Broadcast timeline
The Media Show
Saturday 19 September 2026 · 04:30 BST · 30m · 2 stories · 7 annotated moments · 25 of 30 min on news stories (84%)
Broadcast overview
An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.
The programme first examined the right of reply in journalism, prompted by a story where The Sunday Times learned of a record-breaking £72m donation to Reform UK from two billionaires. After The Sunday Times offered Reform a right of reply, the party instead gave the scoop to The Daily Telegraph. Guests including political editor Ben Riley-Smith, investigative reporter Matt Shea, former comms adviser Guto Harri, and academic Karen Fowler-Watt discussed how the process can be weaponised, with Shea noting that subjects like Tommy Robinson and Andrew Tate have released their own counter-documentaries during the right-of-reply window. The panel debated whether journalists should respond online and whether broadcasters need to continue engaging after publication. The programme noted that Reform UK and The Telegraph did not respond to its requests for comment, and The Sunday Times declined to take part.
A second item looked at British broadcasters' campaign for a dedicated button on TV remote controls to compete with streaming services. Technology historian Ed Thomas showed early remote controls, including a Zenith Space Commander from 1956 that used sonic waves, and explained how the BBC's Ceefax in the 1970s drove the need for more buttons. Professor Katherine Johnson of the University of Leeds said data on shortcut buttons is proprietary, but large players like Netflix and YouTube would not pay for them unless they drove viewing. She noted that device manufacturers operate globally, making it difficult for individual nations to demand a button, though European Union discussions about a mandated national button might offer a route. The segment traced the remote's evolution and its enduring role despite voice control.
- 0:53
- 1:03
Claim Met Police investigate Reform UK over Channel 4 foreign donation claims
The Daily Telegraph reported that two billionaire donors gave £72 million to Reform UK.
BBC News, The Media Show, 19 September 2026, 1:03-1:20
- 1:14
Claim Met Police investigate Reform UK over Channel 4 foreign donation claims
The Sunday Times first learned of the story and offered Reform a right of reply, after which the party gave the scoop to The Telegraph.
BBC News, The Media Show, 19 September 2026, 1:14-1:30
- 1:25
Claim Met Police investigate Reform UK over Channel 4 foreign donation claims
The Sunday Times first learned of the story and offered Reform a right of reply, after which the party gave the scoop to The Telegraph.
BBC News, The Media Show, 19 September 2026, 1:25-1:30
- 1:30
Claim Met Police investigate Reform UK over Channel 4 foreign donation claims
The Sunday Times political editor Ben Riley-Smith said the right of reply process breaks down if such an event occurs.
BBC News, The Media Show, 19 September 2026, 1:30-1:47
- 17:18
- 18:06
Claim British broadcasters call for dedicated TV remote button
Early remote controls were used for industrial and military purposes before becoming consumer products after World War II.
BBC News, The Media Show, 19 September 2026, 18:06-18:14
- 21:08
Claim British broadcasters call for dedicated TV remote button
Zenith's 1956 wireless remote used sonic waves and is the origin of the term 'clicker'.
BBC News, The Media Show, 19 September 2026, 21:08-21:24
- 23:58
Claim British broadcasters call for dedicated TV remote button
Device manufacturers operate internationally and resist making hardware changes for individual nations.
BBC News, The Media Show, 19 September 2026, 23:58-24:17
- 26:10 ~4 min without annotations
Source: BBC NEWS, "The Media Show", Saturday 19 September 2026. Transcript excerpts and stills are shown only to support the analysis annotated alongside them. Search-result excerpts are distinct from the editorial annotations — see our copyright basis. The full broadcast is not reproduced.