In this episode of Media Confidential, the Times beats Lionel to his scoop about the leading contender for the BBC’s new director-general. Will Matt Brittin be a good fit? Alan and Lionel investigate Brittin’s background and discuss why the BBC urgently needs editorial oversight.

After a takeover of the Telegraph collapsed, negotiations about its sale are underway (again). The editors analyse competing bids from the big players and explain what they'll mean for the paper.

They also talk about the future of the Economist and the New York Times, two giants who have adapted their strategy to adjust to a changing media landscape.

And, as pictures of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson hit the front pages, the editors discuss the role of photojournalists—and what it takes to get a newsworthy snap.

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This week, Alan and Lionel are joined by Clare Melford, CEO and co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a non-profit which aims to mitigate the spread of digital disinformation.

Labelled a “radical activist” by the Trump administration and denied a Visa waiver from the US for her work, Clare discusses the political and financial pressures on the GDI—and the protective measures her co-founder has had to take. From angry mobs to governments, she explains why tackling disinformation is increasingly “dangerous work”.

Plus, the three break down the difference between misinformation and disinformation, as well as the challenges AI could pose to journalism and democracy.

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In today’s Media Confidential, Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber discuss Labour’s latest scandal, after thinktank Labour Together reportedly hired a company to gather material about journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke—who were investigating its financial affairs—and then handed over the information to GCHQ.

The information produced by the US-based PR firm allegedly included “deeply personal and false claims”; though Starmer has promised an investigation, has this happened to other journalists, too?

And, as Prince Harry's legal war with the Daily Mail continues, they also discuss the evidence of former Mail editor Paul Dacre during the ongoing trial.

Plus, the pair talk about the changing role of the court reporter, and the big libel cases they have faced in their respective editorships.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.