Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown describes herself as a "lefty, liberal, anti-racist feminist, Muslim" who was born in Uganda and came to the UK in 1972. She is a journalist, columnist for The i Paper, and commentator. Yasmin is a strong advocate for human rights who supports Israel's right to exist while being critically engaged with its policies. On this week’s podcast we discuss the BBC’s handling of its withdrawn Gaza documentary, the challenges facing independent journalists in Gaza, the lack of critical journalism in the UK compared to Israel, the influence of pro-Israeli groups in the British media and the role of public service broadcasting and its responsibilities. “Balance is used as a way of not doing its journalism properly. And I love the BBC, but …. I think we need the BBC to become what it says it is: the most trusted outlet. It is no longer that trusted outlet.” Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch  To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.comwww.goodeggproductions.uk

Richard Ayre is the chair of the UK's independent press regulator, Impress. Before that, he spent about thirty-five years at the BBC as a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC News, before becoming a member of the BBC Trust. Richard is also a former member of the OFCOM content board. In this week's episode, we discuss BBC's DG Tim Davie and Chair Samir Shah's appearance in front of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's select committee: the fallout from the Gaza documentary which was pulled after it was discovered the 13-year-old narrator had a family connection to Hamas, future funding models, the World Service, and the possibility of a generational charter.“There was a meeting between BBC executives and executives of the production company—a face-to-face meeting—to comply this film before it went out, and the BBC didn't press for an answer or didn't get an answer to the question about the connection of the kid's. That's very worrying, and that, I imagine, is where the BBC’s inquiry is now going to unearth some bodies—or people likely to be bodies.” Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.comwww.goodeggproductions.uk

Tony Hall was the Director-General of the BBC from 2013 to 2020, during which time the BBC's Royal Charter was last renewed. We discuss the differences between that charter renewal process and the current one, as well as the key issues surrounding the upcoming renewal: a long-term vision, a permanent charter, a new funding model, accountability, and engagement with licence fee payers. We also address the allegations of anti-Semitism within the BBC."I have never seen fundamental anti-Semitism in the time I was at the BBC. It's not how people work. Yes, there can be errors. Yes, there can be misjudgements, but fundamental anti-Semitism, or any other fundamental take on life that comes out in the BBC journalism I've never seen, and I don't believe it's there."Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.comwww.goodeggproductions.uk

Dan Thomas is the Global Media Editor at the Financial Times who broke the story on Sky News’ strategy and newsroom overhaul.  We discuss the strategic decisions facing all the major news organisations as they adapt to changing audience behaviours, regulation of social media, the future of all the public service broadcasters, BBC charter renewal, the BBC’s news operations in the US and digital switch over.“Sky News have been on the on the sort of watch list, as it were, for some time. They've got what can only be described as an existential crisis, right? And this is not just unique to Sky, it’s applicable to all sorts of linear, traditional broadcasters, but Sky News, they've got a particular problem. People don't really want to watch news on TV anymore, not in the way they used to. And they've had to come up with something.”Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.comwww.goodeggproductions.uk

Rob Crilly is the Chief US Political Correspondent for The Daily Mail who has covered Donald Trump since his bid for the presidency in 2015. Part of the White House press corp and regularly travelling with the president, Rob offers unique insights into Trump’s personality, communication style, and the impact Trump has had on American politics and journalism. We discuss the challenges of covering the Trump presidency with his disregard for facts, the Trump’s administration’s efforts to sideline traditional media for “new media”, the lack of opposition and Trump’s relationship with Keir Starmer.  “He's extraordinarily personable, and maybe it comes from his background as a property mogul, and he's essentially a salesman, but he sort of knows how to put people at their ease.” Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.comwww.goodeggproductions.uk

Peter Kosminsky, the renowned British film and television director who recently directed the much-acclaimed Wolf Hall, discusses his career journey—from being sacked by the BBC Plays department to finally becoming a successful documentary-maker and filmmaker. He describes the creative process behind Wolf Hall, the challenges British filmmakers face in securing funding from streaming services for projects focused on British subject matter, and his proposal for a UK cultural fund, financed by a levy on streaming service subscriptions, to support the production of high-quality British dramas. On his Grenfell project: "Are we really saying that British television is incapable of making a drama about this critical subject to a British audience, because a bunch of American streamers don't think it's interesting enough to finance?"Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.comwww.goodeggproductions.uk