In the age of TikTok, how can newsrooms earn attention?

Alan and Lionel are joined by Sophia Smith Galer, digital journalist, author and founder of Viralect. Sophia shares why TikTok shouldn’t be underestimated as a form of journalism, the resistance she’s faced, and why she decided to leave the BBC.

She also demonstrates her new AI-powered app ‘Sophiana’ which helps journalists make vertical videos. But why choose to develop it now, when the use of AI in journalism is met with suspicion?

Plus, after an Observer exposé about Raynor Winn’s bestselling memoir The Salt Path, Alan and Lionel discuss the role publishers should play in seeking truth. And Alan reveals he asked the BBC for documents related to its reporting on Israel-Gaza, and suggests that they aren’t being as transparent as they claim to be...

Send us your questions about the media at mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk

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In this week’s Q&A, the hosts weigh in on the BBC bringing in paid services for across the pond.

They also discuss Anna Wintour stepping down from Vogue...or is she?

Plus, after a court found that the BBC defamed former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, one listener asks Alan and Lionel for their reactions.

If you have a question for Alan and Lionel, send it to mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk and we’ll answer it on the show.

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This week on Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel are joined by Line Vaaben, who is ‘existential editor’ at Danish newspaper Politiken.

Line and her team write stories that explore the complexities of life, love and death. She discusses her award-winning journalism with Alan and Lionel, which included spending time embedded in a palliative care ward, notepad in hand, as people took their last breaths.

Line also talks about how she fiercely debated her editor on whether she could be in the room as a patient took a lethal cocktail of drugs.

Plus, the hosts discuss the BBC under fire after Glastonbury—and whether Sir Robbie Gibb had a hand in axing the documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, now picked up by Channel 4. Is there a conflict of interest?

To read Alan’s latest column on this topic, head to prospectmagazine.co.uk 

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This week, Alan and Lionel discuss every editor’s nightmare: what do you do if news breaks just as the papers have gone to print?

They also explain “pyjama injunctions”, and are asked about whether the BBC’s Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, is still safe while reporting from Moscow.

Plus, Lionel responds to a listener asking about his Substack.

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This week’s guest on Media Confidential is Anthony Scaramucci, financier and former communications director at the White House. He now co-hosts The Rest is Politics US podcast.

Anthony argues that the media needs to stop overreacting to Donald Trump. He explains how the president is undermining the credibility of the press, while using it to his advantage.

Alan and Lionel also discuss Rupert Murdoch’s summer party (despite mysteriously not receiving invitations)—as well as an ongoing controversy at the BBC, following its dropping of a documentary called Gaza: Doctors Under Attack.

Plus, this week’s episode comes with an explicit content warning, as Alan tells the story of how the Sun’s business page was founded...

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In this week’s Q&A, Alan and Lionel are asked where they go to for analysis of the situation in the Middle East, including the Israel-Iran war. 

They also discuss diversity in journalism and how cuts have made it a harder industry to break into.

The hosts also are asked about a foreign scheme where young people can access a two year free subscription to news sites…could it work here?

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This week on Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel are joined by Hamish McKenzie, co-founder of Substack.

The platform, which now has over five million paid subscribers, allows writers to self-publish their newsletters and make money directly from readers.

Since launching in 2017, it has gained huge popularity with journalists and the public.

Alan, Lionel and Hamish discuss what makes it fundamentally different to other social media sites, including the platform's surprising approach to content moderation. Hamish also shares how Elon Musk offered to buy Substack, and why he was turned down.

Plus, Lionel makes a faux pas...

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In this week’s Q&A, Alan and Lionel discuss a media screw up: who’s to blame for the Telegraph publishing a fake story about the fictional “Al Moy” and his family?

They break down how editors should deal with stories that seem too good to be true.

The hosts also discuss award ceremonies for journalists...do they matter? Plus, Alan and Lionel answer a question sent in by listener Tony which asks “How can you help the BBC?”

If you have a question for Alan and Lionel, send it to mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk and we’ll answer it on the show.

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In this week's episode of Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel are joined by Karen Hao, journalist and author of Empire of AI.

Karen talks about being banned from returning to OpenAI, after being embedded there to write a profile of the company in its early days.

She charts the rise of AI companies and the three discuss why journalists and newsrooms should be wary of making deals with “a company or industry that fundamentally doesn't want you to exist”.

Karen’s book ‘Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI’ is available now

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In this week’s Q&A, Alan and Lionel look back over their journalistic careers and recall their toughest decisions.

The former editors also discuss why they left the Guardian and the FT when they did, and what they read in their free time.

Plus, as the New York Times signs an AI deal with Amazon, what will it mean for readers?

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In this week’s episode of Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel talk to Vox editor-in-chief Swati Sharma.

They discuss why Vox’s change in style is working for a younger audience, the ways in which the company is responding to new digital challenges—and how AI is pushing them towards more innovative journalism.

The hosts also discuss Business Insider axing a fifth of its staff. And after chairing the European Press Prize judging panel for the last time, Alan reflects on his trip to Bari, Italy, and how he’s feeling about the future of journalism.

Plus, Alan shares his concerns about why he could be banned from the US.

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In this week’s Q&A episode, Alan and Lionel are asked if they would ever pay for an interview.

They discuss whether media studies should be added to the UK curriculum for 11-16 year olds to combat misinformation.

Plus, will news organisations suffer financially when Donald Trump is no longer president?

Send your questions in to us mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk

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This week, Alan and Lionel are joined by historian Fara Dabhoiwala to discuss his new book What is Free Speech?They discuss how the concept of “free speech” came about—and how the notion has always been weaponised.

They also analyse the role of media and social media companies and answer: are broadcasters responsible for everything shared on their platforms?

And after being called out in a speech, Alan responds to right-wing media baron Paul Marshall, who recently lamented the problems with today’s media landscape.

Plus, the hosts reflect on the passing of presenter Alan Yentob.

Fara’s book ‘What is Free Speech? The history of a dangerous idea’ is out now

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In this week’s Q&A, Alan and Lionel discuss the sale of the Telegraph and what comes next for the newspaper.

They also talk about whether anything can be done to revive the print newspaper and are asked about what's happening with the sale of Paramount in the US.

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This week on Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel are joined by Joseph Kahn, executive editor of the New York Times. Alan, Lionel and Joe discuss editing in the time of Trump, why US media organisations are bending to the president, and whether publications owned by corporations are really equipped to resist the government.

Plus, the hosts talk about Gary Lineker’s departure from the BBC—and a new book which explores what journalists knew about former president Joe Biden’s deteriorating health but withheld from the public, for fear of losing access to the White House.

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In this week’s Q&A episode, Alan and Lionel discuss their most difficult interviews.

They also discuss why journalists are no longer sent out to cover council meetings and whether that has an impact on democracy.

Plus, the hosts answer an email about the BBC’s dominance over online news in the UK.

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At the Truth Tellers summit in London, Alan and Lionel sit down with Mark Thompson, the CEO of American media giant CNN.Mark is asked if he has sat down with Trump since he started in office.

Does he feel a slide towards state-owned media, monitored by the White House? And why does CNN continue to give the president airtime?

“If the rule was [that] we didn't have politicians on the air who might lie", he says, "we'd be struggling possibly to fill the airwaves.”

Plus, after listening to the ‘Rest is Classified’ podcast series on whistleblower Edward Snowden, Alan discusses his role in publishing the Snowden documents, and how he believes the BBC was too timid to cover the story.

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In this week’s Q&A session, Alan and Lionel are asked whether there’s still a market for the London Standard and what they would do if its owner Evgeny Lebedev came asking for advice.

They also discuss undercover reporting: after interviewing Harry Shukman who spent a year infiltrating far right groups in the UK, the editors discuss how to prepare a reporter for covert investigations.

Plus, as press freedom hits an all-time low, how can we make the world safer for journalists?

To submit your questions to Alan and Lionel, email mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk

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This week on Media Confidential, journalist Harry Shukman joins Alan and Lionel to discuss his year spent infiltrating the far right.

Harry’s new book Year of the Rat explores this journey. He shares why he went undercover to report on the story, why he thinks the threat from the British far right has been underestimated, and moments when he risked discovery.

Plus, the editors mull over Jon Voight’s plan to “make Hollywood great again”, and discuss the BBC choosing to shelve a new film about the destruction of Gaza’s health service.

Harry’s book ‘Year of the Rat: Undercover in the British Far Right’ is out today (May 8th)

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In this week’s Q&A, Alan and Lionel are presented with a thought experiment: if they had to join forces, how would they run a brand new media venture?

What’s it all about? Where is the money coming from? And, contentiously…who would be the editor?

With half a million households cancelling their licence fee in 2023 alone, the hosts are also asked about alternatives to a TV license fee, as the BBC struggles to connect with younger audiences.

They also speculate on who might step into the shoes of Alex Mahon, Channel 4’s outgoing CEO, who joined Media Confidential to talk about gen Z’s media habits back in March.

Keep your questions coming via mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk 

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