The Media Club · 28 April 2023 · 38 min

Tucker v Fox, MIPTV & yet more journos axed

With Charlotte Tobitt, John Elmes, Kate Bulkley

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• US TV Talent Exits
• MeToo in Television
• MIPTV 2023
• FAST Channels
• Netflix UK Investment
• Ipso Review
• Media Job Cuts
• Channel 4 In-house Production

In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by Charlotte Tobitt (Press Gazette), John Elmes (Broadcast), and Kate Bulkley to discuss a wave of high-profile exits in US television, including Tucker Carlson from Fox News, Don Lemon from CNN, and Jeff Shell from NBCUniversal, and whether this signals a shift in how broadcasters handle misconduct. The panel also covers the latest from MIPTV in Cannes, including the 'TV bubble has burst' rhetoric, the rise of FAST channels, and Netflix's £5 billion UK investment. The episode includes a media quiz and discussion of UK press regulator Ipso's independent review.

Key takeaways

• Tucker Carlson left Fox News and Don Lemon left CNN in the same week, following misconduct allegations.
• Jeff Shell was ousted from NBCUniversal over an inappropriate relationship.
• Netflix has spent nearly £5 billion in the UK since 2020, highlighting its commitment to the British production sector.
• MIPTV 2023 saw executives declare 'the TV bubble has burst', with a focus on FAST channels and collaborative models.
• An independent review of Ipso found it independent but noted it has never launched a standards investigation.

In this episode

• Intro and News Round-up0:00 · Host Matt Deegan introduces the panel and covers Prince Harry's legal action, Jeff Shell's exit, and TalkTV's first anniversary.
• Main Discussion: US TV Talent Exits0:00 · Panel discusses the departures of Tucker Carlson, Don Lemon, and Jeff Shell, and whether MeToo is finally cutting through.
• Ipso Review0:00 · Charlotte Tobitt explains the independent review of the UK press regulator Ipso.
• Netflix UK Investment0:00 · Panel discusses Netflix's £5 billion UK spend and its strategic implications.
• MIPTV Highlights0:00 · John Elmes and Kate Bulkley share highlights from MIPTV, including the 'bubble has burst' rhetoric and FAST channels.
• Media Quiz0:00 · Name That Story quiz covering LadBaby's podcast, Big Brother hosts, and Channel 4 quotas.
• Outro and Plugs0:00 · Panelists share where to find their work, and Matt plugs the London Podcast Studios and Patreon.

Notable quotes

“I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret.”

Jeff Shell · 0:00

“I love that image of you on the boat interviewing those people. Well done.”

Kate Bulkley · 0:00

“I think we might all be no comment.”

John Elmes · 0:00

“I'm not a massive devour of podcasts, which is a shocking thing to say on a media show and on a podcast.”

John Elmes · 0:00

Discussed

Tucker Carlson · Don Lemon · Fox News · CNN · Netflix · Ipso

Also mentioned: Jeff Shell · Liz Murdoch · Jane Featherstone · Anna Marsh · David Zaslav · Reed Hastings · Ted Sarandos · Greg Peters · Anne Menson · Prince Harry · Piers Morgan · Richard Wallace · Jake Kanter · Denise Richards · Robert Davi · Abby Grossberg · Bill O'Reilly · Nikki Haley · Chris Cuomo · Channing Dungey · AJ Odudu · Will Best · NBCUniversal · Press Gazette

Mentioned or recommended

• MIPTV · event
• Dominion Voting Systems v. Fox News · event
• Paper Empire · tv show
• Succession · tv show · Jesse Armstrong
• Live Laugh Love · podcast · LadBaby
• Big Brother · tv show · Endemol
• The Traitors · tv show
• Baywatch · tv show
• Squid Game · tv show · Hwang Dong-hyuk
• The Traitors · tv show