Business Daily BBC Podcasts
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- Business
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The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.
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Eurovision: Making money out of something I love
The Eurovision Song Contest has transformed itself from a TV show experiment to the world's largest live music event.
160 million people are expected to watch this year's competition in Sweden, as 37 countries take part.
The acts participating will be hoping to become global superstars following the likes of ABBA, Celine Dion and Måneskin.
And outside of the competition many fans around have turned their love of Eurovision into a business: from side-hustles to songwriters. We hear their stories and learn about the economics of having a winning song, and discover the plans for the first ever Eurovision world tour.
Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney
(Image: Malta entry Sarah Bonnici rehearsing Loop at this year's Eurovison. Credit: Connie Cumming/EBU) -
Resurrecting ‘ghost’ whisky distilleries
In Scotland in the 1980s, a slump in the whisky market brought about the closure of some of the country's most iconic distilleries. These sites become known as 'ghost' distilleries - where spirit production has stopped, but where some stock is still available.
In this programme, Elizabeth Hotson will be discovering why some of these distilleries are now being brought back to life.
She visits the legendary Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay for its much-anticipated re-opening and hears from the master blender there, and she takes a tour of London’s fabled Vintage House.
A whisky writer explains what makes a truly great dram and we learn why investors need to be careful if they’re planning to jump on the whisky bandwagon.
(Picture: A bottle of Port Ellen whisky bottled in 1980. Credit: Elizabeth Hotson/BBC)
Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson -
The trouble with live music
Elton John, Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran - all artists who've had sell-out world tours in recent years.
And new markets, such as India, are being added to the global tour map.
But the same can’t be said for smaller venues. In the UK and Australia, the lights are off, and thousands are closing their doors.
We hear from musicians, promoters and the people who run venues; asking why there’s such a contrast between sell out stadium tours and struggling grassroots venues.
And we see what the future could hold for India's live music scene.
Produced and presented by Megan Lawton
(Image: Ed Sheeran performing in Mumbai, India in 2017. Credit: Getty Images) -
What hope for Kosovo's economy?
Ed Butler travels to Kosovo to find out what the prospects are for this young, ethnically divided population.
After Ukraine, it's Europe's poorest region, where a brutal past still casts a shadow.
But it's also a territory full of economic promise – with precious minerals buried underground, and vast vineyards. If only the politics would stop getting in the way.
(Image: A wine maker in Kosovo, Milan Lakicevic, standing in front of stainless steel tanks, while holding a bottle of his wine.)
Presented and produced by Ed Butler -
Meet the trailblazers: The female bike mechanics
Meet Sharvari, Belinda and Brenna, three female bike mechanics from different corners of the world. From setting up a female run workshop in India, teaching skills to other women, or working within elite sport: these three are all making a living in the male dominated world of bike mechanics. Hear their stories and find out what happened when we got them all talking to each other.
Presenter/producer: Lexy O'Connor
(Photo: Bicycle mechanic Belinda Everett, Credit: Ryan Goff, #rygoff) -
Can the Tour de France Femmes deliver?
Over its long history women have been mostly excluded from the Tour de France. Until recently.
In 2022, after a long campaign by some of female cycling's biggest names, the Tour de France Femmes was introduced. So how is it doing? And will it ever be on a level footing with the much older and long-established men's race?
We hear from competitors, sponsors, broadcasters and race director Marion Rousse.
Produced and presented by Lexy O'Connor
(Team Jumbo Visma rider Marianne Vos wears the yellow jersey during 3rd stage of the first Tour de France Femmes in 2022: Getty Images)