Ed Sheeran Is 'Intellectually Moribund' & More (with Paddy Duffy)

Paddy Duffy returns to Talk Media to chat with Stuart Cosgrove about Reform's collapse to third in the Scottish Parliament with the resignation of Amanda Bland MSP, how Trump can't work out which side he's on in the Russia/Ukraine war, and of course they cover the news that the BBC Scotland TV channel is to close next year. Recommendations Paddy: Who Is Martin Mull? (Netflix) Stuart - East of Eden (Netflix) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catriona Stewart, Education Correspondent from The Scotsman, is back on Talk Media this week. She sat down with Stuart Cosgrove to talk about Andy Burnham's big ol' Brexit takes, where all the money's gone in our Scottish unis, what's in a poll after IPSOS found that 50% of Scots think that we're 'heading in the wrong direction', and of course we grilled her on what it was like to meet her hero, former Scotland manager Steve Clarke. Recommendations Catriona - Teaching A Stone To Talk by Annie Dillard (Waterstones) Stuart - East of Eden on Netflix Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hannah Brown from The Herald returns to Talk Media as she sits down with Stuart Cosgrove to discuss Wings Over Scotland's latest 'fundraising efforts', the struggles facing working mums in Scotland, and they lament the closure of BBC Scotland citing its wasted potential. Independent media analysis is harder than ever. Our supporters allow us to stay forensic and un-influenced. Ad-free listening Supporters-only episodes weekly Monthly special episode Early access to weekly episodes (on day of recording) Supporters chat community on Patreon Discounts for live show tickets Weekly recommendations Join monthly for £3.96 per month - cancel anytime Join today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thebiglight.com/talkmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrea Baker returns to Talk Media from her home in Munich where she discusses the Future of the BBC, World News Day, how to rent a panda from China, and the German elections with Stuart Cosgrove. It's a cracking episode, we hope you enjoy it! Independent media analysis is harder than ever. Our supporters allow us to stay forensic and un-influenced. Ad-free listening Supporters-only episodes weekly Monthly special episode Early access to weekly episodes (on day of recording) Supporters chat community on Patreon Discounts for live show tickets Weekly recommendations Join monthly for £3.96 per month - cancel anytime Join today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thebiglight.com/talkmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paddy Duffy is back with Stuart as the boys take a look at Ed Sheeran's ever-dwindling friendship group, discuss Michael Marra's ascendancy to Scottish Labour leader (Paddy is willing to give him a chance?!) and chat through Earl Spencer's new book about his sister... Independent media analysis is harder than ever. Our supporters allow us to stay forensic and un-influenced. Ad-free listening Supporters-only episodes weekly Monthly special episode Early access to weekly episodes (on day of recording) Supporters chat community on Patreon Discounts for live show tickets Weekly recommendations Join monthly for £3.96 per month - cancel anytime Join today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thebiglight.com/talkmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're delighted to welcome back The Scotsman's Education Correspondent Catriona Stewart who sits down with Stuart Cosgrove to discuss the ramifications of the Cardiff Agreement, attainment in Scottish schools, who's better: Mulder or Scully, Rogue AIs and she also promotes Paul Sweeney MSP to First Minister... Recommendations Users by Beeban Kidron (Waterstones) Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Waterstones) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Talk Media time again and Stuart Cosgrove returns alongside Angela Haggerty to take a deep dive into the politics of dodgy money, the non-politics of balaclava-covered "protestors" and they delve into 9/11 25 years on. Recommendations Angela: A Night To Remember by Walter Lord Stuart: Derry Girls (it's better than Still Game - his words, not mine) Independent media analysis is harder than ever. Our supporters allow us to stay forensic and un-influenced. Ad-free listening Supporters-only episodes weekly Monthly special episode Early access to weekly episodes (on day of recording) Supporters chat community on Patreon Discounts for live show tickets Weekly recommendations Join monthly for £3.96 per month - cancel anytime Join today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thebiglight.com/talkmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Graham Jeffery from University of the West of Scotland joined Stuart in the Talk Media studio today for a wide-ranging, fascinating chat about all things media practice. They got into our society's obsession with true crime, asked who's in control of cartography as Trump tries to rename another large body of water, and ask what makes Holyrood coverage different to Westminster. Independent media analysis is harder than ever. Our supporters allow us to stay forensic and un-influenced. Ad-free listening Supporters-only episodes weekly Monthly special episode Early access to weekly episodes (on day of recording) Supporters chat community on Patreon Discounts for live show tickets Weekly recommendations Join monthly for £3.96 per month - cancel anytime Join today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thebiglight.com/talkmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Foreign affairs writer and photographer David Pratt returns to Talk Media... and so does the holidaymaker! Yes, Stuart Cosgrove is back from his trip and sits down with David to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, including some fascinating insights into Ukrainian petrol stations, Donald Trump's war with Iran, and of course the rumoured cuts to at BBC Scotland which could see the BBC Scotland channel close down for good. Recommendations this week: David: The Gabriel Dax series by William Boyd Stuart: MOURINHO on Netflix Independent media analysis is harder than ever. Our supporters allow us to stay forensic and un-influenced. Ad-free listening Supporters-only episodes weekly Monthly special episode Early access to weekly episodes (on day of recording) Supporters chat community on Patreon Discounts for live show tickets Weekly recommendations Join monthly for £3.96 per month - cancel anytime Join today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠thebiglight.com/talkmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Paddy Duffy's last hurrah as Talk Media's substitute teacher and he's joined this week by journalist Catriona Stewart. They discuss the challenges of writing for the right wing press, talk about the education beat, and take a look at the media treatment of the Jason Arday story. There's a wee bit of strong language in this one, so steel yourselves! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices