Media Confidential

In this episode of Media Confidential Q&A, Alan and Lionel return with the answers to all your burning questions and shed some light on the inner workings of the media industry.

This week: why is the BBC is constantly chasing gen Z audiences, even though young people consume media in other ways? And when does the non-mainstream media become so big that it becomes the mainstream media—even if was established in opposition to traditional publishers and broadcasters? Plus, the two former newspaper editors—who worked on revelations including on phone hacking and Wirecard—explain how big scoops begin and become major investigations.

Send your questions and comments to us at [email protected] or via X, at @mediaconfpod

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Alan and Lionel are joined by Eric Beecher to discuss his new book, The Men Who Killed The News about media moguls' abuses of power.

At 33, Eric became the youngest ever editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, before Rupert Murdoch crowned him editor-in-chief at the Melbourne Herald.

So why, several years later, was he sued by the Murdochs?

Eric has seen Murdoch at his best, successful and innovative, and at worst, a ruthless dictator.He shares a story of pressure and coercive behaviour, and his growing sense that the news agenda was being manipulated to avoid bad press connected to his boss. reveals that very little happens in the Murdoch empire without Rupert knowing--including, he alleges, the phonehacking scandal.

Plus, Alan tries an AI experiment on Lionel, which leads to fears that they'll both soon be deemed redundant from their current roles.

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From JFK’s assassination to the moon landing, conspiracy theories have always existed. But the rise of social media has enabled fake news to spread like wildfire.

Award-winning journalist Marianna Spring joins the podcast to take Alan and Lionel on a tour through what she calls “Conspiracyland”, a hinterland between the online world and perceived reality.

Marianna is the Disinformation and Social Media correspondent for the BBC and is also the author of Among the Trolls: My Journey Through Conspiracyland. She attempts to make sense of what causes people to be sucked in to myths—whole movements sprang during the pandemic, based on disinformation around Covid-19. This summer’s far-right riots were sparked by false information. And after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump during his election campaign, others couldn’t distinguish if what happened was real or staged.But as more people believe in wild stories, what impact does it have on society?

Will we look back with disbelief at how the truth became distorted beyond recognition, on giant unregulated social media platforms?

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Kara Swisher—maverick, rock star and tech guru—has interviewed some of the highest profile and biggest personalities on the planet, from Mark Zuckerberg to Barack Obama, Rupert Murdoch and Kim Kardashian. Joining Alan and Lionel on the podcast this week, Kara unpicks the relationship between big tech and the media. Big tech, she says, have no interest in the “greater good”. They wanted to make money, regardless of how that would impact the media companies, and media companies quickly got left behind.

With no existing legislation in the USA to keep big tech in check, the balance of power has swung far in their direction. And while Kara argues that big tech firms should be held responsible for what is published on their platforms, she warns that they are acting almost with impunity. Meeting at the Truth Tellers Summit, held in memory of Sir Harry Evans, she explains exactly what she would like to happen.

Also, Alan and Lionel reflect on previous general elections they have covered as they begin to watch the media coverage of the current campaign.

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How do you ask those difficult questions to guests that you want to probe further? And what do you do when they react unexpectedly—and the interview goes awry? This is the position Alan found himself in recently when recording with bestselling author, Michael Lewis. Alan tells us what went through his mind, and how he remained so cool.

And following the tense recent episode with James Harding, where are things currently at with the sale of the Observer? Lionel and Alan discuss how they think the situation could pan out.

The editors also discuss political “leaks”: how they happen, and the impact inside government.

Plus, why was one our hosts presented with a cherry cake from a well-known British businessman? Listen to this week’s Media Confidential’s Q&A to find out...

Send your questions to [email protected] or @mediaconfpod

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.