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 MeetingSensemaker: What will the new government do first?
After its landslide victory in the general election, what are the Labour government’s priorities for its first days in office? To find out more about Tortoise…
The News MeetingEditor’s Voicemail: A moment of optimism
The seam of anger and disillusion in UK politics is wide and deep. But Thursday’s vote offers us a reason to hope, too. To find out more about Tortoise: -…
The News MeetingTrendy: What just happened?
John Curtice and Rachel Wolf discuss the election results and what they mean? Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Starmer drama
When he entered Downing Street as prime minister Keir Starmer said "our work is urgent - and we begin it today." In this episode James Harding is joined by…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Labour's landslide
Keir Starmer's party has won the general election with a landslide, ending 14 years of Conservative-led government. This is how election night unfolded. To…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Will Joe Biden step aside?
It’s nearly a week since Joe Biden’s terrible performance in that debate against Donald Trump and the panic in the Democratic party has reached fever pitch. In…
The News MeetingTrendy: The final countdown
On the eve of the election John explains how the exit polls work. Hosts: John Curtice and Rachel Wolf To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise…
The News MeetingCould it be true?: Is everything we’ve told you a lie?
A new academic paper says journalists regularly overstate the harms of online misinformation. In our final episode, Alexi Mostrous and Patricia Clarke speak to…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Why populist candidates thrive
With a few days to go until the election, James Harding is joined by three guests and an audience in Manchester to discuss the stories that should be leading…
The News MeetingSensemaker: How the election looks on social media
Reform has emerged as the most dominant political party on social media ahead of the election, but what impact will this have on the results? To find out more…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: The Biden problem and is Julian Assange a hero or a villain?
After Joe Biden’s debate disaster, what might happen next? Plus Julian Assange is freed, the prime ministerial debate between Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak, and…
The News MeetingEditor's Voicemail: Minority rule
Labour look set to win a huge majority in Thursday’s general election. But a large and unlikely coalition of voters will be left wondering whether they’ve been…
The News MeetingTrendy: The digital election campaign
What does the online election campaign look like? Who are the parties trying to reach and how effective are they? John Curtice and Rachel Wolf are joined by…
The News MeetingCould it be true?: The platforms’ dilemma
Are the big social media platforms doing enough to tackle election misinformation? Or could they be doing too much? To find out more about Tortoise: - Download…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: AI warfare and why Tory fundraising has collapsed
James Harding is joined by the editor of the Evening Standard to discuss why the paper is axing its daily print edition, what should lead the news and why he’s…
The News MeetingSensemaker: The ghost of Boris Johnson
The Conservatives heralded the arrival of Boris Johnson to join their election campaign. A day later, it emerged he was going on holiday. Why can’t the party…
The News MeetingEditor's Voicemail: hope, change and the fiscal rules
James Harding wonders whether amid all the hope of a new Labour government it will need to revise its fiscal rules. To find out more about Tortoise: - Download…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Polar bears, ice caps, jobs and growth
Giles Whittell is joined by Ecotricity owner Dale Vince, journalist Louise Tickle and Jo Leahy from Stroud Valleys Artspace in front of an audience at The Long…
The News MeetingTrendy: (What’s the story) losing Tory?
John and Rachel discuss the latest polls and policy dividing lines between the main parties. To find out more about Tortoise: Download the Tortoise app - for a…
The News MeetingCould it be true?: Chaos agents
From Russian disinformation campaigns to Chinese spies, are foreign influence operations targeting the UK election? To find out more about Tortoise: - Download…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: What Farage wants and Barclays faces anti-Israel protests
What should lead the news? Three Tortoise journalists each pitch the story they think should be at the top of the news agenda to deputy editor Giles Whittell…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Pro-Palestine candidates threaten to take votes from Labour
Labour faces an unlikely challenge from a TikTok star in one of its safest seats. What impact could Israel’s war in Gaza have on Labour’s support in some…
The News MeetingEditor's Voicemail: Not rejoining, but returning
Now Labour and the Conservatives have published their party manifestos, Tortoise editor James Harding examines which issues they're not tackling. To find out…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Sunak’s aide bets on the election and French politics goes crazy
What should lead the news? Three Tortoise journalists each pitch the story they think should be at the top of the news agenda to deputy editor Giles Whittell…
The News MeetingTrendy: Volatile voters and why people don’t trust politicians
What has changed since Rishi Sunak’s D-Day gaffe and Nigel Farage’s intervention? John and Rachel delve into the latest polls, the party manifestos and the…
The News MeetingCould it be true?: Sneaky politics
This week, Alexi and Patricia dive into the wild west of political advertising and investigate the people behind a sneaky series of smear campaigns. To find…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Douglas Ross quits as leader and Scotland’s homeless children
In this election special Giles Whittell is joined by former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, journalist John Boothman and columnist Andrew Tickell in…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Ed Davey: the carer and the clown
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has shown his more serious side after a series of campaign stunts. What's the party's election strategy? To find out more…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Tory superdonor Frank Hester and Vladimir Putin’s latest threat
Giles Whittell talks to Sky News executive chairman David Rhodes about election leader debates and what should lead the news. They’re joined by Tortoise’s…
The News MeetingEditor's Voicemail: It's the technology, stupid
James Harding thinks we're asking our politicians the wrong questions ahead of the election. To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for…
The News MeetingTrendy: The Conservatives face their Mount Everest
Is Labour’s poll lead over the Conservatives widening? What could Nigel Farage’s return to the political fray mean for the polls and the Tories? And John…
The News MeetingSensemaker: What does Farage’s return mean for the Tories?
Nigel Farage has announced that he’ll stand in the general election for Reform UK after previously saying he wouldn’t. What does it mean for the Conservative…
The News MeetingCould it be true?: Deepfakes
Every week between now and the UK election, Tortoise's Alexi Mostrous and Patricia Clarke will examine claims from the campaign trail. Some will be outlandish…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Farage shakes up the election campaign
Giles Whittell goes to Stoke-on-Trent to hear what people there think should lead the news. They discuss the news that Nigel Farage will lead Reform and stand…
The News MeetingSensemaker: The First Millennial Saint
Carlo Acutis is set to become the first millennial saint. But how did a teenager, dubbed ‘God’s influencer’ achieve one of the highest honours within the…
The News MeetingWord for word: Trump on trial - episode 5
Donald Trump is the first former US president to be convicted of a crime. In a special one-off, we will be sharing our new series Word for Word: Trump on…
The News MeetingWord for word: Trump on trial - episode 4
Donald Trump is the first former US president to be convicted of a crime. In a special one-off, we will be sharing our new series Word for Word: Trump on…
The News MeetingWord for word: Trump on trial - episode 3
Donald Trump is the first former US president to be convicted of a crime. In a special one-off, we will be sharing our new series Word for Word: Trump on…
The News MeetingWord for word: Trump on trial - episode 2
Donald Trump is the first former US president to be convicted of a crime. In a special one-off, we will be sharing our new series Word for Word: Trump on…
The News MeetingWord for word: Trump on trial - episode 1
Donald Trump is the first former US president to be convicted of a crime. In a special one-off, we will be sharing our new series Word for Word: Trump on…
The News MeetingEditor's Voicemail: The politicisation of the courts
In the wake of the verdict against Donald Trump, James Harding considers the the loss of confidence in the judiciary, the suspicion that judges are…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Israel’s attacks on Rafah and Elon Musk’s new AI chatbot
Giles Whittell and three guests debate what they think should lead the news. In this episode he’s joined by Tortoise’s political editor Cat Neilan…
The News MeetingIs climate change to blame for extreme turbulence?
A man died and dozens were injured by extreme air turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight. Is this phenomenon becoming more common and if so, why? To find…
The News MeetingTrendy: How is the election campaign going?
The first week of the election campaign is over. What do the polls say and how have they changed? What policies have the parties announced? John Curtice and…
The News MeetingSensemaker: All eyes on Rafah
Israeli tanks have rolled into the centre of Rafah, where Israel has been ordered to halt its offensive by the International Court of Justice. Will Israel…
The News MeetingSensemaker: The women facing deportation to Rwanda
Fatima is currently detained in Yarl’s Wood for deportation to Rwanda. What will the upcoming election mean for the Conservative party’s flagship policy – and…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Paula Vennells and the Post Office scandal
The former CEO of the Post Office has made a long-awaited appearance before a public inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal. What did she know and when? To find…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: The first days of the election campaign
James Harding and three guests debate what they think should lead the news. In this episode he’s joined by Rachel Wolf, Torsten Bell and Ben Bradshaw. Email…
The News MeetingEditor's Voicemail: The course for change
James Harding reflects on how the UK General Election will change the course of the country. To find out more about Tortoise: - Download the Tortoise app - for…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Rishi Sunak announces a general election
To the surprise of many in his party, prime minister Rishi Sunak called a general election for 4th July. Why now? To find out more about Tortoise: - Download…
The News MeetingTrendy: What does Gen Z think?
Gen Z - people born between 1997 and 2012 - are the post Brexit, post financial crisis, post austerity generation. They are better educated than their…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Scarlett Johansson speaks out against OpenAI
The Hollywood actress said she was “shocked” and angered when OpenAI released a chatbot that sounds “eerily similar” to her. How might this latest controversy…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Bad Blood
The official report into the infected blood scandal found endless delays, needless suffering, and high level negligence, collusion and cover up. What next for…
The News MeetingWord for word: Trump on trial – episode 3
Donald Trump is the first former US president to face a criminal trial. He is accused of falsifying business records by saying a hush money payment to a porn…
The News MeetingSensemaker: The death of Iran’s president
In the early hours of Monday morning, rescuers confirmed that Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, had been killed in a helicopter crash. What does his sudden…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Death in Iran and the Infected Blood Scandal Inquiry
Giles Whittell and three guests debate what they think should lead the news. In this episode he’s joined by Tortoise’s political editor Cat Neilan, news editor…
The News MeetingSensemaker: England’s ‘Ghost’ Pupils
The number of children who are absent from school for more than half the time has soared by 136 per cent since before the pandemic. What’s behind the record…
The News MeetingEditor's Voicemail: Should journalism defend democracy or enable it?
James Harding ponders what the job of journalism is in the face of populist liars, sophisticated propaganda and the information war. To find out more about…
The News MeetingNews Meeting: Protests in Georgia and the carer’s allowance scandal
Giles Whittell and three guests debate what they think should lead the news. In this episode he’s joined by businessman John Rose who used to be chief…
The News MeetingSensemaker: Netflix's Baby Reindeer problem
Richard Gadd’s Netflix series is on track to become one of the streamer’s most popular shows of all time. But it’s raised questions around Netflix’s duty of…