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The business of streaming games

The business of streaming games

We explore the world of video game streaming - where players connect their screens to platforms such as Twitch or YouTube so that fans can watch them play.

Elizabeth Hotson talks to Aoife Wilson, head of video at video game website Eurogamer who’s an enthusiastic streamer and industry watcher; she explains why watching people play games has turned into a multi-billion dollar industry.

The BBC’s Faarea Masud gives a fan’s perspective, whilst Sam Matthews, CEO of e-sports brand, Fnatic gives us an insight into the money-making potential of competitive gaming. Thomas Slattery from gaming venue, Platform, in London, tells us why he thinks streaming is so important right now.

Presenter / producer: Elizabeth Hotson Image: A gamer; Credit: Getty Images

Brazil's election and the economy

Brazil's election and the economy

Brazilians will go to the polls to elect their next president in October. With Jair Bolsonaro trailing in polls behind former leader Lula da Silva, many voters say the economy is their main worry.

We speak to small business owners in Vitoria, Espirito Santo, to get their thoughts on how financial concerns may influence voters’ choices. Mauricio Moura, founder of polling company IDEIA, tells us that the economy has never been as crucial going into a Brazilian election in modern history as it is this year.

Former Central Bank governor Gustavo Franco says he’s concerned that some people have forgotten the country’s struggles with high levels of inflation in recent decades. Solange Srour, Chief Economist of Credit Suisse Brasil, says the reduction in government benefit payments introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic have dented the president’s popularity. And Wilson Ferrarezi from TS Lombard tells us that the most pressing structural challenge for whoever wins the vote in October is reforming Brazil’s tax system. With additional reporting by Sarita Reed in Vitoria, Espirito Santo.

Presenter / producer: Tom Kavanagh Image: Homeless people in Sao Paulo; Credit: NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP via Getty Images

Women, sport and business: Haley Rosen

Women, sport and business: Haley Rosen

To coincide with the start of the Women's Euros and the Africa Women Cup of Nations, Business Daily launches a new series on women, sport and business.

Haley Rosen is a former pro soccer player who now runs the digital sports media company Just Women’s Sports. When she stopped playing, Haley realised she couldn't access even basic information about women's sports, including fixtures, scores and all the other statistics available to those following male sports. Haley tells Sam Fenwick how she set up her digital media platform and secured more than $3.5 million in investment. They also discuss what needs to change to make sure female sporting stars are treated on a par with their male counterparts.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Helen Thomas

Image: Haley Rosen; Credit: Getty

Are they listening?

Are they listening?

Are they really listening to us via our mobile phones and other smart devices? Eavesdropping to find out more about our most personal tastes and habits? Ed Butler investigates whether regular firms are trying to mine our data for commercial advantage.

We ask experts what is technically possible in this field and find out whether the data gathered would actually be worth the effort.

Presenter / Producer: Ed Butler Image: Smart speaker; Credit Getty

Peat and the environment

Peat and the environment

Sam Fenwick explores why peat is such an important carbon store and whether it’s use in compost should be banned. Sam visits a peat bog in the UK and speaks to garden centres in Japan and India, where like many parts of the world gardening boomed during the pandemic. She also heads to Estonia, one of the biggest exporters of peat in the world.

Producer / Presenter: Sam Fenwick Image: Little Woolden Moss peat bog; Credit: Sam Fenwick

Business Daily meets: iPod and iPhone co-creator Tony Fadell

Business Daily meets: iPod and iPhone co-creator Tony Fadell

Apple technology has revolutionised the world. The US company says there are now more than 1.5 billion Apple devices in active use globally - a billion of those are iPhones. It was 15 years ago this week that the co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, first unveiled the iPhone.

So how do you come up with such a world-changing idea? We find out from Tony Fadell - the co-inventor of the iPod and iPhone. He tells Jo Critcher how it took years of set-backs to find success and how it's important to never give up.

Having invented the Nest smart thermostat, Tony explains why he's now focused on green technology. He's tells us how he's investing in tech start-ups with his company, Future Shape, that are helping to find solutions to the climate change crisis.

Presenter and producer: Jo Critcher

(Image; Tony Fadell: Credit; BBC)

Cost of living: Mechanics

Cost of living: Mechanics

In this Business Daily mini series we're exploring how businesses we all use regularly are being affected by the cost of living crisis.

Leanna Byrne and Olivia Wilson look at the impact of inflation on those who supply car parts and fix our cars.

Kelly Bysouth chief supply chain officer of the International Automotive Components group tell us manufacturing disruption and supply chains are key problems for this industry. We also hear from mechanics in Lagos, Nigeria, who tell us how their businesses are coping.

Presenters; Leanna Byrne and Olivia Wilson Production; Leanna Byrne and Olivia Wilson Image; Mechanics: Credit; Getty

Cost of living: Farmers and food producers

Cost of living: Farmers and food producers

In this Business Daily mini series we're exploring how businesses we all use regularly are being affected by the cost of living crisis.

Leanna Byrne goes from farm to fork, first speaking to farmers in Malawi and Canada about the rising costs of growing crops and rearing dairy cows, then getting the macro picture from Food Drink Europe, which represents food and drink giants like Nestle, Unilever and Danone.

We also hear from Chris Hegadorn, Secretary of the UN’s Committee on World Food Security, who says that rising food prices in a developing country could be completely destablising.

Presenter / Producer: Leanna Byrne Additional production: Olivia Wilson Image: Farming; Credit: Getty

Cost of living: Bakeries

Cost of living: Bakeries

In this Business Daily mini series we're exploring how businesses we all use regularly are being affected by the cost of living crisis. This episode looks at how bakers are coping as the price of grain, dairy and the power needed to heat their ovens, all continue to increase.

Leanna Byrne speaks to bakers in Egypt, France and Uganda – one baker tells us that the price increases she's seeing for ingredients means she should really have doubled her prices. Our French baker tells us the price of butter is a huge issue there and in Egypt we investigate the expense of wheat imports and difficulty sourcing local wheat.

Presenter / Producer: Leanna Byrne Additional production: Olivia Wilson Image: Baker; Credit: Getty

Cost of living: Hairdressers

Cost of living: Hairdressers

In this Business Daily mini series we're exploring how businesses we all use regularly are being affected by the cost of living crisis. This episode looks at how hairdressers are coping as the price of power and hair products continues to increase.

Leanna Byrne speaks to hairdressers in South Africa, the USA and Germany – all report difficulties with rising overheads and the need to start passing those costs on to customers. We also look at how one haircare brand, selling direct to consumers, is seeing increased sales but also increased manufacturing costs and longer turn-around times.

Presenter / Producer: Leanna Byrne Additional production: Olivia Wilson Image: Hairdressing; Credit: Getty

Business Daily meets: Tech entrepreneur Frederic Kerrest

Business Daily meets: Tech entrepreneur Frederic Kerrest

Tech entrepreneur Frederic Kerrest tells Sam Clack how he helped to build the multi-billion dollar tech company, Okta, from scratch.

He goes through the life and business lessons he’s learned along the way – and explains the importance of listening to great advice at every stage of your career.

In his new book ‘Zero to IPO’, Frederic shares valuable insights from top CEOs that he hopes will help to motivate the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Presenter / Producer: Sam Clack Image: Frederic Kerrest; Credit: Okta

Love in virtual reality

Love in virtual reality

We take a look at the companies moving the business of love to the metaverse.

Hannah Mullane meets Aurora Townsend, co-founder of the world’s first virtual reality dating app, who tells us about what customers can expect and Hannah heads into the metaverse herself to meet Marc Charlton, founder of Dates VR, a virtual reality speed dating event.

Hannah also hears from a couple who got married on a virtual reality platform called Decentraland. That company's creative producer also explains what it’s really like to plan a virtual wedding because just like in the real world, weddings are big business.

Presenter / Producer: Hannah Mullane Image: Avatars; Credit: ‘Dates VR’

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