Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch cover art

Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

By: Good Egg Productions
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About this listen

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 and public service broadcasting.


Find all our podcasts here


And please support this podcast by subscribing here


We also support VLV (Voice of the Listener and Viewer) which represents the interests of audiences to make sure we continue to benefit from high quality radio and TV in the UK. You can find them here

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good Egg Productions Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Elizabeth Anderson: Are We Ready for a Digital‑Only BBC in 2034?

    Elizabeth Anderson: Are We Ready for a Digital‑Only BBC in 2034?
    Feb 12 2026

    Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, discusses how the UK’s move towards a digital‑first media landscape could affect viewers and listeners. We explore what is meant by digital poverty in the UK today, the startling numbers affected, and what the impact could be if traditional broadcast TV (including Freeview) is switched off around 2034 – and how that might affect radio too. What could this mean for access to news, information and entertainment?


    We examine the relationship between internet connectivity, affordability and basic digital skills – and how that shapes the debate on different options for funding the BBC, and its claim to be a universal public service broadcaster in an online‑only world. We also consider the role of MPs, government and industry in developing a serious digital inclusion strategy and ensuring people are not left behind.


    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 www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership

    @beebwatch.bsky.social

    @BeebRoger

    Instagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatch

    LinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

    email: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • Phil Riley, radio executive, on BBC “radio licences”, local radio and the 2034 digital switch‑off

    Phil Riley, radio executive, on BBC “radio licences”, local radio and the 2034 digital switch‑off
    Feb 5 2026

    Phil Riley is one of commercial radio’s most experienced executives, former chief executive of Chrysalis Radio and now co‑founder and chief executive of Boom Radio, the station created for Britain’s baby boomers. We discuss current ideas for funding the BBC – including proposals around BBC Sounds and a possible “radio licence” – and what they could mean for both the BBC and commercial radio.


    We also explore the wider future of radio and public service broadcasting, including the growth of podcasts, streaming and small‑scale DAB, the implications for radio of the proposed 2034 switch‑off of digital terrestrial television, and the changing role of BBC Local Radio and local journalism.


    “Of all the heritage mainstream media, radio is in the best shape of all of them in terms of its ability to survive.”


    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 www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership

    @beebwatch.bsky.social

    @BeebRoger

    Instagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatch

    LinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

    email: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • Rob Crilly, ex-US Chief Correspondent at the Daily Telegraph, on Trump’s First Year, the Media War, and a Pivotal Weekend in Minnesota

    Rob Crilly, ex-US Chief Correspondent at the Daily Telegraph, on Trump’s First Year, the Media War, and a Pivotal Weekend in Minnesota
    Jan 29 2026

    Rob Crilly, former Chief US Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail Online, now author of the “Washington Secrets” newsletter at the Washington Examiner, joins us again one year on to assess Donald Trump’s first year in office. We talk about covering a president who sets the agenda via late-night tweets, how the White House manages access and mixes up the briefing room, and what it means for organisations such as the BBC to face a billion‑dollar lawsuit and accusations of “fake news”.


    We explore Trump’s impact on legacy and public service media (from the BBC to NPR, PBS and Voice of America), the strategy of aggressive denial and attack, the use of leaks and loyalty tests inside the administration, and the growing business and political pressures on newsrooms from CBS to the Washington Post. We also examine Trump’s personal enrichment and conflicts of interest, whether American democracy and its institutions are strong enough to withstand him, and why Rob believes last weekend’s events in Minnesota could prove a pivotal moment in his presidency.


    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 www.patreon.com/BeebWatch/membership

    @beebwatch.bsky.social

    @BeebRoger

    Instagram: rogerboltonsbeebwatch

    LinkedIn: Roger Bolton's Beeb Watch

    email: roger@rogerboltonsbeebwatch.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
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