Briefed: Bari's CBS Bombshell, Guardian Pivot and Celebrity Traitors
Our weekly media podcast round-up
Briefed is The Media Club’s round-up of what all the TV, audio, journalism, marketing and Hollywood podcasts are covering.
This week we’ve had Bari Weiss’s controversial CBS News appointment sending shockwaves through American journalism, Lachlan Murdoch taking full control of the family empire with questions about what he’ll sell, Paddington Bear suing over a Spitting Image cocaine sketch, and Steve Rosenberg revealing he’s now on three-month Russian visas.
Plus, OpenAI’s Sora 2 panicking Hollywood actors over AI-generated performances, publishers split on whether to sue or partner with AI giants, the Pentagon’s alarming new press restrictions and The Guardian’s donation model proving billionaire owners aren’t necessary for survival.
If you missed Friday’s The Media Club, I was joined by Jim Waterson from London Centric and film critic Rhianna Dhillon to discuss Global’s acquisition of The Fellas Studios, Katharine Viner’s decade as Guardian editor as the paper pivots to video again, Celebrity Traitors’ massive opening (seven million viewers), and why Paddington Bear is suing over a Spitting Image sketch. Have a listen (or watch).
The Media Show
Katie Razzall presented a packed edition with BBC Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg, in the UK to collect his Charles Wheeler Award, revealing he’s now on three-month visas and explaining why he’s still tolerated—broadcasting in English to outside audiences rather than in Russian to Russians. Economist Editor-in-Chief Zanny Minton Beddoes discussed launching video podcast Insider, acknowledging their globalist liberal worldview is “becoming less fashionable.” Panorama editor Karen Whiteman and producer Leo Telling explained the ethics of their seven-month undercover operation inside a London police station. PR expert Fasana Badwell dissected Victoria Beckham’s Netflix documentary as “staged vulnerability” and “a warm bath for a PR” compared to proper journalism. (Guests: Steve Rosenberg from BBC, Zanny Minton Beddoes from The Economist, Karen Whiteman from Panorama, Leo Telling from Panorama, Fasana Badwell from Curson PR)
Media Confidential
Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber produced two episodes this week. First, investigative reporter Paddy Manning discussed his book on Lachlan Murdoch, arguing he’s “businessman first” unlike Rupert who was kingmaker and journalist. Manning revealed how Lachlan walked out in 2005 after Roger Ailes went over his head, and how Lachlan and Rupert decided to lie to Fox audiences about stolen election claims to win back viewers—leading to the $787 million Dominion settlement. He predicted Lachlan would make “cold, rational business decisions” about selling newspapers, and controversially argued he’s Roman not Kendall in Succession terms. Their second episode tackled Leveson 2, Murdoch company tactics, and the deletion of millions of emails of evidence. (Guests: Paddy Manning, Toby Jones, Jack Thorne, Patrick Spence)
Roger Bolton’s Beeb Watch
Roger Bolton hosted Mary Hockaday, former Controller of BBC World Service, for a discussion about the future of the World Service amid funding pressures and political challenges. The conversation explored the debate over government and defence funding, the challenges of budget cuts, and the global influence and value of the World Service. Hockaday emphasised that regardless of where the money comes from, the principles of editorial independence must be absolutely sacrosanct—a particularly timely point given the pressures facing international broadcasters around the world. (Guests: Mary Hockaday)
Insiders: The TV Podcast
Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville tackled StudioCanal suing Avalon over Spitting Image’s portrayal of Paddington Bear as a cocaine-snorting Peruvian gangster on The Rest Is Bullshit podcast—with Paddington’s lawyer claiming the bear is “very upset.” Jimmy revealed Have I Got News For You made a mistake last week incorrectly linking Euan Blair’s company Multiverse to ID cards, praising Multiverse’s good-humoured correction versus StudioCanal’s humourless legal action. They examined BBC commissioning chief John Petrie’s renewed call for big family sitcoms, discussing why these shows are so hard to find despite broadcaster demand and audience appetite. The episode explored BBC Studios mysteriously winning back most titles put out to tender—including Fake or Fortune, This Farming Life, and Rip Off Britain—raising transparency questions about competitive fairness when the BBC’s own commercial arm consistently beats independent producers.
TellyCast
Justin Crosby welcomed actor Shaun Evans and executive producer Tom Leggett to discuss Betrayal, ITV Studios and Mammoth Screen’s gripping new espionage drama. Evans, best known for Endeavour, takes on a very different kind of spy in Betrayal, playing MI5 operative John Hughes navigating a collapsing marriage, shifting office politics, and a looming terrorist threat no one else believes is real. The pair revealed the five-year journey behind the series, how writer David Eldridge approached modern espionage, and the reality of being an MI5 officer versus the high-tech, slick, glamorous world portrayed in most TV shows and films. They discussed working with Gordon Carrera, who educated them about the unglamorous reality of spying, and how humour helps make serious subject matter feel light and enjoyable to watch. (Guests: Shaun Evans, Tom Leggett from Mammoth Screen)
The Rest Is Entertainment
Richard Osman and Marina Hyde served up three episodes this week. They tackled whether Taylor Swift is punching down by going after fellow popstar Charli XCX, examined if the era of big Broadway musicals is over as New York theatres struggle financially, and debated whether Mel Gibson’s sequel to The Passion of the Christ will resurrect his reputation. A special bonus episode provided immediate reaction to the first episode of Celebrity Traitors, with the pair discussing whether this is the best series yet, if producers selected the right traitors, and who might get killed first. Their Q&A episode covered whether sound on nature documentaries is fake, how golf camera operators follow those tiny balls, and how to become a fan-fiction millionaire—proving once again that their audience asks brilliantly specific questions about the entertainment industry. (Guests: Richard Osman, Marina Hyde)
The Media Odyssey
Evan Shapiro and Marion Ranchet sat down with World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the creative minds behind RuPaul’s Drag Race and a streaming empire built on fandom. They explored how World of Wonder transformed drag culture into an international media brand spanning 17 territories whilst redefining what community-first streaming looks like in the era of algorithmic sameness. The conversation delved into how WOW thrives outside traditional Hollywood logic through owning its IP, embracing global fandoms, and turning social engagement into subscription loyalty. Bailey and Barbato shared how they pioneered a direct-to-consumer model on Manhattan Cable in the early 1990s—long before YouTube or Netflix—and how that same spirit lives on in WOW Presents Plus, connecting millions of subscribers directly to creators and culture they love. (Guests: Fenton Bailey from World of Wonder, Randy Barbato from World of Wonder)
The Radio Academy Podcast
Adam Skinn brought the third and final part of the special Radio Academy Festival 2025 takeover, with Tom Jackson, Ruth Cooper-Dickson, and Issy Brand chatting with a range of speakers from the London event. The episode featured conversations with Louis Theroux, Nick Ryan, Steve Taylor, and the hosts of all four stages who reflected on the event. (Guests: Louis Theroux, Nick Ryan, Steve Taylor)
Campaign Podcast
Lucy Shelley hosted a special episode examining neurodiversity in advertising, marking Dyslexia Awareness Week. Recent All In data counts over half of UK adland’s workforce as neurodiverse at 55%, compared to between 15 and 20% of UK adults generally. Wayne Deakin, former global executive creative director at Wolff Olins, joined alongside Campaign’s Beau Jackson and Shauna Lewis to discuss why advertising attracts people with different ways of thinking, how it impacts the work, and the barriers and taboos that still exist making agency life challenging for those with neurodiversity. The conversation explored how unique creative approaches are held on a pedestal in advertising, making it a natural fit for neurodivergent people who often struggle in traditional educational environments. (Guests: Wayne Deakin, Beau Jackson from Campaign, Shauna Lewis from Campaign)
The Media Leader Podcast
James Longhurst hosted a panel discussion recorded at The Media Leader’s Future of Media Manchester event, examining the challenges clients and agencies face throughout the year as they seek to meet and exceed boardroom expectations. The conversation tackled how to optimise for business KPIs, balance short-term demands with long-term brand building when every pound is scrutinised, and build the case for bigger media budgets during a business downturn. The panel featured Neil Jones from Boots UK, Laura Kell from Havas Media Network UK, Stu Lunn from Kinesso, and Rob Linton from MiQ discussing the reality that media planners today must be commercial planners who understand the broader business context, not just media metrics. (Guests: Neil Jones from Boots UK, Laura Kell from Havas Media Network UK, Stu Lunn from Kinesso, Rob Linton from MiQ)
Podnews Weekly Review
James Cridland and Sam Sethi interviewed Flightcast’s Rox Codes to unpack a video-first hosting and growth platform built for YouTube, Spotify, and serious creators. They challenged inflated web browser downloads, discussed pricing resets at major hosts, and debated what actually counts as a podcast in a $3 billion market. The conversation weighed useful AI assistants against synthetic co-hosts and mapped the road to practical standards like HLS and Podcasting 2.0. They examined Livewire host-share data showing consolidation and heritage brands sliding, discussed price rises at major hosts, and covered the British Podcast Awards where Kill List won Podcast of the Year. (Guests: Rox Codes from Flightcast)
On the Media
Brooke Gladstone and Micah Loewinger presented two episodes this week. Their main show examined authoritarianism disguised as normalcy, exploring the concept of the ‘dual state’ where governments maintain a veneer of democratic legitimacy whilst consolidating authoritarian control. They also investigated the Ellison family’s rapid ascent in American media, as Larry and David Ellison move to control a staggeringly large slice of the attention economy that would make the Murdochs envious. Their midweek episode featured a journalist writing from prison to upend the typical true crime narrative, examining how the media tells people who they are and what it means to live with that imposed identity.
Mixed Signals from Semafor Media
Ben Smith and Max Tani brought on chef and author Alison Roman to discuss her journey from being one of digital media’s first food stars—with recipes going viral since 2018 and an infamous cancellation in 2020—to trying to move away from life on the internet. Roman discussed her latest cookbook Something From Nothing, the value of a physical cookbook in a digital world, and how AI is already influencing her recipes in surprising ways. The conversation explored why cooking and her new book are the antithesis of the internet, offering a tactile, slow alternative to the endless scroll. (Guests: Alison Roman)
Channels with Peter Kafka
Peter Kafka interviewed Guardian Media Group CEO Anna Bateson about how the Guardian is facing the same problems as every other news publisher—tricky ad environment, platform problems, looming AI threats—but with one big difference: a $1.5 billion trust backing the non-profit. Bateson explained how the Guardian has been steadily and successfully getting readers to shoulder the load via donations, which now account for 40% of the company’s revenue. The conversation covered why the Guardian switched its business model, why it still wants ad money despite the donation success, how the British lefty news shop is trying to break into America yet again, and why asking readers for donations is and isn’t like asking them to pay for subscriptions. (Guests: Anna Bateson from Guardian Media Group)
Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino
Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino examined Bari Weiss’s appointment at CBS News, questioning whether her both-sides-ism and ‘let’s fucking do the news’ war cry signals a major shift or just corporate noise. They analysed what her new editor-in-chief role signals to the Trump administration and debated how hands-on she’ll actually be. The episode detailed the Pentagon’s new press restrictions under Pete Hegseth, former Fox News personality, questioning how he would have reacted if they were imposed by a different administration and explaining why restricting access won’t stop great journalism. They also covered the Riyadh Comedy Festival blowback, as top comedians including Dave Chappelle face heavy criticism for performing at the request of an oppressive government, with some now justifying it by claiming they did it for the Saudi people.
The Grill Room
Dylan Byers and Julia Alexander presented two episodes examining major media shifts. First, Dylan Byers hosted Chris Balfe, CEO of Red Seat Ventures, for a deep dive into the booming independent creator economy, the smartest ways to unlock new revenue streams, and Red Seat’s growing portfolio of conservative voices from Tucker Carlson to Megyn Kelly. Balfe discussed the recent acquisition by Fox, which has emerged as the most aggressive legacy player chasing creator talent. Their second episode saw both of them dig into the uproar over Bari Weiss’s appointment at CBS News, debating whether it’s a journalistic awakening or credibility crisis in the making. They examined how her appointment fits into David Ellison’s broader media ambitions and whether Weiss can lure younger, more affluent viewers without destroying the network’s traditional DNA. (Guests: Chris Balfe from Red Seat Ventures)
The Town with Matthew Belloni
Matt Belloni delivered two episodes this week. First, he welcomed WME and TKO’s Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro to discuss their new company Mari, exploring why they’re betting on live experiences, the possibility of the four-day work week changing how we live, the state of the talent business, and how Hollywood should think about AI. Matt finished with a prediction about Netflix potentially buying Warner Bros. His second episode used the disappointing box office performance for A24’s The Smashing Machine with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to examine the current state of A24, the difficulty of living up to its sky-high valuation, and the natural life cycle of a growing indie movie studio. Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw joined to discuss whether A24’s pivot to bigger budgets is sustainable. (Guests: Ari Emanuel from WME, Mark Shapiro from TKO, Lucas Shaw from Bloomberg)
The Business
Kim Masters spoke with The Road Between Us director Barry Avrich and retired Israeli General Noam Tibon, who drove straight into the October 7 massacre to rescue his family. Despite the third-rail nature of anything involving Israel and Gaza, the pair hope the documentary can be viewed as a story about family. Politics were inescapable—the film was pulled from the Toronto Film Festival, reinstated after protests, then greeted with protests from the other side before winning the festival’s People’s Choice documentary prize. Kim and Matt also broke down Paramount’s acquisition of The Free Press and hiring of founder Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News, examining the potential impact on news coverage at the network. (Guests: Barry Avrich, Noam Tibon)
The Ankler Podcast
Elaine Low, Sean McNulty, and Natalie Jarvey examined the strangest thing about the new iteration of ChatGPT: the sudden and full-throated embrace by once-squeamish execs and writers. Ankler Reel AI columnist Erik Barmick revealed how writers and producers are using GPT-5 (just ask around about the ‘GPT-5 pass’), which jobs likely will vanish, and how guilds are gearing up for the next AI fight after missing on the last agreement. Lesley Goldberg joined to reveal the 10 most influential showrunners right now according to top execs and agents, with some surprising names who didn’t make the cut. (Guests: Erik Barmick from The Ankler, Lesley Goldberg from The Ankler)
Spot any media podcasts we’ve missed? Reply and let us know! And if you haven’t already, subscribe to The Media Club on your favourite podcast app or catch us on YouTube.