Sir Craig Oliver is a former editor of BBC News at Six and Ten and was the Downing Street director of politics and communications under David Cameron. We discuss the release of the BBC Bashir emails, impartiality, Sir Robbie Gibb’s position on the BBC board, GB News and his career. “I don’t think we need GB News ….. what we're realising increasingly, is we need sources of news that are at least trying to be impartial.”To listen to the interview sign up to https://www.patreon.com/beebwatch/membership  @BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.ukemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Craig Oliver is a former editor of BBC News at Six and Ten and was the Downing Street director of politics and communications under David Cameron. We discuss the release of the BBC Bashir emails, impartiality, Sir Robbie Gibb’s position on the BBC board, GB News and his career. “I don’t think we need GB News ….. what we're realising increasingly, is we need sources of news that are at least trying to be impartial.”To listen to the interview sign up to www.Patreon.com/Beebwatch @BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.ukemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Rusbridger, former Guardian editor and now editor at Prospect magazine has written an article with the headline ‘How the government captured the BBC'. Has it? We discuss the concept of impartiality, the government appointed board member Sir Robbie Gibb’s attempt to interfere in the appointment of the chair of Ofcom, his influence on the corporation, the make-up of the BBC board and criticism from the Jewish Chronicle.“Sir Robbie Gibb is the only person with editorial experience, who sits in ultimate judgement on BBC impartiality. That's a very strange state of affairs.”Please support our journalism by signing up to www.Patreon.com/Beebwatch@BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.ukemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Rusbridger, former Guardian editor and now editor at Prospect magazine has written an article with the headline ‘How the government captured the BBC'. Has it? We discuss the concept of impartiality, the government appointed board member Sir Robbie Gibb’s attempt to interfere in the appointment of the chair of Ofcom, his influence on the corporation, the make-up of the BBC board and criticism from the Jewish Chronicle.“Sir Robbie Gibb is the only person with editorial experience, who sits in ultimate judgement on BBC impartiality. That's a very strange state of affairs.”To listen to the interview sign up to www.Patreon.com/Beebwatch@BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.ukemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim Naughtie has covered each US presidential election over the past five decades. He was a political correspondent on The Scotsman and then The Guardian, before becoming a presenter of Radio 4’s The World at One and then of The Today Programme – which he stood down from in 2016.  Currently, he is a Special Correspondent for BBC News and presents Radio 4’s Book Club. We discussed the implications of the Iowa caucus result, the challenges that public service broadcasters face covering an election when democracy is at stake, media integrity and comparing Fox News and GB News and the responsibilities of Ofcom.  “I think it's extraordinarily difficult for them. But it's also extraordinarily important that they somehow get it right.” Listen to the full interview now and support the podcast by signing up to Patreon.com/BeebWatchListen to all the published podcasts here @BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.ukemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim Naughtie has covered each US presidential election over the past five decades. He was a political correspondent on The Scotsman and then The Guardian, before becoming a presenter of Radio 4’s The World at One and then of The Today Programme – which he stood down from in 2016.  Currently, he is a Special Correspondent for BBC News and presents Radio 4’s Book Club. We discussed the implications of the Iowa caucus result, the challenges that public service broadcasters face covering an election when democracy is at stake, media integrity and comparing Fox News and GB News and the responsibilities of Ofcom.  “I think it's extraordinarily difficult for them. But it's also extraordinarily important that they somehow get it right.” Listen to the full interview now and support the podcast by signing up to Patreon.com/BeebWatchListen to all the published podcasts here @BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.ukemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The circumstances surrounding the securing of the Panorama interview with the late Princess of Wales have been one of the biggest controversies to beset the BBC. On this week’s programme we’re taking stock on the imminent release of emails by the BBC which concerns its handling of the Martin Bashir scandal. There has been quite a battle in the courts as the Corporation attempts to withhold and redact some of the emails requested under the Freedom of Information act by that very determined journalist and film maker Andy Webb. We talk to him about his fight, what he thinks he might learn from the emails and despite an apology from the director general Tim Davie to Lord Spencer why he thinks this matter is still worth pursuing.  “I'm interested in what I alleged to be a cover up which was instituted in 2020. But more to the point, it is, if indeed, this cover up exists, it's a cover up that is being fostered very, very expensively at the public expense, in as much as the licence fee is public money, it is happening now. This is huge sums of money which are being spent now, in order to prevent, in my view, the disclosure of these particular emails.”Support the podcast and hear it first by signing up hereListen to all the published podcasts here@BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.ukemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The circumstances surrounding the securing of the Panorama interview with the late Princess of Wales have been one of the biggest controversies to beset the BBC. On this week’s programme we’re taking stock on the imminent release of emails by the BBC which concern its handling of the Martin Bashir scandal. There has been quite a battle in the courts as the Corporation attempts to withhold and redact some of the emails requested under the Freedom of Information act by that very determined journalist and film maker Andy Webb. We talk to him about his fight, what he thinks he might learn from the emails and why despite an apology from the director general Tim Davie to Lord Spencer why he thinks this matter is still worth pursuing.  “I'm interested in what I alleged to be a cover up which was instituted in 2020. But more to the point, it is, if indeed, this cover up exists, it's a cover up that is being fostered very, very expensively at the public expense, in as much as the licence fee is public money, it is happening now. This is huge sums of money which are being spent now, in order to prevent, in my view, the disclosure of these particular emails.”Support the podcast and hear it first by signing up hereAll paid up members will have been emailed with a link to the full interview by Patreon.Listen to all the published podcasts here@BeebRoger@RogerBolton@mastodonapp.ukemail: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.