Full stream ahead

Since people have been cooped up indoors thanks to the pandemic, streaming services have seen an uptick in viewership. We speakto two programme directors from MUBI and Curzon to find out about the opportunities that this presents.

What’s the future for music mags?

As some publications are suspended while others are in danger of being discontinued, we explore how the music press is holding up during the pandemic – and why it’s important that we keep it going. Robert Bound speaks to Stuart Stubbs, editor of ‘Loud and Quiet’ and Laura Snapes, deputy music editor at ‘The Guardian’.

Richard Russell, XL Recordings

We speak to Richard Russell, head of XL Recordings, about his new book, his career producing records for the likes of Adele and Bobby Womack and his collaboration with Gil Scott-Heron.

Pop in a pandemic

Music journalists Kate Hutchinson and Will Hodgkinson join Robert Bound to take a look at how the music industry has reacted and adapted to the current pandemic, and what sort of creativity that has sparked.

Onscreen in lockdown

Critics Simran Hans and Scott Bryan divulge a few hidden TV and film gems to get you through the rest of lockdown.

Olivia Laing

Novelist and art writer Olivia Laing tells Robert Bound about ‘Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency’, her new collection of essays, columns and character studies from the past decade.

Spring books and music

Will Hodgkinson and Lucy Scholes tell us about the best new music and books to enjoy this month, and the golden oldies they have been revisiting during lockdown.

Melissa Harrison

Writer Melissa Harrison tells Robert Bound about her new podcast on nature, ‘The Stubborn Light of Things’. She talks about writing during a period of change, how getting in touch with the outdoors changed her life and why we should believe the hype about nightingales.

Craig Brown

Robert Bound speaks to writer Craig Brown about his new biography of the Beatles, called ‘One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time’. How do you say something fresh about one of the most written-about bands in history?

Broadcasting during a pandemic

We look at the role of public broadcasters during the pandemic. TV critic Scott Bryan tells us what the BBC has been up to while the CBC/Radio-Canada’s Catherine Tait talks about the practicalities of producing for a multilingual country. Plus: we head to northern California to discuss the value of local radio.