting gun on a consultation on the future of the licence fee and spoke of how the BBC could increase its revenue through adverts. So this week Amol and Nick ask, why should you have to pay for the BBC? They speak to Richard Sharp, the former chairman of the BBC, in his first interview with the BBC since leaving the corporation. Youtuber and comedian, Max Fosh, explains why younger people are choosing to bypass the BBC...
2024-03-2856 minThe Global StoryInside TB Joshua's church of horrors - a two year BBC investigationThe evangelical pastor TB Joshua amassed millions of followers around the world. Many thousands came to The Synagogue Church of All Nations in Nigeria to witness him perform miracles and heal the sick.
Now, an investigation by BBC Africa Eye reveals allegations of systematic rape, physical abuse and forced abortion inside the church led by TB Joshua.
Through first-hand accounts of the women who escaped, Africa Eye’s Charlie Northcott and Peter Murimi tell us what they uncovered. And explain how TB Joshua is alleged to have got away with it.
You can watch Disciples: The Cult of TB Jo...
2024-01-0829 minFeedbackHistorian Dr Mary Beard on her first series for BBC Radio 4, Being RomanHow often do you think about the Romans? Historian Dr Mary Beard speaks with Andrea Catherwood on her new series for BBC Radio 4 ‘Being Roman’BBC Radio 4 recently released the latest series of The Lovecraft Investigations – based on the occult writer HPLovecraft’s stories. Many Listeners told us how unsettling they were. Feedback’s Special Correspondent Rob Crossan investigates the enduring appeal of audio horror.And we're almost at the end of year of cuts and changes to BBC Local Radio in England, which has left some listeners worried that the spirit of Christmas won't sound the...
2023-12-1528 min
UkrainecastThe Disinformation War: How Does the BBC Spot Fake News?Geolocation, misinformation, verification… we answer your questions on how the BBC monitors and reports on the most important events of the war in Ukraine.Olga Robinson, an editor at BBC Monitoring and Verify specialising in Russian disinformation, and Francis Scarr, a journalist at BBC Monitoring, join Vitaly in the Ukrainecast studio and reveal all.Today’s episode is presented by Vitaly Shevchenko.
The producers were Clare Williamson, Arsenii Sokolov, Ivana Davidovic and Keiligh Baker. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Lucy Boast. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Email Ukrainecast@bbc...
2023-12-0128 minThe Global StoryInside COP28: a climate summit in an oil state, a BBC exclusive and a UAE fightbackWorld leaders are arriving in Dubai for COP28 – the most significant annual climate summit. The BBC’s climate editor, Justin Rowlatt, takes us behind the scenes of the summit and talks us through the expectations, and the fallout of a BBC investigation pointing out that the UAE planned to use climate talks to make oil deals. The Global Story brings you trusted insights from BBC experts around the world, with Katya Adler. What questions do you have about climate change? And what solutions do you think deserve more attention? #TheGlobalStory We want your idea...
2023-11-3024 minFeedbackBBC Sounds Five Years OnThe BBC Sounds app launched five years ago. Andrea Catherwood discusses its original aims with a member of its founding team, and asks current Director of Sounds, Jonathan Wall, how far its meeting its targets and about ambitions for the future.Also have you been listening to The Lovecraft Investigations ? Writer and Director Julian Simpson answers listeners questions on the new BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds series. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood
Producer: Gerry Cassidy
A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4
2023-11-0328 min
Fifth FloorMeet the BBC Korean team in SeoulThe Fifth Floor visits the BBC's Seoul Bureau to meet the journalists working for BBC Korean, serving audiences across the whole of the Korean peninsula, with different output for both North and South Korea. Journalists David Oh, Hyunjung Kim and Yuna Ku talk about the stories they've been working on for the domestic audience, from the growing global interest in Korean popular culture to what divides, and unites, Koreans. They also broadcast a daily radio programme to North Korea. Editor Woongbee Lee and journalist Rachel Lee explain how they keep this largely unknown audience informed about worldwide...
2023-10-2748 min
Front RowFront Row hosts the BBC National Short Story Award CeremonyThe announcement of the winners of the BBC National Short Story Award and the BBC Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University, live from the Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House in London. Joining presenter Tom Sutcliffe to celebrate and interrogate the short story form are the broadcaster and NSSA chair of judges Reeta Chakrabarti, alongside fellow judges and writers Jessie Burton, Roddy Doyle and Okechukwu Nzelu. The shortlisted stories and authors in alphabetical order are: 'The Storm' by Nick Mulgrew, 'It’s Me' by K Patrick, 'Guests' by Cherise Saywell, 'Churail' by Kamila Shamsie and 'Comorbidities' by Naomi Wood...
2023-09-2642 minAmericastDoes The BBC Get Its Trump Coverage Right?How do we cover a headline-grabbing former president who falsely claims he never lost the election?Two of our bosses step into the worldwide HQ of Americast for the kind of conversation we normally have in our morning meetings: what past mistakes can we learn from and what’s the BBC’s strategy for reporting on Donald Trump’s campaign and his court cases?HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
• Sarah Smith, North America editor
• Marianna Spring, disinformation and social media correspondentGUESTS:
• Paul Danahar, BBC News Foreign Editor
• Adam Levy, BBC News Channel Executive Produc...
2023-09-0739 min
BBC Introducing in Oxfordshire & BerkshirePODCAST: The Bobo + Kid Kin, BBC Maida Vale sessionThis week on the final BBC Introducing in Oxfordshire podcast, we went big and took The Bobo to the legendary BBC Maida Vale studios in London to record a live session! Hear two incredible tracks from that and Dave's interview with them at the session.You can watch the videos from the recording on all the the BBC Radio Oxford social pages, or on YouTube here:The Bobo - Wish I Knew https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSYNcDjQD78The Bobo - 2AM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKIdItswxXwAs...
2023-09-0300 min
The Global JigsawThe story of BBC MonitoringThe Global Jigsaw is brought to you by BBC Monitoring, a part of the BBC you may not have heard of. This team of journalists reports on media from 150 countries in up to 100 languages and provides information and analyses to BBC newsrooms and the UK government, as well as commercial clients including universities and thinktanks. It also has an intriguing and, at times, dramatic history dating back to the eve of World War Two. This bonus episode is all about us.Get in touch: theglobaljigsaw@bbc.co.uk
2023-07-2528 minAmericastElon Musk Speaks to the BBCThe multi-billionaire defended his ownership of Twitter in a last-minute interview live from the company’s Silicon Valley HQ.This extra episode of Americast features his rollercoaster conversation with the BBC’s James Clayton in full.It came out of an email exchange over the BBC’s labelling on Twitter as "government-funded media" – Musk replied himself and agreed to an interview "tonight".Asked about the mass layoffs of Twitter staff, misinformation on the platform and his unusual work habits, Musk at times tries to do the interviewing himself and admits that owning Twitter has been...
2023-04-1259 minFifth FloorBBC Russian: meet the Riga teamFaranak Amidi meets the BBC Russian journalists who relocated from Moscow to the Latvian capital after the invasion of Ukraine.The first anniversary: what's in the news?
Editor Sergei Zakin tells us what the news focus has been for his team in the week of the first anniversary of the invasion. The move from Moscow to Riga
Bureau chief Andrei Goryanov explains why the difficult decision was taken to move BBC Russian journalists and their families out of Moscow, and why Riga was chosen as their new home.Leaving Russia
Seva Boiko, Liza...
2023-02-2446 minFifth FloorBBC Ukrainian: a year of warSince the start of the war in Ukraine nearly a year ago, thousands of lives have been lost on both sides, and millions of Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes. For BBC Ukrainian, it's been a year of upheaval, with many journalists from Kyiv moving to new hubs in Lviv and Warsaw, and some living apart from family members. We hear how the team have continued to report the war, from editor Marta Shokalo in Warsaw, Daria Taradai in Lviv and Oleg Karpyak in Kyiv. Ukraine war - perspectives from around the world
Over the...
2023-02-1741 min
The History Hour90 years of the BBC World ServiceMax Pearson presents a compilation of this week's Witness History programmes from the BBC World Service.Sir Trevor McDonald reflects on the BBC's first black producer, Una Marson, and her legacy in the development of the BBC Caribbean Service.Also, how the BBC managed to broadcast through the Iron Curtain, Colombia's false positives scandal and the incredible rescue of 33 miners trapped in Chile.(Photo: Sir Trevor McDonald. Credit: BBC)Contributors:
Sir Trevor McDonald, Una Marson, Debbie Ransome and Neil Nunes - BBC presenters
Bridget Kendall - the BBC’s former Moscow co...
2022-12-2451 min
Witness HistoryUna Marson and the BBC Caribbean ServiceTo mark the 90th anniversary of the BBC World Service, we trace the development of the Caribbean Service.Its beginnings go back to the early 1940s when the BBC’s first black producer, Una Marson was employed. She created Caribbean Voices, which gave future Nobel laureates such as Derek Walcott their first international platform.In 1969, one of the UK’s best known newsreaders, Sir Trevor McDonald, left Trinidad to join the BBC Caribbean Service as a producer.He reflects on its legacy. Produced and presented by Josephine McDermott.Archive reco...
2022-12-1909 min
Witness History: Black historyUna Marson and the BBC Caribbean ServiceTo mark the 90th anniversary of the BBC World Service, we trace the development of the Caribbean Service.Its beginnings go back to the early 1940s when the BBC’s first black producer, Una Marson was employed. She created Caribbean Voices, which gave future Nobel laureates such as Derek Walcott their first international platform.In 1969, one of the UK’s best known newsreaders, Sir Trevor McDonald, left Trinidad to join the BBC Caribbean Service as a producer.He reflects on its legacy. Produced and presented by Josephine McDermott.Archive reco...
2022-12-1909 minWoman's HourBBC 100 - Kim Moore poem with women's voices, Auntie Beeb with Mel Giedroyc, former MP Anne Milton on Gavin WilliamsonToday it is 100 years since the BBC began broadcasting on radio. To celebrate that centenary, we have commissioned a poem by Kim Moore and created a soundscape to show how much women’s lives, and the noises that surround them, have changed - using BBC archive from the 1920s right through to the present day. We also ask why did the BBC get its nickname ‘Auntie’? And what kind of aunt would she be? To mark 100 years since the BBC started daily radio broadcasts, Emma Barnett is joined by television presenter and comedian Mel Giedroyc and historian of the BBC Pr...
2022-11-1457 min
The Media ShowThe BBC: Another 100 years?If you turned on your wireless set 100 years ago, what would you have heard? Katie Razzall looks back at the earliest days of the BBC as it celebrates its centenary, hearing how the idea of a single, national broadcaster came into being. Early broadcasts involved reading out railway timetables and mocking up Big Ben's chimes on tubular bells, but very quickly the power of wireless broadcasting became apparent. From debates about the difficulties of enforcing the licence fee to fraught deals with newspapers and live performers who feared competition and losing audiences to the newly-formed BBC, some...
2022-10-2628 min
Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4Friday Night Comedy is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of Friday Night Comedy will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the Friday Night Comedy podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.BBC Sounds – you...
2022-03-1201 min
BBC Inside ScienceInside Science is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of Inside Science will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the Inside Science podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.BBC Sounds – you can find...
2022-03-0401 min
In Our Time: PhilosophyIn Our Time is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of In Our Time will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the In Our Time podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.BBC Sounds – you...
2022-03-0401 min
In Our Time: ScienceIn Our Time is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of In Our Time will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the In Our Time podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.BBC Sounds – you...
2022-03-0401 min
In Our Time: ReligionIn Our Time is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of In Our Time will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the In Our Time podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.BBC Sounds – you...
2022-03-0401 min
In Our Time: CultureIn Our Time is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of In Our Time will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the In Our Time podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.BBC Sounds – you...
2022-03-0401 min
In Our Time: HistoryIn Our Time is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of In Our Time will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the In Our Time podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.BBC Sounds – you...
2022-03-0401 min
In Our TimeIn Our Time is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of In Our Time will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the In Our Time podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.BBC Sounds – you...
2022-03-0401 min
Money BoxMoney Box is now first on BBC SoundsLooking for the latest episode? New episodes of Money Box will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the Money Box podcast first.BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds.The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now.
BBC Sounds – you can find exclusive musi...
2022-03-0301 minFront RowBBC National Short Story Award and BBC Young Writers' Award winnersWe announce the winners of the BBC National Short Story Award 2021 and the BBC Young Writers' Award 2021. Kirsty Lang is joined for the show by National Short Story Award judges James Runcie and Fiona Mozley and Young Writers' Award judges Katie Thistleton and Louise O'Neill.The BBC National Short Story Award is one of the most prestigious for a single short story, with the winning author receiving £15,000, and four further shortlisted authors £600 each. This year's shortlisted stories are ‘All the People Were Mean and Bad’ by Lucy Caldwell, ‘The Body Audit’ by Rory Gleeson, ‘Night Train’ by Georgina Hardi...
2021-10-1943 min
Podcast Radio HourBBC Audio Drama Awards 2021Amanda Litherland and Ella Watts sample the shortlisted and winning podcasts from this year's BBC Audio Drama Awards. Alison Hindell, BBC Radio 4's Commissioning Editor for Drama joins to discuss the history of the awards, and to share her thoughts on great audio drama.And we hear Jeffrey Nils Gardner and Eleanor Hyde, producers of Unwell: A Midwest Gothic Mystery - the winning entry in the category of Best Podcast or Online Audio Drama.Podcasts recommended this week:
Children Of The Stones (BBC Radio 4)
Fake Heiress (BBC Radio 4)
The Sink (BBC Sounds)
Tribulation...
2021-04-0259 min
The LGBT Sport PodcastThe One with the Best Bits of LGBT+ History Month on BBC SportSo, LGBT+ History Month is almost at an end.And honestly, it’s been amazing to see how many fascinating stories have been shared across so many different parts of the BBC from the world of sport.So for our final episode of the month, we’ve put together this compilation show with some of the best bits. Basically, it’s an LGBTQ+ sport megamix – featuring conversations from BBC Sport, Football Focus, BBC Local Radio, BBC Network Radio and more.It barely scratches the surface of what the BBC has done for LGBT+ History...
2021-02-2733 min
Jacob Hawley: On LoveOn Drugs: Live from the BBC 6 Music Festival with Tyger Drew-HoneyComedian Jacob Hawley explores the UK drugs scene. This week, he is live from the BBC 6Music Festival in Camden, talking to actor and presenter Tyger Drew-Honey about his struggle with drink and drugs, how society sees addiction, and what needs to change.Jacob Hawley is a Silver ARIA-winning, BBC New Comedy Award Finalist, as seen on BBC3 and heard on BBC Radio 4.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues discussed in this podcast, you can find help and support here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1kS7QTDB16PWkywhsXJLzxz/information-and-support-addiction-alcohol-drugs-and-gambling...
2020-03-1819 min
Moral MazeThe Moral Purpose of the BBCHer 98th year has not started well for Auntie BBC. The Government is consulting on decriminalising the licence fee; 450 jobs are being cut from BBC News to help meet a huge savings target; gender pay disputes are never far from the headlines; and audience figures reveal that the Corporation is struggling to connect with many British people – especially the under-35s and those from poorer socio-economic backgrounds. Meanwhile, the Director-General, Tony Hall, will step down in the summer after seven years in the job. If this is a crossroads, what should be the future direction of the BBC? There ar...
2020-02-1342 minThe Media ShowWho's watching the BBC?The BBC has published its Annual Report and it raises some very big questions for the corporation. Is it still independent? Some of the BBC's biggest headaches detailed within the report, all arise because of government demands. And who's actually using BBC services? The report reveals how many young people are no longer watching much BBC television at all. Amol Rajan is joined by Ed Vaizey MP and former Culture Minister, Clare Sumner, BBC Director of Policy, Nick Brown, director of Neal Street Productions, Lucas Green, Head of Content at Banijay Group and Jim Waterson, The Guardian's...
2019-07-0328 minFeedbackShould the BBC have called the Christchurch shooting a 'terror attack'?Roger Bolton asks the BBC News Editorial Director if the BBC should have termed events in Christchurch "terrorism", PM editor Owenna Griffiths discusses coverage of Brexit, and listeners give their views on cuts to Radio 3's Late Junction.Recent BBC coverage of the Christchurch attack in New Zealand has sparked criticism from some listeners who take issue with the language used to describe the events. Others were frustrated by what they saw as disproportionate coverage and still more were annoyed when the BBC chose to name the alleged shooter in news bulletins. Roger puts these comments to...
2019-03-2227 minFeedbackBrexit, BBC Sounds and 'University Unchallenged'Roger Bolton talks to Katya Adler about covering Brexit, and hears listener views on BBC Sounds, University Unchallenged and the conclusion of Home Front.It’s been a busy news week for those keeping track of Brexit, with the news moving almost too fast to follow. But what's it like for the reporters tasked with explaining it? Roger Bolton speaks to the BBC’s Europe editor, Katya Adler about the past week at the coalface.The BBC Radio 4 documentary University Unchallenged asked if universities have enough breadth of political opinion, considering whether the intellectual climate in a...
2018-11-1627 minFeedbackListeners' verdicts on BBC SoundsRoger Bolton with audience comment on BBC radio.The new BBC Sounds app launched last week. Designed to eventually replace iPlayer Radio, its primary aim is to get young people listening to BBC content. So what do listeners make of it? Roger hears their views and talks to media consultant and podcast expert Matt Deegan.Living with the Empire, a recent BBC Radio 4 series, examined the legacy of the British Empire, looking for its traces in the UKs monuments, people and contested memories. It was presented by historian and MP Kwasi Kwarteng, who responds to...
2018-11-0926 minFeedbackThe Launch of BBC SoundsRoger Bolton takes up concerns over presenter changes at Radio 2 and he investigates the BBC’s new push for younger listeners with the launch of the BBC Sounds app aimed at the "headphone generation". How will it affect loyal live radio listeners?The BBC's Director of Radio and Music, Bob Shennan, answers the questions. He shares his regrets about Simon Mayo leaving Radio 2 and is frank about the effect of listener reaction to the stations new drivetime programme on co-presenter Jo Whiley. This week, the BBC launched its new listening app, BBC Sounds. It is di...
2018-11-0227 minFeedbackThe BBC’s climate change coverage under the spotlight, Radio 4’s Intrigue: The RatlineNews editor for BBC News and Current Affairs James Stephenson joins Roger Bolton to discuss how BBC Radio should be covering man-made climate change. As new presenters are announced on Radios 2 and 4, listeners react to the choices. And podcast fans love Intrigue: The Ratline but can it work as well for a radio audience? Members of staff are being encouraged to enrol on a course detailing the BBC’s approach to climate change coverage and an editorial policy note distributed last month stated “you do not need to include outright deniers of climate change in BBC coverage”. News c...
2018-10-1227 minFeedbackCliff Richard vs the BBC, Brexit coverage, Accents in politicsRoger Bolton hears listener views on the Sir Cliff Richard verdict and finds out about the new wave of World Service podcasts. BBC News executive James Stephenson discusses the corporation's Brexit coverage and Chris Mason talks about accents in politics.This week, a legal ruling awarded Sir Cliff Richard £210,000 in damages against the BBC with the judge saying some of the news coverage of a police raid on Sir Cliff's home infringed his privacy rights in a "serious" and "somewhat sensationalist" way. Citing concerns with the precedent set down in the case, the BBC has stated that i...
2018-07-2027 minFeedbackBBC Sounds, Reith Lectures, 'Gove in Government'Roger Bolton with first reactions to the new BBC Sounds app. Also, Reith lecturer Margaret MacMillan reflects on her task and Mary Ann Sieghart discusses her documentary Gove in Government.Michael Gove is not just a favourite target for satirists, he has also long been one of the most controversial ministers in government. A new documentary, presented by his former Times colleague Mary Ann Sieghart, examined him not in terms of what his policies have accomplished, but by considering his exceptional record of getting those policies enacted in the first place. But many Feedback listeners have taken...
2018-06-2927 min
The BBC Academy PodcastWhat you need to know about working with children at the BBCThis podcast discusses the main issues around working with children.
In it, two BBC experts offer their experience from a wide range of productions and projects. Margaret Burgin, a former BBC news journalist, is the training manager at the BBC Academy responsible for outreach to schools. Catherine McAllister is head of Safeguarding and Child Protection in the BBC Children’s department with special responsibility across the BBC for online issues to do with children.
If you're BBC staff and have completed the BBC Academy’s Working with Children course this podcast will act as a refresher and help you reinforce what...
2018-04-2523 min
Saturday LiveRadio 4 BBC Children in Need auction; Katie MeluaKatie Melua joins Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir. She talks about her childhood from Georgia to Belfast and London, her music, and she describes how the late Sir Terry Wogan championed her career and how she has released this year's official BBC Children in Need single in his honour.
Saturday Live hosts Radio 4's BBC Children in Need auction, offering listeners the chance to bid for some amazing prize packages to raise money for BBC Children in Need. Auctioneer, Will Farmer is on hand to update the bids. Jonathan Agnew describes The Test Match Special VIP Experience at Lord's...
2017-11-111h 25The BBC Academy PodcastHow has BBC Three adapted to online?BBC Three won this year's Royal Television Society Channel of the Year award despite no longer being on television. But how have its commissioning and production processes changed? The BBC Academy's Jas Rao spoke to controller Damian Kavanagh and assistant producers Poppy Begum and Catriona White. "There’s an opportunity in this world about really listening to your audiences and trying to tell stories that will provoke them to have conversations and form communities."– Damian KavanaghIn this podcast you'll learn about:- connecting with audiences
- the BBC as a yout...
2017-06-0123 minThe Media ShowImpartiality duty, Fox-Sky merger, BBC archiveWoman's Hour presenter Jenni Murray wrote an article in the Sunday Times questioning the claim of transgender women to be real women. The article sparked controversy and debate, but also claims that Jenni Murray had breached the BBC's impartiality guidelines. Joining Andrea to discuss the fallout from the article are Eleanor Mills, Editor of the Sunday Times Magazine, Alison Hastings, former Chair of the BBC Trust's Editorial Standards Committee and Stewart Purvis formely of ITN and OFCOM, now a Channel 4 board director.A new archive will tell the story of the BBC directly through the voices of...
2017-03-0828 minThe Media ShowThe bid for Sky; Christmas TV; BBC MonitoringSKY takeover: Beyond the prominent arguments, what are legal and regulatory hurdles that the 20th Century Fox bid has to clear? And, how does the situation differ from last time, when Murdoch's NewsCorp made a bid in 2010? We speak to Jon Zeff, former Director of Media at the Department for Culture Media and Sport. Christmas TV Schedules: What can the TV schedules this Christmas tell us about the health of terrestrial channels as they compete with video on demand services like Netflix and Amazon? TV Critic Kevin O'Sullivan and Ben Preston, Editor of the Radio Times discuss.
2016-12-2928 minThe BBC Academy PodcastBBC Academy Podcast: Highlights of 20162016 is nearly at an end, so you know what that means - it's highlights time!Kris Bramwell, Roxy Ebrahim-Khan, Zayna Shaikh and Charles Miller, aka the BBC Academy Podcast team (left to right above), share their favourite clips from the past year to mark the end of the current series.Peaky Blinders producer Simon Maloney, Operation Gold Rush’s Dan Snow, BBC News presenter Maxine Mawhinney, journalist Vanessa Feltz, television producer Jon Plowman and Sima Kotecha, a reporter for Radio 4’s Today programme, all feature. In this podcast you will learn:- ab...
2016-12-1519 minThe Media ShowDiversity at the BBC, Yousra Elbagir, Hugo RifkindWhat's the BBC doing to retain BAME employee and improve diversity at the most senior levels? Marcus Ryder, discusses why he recently left the BBC. And Steve is joined by David Lammy MP and Joe Godwin, Director of the BBC Academy and Director of BBC Midlands who is the Chair of the BBC's Diversity and Inclusion Committee.Yousra Elbagir, the winner of the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Prize talks about her work as a journalist in Sudan. And, Times columnist Hugo Rifkind on how his tweet inadvertently spread "fake" news far and wide....
2016-12-0128 minThe Media ShowBBC deputy director-general Anne Bulford, Should BBC have filmed the raid on Cliff Richard's home, Risks of true crime TV showsOne of the most senior women in media gives her first interview. The BBC's new Deputy Director General Anne Bulford talks Top Gear, top executives' pay and how the broadcaster plans to make hundreds of millions of pounds in savings.Sir Cliff Richard says he will sue the BBC and South Yorkshire Police over TV coverage of the raid on his home in 2014 in connection with historical sex abuse allegations. After 22 months without being arrested or charged, Sir Cliff was told that the case had been dismissed. He says the behaviour of the police and BBC at...
2016-07-1328 minThe Media ShowBBC Worldwide CEO Tim Davie, The state of Welsh media, The BBC loses The VoiceSherlock, Doctor Who and Dad's Army fans in the UK can buy and download episodes of their favourite programmes - as well as many other "lost gems from the BBC archive" - after the broadcaster launched a new online service: the BBC Store. The site features around 7,000 hours worth of content with more to come over the next year. BBC Worldwide - the commercial arm of the BBC - is behind Store. Steve speaks to CEO Tim Davie about the revenue Store will bring in, and asks him how important exploiting commercial opportunities like this is in securing the...
2016-06-2228 minThe BBC Academy PodcastHanding control to your audience: BBC WM ‘takeover’How a BBC WM 95.6FM ‘takeover’ connected with people in Birmingham and the Black Country to create a big impact on a tight budget.In March 2016, BBC WM 95.6FM invited listeners and members of the local community to 'takeover' the station as reporters, producers and co-presenters for a whole week. In this podcast, the BBC Academy’s Roxanne Ibrahim-Khan talks to assistant editor Sharon Stokes who headed up the WM Takeover project as well as broadcast journalist Steve Hermon who worked closely with participants and two of the stations Takeover stars: M’esha Bryan and Phil George.You...
2016-06-0921 minThe Media ShowHead of BBC Studios, Top Gear, Geordie ShoreThe creation of the commercial production division of the BBC, BBC Studios, will lead to 100 per cent competition between in house and independent producers; BBC producers will be free to pitch to other broadcasters, and external producers can compete for more content on the BBC. Mark Linsey has recently been appointed as Director of BBC Studios. He talks to Steve Hewlett about how the new model will benefit the market, when tendering out will begin, and why he thinks it will mean better value for money for licence fee payers. More than a year after Jeremy Clarkson...
2016-06-0128 minThe Media ShowLord Puttnam on BBC White Paper, Women on air, BBC online cutsThe BBC has announced it's scaling back and closing a range of online services - including BBC Food and Newsbeat websites - in order to save £15m. The proposed closure of the BBC Food website quickly drew widespread criticism and an online petition against the move raised over 100,000 signatures in one day. James Harding, Director of BBC News & Current Affairs, joins Steve Hewlett to explain the changes.David Puttnam, whose credits include the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire, has spent the last few months fronting an alternative inquiry into the future of public service broadcasting. Its aim is t...
2016-05-1828 minThe Media ShowBBC's future set out in government White Paper.As the government's long-awaited White Paper on the future of the BBC is published, Steve Hewlett talks to the leading players about what it actually says. Will it mark the end of the BBC as we know it? Or has all the hype been misplaced? Steve speaks to Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, before asking a panel of experts what these plans really mean for the future of the corporation. He's joined by former Culture Secretary Dame Tessa Jowell; Michael Grade, who was chairman of the BBC from 2004 to 2006 and executive chairman of ITV from 2007 to 2009; former BBC Trustee, David...
2016-05-1243 minThe Media ShowLord Patten, BBC diversity, Robert PestonThe former Chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, says that the independence of the BBC is at risk from parts of the government. Lord Patten, also the former Chairman of the Conservative Party, tells The Media Show that the Culture Secretary John Whittingdale is part of a "juvenile ideological fringe who, if given half a chance, will do the BBC real damage." We hear Lord Patten's own proposals for reforming BBC governance while safeguarding its freedom from political interference.When Robert Peston moved from the BBC to ITV amidst much fanfare, he said it was the...
2016-05-0427 minThe Media ShowThe reporting of Hillsborough, 'Constructive' journalism, BBC Chinese service moveThe jury at the new inquests into the deaths of fans at Hillsborough has this week concluded that they played no part in the tragedy. The press coverage following the event in 1989 included damning headlines about fans' behaviour, including that they'd stolen from the dead and urinated on police. Bob Westerdale, now sports editor at the Star Newspaper in Sheffield, was working as a crime reporter on the newspaper at the time and went down to the Hillsborough stadium on that tragic day. He talks to Steve Hewlett about his coverage of the story, and how the versions of...
2016-04-2728 minThe Media ShowWhittingdale press cover-up?, Diversity at the BBC debate, TV drama rivalryCulture Secretary John Whittingdale is facing calls to withdraw from involvement in regulation of the press following the disclosure that he had a relationship with a prostitute. Four newspapers knew he'd had a relationship with a woman who he later found out was a sex worker, but they didn't publish the story. Steve Hewlett talks to one of the journalists who had been investigating the claims - former political correspondent of the Independent James Cusick, and asks him his views about why he thinks the story didn't run. MPs from across political parties will debate diversity at...
2016-04-1428 minThe Media ShowBBC Trust chair Rona Fairhead, 'Tips' when interviewing will.i.am, Press freedom v privacySome weeks ago, Sir David Clementi said the current regulatory model of the BBC Trust, was 'flawed and that a unitary board should run the BBC. Since then, John Whittingdale, the culture secretary, has said if board members were appointed by the government, that this would not compromise the independence of the BBC. However, the current chair of the BBC Trust, Rona Fairhead, has concerns. Steve Hewlett talks to her about whether the Clementi model is really the best model, the importance of the BBC retaining its independence, and why she thinks the White Paper on the future of...
2016-04-0628 minThe Media ShowCharlotte Moore, Turkish press crackdown, Concern about BBC independenceWe hear from the new Controller of BBC TV Channels (BBC 1,2 and 4) and iPlayer Charlotte Moore about her vision for the future. She also gives her response to claims (from Culture Secretary John Whittingdale and a recent report from consultants Oliver & Ohlbaum and Oxera Consulting), that BBC TV has become less distinctive.We hear from Sevgi Akarcesme, Editor in Chief of Today's Zaman about the Turkish state takeover of the anti-government newspaper for which she works, and from the BBC's Turkey correspondent Mark Lowen on the context of this crackdown on press freedom.A recent...
2016-03-0928 minThe Media ShowRace and TV viewing, The BBC impact on the market, Should Ofcom replace the BBC Trust?The Secretary of State John Whittingdale has been sharing his views of the BBC at the Oxford Media Conference. We hear what he had to say about BBC distinctiveness and the impact the corporation has on the market and on its commercial competitors. The BBC's head of strategy and digital James Purnell then gives his verdict on the Secretary of State's vision so far.And Sir David Clementi has carried out a review of the governance and regulation of the BBC. Former chairman of the BBC Trust, Sir Michael Lyons discusses in details of his recommendations...
2016-03-0227 minFeedbackBBC World Service Soft PowerThe British Government has just allocated £289 million to the World Service for the next five years, in a bid to promote UK soft power. But where will this money go, and what does this mean for the BBC's independence? Roger Bolton talks to the Director of the BBC World Service Group Francesca Unsworth.With the arrival of Advent came a Radio 3 Carol Service, performed by the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge. Some listeners were impressed by the new compositions alongside traditional favourites, but others were put off by some of the more modern works. Should advent b...
2015-12-0428 minThe Media ShowLord Puttnam on public service broadcasting, Peter Salmon on BBC Studios, I'm a CelebrityLord David Puttnam, whose credits include the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire and The Killing Fields, is spearheading an inquiry into the future of public service broadcasting. It's aim is to look at the 'nature, purpose and role of public service television today and in the future'. The inquiry is being seen as a challenge to the eight-person advisory committee appointed by Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, to guide his conclusions on the renewal of the BBC's Royal Charter. Steve Hewlett talks to Lord Puttnam about what he hopes the inquiry will achieve, and gets his views on the current state...
2015-12-0228 minFeedbackLocal Radio controversy, BBC World Service funding, New comedy double act The PinRoger Bolton airs audience views on BBC radio output, including a controversy in local radio, new funding for the World Service, and the fresh comedy duo The Pin.Earlier this month, presenter Iain Lee hosted a controversial discussion about Christianity and LGBT rights on his BBC Three Counties radio breakfast show. The heated interviews divided listeners and Iain Lee has now left the station. Campaigns across social media, led by fans and LGBT rights groups, have since demanded Iain Lee's reinstatement, but to what extent should a BBC presenter be allowed to take sides in a debate?
2015-11-2728 minThe Media ShowBBC Studios, Ad-blocking, Female tech journalists, The VoiceThe BBC's latest submission to the Government on the Charter Review consultation includes further detail on BBC Studios. The proposal removes the key guarantees and quotas for BBC in-house programmes but establishes BBC Studios as a separate entity, to maintain the BBC's tradition of programme making. To discuss the implications for the UK's independent TV production sector at large, Steve is joined by Cat Lewis, CEO of Nine Lives Media and Debbie Manners, MD Keo Films and former Chair of Pact Council.Axel Springer, the owner of the German tabloid Bild, has become the first major German...
2015-10-1428 minThe Media ShowThe chair of the BBC Trust, Digital news providers, Ofcom's review of BT OpenreachThe BBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC, has published its response to last week's government green paper on the BBC Charter Review. The review will look at, amongst other things, how the BBC should be governed and regulated - with many thinking the new charter will spell the end of the Trust. In her first interview for The Media Show, Trust Chair Rona Fairhead discusses her vision for the future of the BBC, her involvement in the recent licence fee deal, and the legitimacy of the BBC's governance system.A new book, Innovators in Digital...
2015-07-2228 minMoral MazeThe BBCNo one has come up with a better or pithier definition of public service broadcasting than John, later Lord Reith. The purpose of the BBC is to "inform, educate and entertain." For Reith, the son of a minister, the creation of the BBC was a public service; an unambiguous moral good and ever since Reithian has become an adjective that symbolises a kind of broadcasting that promoted virtue to the nation and one that should not be sullied by commerce. To "inform, educate and entertain" are still part of the BBC's mission today, but for how much longer? And...
2015-07-1643 minThe Media ShowBBC's annual report, Chris Bryant on the 'BBC under siege', Alan Whicker award.The BBC's Director-General Lord Hall has said it is up to licence fee payers to determine the size and shape of the BBC. It's Annual Report, out yesterday, shows how spending and staff numbers rose, despite cost cutting at the corporation. The Chairman of the BBC Rona Fairhead also said there are likely to be further cuts in "scope," prompting speculation that services would be cut. Steve Hewlett talks to Professor Lis Howell, Director of Broadcasting at City University, and the BBC's former Head of Strategy Mark Oliver, about the health of the BBC, where savings may be made...
2015-07-1528 minThe Media ShowTim Hincks, BBC Three going online, The future of Olympic coverageTim Hincks, the President of Endemol Shine, on defining and nurturing creativity, tackling the middle class bias in TV, why we should embrace the mainstream and why UK television is best when it engages with the rest of the world.Richard Ayre from the BBC Trust explains why the Trust has given a provisional and conditional go-ahead to BBC proposals to close BBC3 as a broadcast channel and move it online, and to extend the evening hours of CBBC - but has said no to the idea of BBC One +1.The former director of the...
2015-07-0128 minThe Media ShowCommissioning BBC TV programmes, News on smart phones, The 'pause' in local TV rolloutThe BBC Trust says that the BBC's TV commissioning process is not sustainable. Currently, 50% is guaranteed for in house commissions, independent producers compete for 25% and the last 25% is open to all. However, the Trust says there is a strong case for reducing or even removing the 50% currently guaranteed for in house commissions. The decision opens the doors for Director General Tony Hall's BBC Compete or Compare strategy, announced last July. Andrea Catherwood is joined by James Purnell, BBC's Director of Strategy and Digital, and John McVay, Chief Executive of PACT to discuss the pros and cons of changing how...
2015-06-2428 minThe Media ShowTony Hall, BBC Director GeneralThe Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, has set out his plans for the "my BBC" revolution; a more personal service that will use data to provide a more tailored experience for users, and enable the BBC to compete more effectively in the digital age. In a speech on Monday, he also spoke of his support for a proposed household levy to replace the current licence fee. In his first interview for The Media Show, Steve Hewlett talks to Tony Hall about his new strategy, and gets his views on how the organisation is funded, run, and governed...
2015-03-0428 minThe BBC Academy PodcastBBC production trainees: where next?What do the BBC production trainees get up to during their placements? And once the scheme is finished where can you go next?Back in March 2014 we talked to some of the latest intake of BBC trainees as they started their first placements at the BBC.
Now the trainees are trainees no more and are fully fledged assistant producers and researchers working across the BBC in radio, TV and online. We talk to Amanda Litherland, Harry Pick, Emily Spooner and Melanie Brown to find out what they've been up to, where they are now, what they have learnt.
2015-01-1517 min
Wireless NightsBBC Philharmonic Presents...To mark the winter solstice, a chance to hear a programme first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 1st October in which Jarvis Cocker brought his award winning series Wireless Nights to Salford, forming part of this year's BBC Philharmonic Presents... series, a celebration of orchestral music in its many different forms.In front of a studio audience, Jarvis Cocker and the BBC Philharmonic weave tales of insomnia, nocturnal inspirations and dark imaginings from the world of classical music - against the backdrop of a President embroiled in the Vietnam War. There's also a special performance from Jarvis...
2014-10-1428 minThe Media ShowBBC on Sir Cliff coverage; Press Gazette joins IPSO; Who is Rona Fairhead?Rona Fairhead, the former FT Group chief executive, has been announced as the Government's preferred choice as BBC Trust chair. Her nomination comes at a challenging time for the BBC, in the run up to Charter renewal and concerns over governance. Steve hears from John Gapper, former colleague, and Associate Editor of the Financial Times, about what she could bring to the role; former Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell MP, who introduced the BBC Trust as a system of governance, and Phil Harding, former BBC news editor and Controller of Editorial Policy, about what her appointment may mean for the...
2014-09-0328 minThe Media ShowBBC commissions up for grabs; IMPRESS regulation plans; Immigration StreetThe Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, has announced plans that have been described as a, "historical moment", for BBC production. He wants to scrap quotas, which currently guarantee 50 per cent of TV programmes are made in-house. Whilst still to be approved by the BBC Trust, it's a move which has been largely welcomed by the independent sector, and rival broadcasters. Steve Hewlett talks to Natalie Humphreys, Controller of BBC Factual & Daytime Production about the proposals, and how it could impact the BBC, and Cat Lewis, Vice Chair of PACT and CEO of Nine Lives Media, a small...
2014-07-1624 minThe Media ShowBBC Radio cuts; Richard Ingrams; Sun special rowThe BBC is to cut 65 jobs in its radio division, the director of BBC Radio Helen Boaden told staff yesterday. BBC Radio needs to save £38m by 2016/17 as part of the £800m cost-cutting measures required by the BBC savings programme Delivering Quality First (DQF). It's hoped the changes, which focus on re-organising staff, will have minimal impact on audiences. However, the BBC admits that the savings target is so big, on air changes are inevitable. Steve Hewlett discusses the details with radio critic Gillian Reynolds, former controller of Radio 4 Mark Damazer, and CEO of the Radio Academy and former he...
2014-06-1128 minThe Media ShowPistorius TV; Sunday tabloids; BBC commissioning; Mirror front pageThe Oscar Pistorius trial has grabbed TV audiences around the world. Three remote controlled cameras in the court room have provided compellingly dramatic fodder for rolling news channels right around the world. The footage is broadcast by a TV channel set up specifically for the trial - which persuaded the courts to allow cameras in for the first time. George Mazarakis, the head of the Channel, talks to Laura Kuenssberg about why he campaigned for access and the BBC's Legal Correspondent Clive Coleman explains why similar coverage couldn't be shown here. Until recently, the Sunday tabloids had...
2014-04-1628 minThe Media ShowIndependent Scotland; BBC North; Young Journalist AwardIn this week's Media Show from Salford, Steve speaks to the Scottish minister for culture Fiona Hyslop on her vision for broadcasting in an independent Scotland. It's been suggested that Scotland would have its own public service broadcaster based on the existing staff and assets of BBC Scotland, should it gain independence, so could this work? And Steve questions how the government could ensure people could get access to popular programmes, like Eastenders, should the BBC cease to exist in the country. It's been 18 months since the controversial BBC move to Salford was completed. A wide range...
2013-11-2028 minThe Media ShowBBC digital strategy; Press reformThe Privy Council - an ancient body which advises the Queen, and mostly made up of senior politicians - has rejected press proposals for a royal charter. Alternative plans proposed by the government after cross-party talks will now be re-examined, with ministers saying they might consider some of the industry's ideas. Some publications, like the Guardian, say the differences between the two charters are bridgeable. Others, like The Spectator, say it amounts to a 'politicians charter' that they won't be signing up to. Steve Hewlett speaks to The Times editor John Witherow, one of the central characters in the...
2013-10-0928 minThe Media ShowBBC Called to AccountThis afternoon, the BBC's Chairman and Director General are before the MPs on the Public Accounts Committee. Lord Patten and Lord Hall are answering questions about the size of compensation payments made to senior executives who left the BBC in the last few years, some of them greater than contractually allowed. Tara Conlan reports from the hearing - she is a long term BBC watcher in her role at the Guardian. One of the questions raised by the National Audit Office report into the payments relates to the BBC Trust and whether it can adequately supervise or inspect the...
2013-07-1028 minThe Media ShowThe crisis at the BBC - special one-hour editionThe BBC management was already in trouble over the way it struggled to handle revelations about Jimmy Savile. It was then thrown into chaos when Newsnight broadcast a child abuse survivor's story, pointing at a senior Conservative politician, that turned out to be completely false. It was a failure of the BBC's most prized possession - its journalism. The new Director General resigned and the Chairman of the BBC Trust Lord Patten is in danger of following him out of the door. So how did the BBC get it so wrong? What is the future of investigative journalism at...
2012-11-1457 minThe Media ShowBBC Presenters' TaxThis week with Steve Hewlett: MPs have been grilling the BBC over the way it contracts its presenters, leading to allegations such as that on the front of the Daily Mail this week: "148 BBC stars avoiding tax". Conservative MP Steve Barclay was one of those questioning the BBC and he tells Steve where his concerns lie. Bal Samra, the BBC's director of business affairs, responds. And, in a week when the BBC and its commercial arm BBC Worldwide have published their reports, analyst Theresa Wise asks whether Worldwide could be doing more to contribute to the BBC's...
2012-07-1828 minThe Media ShowBBC jubilee coverage, YouView, the next DGAt its peak the BBC attracted almost 17 million viewers for its Diamond Jubilee coverage but some have described parts of it as 'lamentable,' 'tedious' and 'inane'. Alan Yentob the BBC's Creative Director responds to those criticisms. Ian Hyland TV critic for the Mail on Sunday shares his view, and Michael Lumley an executive producer for the coverage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer's wedding, reveals some of the challenges inherent in covering such large scale events on TV.YouView is officially in launch phase. The internet television service - backed by the BBC, Channel 4, 5 and...
2012-06-0628 minThe Media ShowBBC savings strategyThe BBC has announced its proposals for "Delivering Quality First", a strategy to cut twenty percent of the BBC's spending over the next five years. No BBC channels will be scrapped but there are concerns that the savings could overstretch resources and erode the quality of BBC programmes. Steve Hewlett hears about the decisions from the BBC's director of policy and strategy, John Tate. The BBC's proposals include big cuts to local radio and reductions in budgets for network radio although Radio 4 will be protected more than others. Radio critic Gillian Reynolds explains why she fears the...
2011-10-1228 min