Media Confidential

Murdoch’s biggest deal yet

Alan and Lionel discuss week's news

June 18, 2026
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This week on Media Confidential, Alan and Lionel discuss the Murdoch family’s biggest ever deal, as Lachlan Murdoch’s Fox TV buys streaming service Roku. What does it suggest about the company’s direction under its new CEO? And why isn’t Alan a fan of Roku?

They discuss an AI-generated video of Nigel Farage fist-fighting Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey in a Question Time Studio—and how the deepfake video has some people fooled.

After GB News’s Bev Turner denied that widespread racist violence in Belfast was a riot, the editors also analyse a clash between Turner and political commentator Matthew Stadlen, while Alan shares the tweet that made him “shudder”.

It’s not all bad news, though, as Mehdi Hasan launches Zeteo UK, the British equivalent of his popular independent media platform—and Dan Neidle wins a resounding victory in libel courts over an obvious SLAPP. Could it set a hopeful precedent?

Plus, Alan and Lionel respond to an email from the editor of the Manchester Evening News and issue an invitation.