‘Lord Lebedev called me a prick…which sold extra subscriptions’
Some news outlets insist that London is a city in crisis—but who profits from that message?On the first anniversary of the launch of London Centric, its founder and owner Jim Waterson joins Alan and Lionel to talk about the new London-focused publication.Within four months of launching the newsletter, the news outlet hit its three-year targets. Jim unpacks this wild success, what makes his approach different, and what he chooses to cover. He also talks about the challenges facing local journalism, and why he doesn’t rely on clicks to tell stories.The three also discuss the recent backlash against Substack, and who benefits from the narratives about London “going to the dogs”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Hack: What happens now?
How do you turn one of the biggest media scandals into gripping television—and what unfinished business still lingers off-screen?Media Confidential hosted a live episode at Prospect HQ, with Toby Jones, Patrick Spence and Jack Thorne, about the real story behind the ITV drama The Hack. In this episode, the panel takes audience questions on press freedom, and whether it’s time for a long-delayed Leveson 2 to investigate criminal behaviour across the journalism industry.Alan and Lionel also discuss the Murdoch company's "aggressive" tactics against people writing about the story, Prince Harry’s legal battle against the Daily Mail, and the deletion of millions of emails worth of evidence. To listen to the live episode, click here. Or to read Nick Davies’s follow up on the phone-hacking scandal, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Successor: Who is Lachlan Murdoch?
He’s officially next in line to the Murdoch empire, but what is Lachlan Murdoch’s story?Alan and Lionel are joined by Paddy Manning, investigative reporter and author of The Successor: The high-stakes life of Lachlan Murdoch. With Lachlan set to take the helm, the trio discuss the machinations at the heart of the Murdoch media empire and the origin of the family rift. They also discuss who his fictional counterpart might be in HBO’s Succession, with a surprising conclusion... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Who gets right of reply?
Do you always have to offer the people you’re reporting on a chance to give their side of the story? In this episode of Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel share when giving the right of reply has backfired on them.They also discuss Fox News, after one listener asks a tongue-in-cheek question. And the hosts talk about whether media reports about Donald Trump’s mental state are responsible, as well as the sale of the conservative digital media outlet The Free Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Hack: What’s the real story?
This week’s special episode of Media Confidential coincides with ITV’s new drama The Hack, about the phone-hacking scandal which led to the closure of the News of the World, the Leveson Inquiry, and a national reckoning on press ethics.This week, Prospect’s Alan Rusbridger is joined by actor Toby Jones—who plays him in the series—along with Emmy award-winning writer Jack Thorne, executive producer Patrick Spence, and journalist and academic Jane Martinson.The panel discuss bringing the story to the small screen, how the government can help support the arts, and the power of drama. They explore journalism at its worst, but also how reporting can make a difference. Is a second Leveson inquiry needed?To read Nick Davies’s series on the phone-hacking scandal for Prospect, click here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
You’ve been listening to the Prospect Podcast, Media Confidential’s sister podcast. To subscribe on Spotify, click HERE. For Apple podcasts, click HERE. Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber—two of the world’s greatest editors—dive into the hugely important world of media. What—and who—drives it? What do they get right... And what do they get wrong?Lionel, former editor of the Financial Times, and Alan, editor of Prospect and former editor of the Guardian, will bring you revealing, high profile interviews and in-depth discussion.Media Confidential is produced by Prospect Magazine.Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives. No commitment—you can cancel at any time. Currently you can SAVE up to 50% on a digital subscription: https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/JN5025/prospect-magazine/JN5025G Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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