The Media Club · 31 October 2025 · 46 min

Disney’s Doctor Who Era Is Over, Zandland & Sora 2

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In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by Broadcast's Rebecca Cooney and filmmaker Ben Zand. They discuss Disney Plus ending its partnership with the BBC over Doctor Who, the implications for the show and the BBC, and the broader trend of co-production deals. They also examine a report suggesting 9% of US news articles are AI-assisted, and the launch of OpenAI's Sora 2, debating its creative potential and risks. Ben Zand talks about his new YouTube channel Human and the podcast Untangled with Stacey Dooley, and the episode includes a quiz segment covering stories like Steve Coogan's libel case, a lawsuit against Mindhouse, and a sponsor pulling out of Louis Theroux's podcast.

Key takeaways

Disney Plus has ended its partnership with the BBC over Doctor Who, leaving the show's future uncertain.
A report suggests 9% of US news articles are at least partly AI-generated, with local publishers more likely to use AI.
OpenAI's Sora 2 was discussed, with concerns about realism and disinformation.
Ben Zand launched a new YouTube channel called Human, aiming to make factual content for a global audience.
The BBC and NBCU shortlisted nine indies for a new mega-format commission.

In this episode

Intro and Plus Ones0:00 · Matt introduces guests and they pick their plus ones.
Disney and Doctor Who2:00 · Discussion on Disney ending its Doctor Who deal.
AI in News and Sora 210:00 · Analysis of AI in journalism and Sora 2.
BBC/NBCU Mega-Format20:00 · Shortlist for new entertainment format.
Ben Zand Interview25:00 · Ben discusses his YouTube channel Human and podcast.
Media Quiz35:00 · Quiz on media stories including Coogan, Mindhouse, and BA.

Notable quotes

“I'm a whip. I say that. I'm a whip. I wouldn't actually have a diss track.”
Rebecca Cooney · 0:00

“I'm terrified of the fact that AI can just generate videos better than the create myself.”
Ben Zand · 0:00

“I don't trust people who own newspapers to think, okay, we've got three reporters, let's free them up to do investigations and have AR. They'll go, oh, we've got three reporters we could sack two and just have one check the AI.”
Rebecca Cooney · 0:00