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The Media Show: Iran and the bigger story
The Explanation
Mar 5, 2026

Events in Iran have led news bulletins, alongside ongoing wars in Ukraine and Sudan. As crises compete for attention, questions are being raised about whether reporting captures a wider shift in global power or centres on immediate developments. Christina Lamb, Chief International Correspondent at The Sunday Times, Aaron Bastani, co-founder of Novara Media, and Sir John Tusa, former Managing Director of the BBC World Service, discuss the media’s role in uncertain times. The Green Party’s victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election in the north of England, overturning a previously safe Labour seat, has prompted debate about political reporting in the UK. Rachel Cunliffe, Associate Editor at The New Statesman, explains her approach. At the age of 90, Sir John Tusa has launched a new interview podcast, The Best is Yet to Come, featuring conversations with public figures in their nineties. The series enters a crowded podcast market and raises questions about how older voices are represented in the media.

Production credits Presenters: Katie Razzall Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Content Producer: Lucy Wai Researcher: Ruth Waites Technical Coordinator: Margot Campanaro Sound: Pat Sissons

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Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Content producer: Lucy Wai Sound engineer: Mark Pickett


22min 59sec


The Media Show: Iran and the bigger story

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