Iain Dale is a broadcaster, political commentator, and presenter on LBC. We discuss his new short biography of Margaret Thatcher, written to introduce the former Prime Minister to a new generation. We explore her fraught relationship with the BBC, her influence on broadcasting policy, and what that legacy means today. We talk about the future of public service broadcasting, the BBC’s dominance, the rise of opinion-led channels like GB News, and whether the market can still deliver trusted journalism in a polarised age.

"The BBC has consistently failed to recognise that there is another point of view, and that point of view exists predominantly outside London."

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John Ware, veteran investigative journalist and former BBC Panorama reporter, with decades of experience covering complex and controversial subjects from the Troubles in Northern Ireland to antisemitism in British politics, discusses Gerry Adams’ defamation case against the BBC, the silence from parts of the Jewish community, BBC coverage of Gaza and the Middle East, the role of public service broadcasting, and the impact of agenda journalism.

"The BBC’s coverage actually is quite timid”

Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch

To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership

Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast

@beebwatch.bsky.social

X @BeebRoger

Instagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatch

LinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

email: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com

www.goodeggproductions.uk

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

Jonathan Thompson is Chief Executive of Everyone TV, the organisation that runs free television in the UK.

In this episode Jonathan discusses the launch of the UK's newest streaming platform, Freely, which brings together live and on demand content from the UK's public service broadcasters. We explore what Freely offers, its accessibility, and its role in preserving public service broadcasting. We explore critical issues facing UK television: how to maintain content diversity, attract younger viewers, and ensure public service content remains prominent in an increasingly fragmented digital landscape.

"Somewhere near a third of homes are purely internet TV households."

Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch

To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): ww.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership

Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn’t entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast

@beebwatch.bsky.social

X @BeebRoger

Instagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatch

LinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

email: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com

www.goodeggproductions.uk

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