Pat Younge, former BBC Chief Creative Officer and board member at ITV Studios, responds to allegations of bias made against the BBC’s Panorama programme; outlines proposals from the British Broadcasting Challenge for renewing the BBC’s charter and ensuring its long-term independence and relevance; and discusses the impact of media consolidation by wealthy, powerful figures in the US and how this affects the UK media landscape, especially Channel 5. We also discuss broadcast funding models, governance reforms, the importance of universality and trust, the role of citizen assemblies and the prominence of news and current affairs.

“The BBC is like the sun around which our entire broadcasting universe revolves. So we need to get the BBC right. If everything else is going to be right.”

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Matt Frei is the Europe editor and presenter of Channel 4 News who delivered the annual Steve Hewlett Memorial Lecture. We discuss his speech, the state of democracy in the United States and whether what is happening there can happen here, BBC's coverage of Gaza and the propaganda war, challenges facing traditional news organisations and whether there is a place for GB News, the domination of the news cycle by Trump, his personal journey from Germany to becoming a prominent British journalist, and the complex media landscape in the era of social media and political polarisation.

"The audience wants stories to be told to them. It's how we do it and to how many people. That's really the issue here. But the internet, the diversification, the anarchy of what we have before us is a golden opportunity to tell more stories to more people, or a different group of people in different ways, and that's fantastic, and we should celebrate that."

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Catherine Johnson, Professor of Media and Communications at the University of Leeds, is co-author of the report Behind the screen, how streaming is changing public service media, which was published this week and produced by the University of Leeds, the International Broadcasting Trust (IBT), the Campaign for the Arts and the Sandford St Martin Trust. 

We discuss its findings and the challenges in measuring public service programming on streaming platforms, refusal of data by public service broadcasters, discoverability and personalisation issues, the decline in certain genres, the impact on independent producers, recommendations for improving transparency and accountability, the role of government and regulators and incentivising PSBs to broaden content.

“I said, at an event recently, "We've got 10 years to save public service media." And someone from the sector came back and said, "No, we've got three years to save public service media."”

Read the full report here: https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/229430/

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Katy Searle has recently left the BBC after a long career in news – over three decades. She was in charge of all of the BBC’s political output for 8 years up until last year, during which time huge savings had to be made. More recently Katy was director of news programmes and current affairs. We discuss the Russell Brand scandal, Ofcom's decision on GB News, impartiality and the impact of cuts on the organisation.

"If you look at how long the Brand's investigation took, they spent two years doing that. Now, I wonder whether that's something that the BBC would be able to do, to devote that time. Of course, it's got some brilliant successes in the past, but it's vital that the BBC continues to do that and makes that a real focus."

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Nick Ferrari, LBC breakfast presenter and one of the UK's longest serving commercial radio presenters discusses impartiality, local radio, journalistic license and competition with the 'Today' programme.

“Within the M25 we put up a fight against ‘Today’, we're not bad, but they are an absolute giant. Once you start getting out of the M25, I more than keep my own against ‘Today’. And you go to some cities, and actually, I will outperform the show in some cities.”

He also looks back on a remarkable and colourful career that started as a 7 year old in his father’s news agency, and included helping to launch LIVE TV.

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Samira Ahmed is the presenter of Radio 4’s arts programme ‘Front Row’ and for eleven years has presented 'Newswatch' – the sister programme and television news equivalent to 'Feedback' - which also aims to hold the BBC to account on behalf the licence fee payer. We discuss BBC coverage of the Huw Edwards story, the ability of 'Newswatch' and 'Feedback' programmes to hold the BBC to account and pay inequality.

"Let's face it, it's mostly older white men coming out to speak on this and a lot of it has been very defensive."

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Steven Barnett, Professor of Communications at the University of Westminster is a writer and broadcaster who has been involved in policy analysis at the highest levels, both nationally and internationally, for the last 35 years. Roger and Steven discusses the BBC presenter scandal: the actions of the BBC and Sun newspaper, BBC coverage of the story, privacy laws and whether the BBC is facing an existential crisis.

“I think it's self-indulgent and I think it's self-obsessive. And it's self-indulgent to the point of actually acting counter to the BBC's proper news values which should be to think about stories that are important."

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Andrew Neil, the former Sunday Times editor has become arguably the best political interviewer in the business, someone whom Boris Johnson and Liz Truss were desperate to avoid. This week we’re talking to the man who spent 25 years at the BBC presenting programmes such as This Week, Sunday Politics, The Daily Politics, and Politics Live.  Andrew Neil then left the corporation and became the lead presenter and chairman of GB News, but not for long. After only 8 programmes he left.  Due to cuts at Channel 4 his current 'Andrew Neil Show' has been cut for at least this year. We discuss public service broadcasting, left wing bias, impartiality, GB News and plans for the future. 

"A serving Conservative politician interviewing a Conservative government minister I'm actually surprised. It has surprised me how tolerant Ofcom has been of this kind of stuff. Certainly, when I was involved in trying to put together GB News it never struck me that Ofcom would allow that sort of thing to happen. Indeed, I always regarded Ofcom as something of an ally and keeping us within the bounds of proper mainstream broadcasting.”

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Ofcom, the UK communications industry regulator was in front of the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport select committee on Tuesday on the same day as Ofcom chief executive Melanie Dawes published an article in the Daily Telegraph. In recent years, an increasing number of politicians have fronted or guest presented current affairs programmes. Professor Stewart Purvis, former content and standards partner at Ofcom and ITN Chief Executive watches the proceedings in parliament and discusses Ofcom regulations and their adherence.

"This distinction they're making between news and current affairs is not a genuine one. It is almost a device to enable politicians to present programmes."

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Henry Hill is the deputy editor of the Conservative Home website. He discusses the growing trend of partisan news channels, regulation, funding models, impartiality, political interviews and Conservative attitudes to the BBC and BBC reform.

“If support for the BBC on the right collapses, whether you think that that collapse is justified or not, whether you think the criticisms are justified or not, it then becomes regardless of that, very difficult to justify having a corporation and a broadcaster with all of those privileges. So, it's really important for those of us on the right who support the BBC to try and get Conservatives to engage seriously with the question of ‘okay, this is a really important principle, whatever our criticism of the BBC, what do what do we want it to look like?’.”

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Tony Hall – Lord Hall of Birkenhead - was the director general of the BBC from 2013 until 2020. He joined the Corporation as a trainee in 1973 rising to director of BBC News and current affairs in 1990 and continued to lead BBC News until 2001. During his tenure he launched BBC Parliament, BBC 5 Live, BBC News 24 and BBC News Online, before taking some time off to run the Royal Opera house in Covent Garden. He also spent time on Channel 4’s board. Tony calls for a debate on public service media and discusses local radio changes, the merger of the two BBC news channels, classical music cuts, Channel 4, appointing a new BBC chair, impartiality and GB News.

"At the core of the BBC is news, I think the BBC should be investing more in its news operation to be honest with you."

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Martin Rosenbaum was the leading specialist in utilising Freedom of Information at the BBC. As the former executive producer of political programmes at Westminster, he oversaw programmes such as 'Political Thinking' with Nick Robinson, and the 'Week in Westminster' as well as editing and producing numerous political documentaries. He had a ringside seat at the BBC during the Hutton Inquiry, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly the government advisor who became embroiled in the controversy regarding the government's claim about Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction in the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It was one of the most damaging controversies in the BBC's history which led to the resignation of both the director general Greg Dyke and the chair Gavyn Davies. We discuss whether FOI changed journalism and politics and the lessons learnt from the Hutton Inquiry.

"We were trapped in a kind of groupthink, of feeling, 'We must really stand up to them. We've got to demonstrate our independence.' They didn't have the voices saying, 'Hang on a minute, is this intelligence really right?' We didn't have the voices saying, 'Hang on a minute, are you absolutely sure that every detail in this story is correct?'"

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Tim Suter, is a former managing editor of current affairs at the BBC, who later became a specialist adviser at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport which brought in the last media bill in 2003. That’s the one which which set up Ofcom, the UK’s media and communications regulator, of which Tim became a founding partner. He now runs his own consultancy, Perspective Associates. We discuss what the new Media Bill means, the dismantling of quotas for public services broadcasters, the remit of Channel 4 and accountability.

"This piece of legislation leaves an accountability shaped hole that the public media institutions urgently need to fill."

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Richard Ayre is 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 the BBC's Gaza documentary scandal, the MasterChef presenter dismissals, criticism from the Culture Secretary and OFCOM, challenges to BBC editorial oversight and the corporation's annual report.

“It’s outrageous that the Secretary of State lifts the phone and demands answers from the Director General."

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Stewart Purvis is probably the pre-eminent broadcast news journalist of his time. A former editor of Channel 4 news, he went on to become ITN’s Chief Executive – and then the poacher turned gamekeeper. The now Professor Purvis served as one of the content regulators at Ofcom and oversaw standards cases involving the BBC between 2007 and 2010. In 2015 he was a member of the BBC Charter Review Advisory Group and has been a non executive director of Channel 4 among many, many other things. We discuss GB News, the BBC's role and cuts, the merger of the BBC news channels, the Charter Review in 2015 and the BBC's relationship with government.

“My concern about their decisions on GB News is…that looks like a policy decision. That we, the British government and Ofcom are going to change the approach on British television to impartiality.”

“I would hope that with the departure of Richard Sharp as the chairman of the BBC Tim Davie will be free with the next chair, whoever it may be, to work out their agenda for debate. To take account quite properly of the government's view, but not to be on their knee to the government’s agenda of the day, which I think is close to what the BBC has been in recent months, at least in policy terms, if not in on the air terms, in what they perceive to be what the government wanted them to do about impartiality.”

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Before leaving the BBC in 2021 Rob Burley had worked with all the big political beasts at the Beeb - Andrew Neil, Jeremy Paxman, Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel - and as editor of Live Political Programmes oversaw 'The Andrew Marr Show', 'Politics Live' and 'Westminster Hour'. We discuss his recently published book called - 'Why Is This Lying Bastard Lying To Me' – which details everything from the art of the political interview, to revelations about the BBC's relationship with government and coverage of the EU referendum.

"Where I think you're right is we didn't get into properly or maybe it’s very hard to, a discussion about the world as it will be in the future if you if you take a particular choice".

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Tom Mangold is one of Britain's top investigative journalists. From Fleet Street he moved to the BBC in 1964 and became a war correspondent covering numerous conflicts including Vietnam, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan. He then found himself at Panorama for 26 years making over 100 documentaries. He looks back on a career where he cultivated the Krays, became friends with Stephen Ward who was at the heart of the Profumo scandal and dissects the challenges that investigative journalism is under.

"The extent to which the use of libel actions against organisations doing investigative journalism, the way in which the libel courts are now being used makes it less and less easy to do good investigative journalism."

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John Bridcut has produced highly regarded documentaries throughout his career on a range of subjects including ‘How the BBC began’, the British monarchy - encompassing the Queen's coronation, Prince Philip, and King Charles - as well as documentaries on classical composers such as Elgar, Delius, and Britten. His latest documentary, focusing on British composer Sir Michael Tippett, is set to air in June on BBC 2. John also authored a report in 2007 for the BBC on the safeguarding of impartiality in the 21st century. In our discussion, we delve into the BBC's coverage of the monarchy, impartiality, and coverage of classical music.

“There's a sort of ivory tower mentality, where everything happens in Broadcasting House and is parcelled out in sort of diktats. I think it's a really dangerous course.”

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Simon McCoy was known as a regular presenter on BBC Breakfast, News 24 and latterly the BBC News at One. Before joining the BBC he was also royal correspondent at Sky in the early nineties covering the break down of Diana and Charles' marriage. After 17 years at the corporation Simon joined GB news for just under a year in 2021. We discuss royal coverage, impartiality, GB News, Richard Sharp's position as BBC chair and the merger of the BBC's two news channels.

"When the BBC is under such pressure, when you're talking about an institution which people in their hearts do care about, but see daily a lowering of standards, and then you're watching a domestic news channel, and it is a domestic news channel overnight coming from Singapore from Washington - and I'll be pilloried for this - but with no British accents on it. You’ve got BBC licence fee payers paying for that. I think there is going to be a problem with that."

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The draft Media bill was finally published at the end of March - what does it mean for diversity and the public service broadcasters? We discuss language, data and the loosening of regulations with Marcus Ryder, previously head of BBC Scotland Current Affairs Programmes who is now the head of External Consultancies at the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity.

“I think that it is in BBC, Channel 4’s and other public service broadcasters’ interests for them to tighten regulation, because if they don't tighten regulation, then the publics service broadcasters quickly become like any other channel."

"It's funny when Channel 4 was under threat and thought it was about to be privatised, all of sudden it went back to its roots so you had some very courageous programmes."

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On the run up to the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, Peter Taylor veteran BBC journalist reveals his own personal story as a journalist covering Ireland for over 50 years and voices his concerns for the future of journalism.

"Sadly, when I look at the people, my colleagues who've left the BBC, the BBC is in danger of losing that critical level of experience which we pass on, we veterans want to pass on, are eager to pass on, to the next generation and the next generation but one.”

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One of Britain’s finest reporters Peter Taylor, with numerous books, documentaries and awards spanning a career of over 50 years, discusses his latest BBC 2 documentary based on his book published this week; 'Operation chiffon: The Secret Story of MI5 and MI6 and the Road to Peace in Ireland'.

"We spent a couple of weeks just living inside the Maze prison. We were locked up with prisoners and in talking to them, it was quite clear that they were thinking beyond the so-called armed struggle."

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Jamie Angus left the BBC last July after a stellar career involving editing the Today programme and Newsnight. He later became director of the World Service, running the teams which produce news in 42 languages to a weekly audience of 500 million around the world. Now he's chief operating officer at Al Arabiya news channel in the United Arab Emirates and is moving into the space left by the axing of BBC Arabic radio. We discuss cuts in the World Service and news, impartiality, the future funding of the BBC and the Gary Lineker affair.

"If you look at some of the things he's tweeted even since this row - they seem pretty close to the line, if not over the line to me - and I'm not quite sure how this is going to get resolved in the longer term." 

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Protests in Israel continued over the weekend against the government's plans which would give Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, the power to overrule Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority and the power to nominate judges. Israel has no second chamber and no written constitution, so if this measure goes through there can be no appeal. Dame Margaret Hodge, who is the parliamentary chair of the Jewish Labour Movement discusses what needs to be done after her trip to the regions.

“I do think it’s probably the Americans have got to try and muscle their way in to trying to calm it down and get negotiations going between Israelis and then between Israel and Palestinians.”

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Marcus Ryder, CEO of the Film and TV Charity and former head of current affairs at BBC Scotland, discusses the recent Greg Wallace controversy, workplace behaviour, mental health, and power dynamics in the film and television industry.

"The very fact that so many people have come forward means that there's a large number of people who, up until recently, were experiencing something that they felt they couldn't properly talk about."

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Roger Mosey, former editorial director of the BBC, head of TV news and director of sport discusses the handling of the Gary Lineker and Fiona Bruce controversies, the BBC board and its vision and the leaked emails and WhatsApp messages showing BBC editors asking their journalists to avoid using the word “lockdown” in reporting at the start of the pandemic and to be more critical of Labour after pressure from Downing Street.

“I was worried too. And I talked to some quite senior people in the BBC on the broadcasting side and they were also worried."

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On Tuesday the BBC announced cuts to its orchestras and choirs. Its in-house chamber choir, the BBC Singers will come to an end and there will be a 20% reduction of roles in the BBC's English orchestras - Symphony, Concert and Philharmonic. Paul Hughes, the former BBC Director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and of the BBC Singers left his post last July after 23 years. He gives his reaction to the decision making process, the impact on the choral and orchestral landscape, the value the BBC places on classical music and whether the corporation is living up to its public service remit.

“I don’t know what public service means in the BBC context now. If the BBC is not to do that which others can’t do, what are they for?" 

Roger also gives his reaction to Gary Lineker's tweet on the Government's refugee policy.

You can read Roger's Guardian opinion piece here

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Ken Bruce is the most popular presenter in the UK with over 8 million listeners on Radio 2 and he's about to join former colleague Simon Mayo at Greatest Hits Radio. Simon discusses Ken's departure from the BBC.

"The situation has been handled badly."

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“In 2015 at the time of the Charter Review, more than 40,000 people responded to the BBC Trust on its consultation. The latest BBC consultation there was something like 25 responses because people didn’t know about it.”

Colin Browne, chair of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer argues that there is now the absurd position that the BBC’s competitors have more power to influence the BBC’s ability to make changes, rather than those who fund it.

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Dr Tom Mills, a sociologist at Aston University, has written a book called 'The BBC: Myth of a Public Service'. It claims to set aside both liberal and conservative fantasies about the institution, and says that far from being a sanctuary for independent journalism, the BBC is intimately connected to the power it is supposed to hold to account. We discuss issues raised in the book on organisational culture, reform, accountability as well as the ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of the BBC chairman Richard Sharp.

"I've never read any serious defence of the way the BBC is currently arranged."

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On Tuesday Richard Sharp the BBC chairman faced questions from the Department of culture, media and sport select committee. They were examining the process of the appointment of the BBC chairman, and as the committee which approved his appointment were they given the relevant information it could and should have known about.

Richard Ayre, a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC news and a former member of the OFCOM content board discusses with Roger Bolton the chairman's appearance.

“After the performance today, I think within the BBC, there will be very, very considerable disquiet among the staff, and among many licence fee payers. And I think they'll be right to be disquieted. And I think it may well be that Sharp feels the right thing to do is to step down in the fullness of time.”

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As part of its impartiality plan, this week the BBC published its report looking at the broadcaster's coverage of taxation, public spending, government

borrowing and debt. The authors found no evidence of bias towards one particular political position, but there were things "that put impartiality at risk". Paul Mason discusses the report's findings and reflects on his own experiences working at the BBC and Channel 4.

"Newsnight had famously missed the AOL /Time Warner merger, the biggest merger in history - didn't think it was a story."

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Controversy is currently surrounding BBC chairman Richard Sharp amidst allegations that he helped Boris Johnson when the then Prime Minister found himself in personal financial difficulties, and while Mr Sharp’s application to become BBC chairman was approaching the final stages. He did not declare the alleged conflict of interest to those involved. Richard Ayre, a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC news and a former member of the OFCOM content board discusses Richard Sharp's position and the need to reform the appointment process.

"Was there a conflict of interest at that time when he approached the Cabinet Secretary? You bet there was."

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Roger Bolton's Guardian Opinion article here.

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Conservative peer Baroness Tina Stowell has had an extraordinary career since she left school with 5 O Levels. Leader of the House of Lords under David Cameron, following a period as Head of Corporate Affairs at the BBC, and now chair of the House of Lords Communications and Digital Select committee – a committee that is vital to the future of broadcasting.

Baroness Stowell tells us her views on funding, impartiality, whether the BBC is serving the whole of the country, the impact of Ken Bruce's departure and the BBC's strategic purpose.

"People need to know now, why it should remain part of our future."

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Dorothy Byrne was until recently Editor at Large at Channel 4, having been its head of news and current affairs for many years. We discuss the government's decision not to privatise Channel 4 and its plans for reform. Should the channel start making its own content and should more right wing voices be heard? And is there a need for radical ideas in broadcasting.

“I think it is interesting to me, that I'm so in sympathy with much of what the Conservatives are saying they now want to do for Channel 4.”

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The Voice of the Listener and Viewer conference held at the end of April featured a session with Rhodri Talfan Davies, the BBC’s Director of Nations. He spoke about the BBC’s storytelling and regional production, and was then questioned by the session’s chair — VLV Trustee, Classic FM presenter, and former BBC Radio 4 World Tonight presenter, Ritula Shah. Together, they explored challenges in TV production and co-production partnerships, tax credits and charter renewal, local radio, decentralising production, universality and the BBC’s mission, funding and the future of the BBC, as well as the BBC’s culture review and how it is addressing misconduct.

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“The public service broadcasting system is undoubtedly facing an existential threat,” so says Sir Peter Bazalgette. He has been responsible for shows such as Big Brother, Changing Rooms and Ready Steady Cook and in September he stepped down as chair of ITV. We discuss the importance of the Media Bill and the existential threat to broadcasters, privatisation of Channel 4, the BBC's vision and the need for a proper debate about what we want from the BBC.

“ITV has a number of options. I know it wants to remain a public service broadcaster or a public service media company [PSM], and it treasures the regional and national news and all the other things it does, but it is one of its options. It’s a healthy company, it's got a very strong international production company, it's got strong cash flows, low debt, and so it has a number of options. And one of those options could be not being a PSM.”

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In the second part of his interview with Richard Ayre, a former member of the BBC trust board, Roger discusses why he is a Christian and answers questions on Brexit coverage, diversity and BBC cuts and coverage.

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After over 50 years in broadcasting, and being fired twice by the BBC, Roger Bolton is interviewed on his career by Richard Ayre, a former member of the BBC trust. Roger talks about his departure from BBC Radio 4's Feedback, editing Panorama and Nationwide and discusses the controversy surrounding his 'Death on the Rock' programme in 1988 which examined the deaths of three IRA members in Gibraltar by the British Special Air Service.

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As we experience a wave of strikes in the coming weeks from nurses, train, postal, bus, ambulance and highway workers amongst others, how well is the BBC reporting on this myriad of industrial conflicts we are now faced with, and how does it compare to yesteryear?

Nick Jones, who spent thirty years as a BBC industrial and political correspondent until 2002 gives us his views and reaction to ‘that’ interview between Mick Lynch, head of the RMT trade union and presenter Mishal Husain on the Today programme earlier this week .

“I think that with these Punch and Judy interviews where everybody's going at one another, we just don't really get that insight which we should get. So, I feel the broadcasters of today, it's a disservice, we're not providing the level of background and information which we could provide, we know we could provide. And if only we had the resources, I think we still could provide.”

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On Thursday the first three of six Netflix documentaries about Harry and Meghan were released and BBC News led with the story. Did BBC News fall for the PR and were its correspondents impartial in their coverage?

And in the same week the BBC hierarchy began a coordinated campaign to secure its future. The Chairman, the former hedge fund boss and Conservative donor, Richard Sharp gave his first interview as chairman to the Sunday Times, and a few days later his Director General,Tim Davie, made his pitch to the Royal Television Society.

Roger Mosey is now Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge, but while at the BBC he was Head of television News, Editor of the Today programme and Director of the Beijing 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games coverage. We discuss Royal coverage, sports rights, BBC funding and the future of public service broadcasting.

"I think Richard Sharp is saying some interesting and good things. But I worry about the fact he is a major Tory donor. Chairmen of the BBC, have always come from a political background, so it's nothing new in that. But I think it does compromise their ability to articulate a genuine public service case for the BBC."

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In a week when the 2021 census revealed a 5.5 million fall in the number of people who described themselves as Christian and that 22.2 million people declared they had “no religion” at all, the BBC’s ex-Head of Religious Broadcasting, Ernie Rea, casts a critical eye over the BBC’s coverage of religion and ethics.

“When you think that about 82% of the population of the world cling to a faith tradition, and what an important part that faith tradition plays in the politics, the culture, the society all over the world - it’s absolutely plain the BBC should be covering it, should be exploring it, should be criticising it…It should be part of the of the asking questions to power, but it's not doing it.”

Ernie and Roger discusses whether broadcasters underestimate the interest of ordinary people in matters of faith, belief and spirituality, the divide between radio and television coverage, the commissioning strategy and whether OFCOM should be considering relaxing quotas for religious programming.

Stephen Fry, the renowned atheist, also addresses the question of how well broadcasters cover ethics and religion.

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Peter York, best known for co-authoring 'The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook' back in the 80’s has written another book ‘The War Against the BBC’ with Professor Patrick Barwise. On this week’s programme he bursts some BBC myths, discusses astroturfing and urges the BBC to defend itself more robustly and report on the threat to the corporation for the sake of democracy.

“The war against the BBC has been fought for decades. What’s happening now is that those convergent interests are more insistent. It’s what I call the ‘one more shove comrades and we’ll kill them’ situation”.  

“The BBC is part of the national picture and if it doesn’t report on a crucial part of the national picture, namely our broadcasting ecology, then there is a democratic deficit”.

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If anyone deserves to be called a Renaissance man then one of the leading contenders must surely be Stephen Fry, actor, novelist, comedian, campaigner, Norwich City Football fanatic, long time host of QI, gay icon and the list goes on.

Having just closed his twitter account after Elon Musk’s takeover, transferring his loyalties to Mastodon, we talked to him about the BBC, the future of public service broadcasting, JK Rowling and cancel culture, and much else.

“I would...wish them both to retreat, and to consider that it is possible for trans people to live full, accepted lives, according to their terms, in society, and for women to have all the rights and dignities that they demand. But it isn't possible if each side looks on the other as an enemy."

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The most recent evidence of the BBC’s financial strait jacket are the cuts to local radio, and the difficulties of deciding what to cut is evident in the continuing outcry at the announcement made last week. Not least in parliament. Alice Enders the director of research at Enders Analysis, one of the foremost media research analysts, spells out the financial challenges that the BBC faces.

“We estimate three million households have already abandoned the licence fee and that is a trend which will increase in the course of the coming months as people have to make really hard decisions”.

As the licence fee comes under scrutiny could subscriptions be an answer or a household levy? How successful is the BBC in attracting the younger audience and grabbing the attention of the public? What is the role of the regulator OFCOM when these cuts to our public service broadcasting are announced? Is the BBC scoring an own goal by alienating the front row of their audience - local radio listeners? 

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Ahead of COP27 and free of BBC constraints, former BBC science editor, David Shukman tells us whether he thinks COPS are worthwhile, reflects on his reporting during his 38 year career at the BBC and responds to the charges made by Charles Moore on last week's programme on climate change coverage.

“Looking back, I don’t think we were robust enough about just saying absolutely bluntly, this is what the very best science is saying.”

And in the week when major cuts have been announced in BBC local radio, Paul Siegert, the national broadcasting organiser for the NUJ (National Union of Journalists) questions the case for such far reaching changes to the detriment of the 5.7m local radio listeners.

“This isn’t about saving money, this is about moving money from A to B…. I think the BBC has underestimated the love that people have for local radio, it’s the jewel in the broadcasting crown…… They are chasing this mythical younger audience and they don’t seem to be that bothered about losing the loyal older audience.” 

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Miqdaad Versi, Director of Media Monitoring at the Muslim Council of Britain discusses the Centre for Media Monitoring's comprehensive report "BBC on Gaza-Israel: one story, double standards". We discuss the report's methodology and its use of AI to analyse over 35,000 pieces of BBC content over a year and examine its key findings, on the disproportionate coverage of Israeli deaths, fewer Palestinian interviews, inconsistent use of language and the suppression of genocide allegations.

"We want to engage positively and constructively. I'm not here to just attack the BBC. I'm here to constructively improve."

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What would Charles Moore, former editor of The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph and The Spectator have done if he had become chairman of the BBC? These are one of the many questions put to one of the BBC's most outspoken critics on 'Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch' this week.

We discuss impartiality, group think, climate change coverage and whether the BBC is worth saving and is capable of being saved.

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The BBC has been celebrating its 100th anniversary – if you hadn’t noticed - and on ‘Beeb Watch’ this week Roger Bolton talks to one of it's greatest broadcasters – Melvyn Bragg. They discuss arts programming, BBC World Service cuts and the future of the BBC.

“I think we should start panicking now. There is an encroaching mass, not dependent or related to each other, but it’s out there in force who would benefit if there were no BBC.”  

“I’ve talked directly to all of the people at the top of the BBC saying why don’t you make a stronger case?”

 “Why do they want to throw it away for? Why don’t they go and knock down St Paul’s whilst they’re at it?”

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In the run up to the BBC’s centenary, the Dimbleby broadcasting dynasty has nearly spanned its 100 years. David Dimbleby, Panorama presenter, editor of Question Time for 25 years, the anchor of numerous general election and referendum programmes talks to former colleague Roger Bolton. Looking back over his years in broadcasting, David discusses the rigour of news gathering and political interviewing slipping, fighting to extol the virtues of the BBC, the reluctance to examine the monarchy, being offered an honour, retirement and much more from his decades of broadcasting.

 “I would have fought tooth and nail for, first of all the rigour of news gathering and political interviewing, which I think has slid over the years. And I would have fought tooth and nail to extol the virtues of the BBC and the public support for it against the rather lazy attacks on it from both newspapers like the Daily Mail and politicians.”

“There’s so much we actually don’t know about the way the monarchy works. I don’t think it would diminish us at all to know, I think you need to know. If you know and then you can agree, you can acquiesce in it or if you think things need changing, you change it. And that seems to be the Queen’s view but not the BBC’s.”

“For me broadcasting is my life, so I don't want to relinquish it. Why should I give it up? I like doing it, and my lodestar is David Attenborough who’s 96. And I'm only 83. So why shouldn't I go on?”

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