Media Confidential Podcast

In this weeks Q&A episode, Alan and Lionel discuss their most difficult interviews.

They also discuss why journalists are no longer sent out to cover council meetings and whether that has an impact on democracy.

Plus, the hosts answer an email about the BBCs dominance over online news in the UK.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the Truth Tellers summit in London, Alan and Lionel sit down with Mark Thompson, the CEO of American media giant CNN.Mark is asked if he has sat down with Trump since he started in office.

Does he feel a slide towards state-owned media, monitored by the White House? And why does CNN continue to give the president airtime?

“If the rule was [that] we didn't have politicians on the air who might lie", he says, "we'd be struggling possibly to fill the airwaves.”

Plus, after listening to the ‘Rest is Classified’ podcast series on whistleblower Edward Snowden, Alan discusses his role in publishing the Snowden documents, and how he believes the BBC was too timid to cover the story.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Q&A session, Alan and Lionel are asked whether there’s still a market for the London Standard and what they would do if its owner Evgeny Lebedev came asking for advice.

They also discuss undercover reporting: after interviewing Harry Shukman who spent a year infiltrating far right groups in the UK, the editors discuss how to prepare a reporter for covert investigations.

Plus, as press freedom hits an all-time low, how can we make the world safer for journalists?

To submit your questions to Alan and Lionel, email [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Media Confidential, journalist Harry Shukman joins Alan and Lionel to discuss his year spent infiltrating the far right.

Harry’s new book Year of the Rat explores this journey. He shares why he went undercover to report on the story, why he thinks the threat from the British far right has been underestimated, and moments when he risked discovery.

Plus, the editors mull over Jon Voight’s plan to “make Hollywood great again”, and discuss the BBC choosing to shelve a new film about the destruction of Gaza’s health service.

Harry’s book ‘Year of the Rat: Undercover in the British Far Right’ is out today (May 8th)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s Q&A, Alan and Lionel are presented with a thought experiment: if they had to join forces, how would they run a brand new media venture?

What’s it all about? Where is the money coming from? And, contentiously…who would be the editor?

With half a million households cancelling their licence fee in 2023 alone, the hosts are also asked about alternatives to a TV license fee, as the BBC struggles to connect with younger audiences.

They also speculate on who might step into the shoes of Alex Mahon, Channel 4’s outgoing CEO, who joined Media Confidential to talk about gen Z’s media habits back in March.

Keep your questions coming via [email protected] 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.