Jamie Angus left the BBC last July after a stellar career involving editing the Today programme and Newsnight. He later became director of the World Service, running the teams which produce news in 42 languages to a weekly audience of 500 million around the world. Now he's chief operating officer at Al Arabiya news channel in the United Arab Emirates and is moving into the space left by the axing of BBC Arabic radio. We discuss cuts in the World Service and news, impartiality, the future funding of the BBC and the Gary Lineker affair. "If you look at some of the things he's tweeted even since this row - they seem pretty close to the line, if not over the line to me - and I'm not quite sure how this is going to get resolved in the longer term."  Support the podcast by subscribing here Find all our podcasts here @grvlx001 @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Protests in Israel continued over the weekend against the government's plans which would give Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, the power to overrule Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority and the power to nominate judges. Israel has no second chamber and no written constitution, so if this measure goes through there can be no appeal. Dame Margaret Hodge, who is the parliamentary chair of the Jewish Labour Movement discusses what needs to be done after her trip to the regions. “I do think it’s probably the Americans have got to try and muscle their way in to trying to calm it down and get negotiations going between Israelis and then between Israel and Palestinians.” Support the podcast by subscribing here Find all our podcasts here @margarethodge @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roger Mosey, former editorial director of the BBC, head of TV news and director of sport discusses the handling of the Gary Lineker and Fiona Bruce controversies, the BBC board and its vision and the leaked emails and WhatsApp messages showing BBC editors asking their journalists to avoid using the word “lockdown” in reporting at the start of the pandemic and to be more critical of Labour after pressure from Downing Street. “I was worried too. And I talked to some quite senior people in the BBC on the broadcasting side and they were also worried." Support the podcast by subscribing here Find all our podcasts here @rogermosey @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday the BBC announced cuts to its orchestras and choirs. Its in-house chamber choir, the BBC Singers will come to an end and there will be a 20% reduction of roles in the BBC's English orchestras - Symphony, Concert and Philharmonic. Paul Hughes, the former BBC Director of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and of the BBC Singers left his post last July after 23 years. He gives his reaction to the decision making process, the impact on the choral and orchestral landscape, the value the BBC places on classical music and whether the corporation is living up to its public service remit. “I don’t know what public service means in the BBC context now. If the BBC is not to do that which others can’t do, what are they for?"  Roger also gives his reaction to Gary Lineker's tweet on the Government's refugee policy. You can read Roger's Guardian opinion piece here Subscribe and support the podcast here. Find all our podcasts here @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ken Bruce is the most popular presenter in the UK with over 8 million listeners on Radio 2 and he's about to join former colleague Simon Mayo at Greatest Hits Radio. Simon discusses Ken's departure from the BBC. "The situation has been handled badly." Subscribe and support the podcast here. Find all our podcasts here @simonmayo @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“In 2015 at the time of the Charter Review, more than 40,000 people responded to the BBC Trust on its consultation. The latest BBC consultation there was something like 25 responses because people didn’t know about it.” Colin Browne, chair of the Voice of the Listener and Viewer argues that there is now the absurd position that the BBC’s competitors have more power to influence the BBC’s ability to make changes, rather than those who fund it. Subscribe and support the podcast here. Find all our podcasts here @vlvuk @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Tom Mills, a sociologist at Aston University, has written a book called 'The BBC: Myth of a Public Service'. It claims to set aside both liberal and conservative fantasies about the institution, and says that far from being a sanctuary for independent journalism, the BBC is intimately connected to the power it is supposed to hold to account. We discuss issues raised in the book on organisational culture, reform, accountability as well as the ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of the BBC chairman Richard Sharp. "I've never read any serious defence of the way the BBC is currently arranged." Subscribe and support the podcast here. Find all our podcasts here @ta_mills @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Tuesday Richard Sharp the BBC chairman faced questions from the Department of culture, media and sport select committee. They were examining the process of the appointment of the BBC chairman, and as the committee which approved his appointment were they given the relevant information it could and should have known about. Richard Ayre, a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC news and a former member of the OFCOM content board discusses with Roger Bolton the chairman's appearance. “After the performance today, I think within the BBC, there will be very, very considerable disquiet among the staff, and among many licence fee payers. And I think they'll be right to be disquieted. And I think it may well be that Sharp feels the right thing to do is to step down in the fullness of time.” Support the podcast by subscribing here. Find all our podcasts here roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com @BeebRoger Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of its impartiality plan, this week the BBC published its report looking at the broadcaster's coverage of taxation, public spending, government borrowing and debt. The authors found no evidence of bias towards one particular political position, but there were things "that put impartiality at risk". Paul Mason discusses the report's findings and reflects on his own experiences working at the BBC and Channel 4. "Newsnight had famously missed the AOL /Time Warner merger, the biggest merger in history - didn't think it was a story." Support the podcast by subscribing here. Find all our podcasts here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Controversy is currently surrounding BBC chairman Richard Sharp amidst allegations that he helped Boris Johnson when the then Prime Minister found himself in personal financial difficulties, and while Mr Sharp’s application to become BBC chairman was approaching the final stages. He did not declare the alleged conflict of interest to those involved. Richard Ayre, a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC news and a former member of the OFCOM content board discusses Richard Sharp's position and the need to reform the appointment process. "Was there a conflict of interest at that time when he approached the Cabinet Secretary? You bet there was." Support the podcast by subscribing here. Find all our podcasts here Roger Bolton's Guardian Opinion article here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservative peer Baroness Tina Stowell has had an extraordinary career since she left school with 5 O Levels. Leader of the House of Lords under David Cameron, following a period as Head of Corporate Affairs at the BBC, and now chair of the House of Lords Communications and Digital Select committee – a committee that is vital to the future of broadcasting. Baroness Stowell tells us her views on funding, impartiality, whether the BBC is serving the whole of the country, the impact of Ken Bruce's departure and the BBC's strategic purpose. "People need to know now, why it should remain part of our future." Support the podcast by subscribing here. Find all our podcasts here Roger Bolton's Guardian Opinion article here. @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dorothy Byrne was until recently Editor at Large at Channel 4, having been its head of news and current affairs for many years. We discuss the government's decision not to privatise Channel 4 and its plans for reform. Should the channel start making its own content and should more right wing voices be heard? And is there a need for radical ideas in broadcasting. “I think it is interesting to me, that I'm so in sympathy with much of what the Conservatives are saying they now want to do for Channel 4.” Support the podcast by subscribing here. Find all our podcasts here Roger Bolton's Guardian Opinion article here. @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The public service broadcasting system is undoubtedly facing an existential threat,” so says Sir Peter Bazalgette. He has been responsible for shows such as Big Brother, Changing Rooms and Ready Steady Cook and in September he stepped down as chair of ITV. We discuss the importance of the Media Bill and the existential threat to broadcasters, privatisation of Channel 4, the BBC's vision and the need for a proper debate about what we want from the BBC. “ITV has a number of options. I know it wants to remain a public service broadcaster or a public service media company [PSM], and it treasures the regional and national news and all the other things it does, but it is one of its options. It’s a healthy company, it's got a very strong international production company, it's got strong cash flows, low debt, and so it has a number of options. And one of those options could be not being a PSM.” Support the podcast by subscribing here. Find all our podcasts here Roger Bolton's Guardian Opinion article here. @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second part of his interview with Richard Ayre, a former member of the BBC trust board, Roger discusses why he is a Christian and answers questions on Brexit coverage, diversity and BBC cuts and coverage. Support the podcast by subscribing here. @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After over 50 years in broadcasting, and being fired twice by the BBC, Roger Bolton is interviewed on his career by Richard Ayre, a former member of the BBC trust. Roger talks about his departure from BBC Radio 4's Feedback, editing Panorama and Nationwide and discusses the controversy surrounding his 'Death on the Rock' programme in 1988 which examined the deaths of three IRA members in Gibraltar by the British Special Air Service. Support the podcast by subscribing here. @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we experience a wave of strikes in the coming weeks from nurses, train, postal, bus, ambulance and highway workers amongst others, how well is the BBC reporting on this myriad of industrial conflicts we are now faced with, and how does it compare to yesteryear? Nick Jones, who spent thirty years as a BBC industrial and political correspondent until 2002 gives us his views and reaction to ‘that’ interview between Mick Lynch, head of the RMT trade union and presenter Mishal Husain on the Today programme earlier this week . “I think that with these Punch and Judy interviews where everybody's going at one another, we just don't really get that insight which we should get. So, I feel the broadcasters of today, it's a disservice, we're not providing the level of background and information which we could provide, we know we could provide. And if only we had the resources, I think we still could provide.” Support the podcast by subscribing here. @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Thursday the first three of six Netflix documentaries about Harry and Meghan were released and BBC News led with the story. Did BBC News fall for the PR and were its correspondents impartial in their coverage? And in the same week the BBC hierarchy began a coordinated campaign to secure its future. The Chairman, the former hedge fund boss and Conservative donor, Richard Sharp gave his first interview as chairman to the Sunday Times, and a few days later his Director General,Tim Davie, made his pitch to the Royal Television Society. Roger Mosey is now Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge, but while at the BBC he was Head of television News, Editor of the Today programme and Director of the Beijing 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games coverage. We discuss Royal coverage, sports rights, BBC funding and the future of public service broadcasting. "I think Richard Sharp is saying some interesting and good things. But I worry about the fact he is a major Tory donor. Chairmen of the BBC, have always come from a political background, so it's nothing new in that. But I think it does compromise their ability to articulate a genuine public service case for the BBC." Support the podcast by subscribing here on Patreon. @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a week when the 2021 census revealed a 5.5 million fall in the number of people who described themselves as Christian and that 22.2 million people declared they had “no religion” at all, the BBC’s ex-Head of Religious Broadcasting, Ernie Rea, casts a critical eye over the BBC’s coverage of religion and ethics. “When you think that about 82% of the population of the world cling to a faith tradition, and what an important part that faith tradition plays in the politics, the culture, the society all over the world - it’s absolutely plain the BBC should be covering it, should be exploring it, should be criticising it…It should be part of the of the asking questions to power, but it's not doing it.” Ernie and Roger discusses whether broadcasters underestimate the interest of ordinary people in matters of faith, belief and spirituality, the divide between radio and television coverage, the commissioning strategy and whether OFCOM should be considering relaxing quotas for religious programming. Stephen Fry, the renowned atheist, also addresses the question of how well broadcasters cover ethics and religion. Subscribe and support the podcast here. @BeebRoger roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter York, best known for co-authoring 'The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook' back in the 80’s has written another book ‘The War Against the BBC’ with Professor Patrick Barwise. On this week’s programme he bursts some BBC myths, discusses astroturfing and urges the BBC to defend itself more robustly and report on the threat to the corporation for the sake of democracy. “The war against the BBC has been fought for decades. What’s happening now is that those convergent interests are more insistent. It’s what I call the ‘one more shove comrades and we’ll kill them’ situation”.   “The BBC is part of the national picture and if it doesn’t report on a crucial part of the national picture, namely our broadcasting ecology, then there is a democratic deficit”. Subscribe and support the podcast here. @PeterPeteryork @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If anyone deserves to be called a Renaissance man then one of the leading contenders must surely be Stephen Fry, actor, novelist, comedian, campaigner, Norwich City Football fanatic, long time host of QI, gay icon and the list goes on. Having just closed his twitter account after Elon Musk’s takeover, transferring his loyalties to Mastodon, we talked to him about the BBC, the future of public service broadcasting, JK Rowling and cancel culture, and much else. “I would...wish them both to retreat, and to consider that it is possible for trans people to live full, accepted lives, according to their terms, in society, and for women to have all the rights and dignities that they demand. But it isn't possible if each side looks on the other as an enemy." Support the podcast by subscribing here on Patreon. @BeebRoger @RogerBolton@mastodonapp.uk roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.