{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Bristol Unpacked","title":"Master of the Merchant Venturers on whether they are an all powerful elite club, or just charitable business people","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2720,"description":"The Society of Merchant Venturers often gets talked about in\nconspiratorial tones. Forced into the limelight by the toppling of\nColston, the Merchants have come under greater scrutiny for past and\npresent practices. According to the Society, they are opening up more to\nthe public, confronting their history and diversifying their membership.\nThey say that far from controlling the city they are just successful\nprofessionals who donate time, skills and money to worthy causes. But\nalong with relatively low profile members, they also count some of the\ncity's biggest corporate big-whigs, controversial bosses, Conservative\nParty donors and a leading climate change denier. Why does the Society\nstill exist and what are the roles it plays in the city today?\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/xhPabezegODWY1uh8YZIRBOdI4_If9BnqN4U0RRAZXA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9kNDc3/OWFhZmI2M2UwOWZj/NGVhOTlkYmIwYjQ5/ZGYwZi5qcGVn.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}