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This is the second edition of Briefed, our round-up of what all the media podcasts have been covering. Thanks to your feedback we’ve expanded who we’re covering. Are we still missing any? Leave a comment and tell us what we should add - and also what you think. Know someone who’d like this too? Forward it on - it’ll make it all worthwhile!
This week we've had Murdoch succession dramas reaching their conclusion (finally!), Russian state surveillance getting a tech upgrade, and Hollywood frantically trying to work out if 60-second vertical dramas are the future or just another fad. Plus, AI taking over local news, PR disasters for high street retailers, free speech debates heating up on university campuses, the podcasting industry mourning a pioneer, and the eternal question of whether traditional TV advertising can survive in an era where everyone's watching TikTok. Spoiler alert: it probably can, but not without a fight.
If you missed Friday's The Media Club, we explored whether journalists are now influencers too with Alex Hudson from Everything Popular is Wrong, examined Lachlan Murdoch's succession victory with TV critic Scott Bryan, discussed why streamers are reluctant to fund an anti-bullying body, and covered The Observer staff facing up to their new reality.
The Media Show
The Media Show tackled the 40th anniversary of Super Mario (yes, that's a media story now, apparently), Russia's rather sinister new requirement that all devices must have state surveillance app MAX pre-installed, and Nepal's ban on 26 social media platforms. They also dived into the Murdoch family succession battle reaching its conclusion with Lachlan taking control, plus examined whether media coverage is putting undue pressure on the judiciary. Quite the week for state control versus media freedom debates. (Guests: Keza MacDonald from The Guardian, Eva Hartog from Politico, Dr Nayana Prakash from Chatham House, Claire Atkinson from The Media Mix, Sir Robert Buckland, Frances Gibb)
Media Confidential
Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber served up two episodes this week. First, they brought on Greg Lukianoff from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression to discuss whether the First Amendment has a future, covering Trump's impact on free speech, university campus censorship from both political sides, and social media moderation challenges. Then they dissected the real-life Succession conclusion as Lachlan Murdoch emerged victorious, analysing what this means for News Corp and Fox's political direction. They also covered Anthropic's hefty $1.5bn payout to authors and publishers over AI training data, plus whether politicians' financial affairs should be completely transparent. (Guests: Greg Lukianoff from FIRE)
Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch
Roger interviewed Dr Alice Donald from Middlesex University to examine the Bonavero Institute's report on media coverage of the European Convention on Human Rights. They explored the prevalence and impact of misreporting, the convention's role beyond immigration cases, and the political debate around potential UK withdrawal. The discussion particularly focused on the responsibilities of public service journalism in properly informing the public, with some choice examples of how stories get twisted in the telling - including the infamous "chicken nuggets" case that wasn't actually about chicken nuggets at all. (Guests: Dr Alice Donald from Middlesex University)
Insiders: The TV Podcast
Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville discussed the BBC Director General's appearance at the Culture Media and Sport committee and his idea to have a "succession plan" for every BBC presenter in case they get embroiled in scandal. They covered Piers Morgan Uncensored and the smart move by all involved to start playing it on Channel 5, Melvyn Bragg stepping down from In Our Time after 27 years (with Peter sharing a delightful story about cancelling The South Bank Show), plus the Murdoch succession and Jimmy's sartorial tips for parliamentary appearances. Classic insider gossip from two telly folk who've seen it all.
TellyCast
Justin Crosby chatted with Tom Jenkins from Spud Gun Studios about taking the animation channel Mashed independent from Channel 4. Jenkins revealed how they're building on Mashed's impressive seven million global followers, landing brand partnerships with Xbox and Baldur's Gate, and picking up four awards at the inaugural TellyCast Digital Video Awards. It's a case study in how digital-first content creators are building sustainable businesses outside traditional broadcasting structures. (Guests: Tom Jenkins from Spud Gun Studios)
The Rest Is Entertainment
Richard Osman and Marina Hyde delivered two episodes this week. First, they tackled Morrissey's attempts to sell his business interests in The Smiths because he's "tired of the disagreeable and vexatious characters" in the band - which is peak Morrissey, really - alongside examining why bands always end up hating each other and whether the American sitcom format is doomed. Then they moved on to the burning question of whether children should watch The Shining (Marina apparently thinks they should), discussions about Stephen King adaptations, and a new Wuthering Heights reboot that's apparently too raunchy for Brönte fans.
The Media Odyssey
Evan Shapiro and Marion Ranchet welcomed the three founding brothers of Angel Studios - Neal, Jeff, and Jordan Harmon - for a special episode covering the company's Wall Street debut under ticker ANGX. They explored Angel's radical approach where fans, not executives, decide which films get made through their 1.5 million Guild members. The discussion covered how they've turned $55M in commitments into $416M in box office revenue from just 12 films, outperforming competitors like A24 on a per-film basis. It's a fascinating look at community-driven media funding and whether this model can scale beyond niche religious content. (Guests: Neal Harmon, Jeff Harmon, Jordan Harmon from Angel Studios)
The Radio Academy Podcast
The Radio Academy welcomed Louis Timpany, CEO and founder of Fix Radio, the UK's national digital radio station specifically for tradespeople. Timpany shared how he developed the initial idea for the station, the importance of thorough market research, and what winning Gold at the Arias meant for the station's credibility. It's a great case study in finding underserved audiences and building content around their specific needs rather than trying to be everything to everyone. (Guests: Louis Timpany from Fix Radio)
Campaign Podcast
The Campaign team marked 70 years of commercial TV in the UK by examining how television advertising has evolved since ITV launched in 1955. They discussed how TV is defending its position in the media mix against digital competitors, how creativity has changed, and what the next 70 years might look like. The conversation touched on the cultural significance of TV advertising in the UK, the trust factor that comes with regulated broadcasting, and the ongoing battle for attention in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. (Guests: Maisie McCabe from Campaign, Charlotte Rawlings from Campaign, Beau Jackson from Campaign)
The Media Leader Podcast
Jack Benjamin sat down with Denise Turner, who recently succeeded Belinda Beeftink as research director at the IPA after three decades in media research. Turner discussed her new remit, the current state of media effectiveness, and how media owners are moving towards outcomes-based measurement for clients. She also shared insights on measuring brand consumption in an increasingly fragmented ecosystem and outlined the core research topics the IPA will focus on going forward. Turner's serving as head judge for the 2026 Adwanted Media Research Awards as well. (Guests: Denise Turner from IPA)
The Future of Media, Explained
Charlotte Tobitt and Dominic Ponsford discussed the latest mass job cuts at Reach, attacks on journalism from AI bots, and what the proposed break-up of Google's adtech business could mean for publishers. They also covered the ongoing rivalry between Reach and Newsquest, examining how local news publishers are fighting both each other and existential threats from technology companies. It's a sobering look at the challenges facing regional journalism in the UK.
Podnews Weekly Review
James Cridland and Sam Sethi dedicated this episode to remembering podcasting pioneer Todd Cochrane, who passed away suddenly this week after 19 years in the industry. They shared excerpts from a 2023 interview where Todd discussed his journey beginning with a $14.95 Walmart microphone in a Waco hotel room in 2004. The hosts also covered Apple Podcasts potentially preparing support for Podcasting 2.0 JSON chapters, marking another step forward in podcast technology. A poignant tribute to someone who helped build the medium we all love.
When It Hits the Fan
David Yelland and Simon Lewis examined the reputation crisis facing WH Smith as stores across the country rebrand to TG Jones, questioning what messaging has taken place between new owners and existing customers. They also discussed the PR challenges of increasingly elderly world leaders, sparked by conversations between Xi Jinping and Putin about biotechnology and eternal life, plus a social media frenzy falsely suggesting Trump had died. The episode rounded off with analysis of how scandal coverage doesn't always reflect the seriousness of the underlying issues.
On the Media
Brooke Gladstone and Michael Lohinger delivered two episodes this week. Their midweek podcast explored stories about the end of the world, examining how apocalyptic narratives in media shape our understanding of current events and cultural anxiety - classic On the Media territory looking at how narratives frame reality. Then they covered the aftermath of Charlie Kirk's murder and its impact on conservative media, plus examined the rise and fall of CBS, including analysis of new bias monitoring at the network and broader questions about media independence and ideology.
Channels with Peter Kafka
Peter Kafka checked in with Warren St. John, CEO of Patch, about their AI experiment running local newsletters for thousands of US communities without employing a single human to create them. St. John explained how they're providing residents with "a Kind bar, not a 5-course meal" - aggregating content from government sources, social media, and other local outlets. It raises fascinating questions about the future of local news: is AI-generated content better than nothing, or does it represent a dangerous erosion of human journalism? (Guests: Warren St. John from Patch)
The Grill Room
Dylan welcomed Rick Berke, former Politico reporter and founder of STAT News, to discuss his 10-year journey building one of the most authoritative voices in life sciences journalism. Berke explained how he turned STAT into a profitable media venture, the challenges facing subscription-based models, and why it's so difficult for legacy giants like the Washington Post or LA Times to replicate that success. They also covered a special crossover episode on the Murdoch succession drama, exploring what Lachlan's control means for Fox's future. (Guests: Rick Berke from STAT News)
The Town with Matthew Belloni
Matt Belloni sat down with the New York Times' Jim Rutenberg to dissect the Murdoch family trust settlement that keeps Lachlan in control while the other siblings take buyouts worth over $1 billion each. They discussed why the siblings finally settled, whether it was a good deal or disappointing capitulation, and what's next for the Fox empire under Lachlan's leadership. Belloni also covered YouTube's NFL debut bringing in 17 million viewers and examined John Malone's attempts to find a new home for Warner Bros. Discovery. (Guests: Jim Rutenberg from The New York Times, Lucas Shaw from Bloomberg)
Mixed Signals from Semafor Media
Ben Smith was joined by Josh Spanier, VP of marketing at Google, for a special sponsored episode examining how Google approaches advertising and navigates technological changes in the space. They discussed whether AI is going to homogenise all the ads we see, with Josh answering listener questions about how advertisers work with creators and the biggest blind spots in marketing today. (Guests: Josh Spanier from Google)
Power Lines with Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino
Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino examined the shocking murder of Charlie Kirk and its impact across the media landscape. They analysed the viral spread of graphic footage on social media, how left and right are reacting to the tragedy, and what the response could mean for America's already heightened political tensions. The hosts looked at how people with large audiences and political power are using their platforms in the aftermath, with particular focus on the responsibility that comes with such influence.
The Business
Kim Masters and Scott Feinberg shared Emmy predictions ahead of the 77th annual Emmy Awards airing on CBS and Paramount+. The Hollywood Reporter's Executive Awards Editor broke down the key categories and likely winners. Masters also joined Matt Belloni to unpack the latest Murdoch family lawsuit settlement and discuss the increasing possibility of a Paramount Skydance purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery. Classic Hollywood insider analysis from two people who know where all the bodies are buried. (Guests: Scott Feinberg from The Hollywood Reporter, Matt Belloni)
The Ankler Podcast
The Hollywood trade publication's team examined the rise of microdramas - those 60-second soapy episodes that Gen Z binges on their phones. They explored how this multibillion-dollar business is growing under Hollywood's nose, with entertainment veterans like Lloyd Braun and Susan Rovner getting involved. The big questions: Can anyone actually make a profit? Will it take household names to succeed, or is this another Quibi-in-waiting? Plus Richard Rushfield returned with tales from TIFF including his apparently crucial Sydney Sweeney selfie. (With: Elaine Low, Natalie Jarvey, Sean McNulty and Richard Rushfield 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.