As American firm RedBird continues its bid to take over the Telegraph, Alan and Lionel discuss concerns about foreign influence and what it means for media ownership in Britain.

They weigh in on Ofcom updating its guidance on politicians being news presenters. Does it open the doors to a Fox News equivalent in the UK?

Plus, Alan and Lionel talk about Michael Wolff counter-suing Melania Trump, after she threatened a $1bn lawsuit against him to prevent reporting about her alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. And as Hurricane Melissa wrecks havoc in Jamaica and across the Caribbean, one listener asks how to report safely on natural disasters.

Send your questions to Alan and Lionel at mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk

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Is the British media complicit in the Gaza genocide?

This week, things heat up as Alan and Lionel are joined by Peter Oborne, former Telegraph chief political commentator, whose most recent book is Complicit: Britain’s role in the destruction of Gaza.

Peter discusses the influence of pro-Israel lobbyists on British politics, his own political evolution, and the challenges of reporting fairly. He asks why the BBC never reported on Israel’s Dahiya doctrine, which he thinks explains its assaults on civilian infrastructure.

Peter, who now writes for Middle East Eye, analyses where the British media has failed on Gaza—but also which reporters are getting it right. The three discuss the impact of media narratives about international events, the stories that get silenced, and who the heroes of this moment in history might be. 

Plus, Peter and Lionel go head-to-head in a memorable exchange—one of the fieriest in Media Confidential history. Listen to hear it as it happened.

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In this week’s special episode, Alan and Lionel are grilled by Sheffield University’s third-year Broadcast Journalism students.

The pair are asked about using artificial intelligence in newsrooms, how to cover Gaza with fairness, and whether they think China is being underreported on.

They also discuss imposter syndrome in the media world, and how to report stories that people don’t want to hear (but also get them to pay for it).

Send your questions to Alan and Lionel at mediaconfidential@prospectmagazine.co.uk

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More journalists have been killed in Gaza than in any other conflict in history.

This week, the editor-in-chief at Reuters, Alessandra Galloni, joins Alan and Lionel to reflect on the last two years of covering the war on Gaza.

She discusses the Israeli Defence Force’s killing of journalists in both Gaza and Lebanon, amid ongoing calls for accountability, and reveals why the news agency stopped giving the coordinates of their reporters to the IDF.

She also recalls asking the Israeli government for an investigation into the killing of a Reuters journalist at the start of the war, and asks why, two years later, they’re “still waiting”.

To read more on this subject from Prospect, click here.

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In this week’s Media Confidential, Alan has returned from a trip to Israel that coincided with a ceasefire brokered in Gaza. The hosts discuss his visit to the West Bank with Gideon Levy of Haaretz and how Israeli news outlets have covered the war.

Alan and Lionel also talk about the Pope being an unexpected voice against clickbait and review “The Nerve”, a new publication launched by ex-Observer journalists.

Plus, in a conversation about the rise of Substack, the hosts take an expensive bet on whether Lionel’s new follower is who he seems.

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Some news outlets insist that London is a city in crisis—but who profits from that message?

On the first anniversary of the launch of London Centric, its founder and owner Jim Waterson joins Alan and Lionel to talk about the new London-focused publication.

Within four months of launching the newsletter, the news outlet hit its three-year targets. Jim unpacks this wild success, what makes his approach different, and what he chooses to cover. He also talks about the challenges facing local journalism, and why he doesn’t rely on clicks to tell stories.

The three also discuss the recent backlash against Substack, and who benefits from the narratives about London “going to the dogs”.

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How do you turn one of the biggest media scandals into gripping television—and what unfinished business still lingers off-screen?

Media Confidential hosted a live episode at Prospect HQ, with Toby Jones, Patrick Spence and Jack Thorne, about the real story behind the ITV drama The Hack. In this episode, the panel takes audience questions on press freedom, and whether it’s time for a long-delayed Leveson 2 to investigate criminal behaviour across the journalism industry.

Alan and Lionel also discuss the Murdoch company's "aggressive" tactics against people writing about the story, Prince Harry’s legal battle against the Daily Mail, and the deletion of millions of emails worth of evidence.

To listen to the live episode, click here.

Or to read Nick Davies’s follow up on the phone-hacking scandal, click here.

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He’s officially next in line to the Murdoch empire, but what is Lachlan Murdoch’s story?

Alan and Lionel are joined by Paddy Manning, investigative reporter and author of The Successor: The high-stakes life of Lachlan Murdoch. 

With Lachlan set to take the helm, the trio discuss the machinations at the heart of the Murdoch media empire and the origin of the family rift. They also discuss who his fictional counterpart might be in HBO’s Succession, with a surprising conclusion...

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Do you always have to offer the people you’re reporting on a chance to give their side of the story? In this episode of Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel share when giving the right of reply has backfired on them.

They also discuss Fox News, after one listener asks a tongue-in-cheek question. 

And the hosts talk about whether media reports about Donald Trump’s mental state are responsible, as well as the sale of the conservative digital media outlet The Free Press.

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This week’s special episode of Media Confidential coincides with ITV’s new drama The Hack, about the phone-hacking scandal which led to the closure of the News of the World, the Leveson Inquiry, and a national reckoning on press ethics.

This week, Prospect’s Alan Rusbridger is joined by actor Toby Jones—who plays him in the series—along with Emmy award-winning writer Jack Thorne, executive producer Patrick Spence, and journalist and academic Jane Martinson.

The panel discuss bringing the story to the small screen, how the government can help support the arts, and the power of drama.

They explore journalism at its worst, but also how reporting can make a difference. Is a second Leveson inquiry needed?

To read Nick Davies’s series on the phone-hacking scandal for Prospect, click here.

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Alan and Lionel are joined by special guest Lisa Nandy, secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport.

Lisa responds to Elon Musk’s allegations that free speech is being muzzled in Britain.

The editors also challenge her on the government refusing to sanction GB News, despite its political motivations.

They also discuss the future of the BBC, trust in the media, and the UK’s decision to regulate US big tech, in the face of tariff threats from Trump.

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How have Trump’s defamation lawsuits affected press freedom?

Alan and Lionel discuss Donald Trump’s $15bn lawsuit against the New York Times with NPR’s media correspondent, David Folkenflik.

David shares an insight into NPR’s future amid funding cuts, and talks about the importance of local journalism and publicly-owned media.

Plus, the trio discuss the shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.

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As Donald Trump visits the UK, Alan and Lionel consider: if you were given one question to ask at Thursday’s press conference, what would it be?

The editors are asked about the media coverage of Saturday’s far right march, led by Tommy Robinson.

And following new revelations of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein—and his subsequent removal as US ambassador—what part did the media play in taking him down?

They also discuss the challenges faced by traditional newspapers in the digital age, and what the potential sale of a 20 per cent stake could mean for the Economist.

Plus, Lionel reveals one of the most humiliating moments in his journalistic career...

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This week, Alan and Lionel are joined by journalist and researcher Ayala Panievsky to talk about her most recent book The New Censorship: How the War on Media is Taking Us Down.

Ayala, whose research focuses on populism and democratic backsliding, explains the biggest threats to journalism today—and how reporters are fighting censorship all across the world. 

She explores media censorship in Israel, social media, and how politicians influence news coverage. Plus, how can journalists maintain independence and credibility in fraught times?

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After a gruelling few years and a bitter legal battle, Rupert Murdoch’s heir has been chosen.

This week, Alan and Lionel discuss the conclusion to the real-life Succession, as Lachlan Murdoch looks set to take control of his father’s media empire. What will it mean for the political direction of the business?

The hosts also discuss AI company Anthropic’s $1.5bn payout to authors and publishers, after being sued for using copyrighted materials to train large language models.

Plus, in light of Angela Rayner’s resignation, they wonder whether all politicians’ financial affairs should be made public.

To hear more on the Murdoch empire from Media Confidential, listen to our episode with Jim Rutenberg here.

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Does the First Amendment have a future?

This week on Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel talk to Greg Lukianoff, the lawyer, best-selling author and president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).

They discuss the Trump administration’s effect on free speech in the United States, and how censorship on university campuses has come from both sides of the political spectrum.

Greg also discusses the question of social media moderation, and his view on Lucy Connolly’s arrest for inciting racial hatred.

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Media Confidential is back for Season 3!

Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber take a dive into the world of media. What—and who—drives it? What do they get right... And what do they get wrong?

This week, as right-wing protests continue outside hotels housing asylum seekers, the hosts discuss the media’s role in pushing the “Broken Britain” narrative. Has the British press has been caught up in the whirlwind of Nigel Farage?

Plus, Alan and Lionel discuss the plight of journalists in Gaza, trust levels in local news and—in light of the upcoming ITV show The Hack—investigative journalist Nick Davies’s surprising updates to his book Hack Attack.

To read more on the phone hacking scandal from Prospect, click here.

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You’ve been listening to the Prospect Podcast, Media Confidential’s sister podcast. To subscribe on Spotify, click HERE.  

For Apple podcasts, click HERE. 

Has Trump's America become an autocracy?

While Media Confidential is on a short break, we’re bringing you the best of our sister podcast, the Prospect Podcast. Back in April, Ellen and Alona were joined by scholar of authoritarianism, Ruth Ben-Ghiat. Ruth analyses the Trump administration’s rapid shift towards authoritarianism. She talks about Trump’s personality cult, how strongmen portray machismo and the potential for a female strongman figure.

She also discusses how autocrats use corruption, violence and propaganda to stay in power, and how ICE roundups echo the past, resembling a “secret police force”. Ruth answers: can the Democrats can learn anything from Trump? What’s the best way to challenge an illiberal president? And how does this end?

Plus, Ellen and Alona discuss their bookshelves for this week's “banger or dud”.

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To subscribe to the Prospect Podcast on Spotify, click HERE.  

For Apple podcasts, click HERE.  

Will AI achieve superintelligence—and, if so, when? 

While Media Confidential is on a short break, we’re bringing you the best of our sister podcast, the Prospect Podcast. 

In June, Prospect’s brilliant tech columnist Ethan Zuckerman joined Ellen and Alona to talk about billionaire tech bros, social media, and how to resist the ‘enshittification’ of the internet.

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You’ve been listening to the Prospect Podcast, Media Confidential’s sister podcast. To subscribe on Spotify, click HERE.  

For Apple podcasts, click HERE. 

Has mainstream media failed?  

While Media Confidential is on a short break, we’re bringing you the best of the Prospect Podcast. 

Back in February, broadcaster and author Mehdi Hasan visited Prospect HQ. After MSNBC cancelled the Mehdi Hasan Show in November 2023, Mehdi founded the independent media company Zeteo.  

He joined Prospect’s Ben Clark to talk about his departure from mainstream media, Gaza, cancel culture, and the press in an age of Trump.

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