• BBC and NBC Universal Format Tender
• Sky News Premium Strategy
• Creator Economy Platforms
• Independent Production Companies
• Sports Documentaries
• News Media Trust
• AI in Media
• Children's Television

In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by Claire McArdle, co-CEO of CMG Productions, and Faraz Osman, founder and MD of Gold Wala. They discuss the BBC and NBC Universal's format tender won by Expectation and Plegazoid, debating the merits of big swings and the need for smaller indies. The conversation also covers Sky News's premium, subscription-first strategy by 2030, the Ankler leaving Substack, Patreon's new Quips feature, and potential iHeartMedia-SiriusXM merger talks. Claire shares her career journey and CMG's new podcast partnership with Stack, while Faraz discusses Gold Wala's recent projects. The episode includes the Audio Network Media Quiz with stories about Sarah Cox, Donald Trump, and Allison Pearson.

Key takeaways

• The BBC and NBC Universal named Expectation and Plegazoid as winners of their unscripted format tender, a studio-based game show with a shared location or hub.
• Sky News is pivoting to a premium, subscription-first newsroom by 2030, with a defence and security app and premium podcasts.
• The Ankler left Substack to own its data, while Patreon launched Quips to help creators reach new audiences.
• iHeartMedia and SiriusXM are reportedly in merger talks, which would create the largest audio company in the US.
• Claire McArdle announced CMG Productions' new podcast partnership with Stack, focusing on co-developing IP across sports and crime.

In this episode

• Intro and Plus One Picks0:00 · Matt introduces guests Claire McArdle and Faraz Osman, who each pick a plus one for the Media Club.
• BBC/NBC Format Tender Discussion5:00 · Discussion of the format tender won by Expectation and Plegazoid, including the process and implications for indies.
• Sky News Premium Strategy15:00 · Analysis of Sky News's shift to a premium, subscription-first model and its implications.
• Creator Economy News25:00 · Discussion of The Ankler leaving Substack and Patreon's Quips launch.
• Other News Stories35:00 · Brief updates on iHeartMedia-SiriusXM merger talks, Barclay brothers settlement, and RTS CEO appointment.
• Interview with Claire McArdle40:00 · Claire discusses her career, CMG Productions, and the new Stack partnership.
• Audio Network Media Quiz50:00 · Quiz segment with stories about Sarah Cox, Donald Trump, and Allison Pearson.
• Outro and What's Next60:00 · Guests share upcoming projects and wrap up.

Notable quotes

“I'm not hugely surprised about that. When you look at the short form.”

Faraz Osman · 0:00

“I think that there's a kind of movement back and forth because it's a bit like, is that a good thing? Is it like a trust thing? Do you really need to have two big companies come together to make something bigger? Question mark.”

Faraz Osman · 0:00

“I would really like to see those sort of opportunities and I'm not suggesting the big swing the big swings do have to go to the bigger companies I understand that because you know the risk involved in them is is absolutely huge but we we do need to see something where we can see kind of like similar size transformative tenders but for but for the things that and and you know Claire and I used to work together at channel four and I think the reason that channel four is so beloved by our generation is is because it did create all of these production companies that were all doing kind of zany and uh so he think I can't use the word zany that was quite like that we were irreverent word they're using that irreverent and um and experimental productions um that really did kickstart the British creative community”

Faraz Osman · 0:00

“I think that newsrooms are incredibly important and they're arguably more important now than they have been ever in the past.”

Faraz Osman · 22:12

“Should we be defunding a newsroom to fund views? Like, should we defund news to fund views? Like, it's question mark.”

Faraz Osman · 0:00

“I think that if you're building a business, which they are with Ankler, I think following the Dispatch and Bill Work did a similar thing, they've got an audience, they can own their data. From a business perspective, I think it makes a lot of sense.”

Claire McArdle · 0:00

Discussed

BBC · NBC Universal · Sky News · Substack · Patreon · CMG Productions · Gold Wala

Also mentioned: Simone Pennant · Luis Ara · Jonathan Levy · Sarah Cox · Donald Trump · Allison Pearson · Stuart Cosgrove · April Chamberlain · Martin Lewis · Ed Balls · Nigel Farage · Sam Altman · Elon Musk · Sophie Jones · Dom Bird · Expectation · Plegazoid · Stack · iHeartMedia · SiriusXM · Global · The Ankler · Comcast · Channel 4

Mentioned or recommended

• The Traitors · tv show · Studio Lambert
• Destination X · tv show
• Clarkson's Farm · tv show · Amazon Studios
• Succession · tv show · HBO
• SNL · tv show · NBC
• The Neighborhood · tv show
• Squid Game Challenge · tv show · Studio Lambert
• The Circle · tv show · Studio Lambert
• Wipeout · tv show
• Ridiculousness · tv show
• X on the Beach · tv show
• Last One Laughing · tv show
• Brazil 2002 · film · CMG Productions
• The Last Dance · tv show · ESPN
• Icarus · film · Bryan Fogel
• The Marvelous Miniature Workshop · tv show · Early Bird
• What's in Your Plant Pot? · tv show · Gold Wala
• Adolescence · tv show · Warp Films
• The Audio Network Media Quiz · other · Audio Network
• Podcast Show · event
• BAFTA Craft Ceremony · event · BAFTA
• Press Gazette Future of Media Trends · event · Press Gazette
• New Voice Awards 2026 · event