Who really runs Britain — and why do they insist they're just ordinary? Great fun convo withLSE profs @samfriedman.bsky.social & @aaronreeves.bsky.social authors of Born to Rule with @peteryork.bsky.social on his Peter York's Culture Wars House Party Podcast 🎧 podfollow.com/peter-yorks-...

“If you’re only making the case in places that you feel are friendly and supportive, you’re by your very nature just talking to a certain audience." Ex BBC Dir of Communications John Shield picked up from my Beeb Watch podcast. 🎧 podfollow.com/beebwatch www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06...

"There were things like crew & participants telling us about the use of alcohol, for instance, which was something we had assumed since 2019 had been pretty much banned, if not really strictly controlled...That was a real surprise to us". @recaretv.bsky.social 🎧 podfollow.com/beebwatch

Two Good Egg guests. One weekend. Two big stories. Great conversations 👇 Gabriel Gatehouse on the Observer's cover: did the CIA poison Gordon Banks in 1970? 🎙️ podfollow.com/peter-yorks-... @RobBurl's BBC/trans investigation in UnHerd more coverage in the Times. 🎙️ podfollow.com/beebwatch

How the Weird Stuff Took Over Politics Excellent convo on with @peteryork.bsky.social and Gabriel Gatehouse (ex‑BBC, The Coming Storm). They discuss QAnon, Epstein, UFOs/UAPs, & what supposedly “weird” stories reveal about how power works in US and UK politics. 🎧 podfollow.com/peter-yorks-...

“If you cut lots of jobs and lose lots of journalists with experience, there's a price to be paid..... Fran Unsworth was the author of this policy, ...and she says it's contributed to the problem ... she herself says that, and she devised it.” Great convo with @robburl.bsky.social

The brilliant Bonnie Greer - you hang on every word. @peteryork.bsky.social talks to Bonnie Greer – Chicago‑born playwright, critic and public intellectual – talks Trump, power, “my stuff” politics & why she thinks we’re living in a post‑America era. 🎧👇 podfollow.com/peter-yorks-...

Great pick up from my interview with @adamboulton.bsky.social on Beeb Watch this week. Listen to the full interview here: podfollow.com/beebwatch www.theguardian.com/media/2026/m...

"I certainly think that the whole question of elected politicians presenting current affairs and news programmes, the so called 'presen-tician', is something which it could fairly easily be outlawed." "And you would like it outlawed?" "Yes. I think it should be outlawed." 🎧 podfollow.com/beebwatch

"Ofcom has let it go so far, the elastic band has stretched so far that I would say perhaps it's snapped." Chris Banatvala on GB News and due impartiality. 🎧 Full episode: podfollow.com/beebwatch

“Do. Not. Trust. Us. This is the end of the affair.” Historian @marcishore.bsky.social joins @peteryork.bsky.social to talk fear, history and the US moral abyss – from fascism and shameless politics to Trump, Putin, Ukraine and Europe’s dangerous denial. 🎧 Listen: podfollow.com/peter-yorks-...

Has the tide turned? Great interview 👉 @peteryork.bsky.social Peter York’s Culture Wars House Party podcast @davidaaronovitch.bsky.social discusses conspiracy thinking, the international culture‑war right, the BBC’s future – and why, it’s so hard to stay reasonable. 🎧 podfollow.com/peter-yorks-...

“Ofcom’s negligence is one of the biggest threats to the integrity of British democracy right now” Powerful interview with @liambyrnemp.bsky.social who describes GB News as ‘pretty close’ to being the broadcasting arm of the Reform Party. 🎧 This is a must listen interview: podfollow.com/beebwatch

Revelation after revelation with Prof @dannydorling.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk on @peteryork.bsky.social Culture Wars House party podcast this week – on Brexit myths, Britain’s place at the top of Europe’s inequality league, and how to fight the good fight. 🎧 Full episode: podfollow.com/peter-yorks-...

With Lisa Nandy announcing a permanent Royal Charter for the BBC, is the charter review a real consultation – or a done deal? Prof Lee Edwards @mediareformuk.bsky.social @lsepress.bsky.social discusses the speech, the charter “consultation” & public accountability. 🎧 podfollow.com/beebwatch

"I think if impartiality matters, ..then you need to think really hard about the values that you want in the journalism from whatever source it is. And I think Ofcom, looking at that and being tough-minded about it, would be a good thing." Wide ranging and thoughtful discussion with Tony Hall.

"These regulatory bodies are falling short." Says Rizwana Hamid, director of Centre for Media Monitoring. "Islamophobia is rampant, and it's rife within politics, within the media, within society, nobody blinks an eyelid." 🎧 podfollow.com/beebwatch

Another riveting interview from @peteryork.bsky.social with Michael Wolff, bestselling chronicler of Trump and Murdoch, who explains why he now calls Trump’s second term “a heartbreaking year and a frightening year.” 🎧 Listen to the full episode: podfollow.com/peter-yorks-...

"I've got to say I feel less and less comfortable about it, with the benefit of a few years away from the BBC." A very frank conversation with Jamie Angus on Beeb Watch this week on Iranian coverage and the future of the BBC World Service. 🎧 Full episode: podfollow.com/beebwatch

Millions in the UK are already digitally excluded: 🔹 3–4 million lack affordable access 🔹 10–11 million lack basic digital skills Yet we’re talking about online‑only TV (and maybe radio) by 2034. Elizabeth Anderson, Digital Poverty Alliance explains the implications. 🎧 podfollow.com/beebwatch

Philosopher of fascism Jason Stanley left Yale for Toronto to, as he says, “spit the truth”. Is the US “a white supremacist nation”? Why does it have sky‑high incarceration yet historic low violent crime? Find out with @peteryork.bsky.social on his podcast. 🎧 podfollow.com/peter-yorks-...

"This is a medium that really hasn't been devastated by the rise of online media in all its forms, and the rise of streamers, etc, etc. Radio is still in fantastic health." Good to be sharing some positive media news for a change from Phil Riley, CEO Boom Radio. 🎧https://podfollow.com/beebwatch

Has Trump just hit a turning point? I spoke to Rob Crilly (ex–Chief US Correspondent at the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail Online) about Minnesota, the media, public broadcasters under pressure – and whether US democracy is as fragile as it looks. 🎧 full episode: podfollow.com/beebwatch

Sir Max Hastings takes on the right-wing press, BBC’s future, and media silence in a must-listen interview. 🎧 Listen to the full interview: podfollow.com/beebwatch #Media #PressFreedom #BBC #SirMaxHastings #Podcast

"To me, the number one thing is no more political appointees on the BBC board." Unpacking the green paper on the BBC with Prof Patrick Barwise. Listen to the full conversation: podfollow.com/beebwatch

“We really think that it's time to kind of transform the governance mechanisms.” “Our consensus is that political independence right now is absolutely crucial." co-author Prof Georgina Born @ucl.ac.uk 🎧 Listen to the full episode: podfollow.com/beebwatch

"we're going to be coming up on two decades of people thinking the future is going to be worse for their kids... this is not a natural state for people to be in" @bobbyduffy.bsky.social on the latest episode of @peteryork.bsky.social 's Culture Wars House Party podcast

🔊 "a real problem between the generations is not conflict, it's separation. We are living much more separately by generations than we have at any time in human history" @bobbyduffy.bsky.social on the latest episode of @peteryork.bsky.social's Culture Wars House Party podcast

🔊 "there's very little overlap now in the attitudes between Republicans and Democrats... you can predict more and more of social attitudes in the US just by knowing your party identity" @bobbyduffy.bsky.social on the latest episode of @peteryork.bsky.social's Culture Wars House Party podcast

“Last year, more journalists were killed than have ever been killed since the CPJ (Committee for the Protection of Journalists) started documenting this in 1992. Sadly, this year is not going to be very different.” 🎧 Full episode: podfollow.com/beebwatch

"It has huge ramifications for what happens to the BBC. It has huge importance for Channel 4." A must listen.

"I think the real serious decline, is in local journalism & regional journalism, particularly local newspapers.. the possibility that you might be in the local rag next week because of something naughty ....I think actually played quite an important role in the community & keeping things together."

"It could be plausibly argued that Diana would be alive today—64 years old, the grandmother of five kids—had the BBC, in April of 1996 or thereabouts, told her what they knew." Great listen. 🎧https://podfollow.com/beebwatch

10 Million homes do not have pay-TV of any kind. Another 3.6 million homes use Freeview on at least two sets where they also have pay-TV i.e. are regular users of Freeview. Source: Everyone TV, the company behind Freely, Freeview and Freesat. How would they react to Nigel Farage's plans for the BBC?

“Who do you think is doing the strategising? Point me to anybody in his administration who actually knows what they're doing, has any competence—even for evil purposes—on these domains.” Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize-winning economist on Trump's economic policy. Fascinating listen.

"It’s corrupt. It invites corruption. We have to take all public appointments out of political hands, and that includes the non-executive directors of the BBC." So says a former BBC Trustee Richard Ayre An important interview this week on Beeb Watch.

"Skydance Paramount CBS - they own Channel 5. CBS is actually the BBC News partner at the moment. So if there's any shift in CBS News values, what does that mean for the BBC? This idea that the BBC is hermetically sealed and is in its own world? That's for the birds."

“If your funding is cut, what happens is it puts you under a lot more pressure in your work, but also it just smashes morale at the organisation, and it makes people less self confident.” Another thought provoking interview with @peteryork.bsky.social and @tommills.bsky.social

"I think actually, on the whole, it's a good thing, you know, that you have something like GB News, as long as, again, you keep them within the Ofcom bounds, which are really, really useful, because it is another point of view." Fascinating interview with Matt Frei. 🎧https://podfollow.com/beebwatch

"My interpretation of the rules... Sir Keir Starmer could potentially present BBC Newsnight, and it would be within the Ofcom rules. Of course, the BBC wouldn't allow it, but I think it would be permissible." Thoughtful interview with @stephencushion.bsky.social

The BBC World Service reaches more than 300 million people — but should it be funded from the Defence budget? 🎙️ Mary Hockaday, fmr BBC World Service Controller discusses its future & what’s at stake for global journalism, soft power, & editorial independence. 🎧 Listen here: podfollow.com/beebwatch

“If you look at the last few days, we've had the Prime Minister making a speech, of which actually Nigel Farage was his main subject... but on GB News, you've actually had the subject of the story having his own programme, to have his own view.” Listen in full: podfollow.com/beebwatch

“The big question, I think, that people are asking now is whether we need a change in the rules regarding impartiality, or whether or not, in fact, Ofcom needs to change its interpretation of the act.” Excellent interview with Stewart Purvis 🎧 Listen to the full episode:

Episode 1 of Food Britannia is out! 🥚 Proud that Good Egg Productions made this series with Max Cotton — living on a UK-only diet, £30 a week per person. Big questions about British food, sustainability, and our connection to it. 🌾🥖🥛🌱🍲 Listen here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

“The BBC will, in its coverage, generally take as a starting point for the coverage of an issue, a point which it considers to be non controversial, but is always on the liberal, left side of the equation.” Robin Aiken, former BBC journalist has a robust conversation with Roger on Beeb Watch.

"After the National Archives at Kew and probably the British Library, the BBC Written Archive Centre is the most significant repository of documents about British history over the last century” Important interview with Prof John Wyver @illuminations.bsky.social 🎧 podfollow.com/beebwatch

“They were gagging for it” – a fascinating new book by @pauldixon77.bsky.social‬ exposing how British generals drove unwinnable wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. A must-read for anyone interested in democracy and accountability.

America’s far-right culture wars. Big money. Big religion. Big trouble — heading our way too, if Katherine Stewart’s right. @katherinestewart.bsky.social Produced by @katefdixon.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now: podfollow.com/peter-yorks-... #CultureWars #Podcast #PeterYork

America’s far-right culture wars. Big money. Big religion. Big trouble — heading our way too, if Katherine Stewart’s right. @katherinestewart.bsky.social Fascinating interview with @peteryork.bsky.social 🎧 Listen now: podfollow.com/peter-yorks-... #CultureWars #Podcast #PeterYork

"Three years to save public service media." A sobering interview with Catherine Johnson on the findings of her report "Behind the Screen" - an impressive body of research which highlights the decline of genres, disappearing from view under the dominance of the algorithm.