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PODCAST

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch

Good Egg Productions

Roger Bolton,formerly presenter of BBC Radio 4"s "Feedback" launches his very first podcast. Free from the constraints of broadcasting on the BBC, with a few more opinions and casting his net a little bit wider to encompass the whole of the BBC, Roger examines the issues that are facing the corporation and public service broadcasting.Find all our podcastshereAnd please support this podcast by subscribinghereWe also support VLV (Voice of the Listener and Viewer) which represents the interests of

news politics

All Episodes

29:17

Prof Lee Edwards on Lisa Nandy’s BBC charter speech,...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/03/30

Prof Lee Edwards, chair of the Media Reform Coalition and Professor at the LSE, discusses Lisa Nandy’s speech on a permanent BBC charter, the handling of the charter review consultation, the new Director General and wider questions about how the corporation is held to account.To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership@beebwatch.bsky.social@BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb

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27:55

Tony Hall on New DG Matt Brittin and What’s Next for...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/03/27

Former BBC Director GeneralTony Hall, who led the corporation through the last Charter review, discusses the appointment ofMatt Brittinas the new Director General. We discuss the responsibilities and pressures of the role, the BBC’s use of technology and digital platforms, its approach to arts, religion and other public service content, options for future funding and World Service support, and the relationship between the Director General, the BBC Board and regulators in a changing media and

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32:01

Rizwana Hamid on Muslims, the Media and Regulation

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/03/19

Rizwana Hamidis the Director of theCentre for Media Monitoring, which has just published its report,The State of British Media 2025: Reporting on Muslims and Islam. The report concludes that coverage of Muslims and Islam in much of the UK press is marked bysystematic bias,negative framing, andcontextual omissions, particularly in some right‑leaning outlets.We discuss the report’s view that British media coverage of Muslims and Islam has worsened in recent years; the role ofGB News,The Telegraph,The

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24:55

Colin Browne Guides You Through the BBC Charter...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/03/09

Colin Browne, Chair of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer (VLV), discusses what the BBC Charter review means for the future of public service broadcasting in the UK, and why it’s vital that ordinary licence fee payers respond to the government’s consultation by midnight on Tuesday 12 March. Step by step, we explore where VLV supports or challenges the BBC’s own proposals on independence, funding, public accountability and participation in BBC decision making. We also look at how well the BBC is

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28:49

Rabbi Jonathan Romain on BBC Reporting of Israel and...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/03/05

RabbiJonathan Romain discusses how Britain’s Jewish communities are represented in UK media, particularly theBBC, against the backdrop of the current Middle East crisis. We examine the diversity of opinion among British Jews on Israel and the Netanyahu government, the meaning and use of the term"Zionism", and the distinction between criticism of Israel andantisemitism.We also explore the rising reports of antisemitic incidents in the UK, the impact of events in the Middle East on community

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31:31

Greg Childs: Do YouTube deals spell the end of public...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/02/26

Greg Childs, director of the Children’s Media Foundation, discusses the decline of traditional children’s television in the UK, the rise of YouTube and TikTok as children’s primary viewing platforms, and what this shift could mean for public service broadcasting.We explore how changes to advertising rules and algorithms are transforming the economics and nature of children’s content, the BBC’s new deal with YouTube, and the growing debate over whether regulation should aim to “build better” online

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30:14

Jamie Angus: Ex-BBC World Service Director on Iran...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/02/19

Jamie Angus, former Director of the BBC World Service, discusses the ethical and editorial dilemmas of BBC reporting from Iran under strict conditions and the funding crisis facing the World Service. We also explore his new Henry Jackson Society report to the Public Accounts Committee, setting out a future for the BBC World Service focused on shifting audience priorities, digital distribution, and new revenue ideas from AI licensing to commercialising BBC Monitoring.Have your say in the government's

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22:06

Elizabeth Anderson: Are We Ready for a Digital‑Only...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/02/12

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, discusses how the UK’s move towards a digital‑first media landscape could affect viewers and listeners. We explore what is meant by digital poverty in the UK today, the startling numbers affected, and what the impact could be if traditional broadcast TV (including Freeview) is switched off around 2034 – and how that might affect radio too. What could this mean for access to news, information and entertainment?We examine the relationship

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29:45

Phil Riley, radio executive, on BBC “radio licences”,...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/02/05

Phil Riley is one of commercial radio’s most experienced executives, former chief executive of Chrysalis Radio and now co‑founder and chief executive of Boom Radio, the station created for Britain’s baby boomers. We discuss current ideas for funding the BBC – including proposals around BBC Sounds and a possible “radio licence” – and what they could mean for both the BBC and commercial radio.We also explore the wider future of radio and public service broadcasting, including the growth of podcasts,

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36:40

Rob Crilly, ex-US Chief Correspondent at the Daily...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/01/29

Rob Crilly, former Chief US Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail Online, now author of the “Washington Secrets” newsletter at the Washington Examiner, joins us again one year on to assess Donald Trump’s first year in office. We talk about covering a president who sets the agenda via late-night tweets, how the White House manages access and mixes up the briefing room, and what it means for organisations such as the BBC to face a billion‑dollar lawsuit and accusations of “fake news”.We

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31:14

Prof Lee Edwards on BBC Charter Review – A Missed...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/01/22

Lee Edwards, Professor of Strategic Communications and Public Engagement at the London School of Economics, and Chair of the Media Reform Coalition, discusses in detail the government’s green paper on the BBC’s future: the consultation process and timetable; proposed changes to BBC funding—including the possibility of a household levy; principles of universality and public service; and questions about government involvement in BBC governance.We also examine the balance between public purpose and

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30:35

Sir Max Hastings, ex Daily Telegraph editor, on...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/01/14

Sir Max Hastings, historian and former editor of the Daily Telegraph and London Evening Standard, discusses Donald Trump’s attack on the BBC, the roots of hostility toward the broadcaster, and the impact of ongoing financial cuts—including what the BBC should prioritise. We also explore editorial challenges, leadership dilemmas, the vital role of the World Service, media coverage of the Middle East, and the future of public service journalism. Drawing on his long career, Sir Max offers candid

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31:50

Michael Delahaye on the BBC’s influence and the...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2026/01/08

Michael Delahaye, veteran BBC journalist and author of "After the Fall: The Battle to Save Independent Media in the Post-Soviet World," joins us to share his firsthand experiences supporting independent journalism across Russia and the former Soviet republics.We discuss the challenges faced by journalists in a country without a history of independent journalism, the impact of Putin, the lack of a media market, the role of the West, the significance of the BBC World Service and the ongoing fight for

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34:51

Prof Patrick Barwise Unpacks the BBC Green Paper and...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2025/12/18

Patrick Barwise is Emeritus Professor of Management and Marketing at London Business School, former chair of Which, the UK consumer organisation, and co-author of 'The War Against the BBC'.We review the government's newly published green paper on the BBC—covering its governance, funding models, independence, commercial and political influences, public accountability, what's missing and participation in the consultation. And we discuss whether the BBC should settle with Trump. “I would like to see

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32:50

The British Academy BBC report: time for big changes

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2025/12/12

Professors Georgina Born and Justin Lewis are co-authors of the British Academy report on the future of the BBC and public service media. From the UK to Scandinavia, Canada to Australia, the report presents evidence about what works and what doesn’t. We discuss some of their findings: the importance of democratic governance, the decline of the licence fee, and the need for independent funding mechanisms.We explore the role of public service media, the threat from global big tech, governance and

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26:20

Jon Williams, ex-BBC Foreign News Editor, on...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2025/12/05

Jon Williams, Executive Director of the Rory Peck Trust, former foreign editor at BBC News, and managing editor of ABC News in the US and RTÉ. We discuss the work of the Trust; the challenges facing freelance journalists; the rise in deaths and imprisonment of journalists; dealing with propaganda wars and media companies; and how broadcasters should handle lawsuits.“As news organisations have got less and less money to base foreign correspondents overseas, then more and more they're turning to

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30:18

Dan Thomas, FT Global Media Editor on the Sky/ITV...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2025/11/28

Dan Thomas is the global media editor of the Financial Times and its former business editor. We discuss the turbulence shaking up the UK media industry: the high-stakes merger talks between ITV and Sky – what that means for the future of public service broadcasting, the challenges posed by increasing media consolidation and what lies ahead for major players like Channel 4. We also discuss the current leadership crisis at the BBC and the potential impact of the government's long-awaited green

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1:08:17

Stewart Purvis, ex-ITN Chief, Richard Ayre, ex...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2025/11/27

At the Voice of the Listener and Viewer autumn conference, the second session chaired by former BBC World Tonight presenter Ritula Shah, dealt with enhancing impartiality in news. Professor Stephen Cushion, Director of Research and Impact at the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Culture, presented new research on impartiality standards in news, followed by a discussion on the implications of the rise of opinion-led TV and radio for audiences. The panellists, apart from Professor Cushion,

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33:18

Mark Damazer, former BBC Trustee and Prof Steven...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2025/11/27

After a turbulent few weeks for the BBC, the Voice of the Listener and Viewer held a timely panel titled “What Next for the BBC?” at its conference on Wednesday. The speakers were Mark Damazer — former Controller of Radio 4, Deputy Director of BBC News, BBC Trustee — and Stephen Barnett, Professor of Communications at the University of Westminster.They tackled the growing crisis of governance at the Corporation: the politicisation of the BBC Board, the influence of political appointees and how

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34:04

Andy Webb, Dianarama author on Princess Diana, BBC...

Roger Bolton"s Beeb Watch ·

2025/11/20

Andy Webb is the author of Dianarama: The Betrayal of Princess Diana. We discuss his years-long investigation into the BBC Panorama interview with Princess Diana, the controversial methods used by journalist Martin Bashir, the ongoing questions of BBC accountability and transparency, and the significant challenges he faced accessing the BBC’s archives in pursuit of the full story."It could be plausibly argued that Diana would be alive today—64 years old, the grandmother of five kids—had the BBC, in

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162 results

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