The Media Club · 19 May 2023 · 40 min

BBC Verify, RAJARs... and where are all the unscripted shows?

With Ian Rumsey, Adam Bowie

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• BBC Verify and Fact-Checking
• RAJAR Radio Audience Figures
• Unscripted TV Sector Crisis
• BAFTA TV Awards
• Vice Media Bankruptcy
• Social Media and News Consumption

In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by Ian Rumsey (Director of ITN Productions) and Adam Bowie (Commercial Strategy Manager at the BBC) to discuss the week's media stories. The main topics include the BBC's new fact-checking initiative, BBC Verify, and its potential to combat misinformation; the latest RAJAR radio audience figures, highlighting the success of commercial radio and Boom Radio; the crisis in the UK unscripted television sector due to commissioning slowdowns; the BAFTA TV Awards results; and Vice Media's bankruptcy. The episode also features a media quiz segment and a discussion on the impact of social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter on news consumption.

Key takeaways

• BBC announced BBC Verify, a fact-checking initiative with 60 journalists, to combat misinformation.
• RAJAR figures show commercial radio booming, with Boom Radio adding 100,000 listeners a quarter.
• The unscripted TV sector in the UK is facing a crisis with commissioning slowdowns and freelance hardship.
• Vice Media filed for bankruptcy, with assets to be bought for about $225 million.
• BAFTA TV Awards saw Derry Girls win multiple awards, while The White Lotus was a notable omission in the international category.

In this episode

• News round-up0:00 · Quickfire headlines including Montana TikTok ban, Mirror phone hacking trial, This Morning drama.
• BBC Verify discussion2:00 · Guests discuss the BBC's new fact-checking initiative and its potential impact.
• Unscripted TV crisis10:00 · Discussion on the lack of work in the unscripted TV sector.
• RAJAR analysis15:00 · Review of the latest radio audience figures, including Boom Radio's success.
• BAFTA TV Awards20:00 · Reaction to the BAFTA TV Awards results.
• Vice Media bankruptcy25:00 · Discussion on Vice Media's bankruptcy and its implications for journalism.
• Media quiz30:00 · A game of radio charades with the guests.

Notable quotes

“I never liked the analogy of Detroit being this ghost towel. I never liked it. Because I would come home and I would see all my people. My people live here.”

Jessica Karemoore · 0:00

Discussed

BBC · ITN Productions · Boom Radio · Vice Media

Also mentioned: Deborah Turness · Ian Katz · Ben Frow · Elon Musk · Linda Yaccarino · Phil Riley · David Lloyd · Ben Smith · Romesh Ranganathan · Lucy Beaumont · Harriet Dyer · Patrick Brammall · Hannah Waddingham · Matt Frei · Lucy Fraser · Phil Smith · Channel 4 · Channel 5 · ITV · Sky · BECTU · Times Radio · LBC · TalkRadio

Mentioned or recommended

• BAFTA TV Awards 2023 · event
• Derry Girls · tv show · Lisa McGee
• Slow Horses · tv show · Mick Herron
• The White Lotus · tv show · Mike White
• The Bear · tv show · Christopher Storer
• Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story · tv show · Ryan Murphy
• Sherwood · tv show · James Graham
• Colin from Accounts · tv show · Harriet Dyer, Patrick Brammall
• Eurovision Song Contest 2023 · event
• Traffic · book · Ben Smith
• Intersections: Detroit · podcast · Rethink Audio