Business Daily

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

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)

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 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)

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)

The 'pink pound' or 'pink dollar' is believed to be worth billions of dollars, and tourism is one sector looking to benefit. We find out how the industry is trying to attract LGBT travellers, with countries like Nepal taking steps to be a more appealing destination. Plus, we head to the coastal town of Sitges in Spain, where gay people have been holidaying for more than 100 years.Producer/presenter: Daniel Rosney(Photo: The Nomadic Boys in New Zealand. Credit: The Nomadic Boys)

Ireland has just launched a scheme to charge a deposit on bottles and cans which is refunded when consumers return them to recycling machines in supermarkets. The Irish have set up a non profit making company to manage the scheme, funded by the drinks making firms, which should avoid the financial problems that have dogged the industry in the United States. Many privately owned American recycling companies are in danger of going out of business because the fee they get from state governments, under the Bottle Bill, has not been increased for years, even though their costs have soared.Produced and presented by Russell Padmore(Picture: Reverse vending machines for Ireland’s new deposit return recycling scheme)

We speak to the Armenian entrepreneur behind the popular photo editing app used by millions on Instagram, and by businesses too. Mr Avoyan tells us about his childhood, growing up in a country which only gained independence when he was in his 20s. He tells us how this liberation set free his entrepreneurial spirit, and why he relocated his company from Armenia to the US.Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw(Image: Hovhannes Avoyan)

As modest fashion week starts in Istanbul, we look at the growth of this area of the fashion industry.Long considered a faith-based choice, it is gaining in popularity, proven by the modest-friendly options that many leading brands now offer. We hear the thoughts of retailers and designers on why more women are choosing to dress modestly. And content creator Maha Gondal explains how she's bringing her take on modest fashion to her thousands of followers. Plus we look at what can go wrong when brands try to cash in on what they see as a lucrative market. Presented and produced by Megan Lawton(Image: Woman wearing a maxi dress with long sleeves, standing in front of a wall covered with foliage. Credit: Getty Images)

What happens when your favourite movies and TV shows fall off streaming sites? We find out why, speaking to industry insiders, and those preserving our film and TV titles. Plus, we speak to a US-based writer whose programme has disappeared to find out what the impact is on creators when their work no longer exists online.(Image: Man watching TV next to a dog. Credit: Getty Images)Presented and produced by Matt Lines

Earlier this year, on International Women's Day, the Irish electorate was asked to vote in two referendums on changing Ireland's constitution regarding family and care. One of those questions was whether they wished to remove a reference to the role of women in the home, which some view as being out-of-step with modern Irish society. A lot has changed since the constitution was written in 1937. Ireland is now among the highest-ranking countries in Europe for gender equality. However, in both referendums, voters rejected the bid for constitutional change. In this programme, Leanna Byrne travels back to her home city of Dublin to explore Ireland's story when it comes to women, the family and work; speaking to Irish women about their experiences over the decades to now. (Image: From left to right Niamh O'Reilly, Lorraine Lally and Rena Maycock, who spoke to the BBC World Service in Dublin in March 2024.) Presented and produced by Leanna Byrne

More of us are searching for cheaper and efficient ways to power and heat our homes. As energy prices remain high, what about taking matters into your own hands and putting solar panels on your roof, or putting a small wind turbine in your garden? Produced and presented by Rick Kelsey(Image: A wind turbine on a roof of a house in Amsterdam. Credit: Getty Images)

It’s estimated that 90% of traded goods travel over the oceans. But for the seafarers who make that happen, it’s not always an easy process. Thousands of incidents of corruption within the industry have been reported to the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, who in this episode, tell Ruth Alexander what they’re doing to help the problem. Seafarers can often be put in an impossible position, and one former captain tells us how he was arrested at gunpoint after refusing to hand over a carton of cigarettes to officials.(Picture: A bird's eye view of a container ship at sea. Credit: Getty Images)Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Izzy Greenfield

As India enters election season, we look at the crucial female vote. For decades, the number of women turning out to vote in India has been low, but that’s changed in the last decade. Now, political parties are deliberately targeting policies at women, to try and win over this key group. We hear from a group of women about their priorities in the 2024 general election - for the workplace, in business, and their day-to-day lives.(Picture: A group of women in India lining up to vote. Credit: AFP)Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

We depend on online reviews for everything from hotel and restaurant bookings, to what products to buy, and as we hear in this programme, medical and cosmetic procedures. If a customer feels unhappy with a service they've paid for, they might want to leave a bad review. But what happens if the company they're complaining about doesn't like it?In the UK, a cosmetic surgery company, Signature Clinic, is taking some of its former patients to court after they posted negative reviews or comments on support groups. We hear from some of them. (Image: A surgeon putting on surgical gloves. Credit: Getty Images)Presented and produced by Ed Butler

Brenda Romero's breakthrough game Wizardry is legendary, and she’s made and contributed to more than 50 titles since.Now, with her own company in Ireland, what does she think is the key to a great game? And in a vulnerable time for the industry, what does she think its future holds?(Picture: Brenda Romero. Credit: John Press photos)Presenter: Steffan Powell Producer: Izzy Greenfield

There are an estimated 200 million gamers on the African continent.The industry is growing fast, and generating millions of dollars for gaming companies. However, there's a problem - many gamers in Africa don't have access to the credit and debit cards needed for in app purchases. We meet the fintech companies who think they've got a solution. Produced and presented by Mo Allie(Image: A woman gaming on her phone. Credit: Getty Images)

The music composed for video games has come a long way. Once limited to simple tunes generated by early synthesizer chips, it now encompasses complex musical works composed for full orchestra. Video game music is now also considered a key access point to orchestral music among young people, and concert venues around the world are seeing new and diverse audiences attend live performances of gaming soundtracks. This could a development the classical music world is looking to embrace - although it wasn't loved at first. A study by League of of American Orchestras suggests audiences for concerts have dropped by 26% since 2020, with young people being the minority group of attendees.In this episode, we'll hear about the origins of music written for video games; speaking to composers and orchestras who are embracing new audiences and exciting musical works. And we'll go backstage before opening night of a concert tour showcasing music from a major video game franchise. (Image: Gaming Prom – From 8-Bit to Infinity,

Tens of thousands of people in the video game industry have lost their jobs in the past year. The industry itself is valued around 200 billion dollars - one of the biggest in the world. And last year saw some of the biggest releases so far. So with so much success, why are there so many struggles? We speak to two workers who recently lost their jobs in the industry, and hear about the effect it’s had on their lives. Tech expert Matthew Ball tells us why there’s a simultaneous battle between success and struggle, and whether it’ll get any worse. But it’s not all bad news. There’s a lot of opportunity out there for smaller gaming companies in some parts of the world. William Sampson of Roro Interactive tells us why he thinks the future is positive.(Picture: A rear-view shot of a young woman sitting at a desk playing a video game, she is using a mouse and keyboard and wearing a headset. Credit: Getty Images)Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield

The Dutch swimmer won gold in Beijing, having been diagnosed with cancer seven years earlier.We hear why he decided to stop competing, and instead turn his attention to charity fundraising - setting up his own foundation and raising millions for cancer research through long-distance swimming endurance events.And how he ensures that the money raised is correctly managed.Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon.(Image: Maarten van der Weijden setting a new world record in 2021, by swimming continuously against a current for more than 31 hours and 7 minutes. Credit: Getty Images)