2024: the big ideas that shaped our year

When It Hits the Fan

David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the use of 'royal sources' in Prince Andrew's China crises and reflect on the big ideas that have shaped our world in 2024. What are the common themes that might help us understand and navigate our increasingly uncertain world a bit better?

They discuss how the Royal Family is the canary in the PR mine when it comes to dealing with the coming era of algorithms that work to channel negativity and disinformation, as well as the consequences of social media algorithms for all of us.

What does this mean for what happens next in 2025? How best to get a clear message out in a polluted ocean of information? In our changing world, the enduring power of storytelling and connection will be needed more than ever.

Producer: Eve Streeter Assistant Producer: Ella Blaxill Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: William Miller Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4