The Media Show
Encyclopedia
The Media Show is a British
current affairs
radio
programme and podcast
on BBC Radio 4
which examines the current state of the media
. The first episode was broadcast at 13:30 on 1 October 2008, with episodes broadcast weekly. It is presented by Steve Hewlett, a columnist for The Guardian
newspaper and visiting Professor of Journalism and Broadcast policy at the University of Salford
. However, at times when Hewlett has not been present, Edward Stourton has acted as guest host. The series is seen by some as a replacement of The Message, a previous BBC Radio 4 series covering the media hosted by Jenni Murray
, that was axed earlier in 2008.
, television
, radio, online
and telecommunications. It also features discussions into various media areas such as creativity
, culture
, censorship
, business
and ethics
. Hewlett said of the programme that: "I hope the programme will be able to lift the lid on many of the current stories within the media, offering genuine insight and intelligence, making this show a must-listen for both those within the industry – but always accessible to a wider audience of those interested in a subject that affects all our lives."
said that she was pleased that the show covered, "a pleasing range of stories" and that it was better than The Message because, "It's better to have a BBC outsider hosting [compared to insider Murray], and to place the show right in the middle of the week, allowing some looking back, but also some consideration of the unfolding media stories that will dominate the rest of the week." However, Mahoney criticised the way it dealt with the Russell Brand Show prank telephone calls row
saying that, "you'd hope for in-depth analysis and insight. Instead, they left the story until last, and zipped through it."
The Daily Telegraph was cautious about the series before it was broadcast, in particular in relation to Hewlett, saying: "Can he voice on a BBC show such astringent comment on the Corporation's flaws as he does in print? His sources at Ofcom
are enviable; will they dry up now he is inside the BBC? Ask me a year from now."
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
programme and podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
which examines the current state of the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
. The first episode was broadcast at 13:30 on 1 October 2008, with episodes broadcast weekly. It is presented by Steve Hewlett, a columnist for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper and visiting Professor of Journalism and Broadcast policy at the University of Salford
University of Salford
The University of Salford is a campus university based in Salford, Greater Manchester, England with approximately 20,000 registered students. The main campus is about west of Manchester city centre, on the A6, opposite the former home of the physicist, James Prescott Joule and the Working Class...
. However, at times when Hewlett has not been present, Edward Stourton has acted as guest host. The series is seen by some as a replacement of The Message, a previous BBC Radio 4 series covering the media hosted by Jenni Murray
Jenni Murray
Dame Jennifer Susan "Jenni" Murray, DBE is a British journalist and broadcaster. She attended Barnsley Girls High School and has a degree in French and Drama from Hull University...
, that was axed earlier in 2008.
Structure
The Media Show looks at various different kinds of media, including printPrinting
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, radio, online
ONLINE
ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....
and telecommunications. It also features discussions into various media areas such as creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
, culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
, censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
, business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
. Hewlett said of the programme that: "I hope the programme will be able to lift the lid on many of the current stories within the media, offering genuine insight and intelligence, making this show a must-listen for both those within the industry – but always accessible to a wider audience of those interested in a subject that affects all our lives."
Reception
Reviews of The Media Show have been mixed. Elisabeth Mahoney in The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said that she was pleased that the show covered, "a pleasing range of stories" and that it was better than The Message because, "It's better to have a BBC outsider hosting [compared to insider Murray], and to place the show right in the middle of the week, allowing some looking back, but also some consideration of the unfolding media stories that will dominate the rest of the week." However, Mahoney criticised the way it dealt with the Russell Brand Show prank telephone calls row
Russell Brand Show prank telephone calls row
The Russell Brand Show prank telephone calls row concerned a series of voice messages that English entertainers Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross left on the answering machine of actor Andrew Sachs, which were labelled obscene by many media commentators and politicians...
saying that, "you'd hope for in-depth analysis and insight. Instead, they left the story until last, and zipped through it."
The Daily Telegraph was cautious about the series before it was broadcast, in particular in relation to Hewlett, saying: "Can he voice on a BBC show such astringent comment on the Corporation's flaws as he does in print? His sources at Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
are enviable; will they dry up now he is inside the BBC? Ask me a year from now."