Cable news and social media don't show the average person who votes differently. They blast the loudest, most cartoonish "professional lunatics" from the opposing side. This creates a false impression that the entire opposition is extreme, making tribalism seem rational.

Instead of viewing impartiality as passive neutrality or "both-sidesism," former BBC News CEO Deborah Turness sought to "weaponize impartiality." This frames journalistic balance as an active, forceful tool that provides a distinct value proposition in a media landscape pulled to ideological extremes.

Former BBC News CEO Deborah Turness diplomatically states that having political appointees on the BBC's board becomes a structural risk when too many are chosen by one government. This concentration of political influence threatens the organization's long-term impartiality and governance.

The BBC is funded by a near-universal license fee, obligating it to serve the entire UK public. This mandate for impartiality becomes a liability in a polarized media landscape, where it's constantly attacked from both the left and right for perceived bias, making it impossible to satisfy everyone.

The positive reception of a cross-political podcast conversation suggests a shift in audience values. In a highly polarized environment, listeners are gravitating towards commentators they perceive as trustworthy and sane, regardless of differing policy stances, indicating that character now outweighs ideology.

Adam Carolla suggests that as newsrooms became majority-female, their culture shifted. He argues women are more emotionally inclined to "pick a side," leading to advocacy journalism instead of neutral reporting, much like a mother struggling to be an impartial umpire for her own son's game.

In a polarized media environment, audiences increasingly judge news as biased if it doesn't reflect their own opinions. This creates a fundamental challenge for public media outlets aiming for objectivity, as their down-the-middle approach can be cast as politically hostile by partisans who expect their views to be validated.

Former BBC CEO Deborah Turness warns that large media brands must learn from the creator economy. She urges them to stop "managing" the news and instead empower talent to build authentic, direct relationships with audiences, mirroring platforms like Substack and YouTube.

A newsroom's "DNA"—its ingrained sense of what constitutes a front-page story—often remains male-centric even with a woman in charge. Deep-seated biases that value topics like policy over childcare persist, meaning systemic change requires more than just a change in leadership.