The Media Club · 26 September 2025 · 44 min

Kimmel's Return, YouTuber Mortgages & Bedtime Stories

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In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by Miranda Sawyer, audio critic for The Observer and host of the Talk 90s to Me podcast, and Jane Ostler, EVP at Kantar. They discuss the fallout from Jimmy Kimmel's suspension by ABC/Disney following jokes about Charlie Kirk's death, and the broader struggles of media companies with the Trump administration. Jane Ostler presents Kantar's Media Reactions 2025 data, revealing advertiser and consumer preferences, including the rise of creator marketing and the decline of broadcast TV. The episode also covers MPs' interest in supporting YouTubers and TikTok creators, the death of narrative podcasts, and the Observer's move to Tortoise. The Media Quiz features stories about the Independent's record profits, Reach's job cuts, and Ed Davey's zip-line interview.

Key takeaways

Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC after a one-week suspension for jokes about Charlie Kirk's death, with Disney initially pulling the show amid viewer backlash.
Kantar's Media Reactions 2025 data shows marketers are increasing spend on creators, with 61% planning to do so next year, while broadcast TV is in decline.
MPs have formed a cross-party group to look at supporting online creators, including helping them get mortgages, but freelancers argue they have faced similar issues for years.
The Observer has moved to Tortoise Media, bringing a new optimism and marketing budget, according to Miranda Sawyer.
Reach is cutting over 600 journalist roles, with potential strikes, and the Independent has reported record profits of over £50 million since going online-only.

In this episode

Intro and Guest Introductions0:00 · Matt introduces Miranda Sawyer and Jane Ostler, and they each recommend someone to add to the club.
Jimmy Kimmel Suspension Discussion5:00 · Panel discusses the suspension and return of Jimmy Kimmel, and the implications for free speech and media.
Kantar Media Reactions 202515:00 · Jane Ostler presents key findings from Kantar's research on advertiser and consumer preferences.
Creator Economy and MPs25:00 · Discussion on MPs' interest in supporting online creators and the challenges freelancers face.
Death of Narrative Podcasts35:00 · Miranda discusses the decline of narrative podcasts and the rise of true crime.
Observer's Move to Tortoise45:00 · Miranda shares her experience of The Observer's transition to Tortoise Media.
Media Quiz55:00 · The quiz covers stories about the Independent, Reach, and Ed Davey's zip-line interview.
Outro and Plugs65:00 · Matt thanks guests and promotes the newsletter and survey.

Notable quotes

“I'm very aware that this is a poacher turned out.”
Miranda Sawyer · 0:00

“I think they have handled what was a proper crisis in a very kind of mature balanced and calm way”
Jane Ostler · 0:00

“It's like writing a leader for the Times. It's a really important role.”
Miranda Sawyer · 0:00

“I think it's really sad, isn't it? If you think that Disney only makes, you know, I don't know, certain cartoons or certain or does certain things because they think that this is good for the administration. I mean, that kind of breaks my heart, actually.”
Miranda Sawyer · 0:00