Has BBC Newsnight become a social media clip show?

On this week’s Media Watch podcast, political reporters Steph Brawn and James Walker reflect on how the programme has gone from a renowned political analysis show to facing weekly criticism and how cuts made three years ago may have changed its journalism.

It comes after investigative journalist Paul Holden branded the show’s editorial judgement “all over the place” last week following “biased” coverage of Diane Abbott’s readmission to the Labour Party and Zack Polanski’s fallout with Reform UK following an Instagram post.

Elsewhere, the pair discuss whether the BBC has been too negative about the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after the city hosted 11 days of back-to-back sporting action.

Having lost out on the rights to broadcast the event, the BBC has repeatedly questioned the Games’ relevance and whether it will continue, but does that questioning really resonate with Glaswegians who relished in its joyful atmosphere?

Watch the full podcast here:

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