Podcasts about BBC Trust

How to measure the good life? According to Cambridge University's Professor of Public Policy, Diane Coyle, quantifying progress doesn't involve traditional economic metrics. In her new book, Measure of Progress, Coyle discusses how economic metrics like GDP, designed 80 years ago, are increasingly inadequate for measuring today's complex economy. She argues we need new approaches that account for digital transformation, supply chains, and long-term sustainability. Coyle suggests developing human-centric balance sheet measures that reflect true progress beyond simple growth numbers. Five Key Takeaways * Economic metrics like GDP were developed 80 years ago and are increasingly outdated for measuring today's complex digital economy with global supply chains.* We lack adequate tools to measure crucial modern economic factors such as data usage, cloud services, and cross-border supply chains.* Economic statistics have always been political in nature, from their historical origins to present debates about what counts as progress.* Coyle advocates for a "balance sheet" approach that considers long-term sustainability of resources rather than just short-term growth figures.* While productivity growth has slowed for many middle-income families over the past 20 years, Coyle rejects "degrowth" approaches, arguing instead for better metrics that capture true progress in living standards.Professor Dame Diane Coyle is the Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Diane co-directs the Bennett Institute where she heads research under the themes of progress and productivity. Her latest book is 'Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be', exploring the challenges for economics particularly in the context of digital transformation. Her current research focuses on productivity and on economic measurement: what does it mean for economic policy to make the world ‘better', and how would we know if it succeeds?Diane is also a Director of the Productivity Institute, a Fellow of the Office for National Statistics, and an expert adviser to the National Infrastructure Commission. She has served in public service roles including as Vice Chair of the BBC Trust, member of the Competition Commission, of the Migration Advisory Committee and of the Natural Capital Committee. Diane was Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester until March 2018 and was awarded a DBE for her contribution to economic policy in the 2023 King's Birthday Honours.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Richard Ayre is the chair of the UK's independent press regulator, Impress. Before that, he spent about thirty-five years at the BBC as a former controller of editorial policy and deputy chief executive of BBC News, before becoming a member of the BBC Trust. Richard is also a former member of the OFCOM content board. In this week's episode, we discuss BBC's DG Tim Davie and Chair Samir Shah's appearance in front of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport's select committee: the fallout from the Gaza documentary which was pulled after it was discovered the 13-year-old narrator had a family connection to Hamas, future funding models, the World Service, and the possibility of a generational charter.“There was a meeting between BBC executives and executives of the production company—a face-to-face meeting—to comply this film before it went out, and the BBC didn't press for an answer or didn't get an answer to the question about the connection of the kid's. That's very worrying, and that, I imagine, is where the BBC's inquiry is now going to unearth some bodies—or people likely to be bodies.” Listen to all our episodes here: https://podfollow.com/beebwatch To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month (NB we only charge for one creation per month): www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn't entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.comwww.goodeggproductions.uk Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Richard Westcott talks to Diane Coyle, Jacques Crémer, and Paul Seabright about Europe's position in competing with the US in technology. They explore the factors shaping Europe's place in the global tech race—how data, policy, investment, competition and culture influence its potential to compete with the US.Our experts unpack the challenges and opportunities for Europe's tech ecosystem. They consider whether Europe should aim to catch up with the US or focus on carving out its own path, questioning what success in innovation really looks like. Along the way, they discuss the role of data, risk-taking, the challenges of scaling up new ideas, and the structural and policy changes needed to support innovation in Europe.This episode is hosted by Richard Westcott (Cambridge University Health Partners and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus), and features experts Diane Coyle (Bennett Institute for Public Policy, University of Cambridge), Jacques Crémer (IAST), Paul Seabright (IAST)Season 4 Episode 6 transcriptListen to this episode on your preferred podcast platformFor more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett Institute and IAST visit our websites at https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/.Follow us on Linkedin, Bluesky and X. With thanks to:Audio production by Steve HankeyAssociate production by Burcu Sevde SelviVisuals by Tiffany Naylor and Aurore CarbonnelMore information about our host and guests:Podcast hostRichard Westcott is an award-winning journalist who spent 27 years at the BBC as a correspondent/producer/presenter covering global stories for the flagship Six and Ten o'clock TV news as well as the Today programme. Last year, Richard left the corporation and he is now the communications director for Cambridge University Health Partners and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, both organisations that are working to support life sciences and healthcare across the city. @BBCwestcottPodcast guestsDiane Coyle is the Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Diane co-directs the Bennett Institute where she heads research under the themes of progress and productivity. Diane's new book (April 2025) ‘The Measure of Progress: Counting what really matters' explores how outdated economic metrics are distorting our understanding of today's digital economy. Diane is also a member of the UK Government's Industrial Strategy Council, New Towns Taskforce, and advises the Competition and Markets Authority. She has served previously in a number of public service roles including as Vice Chair of the BBC Trust, member of the Competition Commission, and of the Natural Capital Committee. Diane was awarded a DBE in 2023 for her contribution to economics and public policy. @DianeCoyle1859Jacques Crémer is Professor at the Toulouse School of Economics. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society and of the European Economic Association. He has been the first director of the Digital Center since 2015.  In 2018-2019, as a Special Adviser to European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, he co-authored the report “Competition Policy for the Digital Era”. Jacques has done fundamental work on planning theory, auctions, incentive t

On The Captain's Table we are joined by Baroness Rona Fairhead, the former Chair of the BBC Trust and the Financial Times Group and current chair of RS Group. One of the most influential global business leaders of the past 30 years, she shares with us her passion for leadership, mentoring across a multitude of business sectors and geographies. Brought to you by Chair Mentors International.

Dame Elan Closs Stephens was the acting chair of the BBC after the resignation of Richard Sharp in June last year until her retirement in March. She was a member of the BBC's governing body since 2010, first serving as Member for Wales on the BBC Trust, until its dissolution in 2017, and then as the Welsh member of the BBC Board.On this week's episode we discussed what Dame Elan would like from a new Culture Secretary, her tenure as chair, impartiality, budget cuts and the decision making process, BBC future funding and regulation, Ofcom, BBC election coverage and appointment of BBC chairs.“I would like to go for some sort of cross party commission, I think it would give the chair more freedom to embrace, to be seen to be embracing different sides.”To support our journalism and receive a weekly blog sign up now for £1.99 per month: www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership Or if you'd rather make a one-off payment (which doesn't entitle you to the blog) please use our crowdfunding page: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/roger-boltons-beeb-watch-podcast @BeebRogerInstagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatchLinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watchemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com  Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of the Governance Podcast, Mark Pennington, the Director at the Study of Governance and Society here at King College London, interviews Professor Diane Coyle. This episode is titled "The data that is and that data the isn't: the pitfalls of using big data", and discusses the various uses and implications of big data in society, and the many pitfalls that may arise.  The Conversation ‘Big Data' fuels AI models like ChatGPT and the machine learning systems that are generating much debate about their promise – and peril – for decision-making. The impact of the technology will depend on the character of the data used. While the issue of data bias is well-understood (although not solved), less attention has been paid to other aspects such as data quality (is the data an accurate measure of the underlying object?), missing data (do we have only part of the picture?), and the meaning of data (how are the underlying concepts represented by the data constructed and interpreted)? As AI models are advancing fast enough to be deployed increasingly widely in society, there is a pressing need to reflect on the perspective on our social world created for them through the data on which they are trained and updated. The Guest Professor Diane Coyle is the Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Diane co-directs the Bennett Institute where she heads research under the themes of progress and productivity. Her latest book is ‘Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be‘ on how economics needs to change to keep pace with the twenty-first century and the digital economy. Diane is also a Director of the Productivity Institute, a Fellow of the Office for National Statistics, an expert adviser to the National Infrastructure Commission, and Senior Independent Member of the ESRC Council. She has served in public service roles including as Vice Chair of the BBC Trust, member of the Competition Commission, of the Migration Advisory Committee and of the Natural Capital Committee. Diane was Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester until March 2018 and was awarded a CBE for her contribution to the public understanding of economics in the 2018 New Year Honours.

The BBC's Gary Lineker crisis dragged on for yet another day - and appears to have come to an end. An ex-BBC Trust member joins live to discuss the corporation's reputational damage and what is likely to come next. The three-day walkout by junior doctors starts today. It's one of the largest in the history of the NHS. And Nick discusses the defence budget with Former Chief of the General Staff General Sir Peter Wall. All of this and more on this episode of the Nick Ferrari Whole Show Podcast.

“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.ukroger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Five days ago the Prime minister said the issues around Nadhim Zahawi “had been addressed in full” but has now called an his ethics advisor to look into the former chancellor and current Conservative chairman. There are also questions about BBC Chairman Richard Sharp's links with former PM Boris Johnson prior to his appointment. Today's Mishal Husain spoke to to Policing Minister Chris Philp about both issues. Amol Rajan spoke to former acting chair of the BBC Trust, Professor Diane Coyle & former Culture Minister Lord Vaizey. (By:Peter Nicholls - Credit : Reuters)

After over 50 years in broadcasting, and being fired twice by the BBC, Roger Bolton will cast a very independent eye on the public service broadcaster. No views will be censored, no question go unasked. Whether you care about, or are frustrated by, the BBC, this is the podcast for you. Whether you love or loathe the BBC this is the podcast for you.Roger Bolton, formerly presenter of BBC Radio 4's 'Feedback' launches his very first podcast. Free from the constraints of broadcasting on the BBC, with a few more opinions and casting his net a little bit wider to encompass the whole of the BBC, Roger examines the issues that are facing the corporation. As the BBC receives complaints about the lack of a republican point of view during the coverage of the Queen's death, Roger has tea with a group of neighbours to gauge their reactions to the BBC's coverage and talks to Richard Ayre a former BBC Trust board member who was put in charge of planning the coverage for a Royal death 40 years ago. Did they already have any plans in place?  Richard Ayre also talks about the challenges the BBC faces and the impact the financial squeeze has on its services. "The BBC has been saying ever since I was a kid that it was strapped for cash. It's now visible. It's visible what's happening on screen, on radio and online". Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Data and the Data Economy are increasingly important issues affecting all of society. Hear from a panel of experts on responsible technology and public policy discussing mental models of how value accrues in the Data Economy, how to form protective legislation and infrastructure, and dealing with extreme concentrations of power and wealth plaguing the data economy. This was originally aired on RxC TV as part of the 2021 RadicalxChange unConference Online.SpeakersSushant Kumar (@sushants) As Director on the Responsible Technology team, based in India, Sushant is focused on Omidyar Network's work on a new data paradigm, with a vision for technology that underpins greater individual empowerment, social opportunity, and user safety.Previously, Sushant was part of the intellectual capital team, helping to define Omidyar Network's strategy, research, impact, and learning agendas, with a focus on India.Prior to joining Omidyar Network, Sushant was a principal at Accenture Strategy, where he led major initiatives across consumer goods and technology industries. In this role, he advised clients in Europe, Africa, and India growth strategy, operating model transformations, and international expansion. Before Accenture, Sushant worked as a strategist with the GSM Association, and Capgemini, driving thought leadership across policy, consumer technology, and digital media sectors.Sushant earned his MBA from the London Business School and received a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi.Diane Coyle (@DianeCoyle1859)Professor Diane Coyle is the Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Diane co-directs the Bennett Institute where she heads research under the themes of progress and productivity. Her latest book is ‘Markets, State and People – Economics for Public Policy' examines how societies reach decisions about the use and allocation of economic resources. Her next book, 'Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be' is published on 12 October 2021.Diane is also a Director of the Productivity Institute, a Fellow of the Office for National Statistics, an expert adviser to the National Infrastructure Commission, and Senior Independent Member of the ESRC Council. She has served in public service roles including as Vice Chair of the BBC Trust, member of the Competition Commission, of the Migration Advisory Committee and of the Natural Capital Committee. Diane was Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester until March 2018 and was awarded a CBE for her contribution to the public understanding of economics in the 2018 New Year Honours.Matt Prewitt (@m_t_prewitt) Matt Prewitt is a lawyer, technologist, and writer. He is President of the RadicalxChange Foundation.

Professor Diane Coyle is the Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Professor Coyle co-directs the Bennett Institute where she heads research under the themes of progress and productivity. She is also a Director of the Productivity Institute, a Fellow of the Office for National Statistics, an expert adviser to the National Infrastructure Commission, and Senior Independent Member of the ESRC Council. She has served in public service roles including as Vice Chair of the BBC Trust, member of the Competition Commission, of the Migration Advisory Committee and of the Natural Capital Committee. Professor Coyle was awarded a CBE for her contribution to the public understanding of economics in the 2018 New Year Honours. Her new book, "Cogs and Monsters: What Economics Is, and What It Should Be," is available now.

How does a working class girl from Nottingham end up being Leader of the House of Lords? Tina Stowell isn't your stereotypical Baroness and as well as rising to one of the highest offices in the land has also worked closely with some major figures at big moments in recent history. This is full of gems including what it was like inside Number 10 working for John Major and her time as Head of Comms to the BBC Trust during the Hutton Inquiry. Tina is passionate about opportunity and has written an essay for the Social Market Foundation about the education divide. You can find the link to that below. Follow Tina on Twitter: @tinastowell NEW GUESTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE POLITICAL PARTY LIVE: 20 Dec: Christmas Special with Jacob Rees-Mogg and Rosena Allin-Khan10 Jan: Neil Kinnock24 Jan: Angela Rayner Buy tickets to The Political Party, live at The Duchess Theatre including the Christmas Special with JACOB REES-MOGG and ROSENA ALLIN-KHAN on Monday 20 December here: https://www.nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-political-party-with-matt-forde/ Read Tina's essay on the education divide: https://www.smf.co.uk/publications/education-divide/ Download Tina's podcast 'Tina Talks to Today's Britons' here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/tina-talks-to-todays-britons/id1586136742?i=1000536472532 Email the show: politicalpartypodcast@gmail.com Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattforde See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The BBC Trust, the governing body of the BBC, has published its response to last week's government green paper on the BBC Charter Review. The review will look at, amongst other things, how the BBC should be governed and regulated - with many thinking the new charter will spell the end of the Trust. In her first interview for The Media Show, Trust Chair Rona Fairhead discusses her vision for the future of the BBC, her involvement in the recent licence fee deal, and the legitimacy of the BBC's governance system.A new book, Innovators in Digital News, looks at how some news organisations - some old, some new - are succeeding with digital news. Drawing on first-hand research inside organisations, it explores how The Guardian, The New York Times, Quartz, BuzzFeed and Vice approach the field. Steve Hewlett talks to author Lucy Kung about how clear strategies and strong leaders are winning combinations that are enabling new digital brands to take on 'old stalwarts' to win the attention of online news audiences. As part of its once in a decade review of the UK digital communications market, OFCOM is considering whether BT should be completely separated from Openreach. Openreach, currently an infrastructure division of the BT Group, is responsible for looking after the fibres, wires and cables, providing wholesale access to broadband and telephone lines. Other providers like Sky and TalkTalk claim it provides poor service and that it gives BT an unfair advantage. BT is strongly opposed to a split saying it would threaten further investment in the network. Steve is joined by Matthew Howett, telecoms and technology analyst from independent consultancy Ovum.

Tim Hincks, the President of Endemol Shine, on defining and nurturing creativity, tackling the middle class bias in TV, why we should embrace the mainstream and why UK television is best when it engages with the rest of the world.Richard Ayre from the BBC Trust explains why the Trust has given a provisional and conditional go-ahead to BBC proposals to close BBC3 as a broadcast channel and move it online, and to extend the evening hours of CBBC - but has said no to the idea of BBC One +1.The former director of the BBC's London 2012 Olympic Games coverage, Roger Mosey discusses the International Olympic Committee's decision to award European TV rights to the games to the US communications company Discovery. How big a blow is it to the BBC and what will it mean for viewers?And we hear the latest on reports of further job cuts at the BBC as it faces what is claimed to be a £150M shortfall in anticipated income, as more viewers choose to watch TV exclusively via online catch-up services - which are exempt from the licence fee.

The BBC Trust says that the BBC's TV commissioning process is not sustainable. Currently, 50% is guaranteed for in house commissions, independent producers compete for 25% and the last 25% is open to all. However, the Trust says there is a strong case for reducing or even removing the 50% currently guaranteed for in house commissions. The decision opens the doors for Director General Tony Hall's BBC Compete or Compare strategy, announced last July. Andrea Catherwood is joined by James Purnell, BBC's Director of Strategy and Digital, and John McVay, Chief Executive of PACT to discuss the pros and cons of changing how BBC TV content is made and supplied.A survey conducted by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford has revealed that millions of young viewers have turned to online sources to access news content, "abandoning television news completely." Facebook was the most popular social network for news in all countries in the study except Japan, and it found that smart phones are the 'defining device' for consuming journalism. Andrea Catherwood talks to author Nic Newman from the Reuters Institute about what the findings tell us about changes in news consumption.Carlisle has become the 34th city to be awarded a local TV licence by Ofcom. However, much to the disappointment of the Local TV Network, this may be the last licence for some time: regulator Ofcom has said that until it makes a decision about what it's going to do with the 700 MHTZ spectrum, it won't be awarding any more licences. Whilst Ofcom has described this as a 'pause', Chairman of the Local TV Network Chris Johnson has some concerns. Andrea Catherwood talks to him about how this delay is affecting the roll-out of local TV.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, has set out his plans for the "my BBC" revolution; a more personal service that will use data to provide a more tailored experience for users, and enable the BBC to compete more effectively in the digital age. In a speech on Monday, he also spoke of his support for a proposed household levy to replace the current licence fee. In his first interview for The Media Show, Steve Hewlett talks to Tony Hall about his new strategy, and gets his views on how the organisation is funded, run, and governed. Steve asks him about the 'major changes' Tony Hall says are needed in order for the BBC to survive. They discuss what is being done to restore confidence in how the BBC is overseen, and whether Tony Hall has realised his ambition of creating a simpler, clearer organisation that offers the best value for money for licence fee payers. Also in the studio to discuss the main themes are Sir Michael Lyons, former Chairman of the BBC Trust; Samir Shar, Chief Executive of Juniper TV and former non-exec director of the BBC; and Lis Howell, Director of Broadcasting at City University. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The BBC's head of television Danny Cohen has publicly responded to a bid by two independent producers to buy BBC Three. Jon Thoday and Jimmy Mulville have submitted a proposal to the BBC Trust, outlining how their £100m bid would save the TV service from going online-only - a plan which is part of cost-saving measures at the corporation. Steve Hewlett hears from Jon and Jimmy about why they believe losing BBC Three's terrestrial presence is bad for licence fee payers, and he hears from Danny Cohen on why the bid is not viable. Live TV viewing in the UK is declining. According to BARB, which measures audiences, the latest figures show that 86 per cent of the population watched TV live in February, compared to 94 per cent five years ago. People instead are choosing to watch on their smartphones and via on-demand services. Steve Hewlett talks to Justin Sampson, Chief Executive of BARB, about how changing viewing habits will impact on advertising, and the new ways BARB is able to measure audiences more accurately. Two journalists who uncovered wrongdoing around bidding for the World Cup 2022 have won a prestigious award in recognition of their work. Jonathan Calvert and Heidi Blake from the Sunday Times Insight team were joint winners of the Paul Foot Award for investigative journalism, along with Private Eye writers Richard Brooks and Andrew Bousfield. Heidi and Jonathan's 'FIFA Files' scoop exposed how Qatar's top football official exploited his position to help secure votes. Steve Hewlett talks to them about the impact their work has had. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The head of the BBC Trust Rona Fairhead has said most people want an independent body to set the level of the licence fee. In her first major speech since joining, she voiced the importance of the public being involved in the BBC's Royal Charter negotiations, which are due to start this year. Steve Hewlett is joined by Tim Suter, former partner at Ofcom and Lis Howell, Director of Broadcasting at City University, to excavate the key points she made, and discuss how the public might get involved in deciding the future shape of the organisation. Satellite broadcaster Sky has reported that it's added 200,000 new customers in UK and Ireland in recent months- its highest growth in subscribers in nine years. This week, Sky's intervention ended one of sport's longest partnerships, when the BBC formally surrendered the rights to The Open Golf Championship. And this week Sky will go head to head with BT Sport as the deadline approaches for media players to submit sealed bids for the rights to show Premier League Football. Steve Hewlett talks to analyst Claire Enders about Sky's dominance in sports, and whether other media giants might enter the battle. Staying with Sky, and the launch this week of the broadcaster's own big budget production, Fortitude. The programme, which has cost around £25 million pounds, stars Michael Gambon and Sofie Gråbøl. It launched simultaneously on Sky across Europe, now that Sky, Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia are combined. Steve Hewlett talks to Sky's Head of Entertainment Stuart Murphy about the broadcaster's strategy to diversify away from sport and invest in drama, what success will look like for Fortitude, and how pan European transmission impacts on profits. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The BBC's plans to close BBC Three as a broadcast channel and re-invent it as online service in Autumn 2015 have been submitted to the BBC Trust. The proposals will generate savings of £50 million. Eighty percent of the new budget will be spent on long form programmes like 'Murdered by My Boyfriend' and twenty percent will go on non traditional content such as micro videos and listicles. Traditional genres like dramas and comedy will be replaced by the strands 'Make Me Think' and 'Make Me Laugh'. Alongside this, the BBC Executive also proposes launching a BBC One+1 channel, extending the hours for CBBC and enhancing BBC iPlayer. Danny Cohen, BBC Director of Television, explains the thinking behind BBC 3's new incarnation and Lis Howell, Director of Broadcasting at City University, gives her verdict on the proposals.The Press Recognition Panel, created by the Royal Charter on self-regulation of the Press, came in to being last month. As recommended by the Leveson report, the recognition panel will decide whether or not any new system of press regulation measures up to the Royal Charter. However, the regulator IPSO,(the Independent Press Standards Organisation) to which the majority of newspaper and magazine publishers have signed up, has decided not to seek recognition. Following the Panel's first board meeting, where does it go from here? The panel's chair, barrister David Wolfe QC, joins Steve.Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of The Guardian, has announced he will stand down from his current role at Guardian Media Group in the summer. Steve hears from the former editor of the Guardian Peter Preston.Producer: Dianne McGregor.

BBC One is the UK's most watched channel, with more than 40 million viewers tuning in each week. A BBC Trust review published earlier this year found the channel consistently produced high quality programmes but many viewers felt that the channel appeared to play it safe in programming and scheduling - particularly during peak time. In her first radio interview, since taking up the position, Charlotte Moore, Controller BBC One talks to Steve about her strategy for the channel, taking more risks in programming, balancing populism with public service as well as engaging the hard to reach audiences.Serial, the new podcast from the creators of 'This American Life' is using a combination of innovative storytelling and investigative journalism to top the podcast charts in both the US and the UK. Steve is joined by Observer radio critic Miranda Sawyer, who has founded her own Facebook Serial 'addicts' group, to explore what makes it such a compelling use of the audio medium and what example it sets for traditional radio networks, 10 years after the birth of the podcast.Patrick Collins, one of the most widely read of British sports journalists, has just announced his retirement. His career began in newspapers fifty years ago, and includes over thirty years at the Mail on Sunday. He's covered 10 football World Cups and every summer Olympic Games since 1972, bar one. Steve speaks to him about his career and the changing nature of sports journalism.Producer: Dianne McGregor.

The BBC Trust has approved a new service for Radio 1 and 1Xtra, which will see it having its own TV channel on the BBC iPlayer from next week. It's hoped the channel will lead to an incremental 310,000 hours of viewing per month, and help the BBC establish a relationship with its younger viewers. But whilst it can offer the services, can the BBC offer the content that young people want? Steve Hewlett talks to former Radio 1 Managing Editor Paul Robinson.It's a tough time for international news broadcasters; competition is fierce, and many networks are laying off staff. Not so for Al Jazeera English, which has been recruiting in a bid to boost the channel's "core strength" of eyewitness reporting. Managing Director Al Anstey joins Steve Hewlett to discuss why they're putting this at the centre of their news strategy; and nearly a year since the arrest of Peter Greste and others, Steve asks him how the imprisonment and trial of fellow colleagues has impacted on staff morale.A new online platform called Blendle is allowing readers in Holland to buy newspaper articles individually, or their money back. It has 140,000 users and has just received financial backing from the New York Times and German publisher Axel Springer. Steve asks one of the founders Alexander Klopping how it can boost readership, and whether it can work elsewhere.The fierce competition between BT Sport and Sky Sports continued week. The CEO of BT Gavin Patterson claimed Sky is bribing customers by giving away free broadband; Sky hit back saying that was on the day BT ran full page adverts enticing customers with free broadband and sports. Claire Enders from Enders Analysis gives Steve the inside track on how this ties in with sports rights.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Two of the founding members of the BBC Trust leave their position this week. David Liddiment and Alison Hastings have seen the governing body through some tough times over the last few years, dealing with upsets like Savile, executive pay and the collapse of the Digital Media Initiative. Steve Hewlett talks to them about the challenges, dilemmas, and their views on the future of what some have described as a discredited arm of the organisation.The House of Lords heard evidence this week about the representation of women in news and current affairs broadcasting both on and off screen. A number of recent studies have indicated concern about of women in terms of employment, casting and participation. Steve Hewlett hears from two experts who gave evidence to the Inquiry - Suzanne Franks, Professor of Journalism at City University London and author of 'Women and Journalism' and Jane Martinson, Head of Media at the Guardian. Steve also hears from Dorothy Byrne, Head of News and Current Affairs at Channel 4.The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) says it's considering whether to continue with a full investigation into the Sunday Mirror for the sex sting carried out against MP Brooks Newmark, despite the complaint against the newspaper being dropped. It would be the first time that a press regulator has continued to investigate a complaint in the absence of a complainant, and could be a significant precedent. Steve talks to Jane Martinson, Head of Media at the Guardian, who has been following the story.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

Rona Fairhead, the former FT Group chief executive, has been announced as the Government's preferred choice as BBC Trust chair. Her nomination comes at a challenging time for the BBC, in the run up to Charter renewal and concerns over governance. Steve hears from John Gapper, former colleague, and Associate Editor of the Financial Times, about what she could bring to the role; former Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell MP, who introduced the BBC Trust as a system of governance, and Phil Harding, former BBC news editor and Controller of Editorial Policy, about what her appointment may mean for the Trust, and the BBC.The BBC and South Yorkshire Police appeared before MPs yesterday, regarding the search of Sir Cliff Richard's home in Berkshire. The police and the BBC cooperated with each other, which ended in the BBC having cameras and a helicopter at the singer's home when the police turned up to raid it. Hundreds of people complained about the footage. However, Chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, Keith Vaz said the BBC had behaved, 'perfectly properly'. Steve Hewlett is joined by the BBC's head of newsgathering, Jonathan Munro, to discuss the operational decisions the organisation made.The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) will replace the Press Complaints Commission next week. The majority of the UK's national press has elected to be subject to its regulation. The Press Gazette is the latest to sign up, and it's understood that a decision will be made by the Guardian shortly. However, there's still concern that ISPO is not independent enough. Executive Director of Hacked Off Joan Smith, Press Gazette editor Dominic Ponsford, and former Guardian editor and Observer columnist Peter Preston, join Steve.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

A House of Lords report says that The European Court of Justice's demand for internet search engines to respect individuals', "right to be forgotten" is unworkable. The ECJ ruled in May that links to data should be erased on request, which has led to Google receiving more than 70,000 applications. Emma Barnett talks to Lord John Sharkey who sits on the committee which authored the report, and asks UK Information Commissioner Christopher Graham, who would adjudicate on requests rejected by search engines, how he will assess whether individuals will have a, 'right to be forgotten'. The BBC wants to close BBC Three as a broadcast TV channel in autumn 2015 and move it online. It comes at a time when the BBC is being urged to tackle its declining reach among young viewers and black, Asian and minority ethnic audiences. Whilst the plans still have to be approved by the BBC Trust, viewer Jono Read is so concerned he has started a petition to Save BBC3. Emma Barnett talks to him, and Natt Tapley, a comedy writer and performer who has written for the channel. Regional TV station London Live has applied to Ofcom to reduce its commitment to local programming. It wants to air just one hour of local programming during the prime time evening slot, compared to the current three. London Live says it's because it's not pulling in as much advertising revenue as it had hoped. Nigel Dacre, the Chair of the Local TV Network, explains why some stations may want to revisit their programming commitments, whilst columnist Roy Greenslade says London Live's application proves that local TV isn't working. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, has announced plans that have been described as a, "historical moment", for BBC production. He wants to scrap quotas, which currently guarantee 50 per cent of TV programmes are made in-house. Whilst still to be approved by the BBC Trust, it's a move which has been largely welcomed by the independent sector, and rival broadcasters. Steve Hewlett talks to Natalie Humphreys, Controller of BBC Factual & Daytime Production about the proposals, and how it could impact the BBC, and Cat Lewis, Vice Chair of PACT and CEO of Nine Lives Media, a small independent production company.The team behind the television show Benefits Street has confirmed it will film a follow-up series on immigration in Southampton. The Channel 4 show, with the working title "Immigration Street", will be shown next year. The six-part series is being filmed on Derby Road in the Bevois area of the city. Channel 4 called it "an ethnically diverse street where the majority of residents were not born in the UK". However, local residents are concerned the programme will bring unwanted attention to the area. We hear from local councillor and resident Satvir Kaur about why she doesn't want a documentary on such an emotive issue being made in her area.The press regulator IMPRESS has today announced plans for an arbitration service, which it says will reduce legal costs for the press and public alike. A service like this, offering affordable access to justice, was one of Sir Brian Leveson's central recommendations for press regulators in November 2012. Steve Hewlett talks to Jonathan Heawood, Founding Director of the IMPRESS Project, about whether they can offer a viable alternative to the other press regulator IPSO. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

John Plunkett and guests discuss the options open to the UK broadcaster's new US owners. Plus former culture secretary Ben Bradshaw MP on the likely successors to Lord Patten at the BBC Trust

Lord Patten has stood down from his role as chairman of the BBC Trust due to ill health. The former cabinet minister who took the job in 2011, has presided over a time which included three director generals and scandals such as excessive executive pay. Now begins the quest to find a replacement. But, with charter renewal due in 2016, and the very future of the BBC Trust being debated, finding the right candidate could prove challenging. Chair of the DCMS Select Committee John Whittingdale talks to Steve Hewlett about the kind of person required, and former Trustee Richard Tait about how this could impact on the organisation.American media group Viacom which owns Nickleodeon, MTV and Comedy Central has bought Channel 5 for £450 million. It will be the first US broadcaster to buy a UK channel with a public service remit. Why is Channel 5 so attractive to Viacom? And what are they likely to do with it? We hear from Tara Conlan, media reporter for the Guardian.Jeremy Paxman has announced he's to leave Newsnight in order to get to bed at a decent time. Famous for his acerbic interrogation of guests, he's long been the programmes most popular presenter. So, what now for a programme that's been suffering a decline in audience figures? Steve Hewlett talks to two former Newsnight editors, Richard Tait and Sian Kevell, about the direction they'd now take the programme.Scotland's Sunday Herald has become the first mainstream newspaper to support independence. Is it a cynical ploy to boost readership? The paper say it will remain balanced in it reporting but how easy is it to do when you have come out in favour of the Yes campaign. Steve speaks to Richard Walker, editor of the Sunday Herald about the decision.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

A BBC Trust review into the corporation's news and current affairs output says t it needs to do more to make an impact. The report found that audiences looking for quality investigative journalism rated Channel 4 higher than the BBC. It also said that on and off screen diversity needs to be addressed. In his first interview for the Media Show, James Harding, head of BBC News, sets out how he's going to improve coverage. Also in the studio; Richard Sambrook former director of Global News and the BBC and Stewart Purvis, non-executive director of Channel Four and former editor in Chief at ITN, discuss how improvements might be made at a time when money needs to be saved. Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert, has been appointed non-executive co-chairman of both entertainment company 21st Century Fox and global newspaper company News Corp, alongside his father. He's finally been persuaded to rejoin the family business, and now looks set to be the heir to his father's empire. Richard Aedy, Presenter of The Media Report on ABC Radio National in Sydney, Australia - where Lachlan has been based - tells Steve Hewlett what's being made of the appointments back in the Murdochs' home country.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

The Oscar Pistorius trial has grabbed TV audiences around the world. Three remote controlled cameras in the court room have provided compellingly dramatic fodder for rolling news channels right around the world. The footage is broadcast by a TV channel set up specifically for the trial - which persuaded the courts to allow cameras in for the first time. George Mazarakis, the head of the Channel, talks to Laura Kuenssberg about why he campaigned for access and the BBC's Legal Correspondent Clive Coleman explains why similar coverage couldn't be shown here. Until recently, the Sunday tabloids had been relatively unscathed by consumers' changing habits and preferences. However, the latest newspaper latest circulation figures show they're finally being hit. Last month the average weekend red top circulation fell nearly twelve percent - sliding now, far faster than the circulation of their broadsheet rivals. Douglas McCabe from Enders Analysis explains why. The BBC Trust has announced for the first time a full review of how programmes are commissioned. Some within the commercial sector are calling for programme output to be shared equally between in-house and independents, while others are calling for BBC in house programme guarantees, which currently stands at 50 per cent for TV and 80 per cent for radio, to be abolished altogether. Those against the move argue that if this was to happen then the smaller independents would lose out. So should the BBC alter or axe in house production guarantees and full open up the system open it up to competition? John McVay, Chief Executive of PACT and Pat Younge, the BBC's former Chief Creative Officer discuss. Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

John Plunkett and guests review the Oxford Media Convention and speeches by culture secretary Maria Miller and Tony Hall

MPs have expressed concern about the future funding and growing commercialisation of the World Service. The BBC Trust has agreed that, subject to clearance from government, the World Service can broadcast a limited amount of advertising and sponsored content that is not news and current affairs, from 1 April, when the BBC moves to licence fee funding. Steve Hewlett asks Peter Horrocks about how the audience feels about adverts, and questions him over whether featuring commercial products would threaten the network's impartiality.Reports this week say ITV has held talks with BBC presenter Susanna Reid in a bid to revive its fortunes in the TV breakfast wars. It's understood Daybreak is set to have another presenter change, with Richard Bacon and Dermot O'Leary also reported to be in the running. It's the latest in a series of relaunches the programme has had since it began in September 2010 in a bid to pull in audiences. Steve Hewlett talks to former head of ITV Daytime Dianne Nelmes, and Liam Hamilton, launch editor and former executive producer of GMTV, about how to save flailing breakfast programmes. Reader's Digest is a 76 year old UK publication which, in its heydey, was one of the most popular magazines in the UK. Now, however, it's circulation has dropped to under 200,000. This weekend, it was bought for a nominal sum - said to be £1 - by entrepreneur Mike Luckwell. He says he wants to return the magazine to its glory days by boosting subscribers, offering direct marketing, and potentially putting the website behind a paywall. Steve Hewlett talks to him about how to reshape the magazine, at a time when circulation across the whole of the industry, is falling. Producer: Katy Takatsuki Editor: Andrew Smith.

Danny Cohen, the head of the BBC's television output, has promised viewers that the corporation will not make any more all-male comedy panel shows. Back in December, BBC producers were told that they had to address this following new sex-representation objectives set by the BBC Trust. Steve Hewlett gets the views of stand up comic Jenny Eclair who, despite having a host of TV credits under her belt, has never been invited onto a panel show. And he asks award winning producer and former BBC head of comedy Jon Plowman the insiders view on why women, historically, haven't made it onto these shows.Investigative journalist and former Panorama reporter Tom Bower has written many unauthorised no-holds-barred works of powerful people from Robert Maxwell to Conrad Black. Bernie Ecclestone called him "the undertaker", due to his talent for, "burying reputations". His latest project is a second biography of Richard Branson. Steve Hewlett talks to Tom about the challenges of undertaking this kind of investigative work, and discusses the cultural importance of the expose biography.The Egyptian authorities have charged the British Al Jazeera English correspondent Sue Turton with aiding terrorists. Sue along with her British colleague Dominic Kane face charges of spreading false news, bringing Egypt in to disrepute and conspiring with terrorists. Sue talks about her experience of working out in Egypt and her charge, in absentia.It has more than 240 million monthly active users, and is available in 35 languages, however, after announcing losses for 2013, Twitter shares tumbled last week. Steve Hewlett asks Katherine Rushton, US Business Editor of the Telegraph Media Group, whether the social networking site is too niche to grow.Producer: Katy Takatsuki Editor: Andrew Smith.

Today the BBC Trust published a report by PwC into the BBC's failed Digital Media Initiative (DMI) technology project. Serious weaknesses were found in the management of the programme. Also, this week the Public Accounts Committee criticised a 'culture of cronyism' at the BBC for allowing excessive payouts to be made to some of its top departing executives. The journalist Simon Jenkins and Jean Seaton, Professor of Media History at the University of Westminster, discuss the culture and future governance of the BBC.The social sharing news and entertainment site BuzzFeed attracted more than 10 million unique UK users in November. The site is best known for its light-hearted collection of lists such as 'The 24 most important selfies' or 'The 12 most tenuous newspaper headlines about Kate Middleton in 2013'. Luke Lewis, UK Editor talks about BuzzFeed becoming a serious news player.The Danish public service broadcaster, DR, has enjoyed considerable success with The Killing and Borgen. Danish academic Dr Eva Novrup Redvall, author of a new book 'Writing and Producing Television Drama in Denmark', has spent time observing the writers' room for Borgen. She argues its success is due to the position of writers within the production culture. TV scriptwriter and author Anthony Horowitz, who is currently in production with a new series of Foyles War, talks about the writing process here in the UK.Producer: Dianne McGregor.

John Plunkett talks to the new chief of the Radio Academy – plus how is WPP's Group M influencing TV commissions?

The broadcaster tells John Plunkett where the corporation has gone wrong, plus reaction to last week's committee hearing

In a week where the future of the BBC Trust has been called into question, we ask what alternative structures of governance might look like? BBC Trustee Richard Ayre joins Steve Hewlett to defend the Trust's performance, and a panel including former BBC and OFCOM executive Tim Suter, and former trustee and Newsnight editor Professor Richard Tait, discuss what a new governing body might look like and whether it would do a better job. And, a new report says earnings for top TV writers have risen by more than 30 per cent in the last 5 years. We ask what impact this has on commissioning budgets, and find out how a reliance on one or two star writers is making it harder to export programmes to the US.Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

How did Lord Patten and Tony Hall fare against MPs? What questions must former director general Mark Thompson face? John Plunkett and guests Lisa Campbell and Paul Robinson find out

This afternoon, the BBC's Chairman and Director General are before the MPs on the Public Accounts Committee. Lord Patten and Lord Hall are answering questions about the size of compensation payments made to senior executives who left the BBC in the last few years, some of them greater than contractually allowed. Tara Conlan reports from the hearing - she is a long term BBC watcher in her role at the Guardian. One of the questions raised by the National Audit Office report into the payments relates to the BBC Trust and whether it can adequately supervise or inspect the BBC board decisions. Tim Suter, a founding partner of Ofcom and Claire Enders of Enders Analysis discuss what changes need to be made to the way the BBC is governed, if any, in the interests of licence payers.Brian Cathcart is a founder of the Hacked Off campaign. He responds to the announcement this week of plans for a replacement to the Press Complaints Commission, proposed by the industry. These plans are linked to the so-called Rival Royal Charter which the industry has put forward and is being considered by the Privy Council today.And what impact might the secret recording of his meeting at The Sun have on Rupert Murdoch? The Commons Media Select Committee has invited him to return to explain his comments, which relate to a range of controversial subjects including the extent to which Fleet Street paid police for information. Claire Enders and Brian Cathcart are joined by Peter Preston, former Guardian editor.Presenter: Steve Hewlett Producer: Simon TillotsonEditor: Andy Smith.

John Plunkett is back with a roundup of the week's media news, featuring analysis of the BBC Trust - has it got a handle on impartiality at the corporation? Plus, Richard Bacon reveals how to keep abreast of fashion when you have no time

The BBC Trust came in for strong criticism this week in a National Audit Office report on severance payments for senior BBC managers. Following this, Public Accounts Committee chairman Margaret Hodge MP said "There are real issues for the Trust - what are they there for but to protect licence-fee payers interests?" She added the Digital Media Initiative project, recently shut down at a cost of £100m, as another case where the governance structure appeared not to be working properly. Steve puts the case for reform to BBC Trustee David Liddiment.Channel 4 is to broadcast a film of a murder trial next week, the first UK case to be shown in almost 20 years. It comes as the government confirms that Appeal Court hearings may be televised from October, subject to restrictions. The director of C4's "The Murder Trial", Nick Holt, discusses the programme and the issues with Simon Bucks, associate editor, Sky News and Frances Gibb, legal correspondent of The Times. The programme will be shown on C4 on 9th July at 9pm.And Nick Robinson, BBC political editor, updates Steve on developments in the press regulation process. This follows confirmation that the industry's alternative Royal Charter will be considered next week by the Privy Council, some three months before the possible date for considering the charter approved by Parliament.Presenter: Steve Hewlett Producer: Simon Tillotson Editor: Andy Smith.

We look at the latest radio listening figures, plus, former Radio 1 DJ Mike Smith lays into commercial stations and John Humphrys discusses his Sony win

Almost three hundred million people across the world consume BBC content every week. But does the BBC deserve your trust? After going through a prolonged internal crisis marked by serious internal failings HARDtalk speaks to the ultimate overseer of the BBC, Chairman of the BBC Trust, Chris Patten. He insists it's the best broadcaster in the world. Stephen Sackur asks if you should believe him.

On today's programme with Steve Hewlett: How well did the BBC cover the Arab Spring? The BBC Trust commissioned a report from Middle East expert and former UN director of communications Edward Mortimer who found much to praise but also had some constructive criticism, detecting the absence of a central strategic brain overseeing the coverage. He explains what he thought the BBC could have done better and Stephen Mitchell, BBC deputy director of news, responds.With the news this week of plans to split the NewsCorp business into entertainment and publishing companies, what's the view of the UK papers from NewsCorp's home in New York? Sarah Ellison's been following the Murdoch family interests since her time at the Wall Street Journal and extensively since with Vanity Fair and gives her reaction to the latest developments.And the rights to show the 2016 Olympics are up for auction this week, with sealed bids being opened on Friday. The IOC president Jacques Rogge has said "anything is possible" with the rights, raising the possibility that they will not be shown to their fullest extent on free to air tv. The Guardian's Olympics editor, Owen Gibson, reports from the Olympic Park. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

On today's programme with Steve Hewlett:Why was BT prepared to pay so much for the rights to show Premiership football? Marc Watson is chief executive of BT Vision and he explains the strategy, while analyst Mathew Horsman of Mediatique looks at the implications for consumers and for rivals BSkyB.The Leveson Inquiry has raised concerns over a story in the Mail on Sunday this weekend which alleged Lord Justice Leveson threatened to quit over comments from Michael Gove - a claim he strongly denies. Anne McElvoy of The Economist and Professor Brian Cathcart from the Hacked Off campaign discuss whether the inquiry really does have the "chilling effect" on the media which some claim and whether the inquiry's response to the Mail on Sunday's story is proportionate. And Steve talks to Mark Damazer of St Peter's College, Oxford, about the variety of voices on the BBC. A report from Ofcom this week said there's a potential risk that people who consume the BBC's services don't get a wide enough range of voices and suggests the BBC Trust should monitor this. Mark Damazer is a former controller of Radio 4. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Paul Staines ("Guido Fawkes") has been praised and criticised for publishing the leaked Motorman files relating to News International this week. These files appear to show the names of journalists who asked private investigator Steve Whittamore for information on hundreds of people, most of them not public names, along with the names of those people. Qualified praise comes from campaigners such as Hacked Off who say the files should be published but with the names of the public concealed, while unqualified criticism comes from the Information Commissioner Christopher Graham. Steve Hewlett talks to all three - Staines, Graham and Hacked Off's Brian Cathcart.Facebook's to buy photo sharing programme Instagram for $1billion. a little more than a year since it started up. The Telegraph's Emma Barnett looks at the reaction and at what the next steps will be.The BBC Trust has just published the job specification for the next Director General which, among other details, says that editorial background and commercial acumen would be "nice to have" but not "must have". Former BBC trustee and news editor Professor Richard Tait asks what kind of candidate the headhunters are looking for.The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Last week the Chairman of the BBC Trust, Lord Patten, announced he's started looking for a successor for the current Director General, Mark Thompson. The following day Thompson reportedly confirmed he'll step down after the Olympics. Is he going voluntarily or is he being pushed? And what qualities will his replacement need to have? Steve discusses BBC Director General succession with former DG Greg Dyke.The Sunday Times magazine is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend. Steve looks back on half a century of iconic photojournalism with the current editor Sarah Baxter and photographers Stuart Franklin and Chris Floyd.Lord Hunt of Wirral, the new chairman of the Press Complaint Commission, took the stand at the Leveson Inquiry on Tuesday. He used the opportunity to set out his plans for a reformed 'PCC 2'. But are they any good, and will they satisfy victims of press misbehaviour? Charlotte Harris is a lawyer who's represented several victims of phone hacking and had her phone hacked herself. She joins Steve and Media Editor at The Guardian, Dan Sabbagh, to discuss Lord Hunt's proposals. And in a week which has seen four people from The Sun arrested as part of an ongoing police investigation into corruption, Dan stays on to discuss the prospects for the launch of a Sun on Sunday. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Last Autumn BBC management proposed a wide-ranging series of cuts which would see the Corporation's local radio services cut by 20%. As the BBC Trust prepares to publish the results of its consultation on the plan, Steve talks to Lord Patten, Chair of the Trust. Will the cuts go ahead? And if not, what can the BBC do instead to make the savings?Plus, Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, on the Government's plans for the communications sector, to be laid out for consultation early this year. The producer is Simon Tillotson.

Last week, as the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World escalated, Lord Fowler joined The Media Show to discuss the shocking allegations. A week later the News of the World has closed and News International is under serious pressure. Lord Fowler joins Steve again to discuss the difference a week makes and the implications for News Corporation's future. Since taking over as Chairman of the BBC Trust in May, Lord Patten has addressed the issue of "toxic" BBC executive pay, suggested the BBC streamline the complaints system and urged programme makers against representing a "small metropolitan pond of stereotypes." Lord Patten outlines his plans for the BBC at a time when it is facing significant cuts.Last week the Press Complaints Commission came under fire for its handling of the phone hacking scandal. After being described by Ed Miliband as a "toothless poodle" and by David Cameron as "ineffective and lacking in rigour" the PCC faces questions about its future. Stephen Abell, the director of the PCC, discusses whether it can survive.

Mary Ann Sieghart explores the life and career of Lord Patten, the Conservative peer who has achieved a number of high profile posts in a long political career. A former speechwriter for Margaret Thatcher, he became a 'One Nation' Conservative, serving in a number of ministerial roles before accepting the Chairmanship of the party in difficult political times. He steered his party to victory in the 1992 general election but lost his own seat in the process. He was quickly installed as the Governor of Hong Kong, managing the handover of the former colony to China. He also oversaw the handing over of police powers in Northern Ireland and served as European Commissioner. Now he's the preferred candidate to take control of the BBC Trust in another, new role.