Media Confidential

Alan and Lionel discuss the Observer after investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr, the paper’s former features writer, suggests that some of its new funders may not be who they seem.And as Scott Bessent, US secretary to the Treasury, takes aim at the Financial Times—claiming that a story about him was “manufactured”—former FT editor Lionel gives a considered reply.The editors also examine the selection process for the new head of Ofcom. What’s taking so long?And they discuss the BBC’s sacking of Scott Mills, following new information about abuse allegations.

In this week’s Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel are joined by former Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi.The three discuss the Post’s editor-in-chief Will Lewis, following his resignation in February. They discuss how Lewis got the role, his tenure and his abrupt exit, days after overseeing mass layoffs.They also talk about key decisions made by Post owner Jeff Bezos and how they led to the loss of more than 250,000 subscribers. Is there any hope for the publication?

In this episode of Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel react to the news that Matt Brittin has been confirmed as the new director-general of the BBC. They discuss his suitability for the role and make their predictions. What will his first moves be?Following Alan’s recent investigation into GB News, the duo ask if the electoral commission should be paying attention to the channel for its coverage of Reform UK.Alan also shares what he learned from speaking to Ben Habib and Rupert Lowe, who confirm that their guest invitations to GB News dried up after defecting from Nigel Farage’s party.Plus, a year Observer’s sale to Tortoise Media, the hosts also discuss the paper’s offer of voluntary redundancy to its entire workforce.To read Alan’s column on GB News and Ofcom, click here or head to prospectmagazine.co.uk. 

In today’s episode of Media Confidential Alan and Lionel are joined by Chris Banatvala. Chris was Ofcom’s founding director of standards and executive member of the content board.The three discuss Ofcom’s approach to GB News after Alan headed an investigation into the broadcaster and ask if the regulator is turning a blind eye to the channel’s content.They also discuss the evolution of Ofcom’s investigation and complaint handling over recent years and question if there is a two-tier impartiality system for public broadcasters like the BBC and commercial channels like GB News.

In today’s Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel talk about the US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, after he told a CNN reporter he was looking forward to the CNN takeover by the family of billionaire Larry Ellison.They’ll also discuss the comments of Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in which he threatened to censor broadcasters who don’t toe the Republican party line, and the BBC’s response to Donald Trump suing it for $10m in a defamation case in Florida.Plus, they review the work of Bellingcat and the New York Times in uncovering who was behind the missile that hit a girls’ school in Iran. And publisher Reach accused the BBC of bulldozing local journalism: does that statement ring true?You can listen to Alan and Lionel talking to Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins here. 

In today’s episode of Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel are joined by Margaret Sullivan, former public editor at the New York Times and writer of the Substack newsletter American Crisis.The three talk about the war in Iran and how it has been covered by the American press, as well as debating whether certain other stories have fallen to the wayside because war is dominating the headlines. They’ll talk who benefits from having some stories swept under the carpet. As three former editors they also discuss when it is good to feel uncomfortable, and what the role of the public editor is. The New York Times no longer has one—is it time the position came back? 

In today’s episode Alan and Lionel focus on the sale of the Telegraph.They discuss the new owner, Axel Springer, and what its CEO Mathias Döpfner said he would do if he bought it when he appeared as a guest on Media Confidential in 2023. Döpfner had previously tried and failed to buy the same paper.Our hosts also disagree over Döpfner’s approach to controversy, the political right and journalism—and they speculate about how a Telegraph journalist might be feeling now the deal has been done. Lionel also talks of how Döpfner's views might not be exactly as they seem.Alan and Lionel also try to conclude their long-running bet as to whether or not Rupert Murdoch is a genuine Substack follower and respond to listener questions.You can listen to a full interview with Mathias Döpfner on Media Confidential here.

In this Monday’s Media Confidential interview Alan and Lionel talk to Gabriel Sherman, journalist and author of Bonfire of the Murdochs, how the fight to control the last great media dynasty broke a family and the world.Gabriel has been a Murdoch-watcher for many years and scoured the thousands of documents of the Nevada trial where the succession struggles played out in the courts and all “their petty grievances and jealousies” went on the record. The three discuss the rise of Rupert, his relationship with three of his children Lachlan, James and Elizabeth and how their lives were shaped by his plans. They also discuss the news empire’s ability to pivot politically and keep ahead of the curve and the impact of legal scandals across the years. Our hosts and Gabriel also reflect on the TV series Succession and how closely it reflects real life and discuss what might happen next.

On this week’s Media Confidential, as conflict in the Middle East escalates, Alan and Lionel explore the challenges of reporting on fast-moving international crises. How has the Trump administration been briefing the media, as Israel and the United States wage war with Iran?And after the Pentagon's blacklisting of Claude, they also discuss artificial intelligence: should governments and militaries be using language models like ChatGPT at all?Plus, Alan and Lionel ask whether, like columnist George Monbiot, all journalists should keep a register of interests. And they examine Ipsos’s ruling over a fabricated Telegraph story—is this “justice dispensed with a feather duster”?