The Media Club · 3 February 2023 · 44 min

Bad Economics at the BBC, the AI-Buzz & RAJARs Roundup

With Scott Bryan, Charlotte Tobitt, Adam Bowie

Listen at themediaclub.com →AppleSpotify

• BBC Impartiality Review
• AI in Journalism
• Streaming Subscription Decline
• RAJARs Radio Figures
• Vertical Video News
• Talk Radio and Politics

In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by TV critic Scott Bryan and Press Gazette's Charlotte Tobitt to discuss the latest media news. They cover an internal BBC review finding that its financial coverage risks impartiality due to a lack of expertise, the introduction of AI-generated content at BuzzFeed and its implications for journalism, and the first annual decline in UK streaming subscriptions. The show also includes a RAJARs roundup with Adam Bowie, analysing radio listening figures, and a radio-themed quiz. The conversation touches on the closure of Gawker, the rise of vertical video news via The News Movement, and the challenges facing talk radio and streaming services.

Key takeaways

• The BBC's internal review found that its financial coverage risks impartiality due to a lack of expertise, not political bias.
• BuzzFeed announced it will use AI to generate content, sparking debate about the role of AI in journalism.
• UK households cancelled over 2 million streaming subscriptions in 2022, the first annual decline.
• RAJAR figures showed Boom Radio's strong performance with high average listening hours.
• The News Movement acquired The Recount to expand its vertical video news offering.

In this episode

• Intro and News Roundup0:00 · Matt introduces the show and guests, and covers Spotify earnings, Sky commissions, and Twitter changes.
• BBC Impartiality Review0:00 · Discussion on the BBC's internal review into financial coverage impartiality.
• AI in Journalism0:00 · Reactions to BuzzFeed's AI content announcement and the role of AI in newsrooms.
• Vertical Video News0:00 · The News Movement's acquisition of The Recount and the state of vertical video news.
• RAJARs Roundup with Adam Bowie0:00 · Adam Bowie analyses the latest RAJAR radio listening figures.
• Streaming Subscription Decline0:00 · Discussion on the first annual decline in UK streaming subscriptions and which services to keep.
• Media Quiz0:00 · A radio-themed quiz with questions about changes to the airwaves.
• Outro and Patreon Plug0:00 · Wrap-up and promotion of the show's Patreon.

Notable quotes

“I probably got a little carried away with more than 800 million pounds funneled into its podcast business in 2022.”

Daniel Ek · 0:00

“It was absolute nonsense of just the greatest degree.”

Scott Bryan · 0:00

“I completely failed my economics module at uni and had to come back during the summer to retake it.”

Scott Bryan · 0:00

“Are we in the media all just a bunch of arts graduates?”

Matt Deegan · 0:00

“I did a wanky media arts degree, so maybe I've found the perfect job for that degree.”

Matt Deegan · 0:00

“I think the idea or an idea that viewers would be happy to read endless AI generated content, I'm not so sure they would.”

Scott Bryan · 0:00

Discussed

BBC · BuzzFeed

Also mentioned: Tim Davie · James Meadway · Daniel Ek · Louis Theroux · Mark Zuckerberg · Kamal Ahmed · Will Lewis · Piers Morgan · Nadine Dorries · Boris Johnson · Jacob Rees-Mogg · Gary Lineker · Jeremy Vine · Jay Hunt · Sally Woodward Gentle · Nick Denton · Netflix · Disney+ · Sky · Press Gazette · The News Movement · Gawker · BDG Media · OpenAI

Mentioned or recommended

• Eurovision Song Contest 2023 · event
• Must Watch · tv show
• Extraordinary · tv show · Sally Woodward Gentle
• Fleabag · tv show · Phoebe Waller-Bridge
• Zuckerberg: King of the Metaverse · tv show
• The Recount · product
• ChatGPT · product · OpenAI