Shows / The News Meeting
The News Meeting
Every Monday and Friday three journalists battle it out to try and convince the editor that their pitch should lead the news.
Discover what goes on behind the scenes in a newsroom. Why do some stories dominate, while others fail to make the cut?
Tell us if you agree with the final running order - email newsmeeting@tortoisemedia.com
Book your place at a news meeting live in our newsroom - https://www.tortoisemedia.com/our-events
Executive Producer: Rebecca Moore
Producer: Casey Magloire…
Episodes
The News MeetingHow is for-profit aid shaping the humanitarian crisis in Gaza?
If the book is good, do we care if it was written by AI? Should we be concerned by the distribution of aid in Gaza by non-UN services? A team of British…
The News MeetingIs Elon Musk behind Trump’s ‘white genocide’ claims?
What links Elon Musk’s business ties in South Africa to the US president’s attack on Cyril Ramaphosa? Will AI hit women in the workforce hardest? And could the…
The News MeetingDid Democrats try to hide Joe Biden’s deteriorating health?
Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper’s book, Original Sin alleges that officials working for Biden’s administration tried to keep what they describe as the…
The News MeetingBradley Wiggins admits he was a cocaine addict. What does his struggle with drugs tell us about retired athlete care?
Why did Bradley Wiggins seek advice from disgraced former cyclist Lance Armstrong to help him recover from cocaine addiction? What does the indictment of a US…
The News MeetingWhat will Keir Starmer’s closer relationship with the EU look like?
Is youth mobility on the cards for Labour’s post-Brexit plan with Europe? Why is it so hard to record incidents of spiking? How will Labour’s immigration plan…
The News MeetingWhy are the Qataris reportedly gifting Donald Trump a $400mn jumbo jet?
How will Labour’s immigration legislation affect the UK’s care sector? What are the potential conflicts of interests if Trump accepts a jet from Qatar? The…
The News MeetingAre India and Pakistan on the brink of all out war?
As tensions rise between the two nuclear powers and US remains noticeably missing from the world stage, who will be the guarantor of peace between India and…
The News MeetingOzempic weddings: What are the risks of slimming down for the big day?
Why are there calls to return British art like the original Winnie-the-Pooh doll from America to the UK? Trump and Zelensky have finally signed the US-Ukraine…
The News MeetingWhy do we lose our local parks to festivals every summer?
What do councils do with the money they get from renting public spaces out for festivals? How will the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of a woman…
The News MeetingIs Trump losing patience with Putin?
Donald Trump has failed to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, how frustrated is he with Russia’s latest round of attacks on Kyiv? Ofcom published its news set of…
The News MeetingThe government’s race to save British Steel
What does the government’s takeover of the Scunthorpe steelworks mean for the future of UK industry? Why is a bin strike in Birmingham exposing deep cracks in…
The News MeetingWhat’s behind the allegations of insider trading following Trump’s tariff U-turn?
A few hours before he announced a 90-day pause on tariffs, the president posted “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!! DJT” on social media. Why has this led to…
The News MeetingGlobal stock markets tumble as countries react to Trump’s tariffs
The United Nations says 15 medics have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, could this mark a turning point in how the West responds to the war? Is Keir…
The News MeetingAre Trump’s tariffs the beginning of the end for the global economic order?
Will President Trump’s global tariff hike force countries to forge new alliances beyond the US? What is the government’s plan to tackle the problems involving…
The News MeetingDeborah Frances-White on renters’ rights and the earthquake in Myanmar
One of the largest earthquakes in decades has wrecked parts of Myanmar, but how does a country still grappling with civil war and military rule handle a…
The News MeetingHow did Trump’s top officials accidentally invite a journalist into their group chat?
Will there be any repercussions after top US security officials accidentally added the editor of the Atlantic to a Signal group used to plan airstrikes in…
The News MeetingYalda Hakim on war with China and why did a fire shut down Heathrow airport?
Have the disruptions at Heathrow airport revealed key weaknesses in the UK’s infrastructure? Is the US looking to pull out of Ukraine so it can focus on a…
The News MeetingAre there plans to remove 2 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip?
What is President Trump’s “voluntary transfer plan” for Gaza residents? As Trump clashes with a federal judge over mass deportation, is the Supreme Court…
The News MeetingHow did Trump deport hundreds to a mega prison in El Salvador despite a judge's ruling?
Are welfare reforms Labour’s only hope of saving money ahead of the Spring Statement? Who are the hundreds of Venezuelans who have been forcibly removed from…
The News MeetingThe Young Turks’ Cenk Uygur discusses the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil and what this means for free speech in America
Is potential deportation of Mahmoud Khalil proof that Donald Trump will use cancel culture against his loudest critics? If misogyny is a political ideology…
The News MeetingWhy the King wants you to listen to Bob Marley and Reform’s civil war escalates
Is King Charles’ new Apple playlist a savvy PR move or just a bid for relevance? Mark Carney is Canada's new prime minister; are technocrats the best leaders…
The News MeetingShould Europe seize $220bn in frozen Russian assets and why an Alaskan dog sled race just got even longer?
Could Europe unlock frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s fight against Putin? Why Elon Musk’s DOGE remains a mystery despite promises of transparency…
The News MeetingTrump ambushes Zelensky and Starmer takes the lead
After a frantic weekend of diplomatic chess, has Sir Keir Starmer emerged as the new leader of Europe? Will Israel agree to enact the second stage of the…
The News MeetingShould Starmer try to win over Trump and is Zelensky’s mineral deal with the US a smart move?
Will Keir Starmer’s meeting with Donald Trump cement him as the pragmatic leader the UK left has been missing? With the TV industry struggling, are we…
The News MeetingWhy has Apple pulled a data protection tool and will Germany stand up to Trump?
Germany’s Friedrich Merz has vowed to secure “independence” from the United States following his party’s victory in parliamentary elections. In 2023 the Crown…
The News MeetingWhy do some young voters buy Trump's lies about Ukraine and what’s behind the violence in the DRC?
Why is it so hard for journalists to report on Trump’s blatant lies? Tens of thousands have died and been displaced in the Democratic Republic of Congo - so…
The News MeetingIs Europe irrelevant in Trump’s new world order and will the UK send troops to Ukraine?
As Trump and Putin negotiate a peace deal without Europe or Ukraine, where does this leave Nato members? Can Keir Starmer establish himself as a key figure in…
The News MeetingThe Trump-Putin phone call shocks Europe and mayday for universities in Wales
With a single 90-minute phone call has Donald Trump sidelined Europe in the Ukraine discussion? Why is Donald Trump criticising South Africa’s land laws and…
The News MeetingThe rise and rise of Reform and the posthumously published diary of Joan Didion
What are the ethical dilemmas of publishing a writer's private works after their death? A new poll reveals that Nigel Farage’s Reform Party may be the UK’s…
The News MeetingThe Taliban refuses to return $7bn of US arms and Doge takes on USAID
A gang of young officials from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency targeted the US Agency for International Development. What does that tell us…
The News MeetingWhy is the Royal Family off limits in Parliament and could Trump force Palestinians out of Gaza?
What are the 180-year-old rules that prevent MPs from debating issues about the Royal Family? As Donald Trump floats the idea of “clearing out” Gaza, what lies…
The News MeetingAn art heist in the Netherlands and will there ever be a third runway at Heathrow Airport?
Why were priceless ancient Romanian artefacts stolen from a Dutch museum and what does this tell us about the global black market in stolen art? Will the…
The News MeetingIsraeli settlers in the West Bank and the millionaire paying to dodge death
How much is tech guru Bryan Johnson willing to put his 19-year-old son through in his quest to avoid dying? Why 33% of surveyed Gen Z-ers say they prefer the…
The News MeetingWho is the bishop who urged Trump to “have mercy” and why was crypto booming at Davos?
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s direct plea to Donald Trump has led a Republican congressman to demand her deportation. Should Democrats buy Trump’s meme coins?…
The News MeetingCeasefire in Gaza, allegations against Neil Gaiman, and Donald Trump returns
How Tortoise first reported on the allegations made against author Neil Gaiman. Does a ceasefire in Gaza mean peace? And what are Donald Trump’s plans for day…
The News MeetingHow should the media handle Trump 2.0?
As the world gears up for a second Donald Trump presidency, how will newsrooms handle the whirlwind this time around? What lessons will they take from the…
The News MeetingThe price of Shein’s fast fashion and what’s gone wrong for Rachel Reeves?
What should politicians do about allegations of poor treatment for workers at Shein’s factories in China? Will Keir Starmer back the chancellor amid the UK’s…
The News MeetingWhy is Mark Zuckerberg changing Meta’s policies and will the LA wildfires make California uninsurable?
How will climate events like fires and hurricanes affect America’s home insurance market? Why is the Silicon Valley tech boss scrapping fact-checking ahead of…
The News MeetingBlake Lively versus Justin Baldoni and Elon Musk muscles in on British politics
Giles Whittell is joined by Tortoise’s Alexi Mostrous, Jeevan Vasagar and Cat Neilan as they battle it out to see who can pitch the top story of the day. They…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Will 2025 be the breakthrough year for AI adoption?
Despite Silicon Valley promising Artificial Intelligence would revolutionise our daily lives, the reality has been slower to unfold. Writer: Patricia Clarke…
The News MeetingNews Meeting 2025 predictions: Will Trump and Musk stay friends and could AI help us talk to animals?
Giles Whittell and Tortoise journalists predict what stories will make the headlines in 2025. They discuss possible political shifts in the UK, reconciliation…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Denmark's gold rush town
2024 was weight-loss injections such as Ozempic and WeGovy went global. What does that mean for Novo Nordisk, the Danish company making them? And can it live…
The News MeetingSensemaker: A hard year for King Charles
The King's first full year on the throne has been marked by his illness. Along with that of his daughter-in-law, Catherine, Princess of Wales. What does this…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Joe Root – the greatest gets better
How England cricket’s greatest batter got even better in 2024. Writer: Andrew Butler Producer: Katie Gunning Photography: Lola Williams Executive producer…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Nara Smith and the tradwife renaissance
The tradwife movement, led by influencers like Nara Smith, sparked intense online debate throughout 2024, particularly following Donald Trump's presidential…
The News MeetingSensemaker: The rise and rise of Kneecap
The Belfast rap trio has taken the world by storm. But who are they and how have they managed to capture the zeitgeist? Writer: Elaine McCallig Producer: Casey…
The News MeetingThe News Meeting: 2024 Wrapped
Giles Whittell and Jess Winch take a look back on some of the biggest stories of the year and share some of their favourite pitches. From the conflicts in…
The News MeetingSensemaker: How Baby Reindeer rocked British TV
How the fallout from the TV show sparked a nearly two hundred million dollar lawsuit. Thanks for listening to the Sensemaker. This episode was written and…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Gaza’s Vlogger
How a young woman from Gaza who chronicled life in the Strip after October 7th and became one of the most influential women in the world. Writer: Chloe…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Chappell Roan and the price of fame
In 2024, Chappell Roan went from relative obscurity to playing to some of the biggest crowds in festival history. What toll did this meteoric rise take on her?…
The News MeetingSensemaker: The woman behind ITV’s Mr Bates vs. The Post Office
The Post Office scandal was one of the largest miscarriages of justice in the UK with hundreds of people wrongly prosecuted for theft or false accounting. So…
The News MeetingSensemaker: 2024: The year of the sequel
For the first time ever, the top ten grossing films of the year are all sequels. What does this tell us about the film industry? Has Hollywood run out of new…
The News MeetingThe News Meeting: Justice for Gisele Pelicot and are Americans taking all the Guinness?
Giles Whittell and guests debate the top stories of the day. They discuss the conclusion of the mass rape trial that found 50 men guilty of raping Gisele…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Luigi Mangione’s alleged 3D-printed gun
The man accused of killing the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, is alleged to have used an untraceable 3D-printed firearm. What is that and why is it so…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Why does Lucy Letby’s new lawyer think she should be released?
This week, Mark McDonald announced he is trying to bring Lucy Letby’s case back to the Court of Appeal. What reasons does he give for believing the…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Why has Saudi Arabia been awarded the 2034 World Cup?
Saudi Arabia has been awarded the tournament despite widespread concerns about human rights violations and environmental issues. What does this tell us about…
The News MeetingSensemaker: The rise of memecoins
A new cryptocurrency linked to the identity of Luigi Mangione, the suspected killer of Brian Thompson, has reached a market value of $76 million. Writer…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Rising water bills and the future of the Archbishop of York
Giles Whittell and guests debate what stories should lead the news. They discuss calls for Stephen Cottrell to step down over his handling of a sexual abuse…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Who is the lawyer suing Jay-Z?
Billionaire rapper Jay-Z is the first celebrity to be named as a co-defendent in an allegation concerning Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. Jay-Z vehemently denies the…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Syria’s disappeared and Fifa’s 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia
Jess Winch and guests debate what should lead the news. They discuss the thousands of people disappeared by Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the controversy…