The Media Beat

We talk a lot about advertising on TMB for the simple reason that it's fascinating, dynamic and highly tech sensitive. So this time, we thought we'd do a deep dive on it with Maureen broadly taking on the business side and Claire the creative with much overlap of course. News is all deals and regulations and the podmojis cover cool stuff for music superfans, AR supergeeks and those who think footb...

The ways we consume news and opinion continue to evolve rapidly. In this Deep Dive Double Header, Claire and Maureen take us through how this has happened and what is means for consumer, creator and those hoping to make a buck. News covers the opening of the new Murdoch chequebook, Ofcom spreading its influence in the UK and AI scraps. You will be pleased to see a noticeable uptick in Podmoji appa...

Everyone knows we are but a few weeks away from the planet's greatest sporting event, but how much do we know about the fascinating and mind-blowing world of sports rights? It's a double header this time as both Maureen and Claire grab hold of the subject and take us through the whole business, how quick the space is changing and what is new for WC2026. 2026 Upfronts and Cannes are in the news as...

A gripping, heart-stopping, fingernail biting Deep Dive this time on.... Soaps!: from their origins, business models, ridiculous plots and superstar launchpads - Claire has it all. We also look at Disney's super app, comings and goings in the music industry and playground scraps featuring Mr Musk! Podmojis look at "podslop", getting fit with Spotify and who bought the drinks at the Met Gala!

We've talked about it many times before but surprisingly these have been mere shallow dives: we put that right today with an appropriately marathon Deep Dive on... Netflix. In the news features layoffs, The Netflix of China and Zaslav's parachute. As ever we close with Podmojis which covers soaps, takeovers and scandal!

This time the  theme is "music" - which means a stunning deep dive on the history and business of music publishing and other mentions of this wonderful medium splattered throughout. The news includes shocks, scandals and the leader of the free world and we find out who got free cabbage this week.

This time we welcome back a very special guest: Emily Horgan, independent kids media consultant, former Disney executive and Dublin-based. She is author of the Netflix Kids Content Performance Report (now in its fifth edition) and the Kids StreamerSphere newsletter. She’s the only analyst doing this systematically on Netflix engagement data, which gives her a distinctive view.

Everyone loves a talk show don't they? So how about a Deep Dive on them from the beginnings in the US to the innovations in the UK! We have news of mergers, collaborations and legal battles and chat about Auntie Beeb, The Oscars and hardening up the FBI!

You will be thrilled to hear that we have a Deep Dive Double Header this time with Claire taking on podcasts and Maureen all things M&A. Both are gripping and so full of content that we only have time for two podmojis!

We give you our long awaited AAA Gaming Deep Dive this time and it doesn't disappoint: find out all about the origins, the economics and the accuracies of equine thermodynamics! Add to that YouTube "Skinny Bundles", it all going off at Anthropic and new faces at the top of Disney together with two sporting marquee events and a world of auto-romance and you have yourselves a whopper of an Ep.! Enjo...

There is too much news to fit in a Deep Dive this time what with all the buzz around Luminate, TikTok, Netflix and the BBC partnering with YouTube so we haven't got one. Podmojis feature a "live" prop and we "beam" Maureen in from a swanky hotel in 'Frisco!

In this special curtain raiser for 2026, Maureen and Claire gaze into their respective crystal balls and reveal what they think will be the major media trends, strategies and innovations over the next 12 months on the back of a spectacularly successful set of predictions for 2025.

In our now traditional " what did Maureen and Claire predict for this yea r?" episode, we go though what our two great prophets said was going to happen in 2025, some 12 months ago. You will be surprised how well they did. Have a listen (or re-listen) to Episode #63 if you want to hear their predictions in full. Then, gather round the wireless in front of the fire and have a listen. We're on in be...

A fabulous Deep Dive this time on the "Creative Economy" of which we are, of course, a part! Netflix and WBD goes "beyond juicy" our Spotify Wrapped ages are wildly different and are Vertical Dramas coming of age? Our move into video (about five years after everyone else) is proving very popular for fans of Podmojis for obvious reasons.

Would you believe Spotify is nearly 20 year old? Well, believe it and all the history and strategy Claire and Maureen have to share with us. News covers big deals and big launches and our presenters struggle to gain supremacy in the Podmoji arena with weird socks, the big TikTok Shop and a quiet revolution in Hollywood.

A brilliant deep dive on Netflix this time and the news is all about WBD selling up, the potential of an AI bubble and Disney integrating with Hulu. Despite being half the world away (literally) Claire grabs whatever she can for podmojis to cover AI presenters, Taylor Sheridan and Celebrity Traitors. Will there be an outright winner?

Today is a very special episode in that we welcome a guest: Dr. Alex Connock, producer-turned-academic, now teaching AI and media at both Oxford and Exeter.  Alex was actually on The Media Beat two years ago, when we talked about his first book, Media Management and Artificial Intelligence. Since then, both AI and the media industry have moved at extraordinary speed.  He’s back with a brand-new bo...

Maureen plays an absolute blinder in this episode's Deep Dive where she give a forensic explanation as to the reasons behind why so many media companies are splitting their business up with additional crucial insights from Claire. We talk about the Paramount, Netflix, WBD machinations, new wearables and what goes on YouTube stays on YouTube for ever (featuring Oliver's first ever material contribu...

Ever wondered what a "paperless production" was? Well, wonder no more as Claire takes us through a the silent revolution in film and TV production that happened as we enjoyed our favourite shows. In The News covers content vs creator wars, SVOD trends and the six children and five wives of the world's greatest media mogul. Maureen has a surprise for us all as she casts "Media Beat - The Movie!" in...

Many of us know about the A24 studio and the four quadrants, but Claire takes us deep into its history and strategy topped of with some business brilliance from Maureen. We are one of the few podcasts who reference both T.S. Eliot and Adam Sandler whilst analysing how the predicted AI bust will play out. Threads is on the up, Netflix has gone star staring bonkers and another corporate rebrand goes...

A Double header Deep Dive this time exploring the phenomenon that is streaming content "arms dealing" and its worthiness and business implications. We have views on the latest Warner Music results, the resilience of European broadcasters and some gossip about Paramount and Netflix. There is also good news about those of us who like browsing book shops and being turned into South Park characters.

The Deep Dive this time is all about the Online Safety Act as it comes into operation. We also look at the Paramount deal, LA Times and the blurred lines of Gen AI between good and bad faith outputs.

Remember life before Sky TV? Well, it did exist and this time, Maureen takes from the humble beginnings in 1990 to the leviathan we see today! Sky pops up in the news as well as a landmark AI court ruling and news of Netflix and Spotify working together. Maureen has picked up fan and Claire has picked up a soldier so it is all going off in Podmojis!

Can you believe Jaws is 50! That's our deep dive, or rather our "GET OUT OF THE WATER". Loads of other stuff covered including business breakups (WBD) and comings together (TF1 and Netflix) and Maureen has some new props for podmojis!

A Deep Dive for the ages as Maureen reveals four gamechangers in the world of advertising and its use of AI. We talk of dangerous hashtags, new gaming devices and sport on YouTube. We all get grumpy at annoying things but cheer ourselves up when we realised how well the UK is thought of. And Canada!