The Media Club · 8 November 2024 · 43 min
Let The Hand Wringing Begin
- US Election Coverage
- Podcasting as Political Platform
- BBC Charter Renewal
- Google AI Crawler and Publisher Compensation
- Observer-Tortoise Sale
- Media Quiz
In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by Alex Farber, media correspondent for The Times, to discuss the media's coverage of the US election night and the implications of Donald Trump's victory for the industry. They explore the rise of podcasting as a political platform, the challenges facing traditional media, and the BBC's charter renewal debate. Later, Miranda Sawyer, audio critic for The Observer, discusses her new book 'Uncommon People' and the potential sale of The Observer to Tortoise, expressing concerns about transparency and the future of the paper. Will Wood, CEO of Multitude Media, shares insights on PR in the current media landscape, and the episode concludes with the Media Quiz.
Key takeaways
- The panel discussed the media's coverage of the US election night, with Channel 4's coverage singled out for praise.
- Alex Farber and Will Wood debated the growing importance of podcasts as political platforms, citing Trump's appearance on Joe Rogan.
- Samir Shah, the new BBC chair, argued for a permanent royal charter to end the cycle of periodic reviews.
- Miranda Sawyer expressed concerns about the proposed sale of The Observer to Tortoise, citing lack of transparency and potential job losses.
- Will Wood highlighted the challenges and opportunities for PR in the current media landscape, mentioning upcoming projects like House of Guinness.
In this episode
- Intro and Guest Nominations
- US Election Coverage Discussion
- BBC Charter Renewal Debate
- Google AI and Publisher Compensation
- Interview with Miranda Sawyer
- Will Wood on Multitude Media
- Media Quiz
- Outro
Notable quotes
“I'm actually going to break the rules, which is poor form given this was my first appearance. I might never be asked back.”
“I'm going to put Elon Musk maybe to the membership committee. We'll see what they say about him.”
“I think it will be really interesting because I think anybody covering news, it feels like the core narrative throughout the build-up was this is going to be on a kind of a knife edge and actually and even pollsters.”
“I'm just listening to what Will's saying and that questionnaire. I don't think it's an either-or. I think it can be a both and.”
“I'm staunchly pro-BBC and I'll be out on the streets marching if I ever feel, as we nearly did under previous administrations, that it was at threat.”
“I think the media's key role there is holding power to account. And, you know, popular podcasts won't always do that with the same level of scrutiny as a BBC or a. Certain other platforms.”
Discussed
BBC · The Observer · Tortoise · Multitude Media
Mentioned or recommended
- Uncommon People
- Clarkson's Farm
- House of Guinness
- Gladiators
- Joe Rogan Experience
- The Rest Is Politics
