The Media Club with Matt Deegan

How many subscription services do we need? Podcast exec Steve Ackerman, tells us why paywalls need a overhaul. Also on the show: Channel 4 moves in with Disney+... and hires The Cube's showrunner to make its own hits. CMG Productions co-CEO and Channel 4 alumna Claire McArdle on what it means for broadcasters, indies... and your remote control.All that plus: the Telegraph's AI-powered future costs up to 100 jobs, it's RAJAR week and Adam Bowie talks us through the radio numbers, Steve explains why your favourite podcast has no idea who you are... and, in The Audio Network Media Quiz, it's Halloween - so we turn the lights down low for three spine-chilling media tales.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex (who is a real person) selects the music for us to score each episode and she and her team can do it for you too at audionetwork.comWe record at Podshop Studios - for 25% off your first booking, use the code MEDIACLUB at podshoponline.co.uk/services/podcast-studioBecome a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.What The Media Club has been reading this week:BBC to merge TV and audio commissioners across three genresChannel 4 and Disney+ strike landmark UK dealChannel 4 hires Adam Adler as Creative Director of its in-house studioTelegraph cuts up to 100 jobs in 'AI-powered' overhaulAllison Pearson said to be negotiating exit from the TelegraphAdam Bowie’s review of RAJAR Q3 2026SupaPass appoints Steve Ackerman as non-executive directorGhostwatch: The Night That Terrified Britain on 5Why colourful collaborations can be a route to successBBC pays £400,000 to former Storyville commissioner Lucie KonThe TV Festival sets Manchester dates and venuesBritish Journalism Awards 2026 shortlist revealedCeleb seeking injunction against Guardian and ITNReform launches The ReformerSpreaker and the podcast copycats

While BBC News loses another 100 roles, CNN comes knocking with a fiver-a-month UK subscription. Charlotte Tobitt from Press Gazette takes us through it.Also on the show: what’s actually working with AI in the newsroom - and what’s a waste of budget? Fergus Bell and Tom Trewinnard, co-founders of news consultancy Fathm, bring us a field guide from the newsrooms they’ve worked inside.All that plus: Spotify wants your superfans’ money, two Southwark courtrooms put the media in the spotlight... and, in The Audio Network Media Quiz, we warm up the valves on the wireless for a vintage parlour game.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex selects the music for us to score each episode and she and her team can do it for you too at audionetwork.comWe record at Podshop Studios - for 25% off your first booking, use the code MEDIACLUB at podshoponline.co.ukBecome a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.What The Media Club has been reading this week:BBC to close BBC Three, BBC Scotland and Radio 4 Extra linear servicesCNN launches All Access subscription and paywall in the UKSpotify announces Spotify PartnershipsCourt Hears Daily Mail Editor’s Voicemail from Tommy Robinson“Media industry protects its own,” court hears in Russell Brand caseCanary ClosesBBC TikTok Channel ClosesYouTuber Laments YouTube After HackingThe Signal - Fathm’s weekly podcast

After 14 years of Yorkshire vets, cruise ships and All Creatures Great and Small, Ben Frow is stepping down at 5. Broadcast's Heather Fallon on the end of an era - and who could possibly follow him.Also on the show: new launches are down on broadcasters and streamers alike - and so are the bank balances of the people who make them. Indielab founder Victoria Powell on what small indies can do about it, and why the whole industry is heading to GrowthLab London at the Barbican.All that plus: Marina Hyde goes Always On, the gossip from MIPCOM... and, in The Audio Network Media Quiz, we gather the suspects in the drawing room.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex selects the music to score each episode - and the Audio Network team can do it for you too, at audionetwork.comWe record at Podshop Studios - for 25% off your first booking, use the code MEDIACLUB at podshoponline.co.uk/services/podcast-studioBecome a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.What The Media Club has been reading this week:Ben Frow steps down at 5Marina Hyde launches Always On with GoalhangerNetflix and Disney+ new launches down in 2026GrowthLab London 2026BBC asks court to make Trump sit for depositionFox's Rob Wade: "We're not here to flip a house"Ian Hislop marks 40 years at Private EyeGirls returns to HBOPodnews Daily goes to videoGTA VI gets podcasts

The BBC's director general wants the corporation to have "a little less conversation, a little more action" - but with BBC Three reportedly heading for the exit, are the staff all shook up? Gold Wala's Faraz Osman on what Matt Brittin's digital revolution means for the people who make the programmes.Also on the show: it's the first ever National Magazine Day. The Week Junior's editor Vanessa Harriss on why, in an age of endless screens, children are still reaching for paper.All that plus: Channel 4 finds its new content chief, Warner Bros. wakes up as Skydance... and, in The Audio Network Media Quiz, we roll up the shutters on some abandoned lock-ups.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex selects the music to score each episode - and the Audio Network team can do it for you too, at audionetwork.comWe record at Podshop Studios - for 25% off your first booking, use the code MEDIACLUB at podshoponline.co.uk/services/podcast-studioBecome a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.What The Media Club has been reading this week:BBC boss Matt Brittin sets out a Silicon Valley-style revolutionBrittin faces staff criticism over job cuts in junior ranksBBC Three and BBC Scotland channels face closureDavid Brindley set to be named Channel 4 content chiefParamount completes Warner Bros. Discovery takeover to form SkydanceNational Magazine Day 2026Radio 2 ApologisesGuardian ends casual staff practiceProf. Brian Cox trades radio for digitalBidders revealed for Doctor WhoGoalhanger brings ad sales in houseRachel Jupp becomes new BBC News chief

Ten years on from Remainiacs, Podmasters co-founder Martin Bojtos says we're nowhere near peak podcast - and MIDiA Research's Laura Fisher on why Gen Z are turning to radio for music discovery.Also on the show: Dave Masterman on building Significant Productions with Elis James and John Robins, and the Audio Academy's Aradhna Tayal Leach on the key takeaways from the Audio Festival in London.All that plus: we catch up with British Podcast Awards winners, Channel 4's hunt for a programme boss goes to a photo finish... and, in The Audio Network Media Quiz, we hand out some awards of our own.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex (who is a real person) selects the music for us to score each episode and she and her team can do it for you too at audionetwork.comRecorded live at the Audio Academy Festival — thank you to the Audio Academy for having us.Become a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.What The Media Club has been reading this week:Podmasters: we're nowhere near peak podcastMIDiA: Gen Z turn to radio for music discoveryBrindley and Murphy in two-horse race for C4 content bossBBC deletes bare nails articleRadio in the car: shock new figuresBritten Thinks AI Dr Who 'Pretty Good'Channel 4 Chief Accepts Shows Will Appear on iPlayerGuardian to train journalists in content creationLaura's recommendations for the club:Cut for time, here's a few of Laura's excellent choices for the club. Go check them out!@Wyatt Dixon is someone whose work I really like. He does content but also has a Substack, and he’s a photographer too. And I think he’s adding something really positive to the conversation around men and masculinity. Really is in the work he does a counterbalance to some of the worst parts of the manosphere.Mimi, the music bloggerMimi has a great Substack focused on music journalism. What I really like is that she always connects the music back to lived experience, people and community. She gives the work context which makes her writing really engaging.Radge MagazineRadge Magazine is run by a woman based in Middlesbrough, and it has a really strong community focus. She talks openly about her working-class Northern upbringing and the political and social issues affecting her and her community. I like that she often makes those bigger issues really relatable - so what she says frequently is that a steak bake now costing £2.50 is radge. It’s a great example because it communicates something much bigger about the cost of living and how people experience it.Vicky SprattVicky Spratt is a journalist who did a series called The Gen Z Story for Goalhanger’s The Rest Is Politics, which I thought was excellent. It explained some of the issues facing Gen Z today in a way that was accessible to a wider audience. She also produces some great content independently and regularly features in The i Paper.

Where do people actually want to see your adverts – and where would they rather you just didn't? Kantar's Global Media Director Gonca Bubani gives us an early look at Media Reactions 2026.Also on the show: Strictly, Bake Off and the Grand Tour get a talent reboot. InterTalent MD Alex Segal – author of the Dealmakers Substack – on the stars refreshing old formats.All that plus: Trump’s latest salvo against the press sees him launch a YouTube channel, Piers Morgan gets an apology from Earl Spencer, Andy Burnham declares war on disinformation, the BBC blows the final whistle on its sports bulletins... and, in the Audio Network Media Quiz, we learn how to get rich quick.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex selects the music for us to score each episode and the team can do it for you too at:https://audionetwork.comWe record at Podshop Studios – for 25% off your first booking, use the code MEDIACLUB at:https://www.podshoponline.co.uk/services/podcast-studioBecome a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at:https://themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.What The Media Club has been reading this week:White House launches Trump TV on YouTubeBurnham announces National Centre for Information DefenceBBC to axe sports bulletins on its news channelEarl Spencer apologises to Piers MorganKyle Sandilands to deliver an unforgettable keynoteMipcomUK RIPHearst returns to revenue growthGlobal Player offers ad-free subscriptionsDisney+ Interupts Game For Ad BreakDealmakers with Alex Segal

Metro's editor-in-chief has quit and a familiar face is back to steady the ship. Alex Hudson, who spent years as deputy editor of Metro.co.uk, sizes up his old newsroom.Also on the show: Channel 4 and Channel 5 make advertising history together, just days after Channel 4 confirmed a quarter of its workforce is going. TV and media journalist Tara Conlan on what the deal – and the cuts – mean for the wider industry.All that plus: playwright Jack Thorne accuses fellow screenwriters of using AI to cheat, the BBC gets serious about Birmingham, Radio 2 goes shopping for a £300k visualised podcast, Emily Maitlis goes digging into Jeffrey Epstein's British circle, and Acast says the format wars are finally over... and, in the Audio Network Media Quiz, we go looking for good news at the pictures.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex selects the music for us to score each episode and the team can do it for you too at:https://audionetwork.comWe record at Podshop Studios – for 25% off your first booking, use the code MEDIACLUB at:https://www.podshoponline.co.uk/services/podcast-studioBecome a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at:https://themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.What The Media Club has been reading this week:Metro editor and executive editor exit amid radical changeReach cuts 220 staff in reaction to AI OverviewJack Thorne says fellow writers are using AI to cheatChannel 4 and Paramount's 5 make advertising historyEmily Maitlis to host Global podcast on Epstein's British linksBBC launches partnership with Birmingham City UniversityVisualised Podcast Brief at R2Acast releases Podcast Pulse 2026Guardian grows revenue to record £282mNewsquest grows profit as digital subscribers riseWashington Post on track to break even after four years of lossesTara’s Job Finding Platform, How Do You Do?

A quarter of Channel 4’s workforce will be gone by the end of the year in Priya Dogra’s grand vision. Broadcast's Rebecca Cooney on whether the broadcaster can afford it, and what happens to its promise to the nations and regions.Also on the show: as advertisers pile back into audio, Bauer Media Advertising's Simon Kilby joins the club for the first time to tell us where the money's actually going.All that plus: the independent production sector's cash reserves are wearing dangerously thin, Ofcom throws public broadcasters an olive branch on advertising rules... and in the Audio Network Media Quiz, some old favourites bow out while a flashy new arrival gets no takers.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex selects the music for us to score each episode and she and her team can do it for you too at https://audionetwork.comWe record at Podshop Studios - for 25% off your first booking, use the code MEDIACLUB at https://www.podshoponline.co.uk/services/podcast-studioBecome a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at https://themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.What The Media Club has been reading this week:Channel 4 Confirms Biggest Job Cuts In Its HistoryPriya Dogra Sets Out Her RationaleTiny Cash Buffers Leave Small UK TV Firms At RiskOfcom Sets Out Measures To Help Under-Pressure PSBsBBC Staff Reject Improved Pay Offer As Strike LoomsTrump Administration Attacks UK Plan To Boost BBC On YouTubeNetflix Hikes UK Prices, Cheapest Plan Up A ThirdSTV Studios Reviews Its LabelsZoe Ball Launches New Afternoon Show On GHRMonty Don Steps Down From Gardeners' WorldTom Jones Fired From The Voice UKAntiques Roadshow Repeat Overwhelms The Box

We're in Edinburgh for the last installment of the Edinburgh International TV Festival before it moves to Manchester next year. But there's plenty of energy on show in this season finale, as YouTube's Pedro Pina delivers the Festival's keynote - the MacTaggart lecture - and unsurprisingly, was not keen on more regulation or of their platform.Also on the show: where's innovation? Fenton Bailey - World Of Wonder - joined us for an in depth interview this week which you can see on YouTube. During the chat he had a very particular metaphor for the crisis in television... TV Critic Scott Bryan and indie chief Geoff Jein (Biscuit Jim) dissect the theory.All that, plus conversations with award winners TwoFour, Banijay, Persephonica and Quay Street Productions - and, in the Audio Network Media Quiz - we rundown the big commission announcements of the week with Entertainment Exec Rina Dayalji and Broadcast Magazine's Chris Curtis.The Media Quiz is sponsored by Audio Network. Alex selects the music for us to score each episode and she and her team can do it for you too at https://audionetwork.comWe record at Podshop Studios - for 25% off your first booking, use the code MEDIACLUB at podshoponline.co.ukChapters:0:00 - Edinburgh TV Festival special0:33 - YouTube’s Pedro Pina on regulation and public service prominence6:42 - Fenton Bailey’s Titanic metaphor and TV’s innovation crisis13:16 - Matt Brittin, the BBC and the future of public broadcasting18:31 - Rethinking the BBC licence fee and Public Media 202825:52 - Audio Network on human-made music and AI30:22 - Quay Street Productions' Nicola Shindler on drama, funding and what commissioners want36:34 - Persephonica on podcasting, YouTube and Amol Rajan’s next move43:20 - Banijay on global formats, creators and building the next big franchise53:34 - TwoFour's David Clews on 'Educating...', Destination X and taking risks in TV1:00:27 - Audio Network Media Quiz: Commission Impossible1:06:46 - Festival takeaways: noisy TV, YouTube and an industry in fluxBecome a member for FREE when you sign up for our newsletter at themediaclub.comA Rethink Audio production, produced by Matt Hill with post-production from Podcast Discovery.