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Leader debates?

Broadcasters and politicians reassess the leader debates following the rise of UKIP, why Doctor Who thrives on speculation over Matt Smith's successor, and Netflix in the UK.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage says he expects to be included in leader debates at the 2015 general election and may go to court if needed. Behind the scenes, broadcasters are exploring ways of staging debates both in 2015 and potentially next year before the Euro elections. So what might happen? Do all the leaders want to take part? Who has a veto? Isabel Oakeshott, political editor of the Sunday Times and Stewart Purvis, former ITN editor in chief and OFCOM partner, discuss.

Netflix has attracted publicity with its strategy of commissioning new programmes and releasing them all at once, like an online boxed set. Last week, it was the US sitcom Arrested Development and before that a remake of House of Cards. Is the new programme strategy paying off? Joris Evers, from Netflix, joins Steve from California while, in the studio, Paul Lee looks at the bigger picture for on demand services and rivalry with TV and DVDs. Paul is director of TMT research at Deloitte (tech, media and telecoms).

And why regeneration in Dr Who is such effective marketing - that's with Lorraine Heggessey who, as controller of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ1, brought the programme back with Russell T Davies after its long break.

Presenter: Steve Hewlett

Producer: Simon Tillotson

Editor: Andy Smith.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Wed 5 Jun 2013 16:30

Chapters

  • TV leader debates - will they happen again?

    With Prof. Stewart Purvis and Sunday Times Political Editor Isabel Oakeshott

    Duration: 09:59

  • The future of Dr Who

    With the former controller of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 1 Lorraine Heggessey

    Duration: 04:17

  • Netflix and its strategy

    With Joris Evers from Netflix and Paul Lee, director of TMT research at Deloitte

    Duration: 11:48

Broadcast

  • Wed 5 Jun 2013 16:30

Podcast