Episode 24: Sam McAlister on Truth, Trust and Tribes in a New Media Age

Episode 24: Sam McAlister on Truth, Trust and Tribes in a New Media Age

From The Grayling Media Podcast by Grayling UK

October 21, 2025 · 30 min · Season 1 · Episode 24

About this episode

Heather Blundell and Sam McAlister discuss the evolving relationship between truth and media in Britain.

Is truth losing its appeal? Building on our inaugural 2024 report, Grayling’s 2025 edition – Truth, Trust and Tribes in a New Media Age – delves deeper into how power, politics, and Britain’s evolving relationship with truth are reshaping today’s media landscape. Grayling's UK CEO Heather Blundell joins Sam McAlister – former Newsnight producer behind the Prince Andrew interview and author of Scoops – for a sharp discussion on power, media, and Britain’s shifting relationship with truth. Together, they unpack the UK’s crisis of truth, where only a third of people say they believe in objective facts, and explore how trust, technology, and tribalism are redefining how we seek and share news. In partnership with More in Common , we surveyed 2,000 people across Britain to uncover new insights into how audiences find trustworthy information, interpret truth, and engage with media. 👉 Read the full report here .

People in this episode

Host: Heather Blundell

Guest: Sam McAlister

Topics covered

  • media landscape
  • truth
  • trust
  • tribalism
  • politics
  • audience engagement

Keywords

  • truth
  • trust
  • media
  • politics
  • tribalism
  • audience
  • news

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Grayling, More in Common

Books & works: Scoops

Places: Britain

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