About this episode

The episode discusses the rise of player-led media in sports, the implications of a Russian children's cartoon, and the trend of journalists starting independent media businesses.

Wimbledon is under way and some of the sport's biggest names are increasingly becoming media businesses in their own right. Jamie Murray has joined the BBC's Wimbledon coverage as an analysis expert while launching a new YouTube channel, The Set, with his brother Andy. Jamie Murray explains why they decided to create their own platform, and Catherine Whitaker, co-host of The Tennis Podcast, looks at what more player-led media means for broadcasters and sports journalism. Netflix has added two more seasons of the Russian children's cartoon Masha and the Bear, prompting criticism from Ukraine. The country's Centre for Countering Disinformation says the programme is a form of Russian soft power, while its producers have previously said they receive no funding from the Russian state. Oleksandra Zhylina, a master's student at Charles University specialising in propaganda and disinformation, outlines the concerns. Clare Denning, Russia specialist at BBC Monitoring, explains why the debate has grown. More journalists are leaving traditional news organisations to build their own subscription businesses. Lachlan Cartwright has reported for the New York Post, Vanity Fair and The Hollywood…

More episodes of The Explanation

• The President's Path: Trump accuses China of US election 'meddling' · July 17, 2026 · 16 min
• The Media Show: Trump's New York Times subpoenas · July 16, 2026 · 23 min
• The President's Path: US-Iran conflict reignites · July 10, 2026 · 16 min
• The Media Show: Farage's fight with the Media · July 9, 2026 · 23 min
• The President's Path: America at 250 · July 3, 2026 · 25 min
• The President's Path: Has Trump taken over America’s big birthday? · June 26, 2026 · 25 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Explanation podcast page.