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Media Confidential

Prospect Magazine
Donald Trump
BBC
Journalism
Elon Musk
Washington Post
Social Media
Artificial Intelligence
Financial Times
Prospect Magazine
Press Freedom
Democracy
Media Coverage
Jeff Bezos
GB News
Rupert Murdoch
Investigative Journalism
Ofcom
Gaza
Trump Administration
Misinformation

Alan Rusbridger and Lionel Barber—two of the world’s greatest editors—dive into the hugely important world of media. What—and who—drives it? What do they get right... And what do they get wrong?

Lionel, former editor of the Financial Times, and Alan, editor of Prospect and former editor of the Guardian, will bring you revealing, high profile interviews and in-depth discussion.

Media Confidential i... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes242Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews

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Latest Episodes

Billionaires, millionaires and biohackers are plying themselves with supplements and consulting AI to extend their lives indefinitely. But would you want to live forever? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist and author Katherine Stewar... more

In today’s Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel discuss the death of Professor Jason Arday, the Cambridge academic who took his own life last week after weeks of media scrutiny.

The former editors analyse how a story about plagiarism turned into a Fl... more

In this week’s Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel are joined by Jonathan Shainin, founding editor of Equator, a new longform publication with ambitions to challenge inherited assumptions about journalism—and the world it describes.

The three discus... more

As Andy Burnham marks his first two weeks in Downing Street, the polls are registering a bump in support for Labour. This week, Ellen Halliday and Imaan Irfan are joined by Prospect’s contributing editor Tom Clark to assess the prime minister’s first... more

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Recent Guests

Tom Clark
Contributing editor at Prospect, analyst on Labour politics
Prospect Magazine
Episode: How long will the ‘Burnham bounce’ last?
Patrick Radden Keefe
Staff writer at The New Yorker; author
The New Yorker
Episode: Patrick Radden Keefe: ‘I’m not your therapist. I’m not your PR person. I’m a journalist’
Maggie Haberman
White House correspondent for the New York Times, author
New York Times
Episode: Corruption, convictions and vengeance: Maggie Haberman on the inside story of the second Trump presidency
Iain Dale
Radio broadcaster, journalist, commentator on LBC
LBC
Episode: Iain Dale: I'm a Conservative but I don't do propaganda (unlike GB News)
Lachlan Cartwright
Founder of Breaker, muckraking journalist
Breaker
Episode: Lachlan Cartwright: ‘American media became a propaganda arm to get Trump elected’
Beeban Kidron
polymath, writer, filmmaker, activist, politician
Author of Users, What Big Tech Don't Want You to Know
Episode: Beeban Kidron: What the Online Safety Act gets right (and wrong)
David Folkenflik
Veteran NPR media correspondent
National Public Radio
Episode: The 60 Minutes meltdown: inside the power struggles reshaping America’s iconic news show
David Fulton-Flick
Correspondent from National Public Radio
National Public Radio
Episode: Henry Nowak and how the media fuels racism
Joshi Herrmann
Founder of The Mill, Manchester-based media startup that expanded to seven cities
The Mill
Episode: Joshi Herrmann ‘If we're going to devolve more power to places like Greater Manchester we’re going to need to bulk up the quality of the local media.’

Hosts

Alan Rusbridger
Editor at Prospect Magazine; former Editor of The Guardian; long-form interview experience and deep media insight.
Lionel Barber
Former editor of the Financial Times; co-host with decades of newsroom leadership and industry perspective.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 220 ratings
  • Independent thinking journalism

    Great to hear people with principles talking about real facts

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nrthnrth
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Excellent but too short

    Very interesting podcast, but once the adverts are priced in, it’s far too short to be fully engaging.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    TIEITM
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Another Statler and Waldorf Show

    In a world of too many podcasts you would have thought that someone could set the mic levels better, encourage them not to mumble and balance the intro sting music properly. That and the inexplicable number of adverts make it an ordeal even when the guests are interesting.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Badmariner
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • Succumbs to Israeli propaganda

    Excellent episode with Peter Verne. Very disappointed in Lionel who without any evidence whatsoever immediately defames Oborne as a conspiracy nutjob. This is exactly the Israeli line - he just stopped short of calling Oborne anti semitic. Shame on you Lionel. Read the book look at the evidence- if the real life reporting of the tens of thousand of deaths which are not properly reported in the mainstream media including the BBC is not obvious enough evidence for you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dangerous EE
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • Succumbs to Israeli propaganda

    Israelis are now trying to spread a narrative that they did not know what was being done in Gaza. This is absolutely untrue and I am so disappointed that Media Confidential joins this effort. Israelis have the same access to social media as everyone else and furthermore have absolutely and totally supported the Govt. They are going to pivot after they have slaughtered the Palestinians and stolen their land, to “oh we did not know”. Utter lies. Do not join them in their cover up.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Dangerous EE
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Insightful, principled journalism with strong guest selection.
Excellent interviews; deep industry context from seasoned editors.
Thoughtful analysis; could improve on production consistency.
Polarizing opinions at times, but content remains provocative and worthwhile.
High-quality discourse that challenges mainstream media narratives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#62
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#157
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#173
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#16
Singapore/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#41
Ireland/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#79
Singapore/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Patrick Radden Keefe: ‘I’m not your therapist. I’m not your PR person. I’m a journalist’
Q: But Patrick, let's just start with the journalistic challenge. Here you are. You've got this mysterious death of this young man. You're coming out to this fresh. How did you go about the investigation?
Keefe explains he started with the family, gathered off-the-record context, then radiated outward to build a case file, balancing access with verification while using multiple sources and records to reconstruct events.
Mehdi Hasan: Why US media shies away from talking about genocide
Q: How do you balance objectivity and subjectivity in reporting?
Hasan argues for clarity about bias and beliefs, advocating objective facts where possible but acknowledging the necessity of airing strong opinions in a climate where neutrality can obscure truth, especially on urgent issues like war and democracy.
Mehdi Hasan: Why US media shies away from talking about genocide
Q: Why did you leave MSNB C/MS Now and how has that history shaped Zeteo's ethos?
Hasan explains a desire for independence after being benched; he emphasizes learning from mainstream journalism while pushing back against self-censorship, using clear, outspoken language to hold power to account.
Mehdi Hasan: Why US media shies away from talking about genocide
Q: Mehdi, explain Zeteo and how it differs from traditional media.
Zeteo is a modern, independent media company on Substack that combines op-eds, TV shows, podcasts, live events, and now UK expansion, aiming to provide rigorous journalism with a left-leaning but first-hand, evidence-based approach, funded by subscriber revenue and selective investment.
Lachlan Cartwright: ‘American media became a propaganda arm to get Trump elected’
Q: Lachlan, listeners may have noticed that you have an Australian accent. So I have to ask you about the Murdochs.
Cartwright reflects on his experiences with Rupert Murdoch and the broader Australian media landscape, including the future of assets like the Wall Street Journal.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Media Confidential

What is Media Confidential about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two veteran editors probe the inner workings of the media, exploring power, credibility, and the economics shaping journalism today. Episodes mix high-profile interviews with sharp analyses of media coverage, policy, and technology, often weighing bias, access, and accountability in a rapidly changing landscape. Noteworthy is the duo's willingness to challenge entrenched outlets and industry norms, offering candid reflections from decades at major publications along with guests who illuminate independent reporting, tech policy, and press freedom. Potential listeners will likely find rigorous, thought-provoking discourse that blends insider experience with contemporary media debates, useful for staying ahead of trends in journalism, media bu... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Media Confidential?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Media Confidential:

1. The Media Show
2. Political Fix
3. The Politics Show
4. The Two Matts
5. Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

How many episodes of Media Confidential are there?

Media Confidential launched 3 years ago and published 242 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Media Confidential?

Recent guests on Media Confidential include:

1. Tom Clark
2. Patrick Radden Keefe
3. Maggie Haberman
4. Iain Dale
5. Lachlan Cartwright
6. Beeban Kidron
7. David Folkenflik
8. David Fulton-Flick

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