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The Media Show

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The Media Show: Spider Memos, Dermot Departs The X Factor, Mental Health Headlines, Plaid Cymru Media Policy

Spider Memos, Dermot Departs The X Factor, Mental Health Headlines, Plaid Cymru Media Policy

01/04/2015

BBC Radio 4 - The Media Show, Spider Memos, Dermot Departs The X Factor, Mental Health Headlines, Plaid Cymru Media Policy

The reporter at the heart of the 'spider memos' case, plus Dermot is to leave The X Factor

The reporter at the heart of the 'spider memos' case, Dermot to leave The X Factor, Alastair Campbell on reporting mental health and Plaid Cymru's media policy. With Steve Hewlett.

The Supreme count has ruled that 27 letters written by Prince Charles to Ministers, the so-called 'spider letters', should be made public. It follows a ten year campaign by the Guardian newspaper and reporter Rob Evans, who first submitted a Freedom of Information request to see the letters back in 2005. Steve Hewlett talks to Rob about the ruling, what it means for press freedom, and what he has learnt about the content of the memos. 

Talk of the Germanwings co-pilot Andreas Lubitz being "depressed" appeared on Friday's front pages. Headlines included "Killer pilot suffered from depression" (Daily Mirror), "Madman in cockpit" (The Sun) and "Why on earth was he allowed to fly?" (Daily Mail). Mental health campaigners came out against the coverage, including Alastair Campbell, former spin doctor, and now ambassador for Time For Change. Steve speaks to him about his call to sack news editors who had published 'hideous' front pages, the role of the press in combating stigma, and why he thinks there's a danger in making a correlation between depression and violence.

Dermot O'Leary will no longer present the X Factor after 8 years on the show. An X Factor spokesperson has said 'no decisions have been taken' on who will replace him, but the Sun revealed in a scoop on Saturday that Olly Murs and Caroline Flack are being lined up as his replacement. Steve speaks to the Mirror's TV critic Kevin O'Sullivan about what the story exposed about showbit and former BBC controller of commissioning entertainment, Jane Lush about the crucial role of the presenter in ensuring a programme's success. 

And in the third of seven interviews with political parties in the run up to the general election, we hear from Plaid Cymru about their media policy. 
Producer: Katy Takatsuki.

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