Prospect Podcast

‘I’m with you on the free press, it’s the newspapers I can’t stand’: What Tom Stoppard got right about journalism

Alan and Lionel reflect on the legacies of two great writers and discuss the BBC’s next hurdle

December 04, 2025
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This week, Alan and Lionel discuss editorial independence, the BBC’s search for a new director general and ask if the current structure is even working. Is the role too much for one person?

As the post-budget scrutiny rumbles on, they also talk about which publications are producing the best analysis—and whose is best avoided...

Plus, the hosts discuss 40 years of the Independent after learning of the death of one of its founders, Andreas Whittam Smith, and reminisce about the life and legacy of the late Tom Stoppard.