Tuesday, 20 June, 2006

By Simon Enright
Programme producer, BBC Newsnight

Presented by Jeremy Paxman

Tabloid power

Is Blair's Government making policy to placate headline writers?

"This government has a couple of years ago accepted the principle, rather like people who are blackmailed do, that they're prepared to be blackmailed" was how Terry Grange, the Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police described the influence of the media on the development of policy in this Government.

Where does power lie and who really does drive government policy? A former tabloid editor and spin doctor go head to head.

Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter has been described as the Republican's answer to Michael Moore. In fact she's so well known in America, she even has a doll in her own image.

The action doll dressed in a black mini-dress comes out with Coulterisms like "why not go to war just for oil?" Tonight, she will be discussing her controversial new book "Godless: The Church of Liberalism".

World Cup

Michael Crick is in Cologne - the host of tonight's game against Sweden. He's also found time to visit a school which likes our school lunches so much - the schoolchildren now eat them instead of their own traditional German fare.

China

Mark Urban has been in the US looking at how Washington is responding to what they perceive as their biggest national security threat: China and it's appetite for America's high-tech secrets. And he's got exclusive access to the FBI nerve centre.