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Media Confidential
Q&A: Will machines replace us?
Could machine-generated articles replace those created by human beings?
After their series on AI in the media, Alan and Lionel now turn to listeners’ questions.
There's no question that AI could help to make journalists lives easier, but what sort of practical uses will there be on a day-to-day basis? Is there a risk that AI will take over the creative roles of writers and reporters? And what are the main threats to media employees?
Alan and Lionel remain cautiously optimistic about the future of the tools that will become more and more available.
They’re convinced that the subtlety, wit and nuance of real-life journalists will win out and cannot be replaced by machines. At least not yet…
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50. Ash Sarkar: ‘Media is politics by other means’
43:01||Season 2, Ep. 50Journalist and political commentator Ash Sarkar joins Alan and Lionel to talk about her debut book Minority rule, adventures in the culture war, which tackles free speech and how so-called culture wars have been manufactured to stoke division and influence politics. How have cultural battles eclipsed economic struggle in public debate? Ash examines the media’s role in fuelling the culture wars, the impact of social media algorithms on political discourse, and how class interests shape coverage of figures like Jeremy Corbyn and Nigel Farage. She also reflects on the future of Novara Media, whether the UK is following a global shift toward right-wing politics, and the challenges of building sustainable left-wing media. Can there ever be a left-wing Joe Rogan?49. Q&A: What's the difference between dead cats and real cats?
18:49||Season 2, Ep. 49Alan and Lionel respond to more listeners’ questions on this week’s Q&A.In a world where the news never sleeps, the editors are asked whether news coverage is proactive or reactive.They also discuss the importance of fact-checking, and whether or not young people are equipped with the tools to pick up on political bias across news platforms.Plus, Alan explains what a “dead cat” is journalistic jargon for, and how listeners can identify one.If you have a question for Alan and Lionel send them to mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk48. How do you solve a problem like gen Z?
50:27||Season 2, Ep. 48Gen Z aren't switching on the TV for the 10 o’clock news. They aren't picking up newspapers, and they're less likely to trust the big media names in the same way their parents did. But they are consuming vast amounts of news...Alex Mahon is the CEO of Channel 4. She joins Alan and Lionel at Prospect HQ to talk about how journalists can capture the attention and, more importantly, the trust of a generation.The editors also respond to the BBC pulling a documentary on young people in Gaza, and the White House meeting that everybody is talking about.47. Q&A: Do echo chambers actually exist?
26:16||Season 2, Ep. 47In this second special episode, Alan and Lionel are joined by aspiring journalists from Oxford Brookes University to tackle their tough questions about the industry’s future.Alan and Lionel discuss optimism: when journalism is suffering a crisis of trust, what can we do to be hopeful?Plus, the editors are asked what sources they trust when it comes to keeping informed.Send us your questions via email at mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.ukHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.46. The Murdoch monarchy: Who will take the crown?
42:55||Season 2, Ep. 46One of the world's biggest media dynasties is in crisis. Last December, in a Nevada court, the Murdoch family battled to decide who would take control of its media empire. Alan and Lionel are joined by Jim Rutenberg, writer-at-large for the New York Times, who was one of two journalists who obtained copies of sealed court documents and published details of the case.He shares the story of reporting on Murdoch’s secret trial—and uncovers the Succession-style drama behind it all.Jim, Alan and Lionel also discuss the effects of the Trump administration cherry-picking its press pool. To listen to more on the Murdoch trial from Media Confidential, click here.45. Q&A: What's the role of journalism in the age of Trump?
28:17||Season 2, Ep. 45In a rapidly changing world, can journalists still cut through the noise? In this special episode, Alan and Lionel are joined by aspiring journalists from Oxford Brookes University to tackle their tough questions about the industry’s future.They explore why gen Z seems increasingly sceptical of democratic processes, whether Prince Harry’s recent trial signals the need for another Leveson Inquiry, and what it truly means to ‘know your patch’ as a young journalist.Plus, in the midst of another chaotic Trump presidency, with endless sources of information at our fingertips, how should journalists pursue the truth? Send us your questions via email at mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk44. Can you ‘bomb-proof’ the BBC?
45:46||Season 2, Ep. 44If someone wanted to take over British institutions like Trump's government has done in the USA, what would their first steps be—and how could we guard against them?Joining Alan and Lionel in the Prospect studios is a panel of expert guests: Jean Seaton is Professor of Media History and the Official Historian of the BBC, Peter York and Patrick Barwise are co-authors of the book The War against the BBC: How an Unprecedented Combination of Hostile Forces Is Destroying Britain's Greatest Cultural Institution... And Why You Should Care.Alan and Lionel discuss Boris Johnson’s latest column and how the New York Times got hold of thousands of pages of court documents relating to the Murdoch dynasty’s bitter court fight over custody of the media empire.44. Q&A: How to stay safe in a war zone
22:47||Season 2, Ep. 44Which actor would you want to be played by? Though that question isn’t hypothetical for Alan (shoutout Toby Jones), Lionel shares his own thoughts in this week’s Media Confidential Q&A.And with the recent arrival of digital newspaper The Londoner, what impact has it had on the capital’s local media landscape? The editors give their verdict on Joshi Hermann’s latest endeavour.Alan and Lionel are asked what measures they have put in place to protect journalists in dangerous situations, including war zones. Plus, in an age of digital surveillance, how can reporters keep themselves safe?43. Sam Freedman: “The press lobby’s gone feral!”
37:43||Season 2, Ep. 43This week, Alan and Lionel are joined by Prospect columnist Sam Freedman, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government. Sam reveals the inner workings of the Westminster press lobby—commonly known as “the lobby”. That’s the group of political journalists, usually representing major newspapers and broadcasters, with privileged access to official briefings and the Prime Minister’s spokesperson. In this month’s issue of Prospect, Sam argued that the pressures of 24-hour news cycles and reduced resources have led lobby journalists to prioritise sensationalism over true policy analysis. He thinks this lack of specialist expertise means the lobby prefers to nose around and cause trouble and, at worst, even “hallucinates” stories. But what impact is this having on the media? And how does it end up shaping government policy itself? To read Sam’s piece, head to https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/issues/march-2025