Radical with Amol Rajan

How Do We Reduce Political Polarisation Online? (Your Radical Questions with Jonathan Haidt)

Social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation Jonathan Haidt answers your questions on social media bans for under‑16s, the influence of YouTube, and the risk of restricting access to certain online platforms.He also talks about Donald Trump’s second presidency and how technology is changing the nature of political debate.GET IN TOUCH* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.ukEpisodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajanAmol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Social Media Bans: Are We at a Global Turning Point? (Jonathan Haidt)

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt is at the forefront of the campaign to ban social media for under-16s and end what he calls “phone-based childhoods”. His book, The Anxious Generation, sparked a global reckoning that has led countries like Australia and Spain to introduce laws restricting access to social media platforms. He spoke to Amol ahead of a meeting with UK health secretary Wes Streeting about why he thinks we’re at a tipping point, whether technology is making us “stupider” and how parents can reduce their child’s smartphone use by organising local “play-bourhoods”. A Meta spokesperson said: “We agree with Jonathan Haidt that keeping teens safe online is critical. That’s why we've made meaningful changes - like Teen Accounts - to limit who can contact teens, what they see, and their time on our apps. However, two recent independent, large-scale studies in the UK and Australia, including one from Oxford, show the complexity of teen mental health and that many factors beyond social media influence it. Any serious conversation should reflect all the evidence and social media's positive role for teens: friendship, skill-building and finding community." Snapchat and TikTok were approached for comment. TIMECODES(00:03:45) Are we reaching a global turning point in how children interact with technology? (00:05:58) Understanding why governments have been slow to respond (00:10:23) How Meta has reacted to Jonathan Haidt’s research (00:12:35) Exploring the claim that we are becoming ‘stupider’ (00:15:58) Phone-free schools (00:19:13) The rise and impact of the loneliness epidemic (00:24:38) Jonathan presents his evidence on the ‘correlation vs. causation’ debate (00:34:09) How Jonathan addresses criticism of his work (00:35:17) What the science shows about social media, smartphones and developing brains (00:37:44) Why children benefit from facing adversity (00:40:18) Jonathan Haidt’s message to children (00:42:47) Jonathan Haidt’s message to parents (00:49:48) Examining the argument that kids will always find ways around social media restrictions (00:53:08) Meta’s response GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Will There Be A Revolt Against AI Music? (Your Radical Questions with Panos A. Panay)

Panos A. Panay, president of the Grammy Awards and Recording Academy, answers your questions about how governments can better support musicians and whether an AI-free music platform could exist in the future.He also explores whether royalties paid to artists’ estates could be redirected to help fund the next generation of musicians.GET IN TOUCH* WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.ukEpisodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajanAmol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent.Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

The Night Manager: How To Make Great British Drama (Simon Cornwell)

Executive producer and son of John le Carré, Simon Cornwell, speaks to Amol about how The Night Manager was revived a decade after its first season and how his father’s work was reimagined for a new generation. They also discuss the shifting realities of producing for linear TV versus streaming, the risk of losing distinctive British storytelling, and whether there should be a ‘streamers’ tax’. And as the second series comes to an end, Simon offers Amol a tantalising hint of what’s to come in series three. GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dafydd Evans. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.

Inside the Music Business: The Grammys President on the Fight to Protect Artists (Panos A. Panay)

As president of The Recording Academy, which organises the Grammy Awards, Panos A. Panay is grappling with how artificial intelligence and streaming is transforming the music industry, often at the expense of artists. A former agent who worked with the likes of Leonard Cohen and Nina Simone, Panos tells Amol about his love of music and how that led to him becoming one of the most influential figures in the industry. And against the backdrop of record-breaking tours from Beyonce and Taylor Swift, he reflects on why the next generation of artists like Sabrina Carpenter are forging real connections with audiences through live performances. (00:04:16) What is the Recording Academy? (00:05:17) How did he want to change the Academy as president? (00:07:10) Finding his love for music growing up in Cyprus (00:10:39) Panos’ career in the music industry (00:17:01) What does an agent look for in an artist in 2000 vs 2026? (00:22:19) Are artists being unfairly paid by music streaming companies? (00:25:55) How do you get a better deal for artists? (00:27:45) The threat of AI to the music industry (00:33:11) Panos’ RADICAL ideas (00:37:32) The rise of live music (00:39:20) The popularity of music in different languages (00:45:51) Amol’s Reflections GET IN TOUCH * WhatsApp: 0330 123 9480 * Email: radical@bbc.co.uk Episodes of Radical with Amol Rajan are released every Thursday and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002f1d0/radical-with-amol-rajan Amol Rajan is a presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. He is also the host of University Challenge on BBC One. Before that, Amol was media editor at the BBC and editor at The Independent. Radical with Amol Rajan is a Today Podcast. It was made by Lewis Vickers with Anna Budd. Digital production was by Gabriel Purcell-Davis. Technical production was by Dave O’Neill. The editor is Sam Bonham. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.