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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ coverage of the Arab Spring

How well did the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ cover the Arab Spring? Edward Mortimer, author of an in-depth study, gives his view and Steve Mitchell, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's deputy director of news, responds.

On today's programme with Steve Hewlett:

How well did the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ cover the Arab Spring? The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Trust commissioned a report from Middle East expert and former UN director of communications Edward Mortimer who found much to praise but also had some constructive criticism, detecting the absence of a central strategic brain overseeing the coverage. He explains what he thought the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ could have done better and Stephen Mitchell, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ deputy director of news, responds.

With the news this week of plans to split the NewsCorp business into entertainment and publishing companies, what's the view of the UK papers from NewsCorp's home in New York? Sarah Ellison's been following the Murdoch family interests since her time at the Wall Street Journal and extensively since with Vanity Fair and gives her reaction to the latest developments.

And the rights to show the 2016 Olympics are up for auction this week, with sealed bids being opened on Friday. The IOC president Jacques Rogge has said "anything is possible" with the rights, raising the possibility that they will not be shown to their fullest extent on free to air tv. The Guardian's Olympics editor, Owen Gibson, reports from the Olympic Park.

The producer is Simon Tillotson.

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30 minutes

Last on

Wed 27 Jun 2012 16:30

Broadcast

  • Wed 27 Jun 2012 16:30

Podcast