Media Confidential

Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber dig into the Media Confidential mailbox to answer listeners' questions about the media. This week, they discuss political bias in UK newspapers, as well as the growing number of people who get their news from social media. Are these sources reliable? And should social media companies be liable for material posted on their platforms?One listener wonders whether there is anything that the editors strongly disagree on, and asks a pressing question: Alan or Lionel—who would win in an arm wrestle?Cast your bets and send your questions to mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk, or via X @mediaconfpod

In this episode of Media Confidential Q&A, Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber dig into the mailbox to tackle listeners' questions about the media industry.The topics on the table this week: what led to the downfall of the London Evening Standard? Will newspapers be able to afford their foreign correspondents in future? Are traditional journalistic skills still useful…and can you guess which presenter failed his shorthand exam?Plus, a confession from one of the editors…who may have been less than candid in a career-defining job interview.Send your questions to Alan and Lionel via email to mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk, or via X @mediaconfpod 

Alan and Lionel are joined by Yale history professor and leading scholar of Soviet Russia, Tim Snyder. Snyder’s new book, On Freedom, explores the risks to shared freedom in a ‘post-truth’ world.He argues that a rise of disinformation and fake news—coupled with the weakening of reliable media sources and local news—has undermined established truths, which creates a pathway towards fascism. Amidst concerns that a second Trump term could lead to authoritarianism in the US, the role of responsible journalism to preserve truth and freedom of speech is more important than ever.Alan and Lionel also discuss whether Keir Starmer is being treated fairly by the media, as the prime minister faces accusations of sleaze for receiving gifts, including clothes, glasses and a box at Arsenal.To watch the interview with Tim Snyder, head over to our YouTube channel. Simply type in ‘YouTube Prospect Magazine’ into your browser, or click the link in the show description on your podcast player to watch this and other compelling interviews from Media Confidential.

In this episode of Media Confidential Q&A, Alan and Lionel return with the answers to all your burning questions and shed some light on the inner workings of the media industry. This week: why is the BBC is constantly chasing gen Z audiences, even though young people consume media in other ways? And when does the non-mainstream media become so big that it becomes the mainstream media—even if was established in opposition to traditional publishers and broadcasters? Plus, the two former newspaper editors—who worked on revelations including on phone hacking and Wirecard—explain how big scoops begin and become major investigations. Send your questions and comments to us at mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk or via X, at @mediaconfpod

Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber talk to NYT tech journalists Kate Conger and Ryan Mac about their new book Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter.The editors also explore the tumult at the Jewish Chronicle, a newspaper now plagued with allegations of fake news and a decline in journalistic standards. With four of its top columnists resigning, they ask what the future is for the oldest Jewish newspaper in the world.And as news breaks that the Observer—the world’s oldest Sunday paper—has received a bid from “minnow” Tortoise Media, what implications could this have for the newspaper landscape in the UK?Click here to watch our episodes on YouTube: www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/youtube

Alan and Lionel return with their weekly Media Confidential: Questions and Answers show to tackle your burning questions and shed some light on the inner workings of the media industry.This week the two former newspaper editors discuss why Prince Harry continues to be targeted by the print media in the UK, what the return on inverstment is for a deep investigation carried out by journalists for a publication and they reveal who the bravest journalist they have ever worked with is.Send your questions and comments to us at mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk or via X, at @mediaconfpod

According to the writer, historian and activist Rebecca Solnit, US media are failing to cover Donald Trump properly. “His incapacity to be coherent is pretty much hidden from the public, unless they’re listening directly or reading alternative media,” she says. Solnit, whose essay Men Explain Things To Me inspired the word “mansplaining”, says she’s convinced that the US mainstream press—including the New York Times—are “sanewashing” the former president and the gibberish he has spouted during the election campaign. Instead of showing how rambling and off-topic he is, they piece together fragments of his speeches to come up with a few crisp sentences. This week, Solnit joins Alan and Lionel on the podcast to explain why, in her view, the real story is not being covered. Together, they hone in on how the media should cover Trump’s false claims—such as the one he made during this week’s debate, that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio “are eating the dogs… eating the cats…eating the pets of the people that live there.” ABC News factchecked this incredible statement. It wasn’t true. Solnit says Americans aren’t getting enough of the truth—so can the news better reflect the reality of Donald Trump?

Alan and Lionel introduce a brand new, weekly bonus episode of Media Confidential. Every Sunday they answer listeners’ questions about how the media really works.In the first show they contemplate the rise of the Mail Online, assess the role played by the right-wing media in this summer’s riots, and much, much more. Plus, the big question: who was harder to deal with in government—Tony Blair’s chief press secretary Alastair Campbell or former chief adviser to Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings? Listen here to find out! Send your questions and queries on the media to mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk or via X, @mediaconfpodThis episode is sponsored by Reviewed & Cleared.