Media Masters: Recent Episodes
Media Masters
Extended one-to-one interviews with the key people in the industry. Find out their tips for career success, and peek behind-the-scenes at their workplace. Candid, thoughtful and reflective - a chance to share the insight of those at the very top of their game. Presented by Paul Blanchard.
Born in Australia, Jen traveled to New York City to work at Razorfish, becoming VP of Client Engagement, Managing Partner and then Executive Vice President and North East Region Lead. She moved to fellow Publicis Groupe agency Digitas UK at the start of 2023. She has worked with some of the biggest brands including Unilever, Citi, United Nations and Marriott, specializing in the latest from TikTok, to MadTech, AI, gaming, and social commerce.Jen talks about her personal journey in leadership – learning that it’s okay to admit when you’re wrong and how nurturing teamwork improves progress — and shares her ambitions to create a societal impact through ‘unicorn’ agency, Digitas, by immersing itself in emerging technologies and partnering with companies like NexTech Girls, to expand access and promote practical education for women and girls in the tech industry.
Working as a programme editor at both the BBC and Channel 4 News specialising in politics and international affairs, Charlie covered major stories such as the terrorist attacks on New York and London, and is an award-winning filmmaker. In 2006, Charlie joined the London School of Economics and Political Science, and became founding director of Polis, the university’s’ international journalism institute.Charlie discusses his current role, leading JournalismAI and the issues that generative AI still presents: from the inequality of biasing English or European-languages to the gaps in its learning, inability fact-check with enough precision, and other major problems that need to be solved before it’s possible for AI to replicate human writing or publish breaking news. Charlie also explores how AI will be beneficial for journalists—saving time, effort, and boosting journalism by transferring written pieces into different creative mediums.
Steve has been involved for almost 30 years with TV, book, and video game growth, working with big names such as Viacom, Disney, and GSV Ventures—a venture capitalist firm that invests in EdTech. Now, as the CEO of Sesame Workshop, he’s leading the world-famous nonprofit educational organisation to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, aiming to provide impactful early learning.Steve shares what he’s learned from Big Bird, and how the quintessentially American show ‘Sesame Street’ implements progressive ideas to teach children and raise their social and academic literacy—like greater tolerance and appreciation of different races, gender identities, and those with disabilities—and how the brand is evolving to reach more diverse cultures and countries around the world at a local level. He sees the future of ‘Sesame Street’ streaming on YouTube in collaboration with children’s YouTube stars, focusing more on emotional well-being.
For nearly 18 years, Katie has guided Guinness World Records through innovative initiatives that maintain its relevance and international esteem. She started as a software engineer and led teams in IT, marketing, to becoming SVP of Content and Product in 2018. In her most recent appointment in 2022, she has led the company’s expansion into digital content services that enable the iconic book of world records to reach new audiences and remain ‘fresh’.Katie talks about how the origin of Guinness World Records started as an idea by the Guinness Brewery becoming a “pioneer” of content marketing. Katie explains the process and the key parameters for adjudicating records and argues that when media brands evolve to stay relevant, they still have a duty to reflect the good and bad of society—reporting the stories of inspiring determination as well as unsafe stunts that have gone horribly wrong.
With over twenty years working across print, digital and broadcast media, Marc is one of the most prominent entertainment journalists in the industry. He’s served as a writer and editor for leading publications, including the New York Daily News, Us Weekly, and New York magazine, and was an on-air correspondent at E! News. In 2018, he became senior culture & events editor at Variety and hosts the ‘Just for Variety’ podcast, featuring conversations with the biggest names in Hollywood.From his struggles as an openly gay journalist during the AIDS epidemic in the early 90s, to the ongoing writers’ strike – and how it will evolve – Marc shares his stories and insights from the front row.
Sara is a leading writer and editor with expertise in science and disruptive technologies; her work appears in publications such as Scientific American, The New York Times, and National Geographic News. Sara is the author of the novel The Almond in the Apricot and children’s book, Leila’s Day at the Pool. Sara details the threat that chatbots pose to journalism and the media, through scraping information from other sources without distinguishing between credible and uncredible sources, possibly spreading misinformation and feeding into the public’s distrust. Sara argues that although AI is presented as an impending storm that we do not have control over, humans are in control of their deployment and can choose a future where they work with these technologies instead of being replaced by them.
Sophie started off as an actor, and founded her own casting agency in 2015, working predominantly with high-end TV, film and theatre productions. She has collaborated to source talent for The Witcher and Wednesday among others, and advocates for casting more diverse talent into leading acting roles to encourage broader representation in Hollywood.Sophie reflects on the impact of social media on acting, both the way it has transformed the industry since the #MeToo movement, making it a safer and more inclusive place to work; and how social media followings can affect casting decisions based on the impact it has on promoting the show or film. She also explores how finding actors who perfectly embody a character is not the goal—they need to be able to push the boundaries of the role.
Lawrence is a sought after public speaker, university lecturer, and bestselling author of several books, including "The Physics of Star Trek," and "A Universe from Nothing", which explain complex scientific ideas clearly to the general public. He’s also the host of “The Origins” podcast, which explores human experiences through science and culture.Lawrence posits that our fear of A.I actually stems from a larger fear—the fear of the unknown. He argues that science is actually about celebrating the secrets of the universe rather than needing to explain everything, but we need to become more skeptical as a society.
In 2012 inspired by her son’s diagnosis, Emily founded Duchenne UK, a charity dedicated to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Coming from a background in TV news, Emily shares how their successes in raising millions of pounds to support research were in part due to her understanding of the media from within and having connections to high-profile journalists. She discusses some of the progress, such as groundbreaking drug treatments and the development of exoskeletal suits to assist the afflicted, and shares about the impediments they face, from battling slow bureaucracy for drug approvals to the ticking clock Duchenne puts on to all those suffering from the condition.
Martin spent over a decade working for some of the biggest names in German media, including the Financial Times, Gruner + Jahr, and Capital Magazin. In 2021, frustrated with “wasting time sifting through the overwhelming ‘wild west’ news feed” and the escalating problem of misinformation – he founded the app Informed.
Starting as a newsletter, he saw the potential to move beyond the convenient curation of news for the reader and realized that important journalism was being lost, and the opportunity of holding power to account was being eclipsed by a news feed of vanilla content. Now a successful app, Martin deliberately employs a human curation team – giving access to paywalled content for no extra charge.
Inzamam kicked off his career on regional BBC radio in 2016 before making his way into TV, covering breaking news, politics, and human interest stories. He has reported on major events such as the Manchester Arena bombing and the Grenfell Tower fire and won two awards for his pandemic coverage.
Inzamam shares his experience transitioning from radio to TV in the dynamic world of journalism, shedding light on the challenges he faced due to racism – and how this is improving – and providing valuable advice to those hoping to break into TV news. He delves into some of the breaking news stories he has covered, giving his insights on navigating the fast-paced media landscape while reporting on stories in a reliable and trustworthy manner. He also highlights the need to report on more positive and inspiring stories, particularly from the North of England.
Known for being one of the most influential people in the music industry with the “best ears”, Robin has been awarded 150 gold and platinum discs and has produced 44 number one hits alongside prominent musicians including Elton John, Sting, Sade, Everything but the Girl, and Boy George. Blind since the age of 16, he’s been an outspoken advocate for facilitating the inclusion of disabled people in all aspects of society and life.
Robin shares his experiences and insights on working in the music industry as a person with a disability, emphasising that it’s not the lack of sight that gifts his ears, but listening without the distraction of the other senses that gives him an edge. He discusses the internalised shame surrounding disability, with 8 out of 10 people not disclosing theirs, and his belief that interdependency not independency is vital to normalising disability and creating a more inclusive society.
From campaigning for Aboriginal rights in Australia in the 1960s to attempting to arrest Robert Mugabe in 2001, Peter made a name for himself over a six-decade-long career as an international human rights and social justice activist, challenging preconceptions around transphobia, homophobia, and xenophobia around the world.
Peter reflects on how activism has changed from his early efforts in the 60s to now, harnessing social media as a tool for mobilizing a wider – previously unreachable – audience, and the unfortunate “bullhorns” it creates, which threaten that progress. He also shares how by challenging the status quo, he’s opened himself up to a near-daily barrage of violent threats — all of which must be taken seriously — and how he no longer believes in laws that would ban hateful speech.
As one of the foremost experts on the science of sound, Julian’s five TED talks have been viewed over 150 million times, with “How to Speak so That People Want to Listen” ranking in the top ten all-time most popular. He founded The Sound Agency in 2003, focusing on helping brands through ‘soundscaping’, which “uses sound to connect with customers on a deeper emotional level”.
Julian discusses the growing evidence of how sound affects people psychologically, emphasising the benefits of schools teaching “conscious listening” as a crucial skill for professional settings and, more importantly, within our relationships – as often, feeling valued is tied to being heard. He advocates intentionally seeking out and listening to opposing views to stop the cycle of polarisation and echo chambers perpetuated by the media, combating the rise of conspiracy theories – as “listening is the sound of democracy”.
Describing himself as an “accidental journalist”, John joined the FT in 1989. In the three decades since, he was Moscow correspondent in 1994 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and led six editorial teams around the world – including Asia and Europe. As Innovation Editor since 2016, he widened the publication's technology coverage, even creating an innovation of his own: Sifted, which reports on the vibrant European tech startup scene as an antidote to Silicon Valley culture.
Sifted focuses on the human element of entrepreneurialism which is driving innovation from the front, and shows the tough reality of running a startup. John shares his concerns with the rapid advancement of deepfakes and AI, which make telling the difference between truth and lies almost impossible – but how he ultimately sees this as an opportunity for consumers.
Gizmodo was the first independent tech blog, which launched in 2002, reporting on technology, science and internet culture. With over 40 million actively engaged monthly readers the site is growing, with a new section focusing on the technology and business of spaceflight and exploration.
David shares how his career began working at his university’s newspaper to becoming editor at The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, before joining Gizmodo as editor-in-chief in 2021. He offers insights into the advancements of VR technology and the role of AI in the modern workforce—and how it will change the way we live.
Outernet is an all-inclusive entertainment district in London, reimagining the musically iconic Denmark Street – where acts such as David Bowie and the Sex Pistols kicked off their careers – bringing together music, art, film, gaming and retail. Using advanced screen technology, Outernet offers a new way for creatives and leading brands to produce and experience content, partnering with the likes of Ridley Scott and the Royal College of Art.
Philip began his career learning the technical aspects of broadcasting, becoming Senior Vice President of Global Digital Media for MTV Networks in 2007, and then Executive Vice President and Managing Director of its parent company Viacom a year later. He explores how his extensive knowledge of tech led to his team launching the first music video on a mobile phone – and explains what the metaverse really is for the uninitiated.
With more than 10 million monthly readers, Jalopnik is the automotive industry’s most influential publication – with news and analysis not only covering cars, but also planes, boats, trains and even spaceships.
A lifelong car enthusiast, Bob has dedicated his journalism career to his love of automobiles. Starting out as a reporter at Gizmodo, he then spent 7 years at Road & Track magazine, ultimately being promoted to Deputy Editor, before leaving to take over the helm of Jalopnik in 2022. He credits Tesla’s influence on the rise of electric vehicles for personal use – predicting a complete takeover in the next three decades – and the critical need for Tesla’s buy out.
Since taking over as editor in 2018, Hugo has driven Openly’s mission to become the world’s most trusted destination for impartial LGBT+ news. Reaching Reuters’ one billion clients daily, the platform aims to uncover breaking stories and investigates the queer narratives inside major global events, typically untold by mainstream media, made possible through shifting from spot news to social media reporting.
Hugo is also the author of ‘The Diaries of Mr Lucas’, and explores how he uncovered this fascinating account of queer life in London before the partial decriminalisation of gay sex in 1967, and what led to Mr Lucas giving him his indiscreet journals for publication—revealing an affair with a member of the Kray twins gang.
After three decades with the BBC reporting from South Asia and Afghanistan, David's expertise was called upon by the former Afghan President as an advisor; he now consults for the Foreign Office and trains mid-career diplomats. Amongst many other accolades, his 1998 reporting from behind the lines of the Kosovo Liberation Army earned him ‘Journalist of the Year’ from the Royal Television Society.
David reveals one of the least reported consequences of 9/11 — the surge in PTSD amongst journalists covering the attacks — and details his campaign for news organisations to provide better mental health support. He shares how a “freelance adventure” in Poland spamming LBC’s news desk led to him becoming their official correspondent, and gives his top tips for uncovering a breaking story.
Jenna Goudreau is the vice president and managing editor at CNBC Digital.
Since joining the broadcaster in 2016, Jenna relaunched their personal finance site ‘Grow’, reaching 6.5 million people in 5 years, and is the founding editor of the award-winning money news website ‘Make It’, which tackles financial illiteracy and helps people navigate their big financial firsts: from landing a dream job to starting a business.
Jenna shares the risks caused by the lack of financial education – schools prioritising trigonometry and algebra over investments and tax returns. She describes her go-to interview question and the qualities she looks for when recruiting new team members – explaining what early career journalists can do to stand out to their boss.
Jon Wardle is the director of the National Film and Television School.
Founded in 1971, the Buckinghamshire-based institution teaches over 750 students and has recently opened new campuses in Glasgow, Leeds, and Cardiff.
The exponential growth of streaming services has hugely increased the demand for UK creative talent. To meet this, the school offers nearly 40 specialist courses – including traditional subjects such as cinematography and screenwriting, as well as “less glamorous” yet highly impactful courses, like production management and accounting.
The gaming industry is bigger than ever, generating higher profits than all of Hollywood combined. The school is at the cutting edge of gaming technology, and its game design MA has become one of the most popular courses – with game engine software transforming film and TV production after being used for major shows such as ‘The Mandalorian’.
Meredith Artley is the former Editor-in-Chief and Senior Vice President of CNN Digital.
During her tenure at CNN, Meredith oversaw content creation, programming, and publishing across their digital properties, leading a global team of over 350 reporters, producers, and editors—and left after 12 years with CNN enjoying the world’s largest digital audience, reaching over 160 million.
Meredith reflects on her career journey—from digitising The New York Times in the ‘90s, significantly growing the online reach of the LA Times, to putting diversity at the heart of CNN’s leadership. She is now on sabbatical in Hawaii, planning her next move.
Amanda Groom is founder and CEO of ‘The Bridge’.
The TV, film and animation company aims to “bridge” the gap between East and West, enabling mutually beneficial co-productions across multiple genres, collaborating with major broadcasters such as Sky and Channel 4.
When ‘Parasite’ won the Oscar for best picture in 2020, it opened the West’s eyes to the wealth of creative opportunities in the East. Amanda takes us behind the scenes of her recent success, ‘Ms Ma, Nemesis,’ an asian take on Agatha Christie’s ‘Miss Marple,’ and gets us excited for the first Spanish-Korean co-production—bringing a fresh perspective from the world’s previously unheard voices.
Athena Brensberger is an astronomer and science communicator.
Presenter of ‘Suppressed Science’ on Curiosity Stream, she founded the educational platform ‘Astroathens’ in 2016, with a mission to showcase her passion for science and astronomy to the general public. She’s already partnered with NASA, The Science Channel and Spaceport America among others.
In a wide-ranging discussion, she shares the challenge of unlocking complex scientific ideas for diverse audiences—where life on Earth really began, designing biological systems not compatible with ours, and how plants are our unlikely ally in the search for alien intelligence.
One Line: Inspiring the curious to explore the big questions—the great beginnings of the universe, planet Earth… and life itself.
Robin Ritch is President and Publisher of Deseret News.
From advising startups to transforming the longest-running news organization in the American West, Robin has grown Deseret News, founded in 1850 by the Mormon Church, from a local paper into a national media powerhouse, with over 10 million readers across their platforms. As Utah’s oldest continuously operating business, their name derives from the geographic area of Deseret, and just like the settlers that named the area, it is a pioneer in its own right.
Robin shares their commitment to tackling fake news by “being a standard-bearer of journalistic integrity and principled reporting” and discusses their mission to “elevate understanding, challenge assumptions and illuminate context” about the Mormon Church, while remaining editorially independent. Having identified a clear gap in the national news market, and looking to provide a balance to the typically right or left-wing political dialogue, Robin lead the paper towards a centrist political approach, based on values that are important to their readers: family, faith and community. Robin also examines how the paper famously came out against Trump, and continues to oppose him on moral grounds.
Sophy Roberts is an award-winning author and travel writer.
After an unusual start writing about different sides of the pornography industry, she cut her teeth as editor-at-large on the UK edition of Condé Nast Traveller, before joining the magazine’s American team as a special correspondent.
Sophy shares why the best source for stories is through chance meetings with strangers, albeit on a train or in a Mongolian tent, which formed the backdrop of her Sunday Times Book of the Year (2020), ‘The Lost Pianos of Siberia,’ which documents her quest for the classical instrument against the extreme Russian landscape. Recalling her work with Jessica Mitford on one of the most notable exposés in American literature, she compares UK and US newsrooms from a freelancer’s perspective.
Edward Felsenthal is the editor-in-chief and CEO of Time magazine.
Under his leadership, the iconic American publication has enjoyed its greatest revenue and audience growth ever – now reaching 100 million readers globally – and its successful expansion into TV, video and film production.
Including leading the health team at The Wall Street Journal, which won two Pulitzer prizes, Edward shares their plans to celebrate Time’s forthcoming centenary. He takes us behind the scenes of the editorial and selection process for ‘Person of the Year,’ which is always impactful – and sometimes controversial; and discusses their commitment to campaigning on climate change and fixing the global trust crisis.
Jon Mew is CEO of the Internet Advertising Bureau UK.
The organisation represents and regulates the £23bn digital advertising industry, counting Google, Meta and Twitter among its members, with a mission to “promote transparency and build a sustainable future for online marketing.”
Jon shares how the industry is toughening its response to fraudsters – standing up for greater consumer protection, but arguing they could do more with the government’s help. He also shares how they are tackling online influencers who endorse products without revealing that they are paid, and in what ways restricting promotion of products high in fat, salt and sugar affects small business owners.
Jim Edwards is former editor-in-chief for news at Insider, and author of ‘Say Thank You for Everything’ – the best-selling guide which aims to revolutionise newsroom management.
Jim started Business Insider UK in 2014 with just one laptop in an empty office. He grew the readership from zero to 250 million readers, placing it amongst the most successful news websites in the world. His “bullshit-free guide” provides management advice based on the 19-point email he sent to a colleague, summarising everything he learned supervising people at Insider, which famously went viral. Based on his expertise, it aims to tackle the issue of poorly-run newsrooms, ensuring media management teams are up to the huge challenges to come.
Steve Wilson-Beales is Head of SEO & Editorial Product at Global.
One of the world’s leading media & entertainment groups, Global reaches over 50m consumers each week across media and outdoor advertising. Steve drives search strategy for its most high-ranking brands – Classic FM, Capital, PopBuzz and LBC – and is at the heart of the radio industry’s pivot to digital. He is the brain behind driving awareness to the Global brands via what has become an increasingly crowded search landscape.
Bel Trew is International Correspondent at The Independent.
Based in Beirut, Bel has been covering conflicts across the Middle East for a decade and has recently returned from an extended secondment in Ukraine. A series of her reportage ‘On The Ground’ uncovers the horrors that Russia has inflicted on Ukrainians – including clear evidence of torture and enforced disappearance. Bel relates the stark reality of war reporting, sharing harrowing details of what she saw shooting them and how she made it to stay safe. Drawing on her own experience, she brings up the subject of journalists risking their lives and suffering from PTSD – a common but ignored result of reporting from war zones.
Kiran Nazish is founding director of The Coalition For Women In Journalism.
Launched in 2017, it is the first worldwide support network for female journalists ‘at high risk of violence and harassment,’ with targeted support for those reporting from the frontline. Kiran started her journalism career in her native Pakistan and was inspired to set up the New York-based organisation because of the danger she had faced as a female reporter based in war-torn Middle East. The Coalition offers comprehensive support for the journalists at risk of PTSD and is spearheading an initiative to help newsroom managers reduce it happening in the first place.
Angelos Frangopoulos is CEO of GB News.
The channel marked one of the most controversial media launches in recent memory when last year it became Britain’s first new rolling TV news broadcaster in over three decades. Angelos reflects on the “teaching moments” from those rocky first few months, and how he wants to build on the new-found stability to grow the channel’s audience. He faces down those who sought to ‘cancel’ the channel before it was even launched by organising an advertising boycott, and shares with pride the evidence that those attempts failed – including the creation of 200 new journalist jobs. He also sets out plans to make GB News “distinctive” including “serving all communities across the UK”, unlike the other “London-centric” broadcasters.
John Whittingdale OBE MP is former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. A Member of Parliament for over 30 years, he also previously chaired the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee during its most famous moment – when a pie was tossed in the face of media mogul Rupert Murdoch at the end of a session. The Sun dubbed John ‘Maggie’s Toy Boy’ when in 1988, aged just 28, he became then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s political secretary. In this in-depth interview, John discusses how people are surprised when they hear of the “vast range of responsibilities” he had when leading the DCMS – including overseeing the work of The National Lottery, leading on policy relating to blockchain and the digital economy, and promoting the UK on a global stage; praises the BBC as “the finest broadcaster in the world” and acknowledges that it may “surprise some people” to hear his strong support – making the case again for the continuation of the licence fee settlement; and shares the challenges involved in balancing protecting the vulnerable from “harmful content online” yet preserving the core democratic principle of free speech – a conundrum which gave rise to the predictably divisive Online Safety Bill.
Hillary Frey is editor-in-chief at Slate. Founded in 1996 by software giant Microsoft, the online magazine brings thoughtful, long-form journalism on culture, politics and current affairs to a global audience. Previously, Hillary worked for the likes of NBC News, Politico and HuffPost, and was editor-in-chief at Yahoo! News. In this in-depth interview, she reflects on how her very first regular writing gig in the late 1990s was for Slate – and how returning nearly three decades later in the editor’s chair is a “funny story and an exciting opportunity”; shares how the company is always searching for ways to “experiment and innovate” in order to retain and grow its subscriber base, in an era when “too many consumers” expect to get high-quality journalism for free; and discusses the tension between covering the most popular stories – such as whether Donald Trump’s putative comeback will be a success – while also ensuring they offer their readers a wide variety of topics.
Carl Zimmer is an award-winning science writer and New York Times columnist. A three-time winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s journalism award, in 2021 Carl was a member of the team at The New York Times which won The Pulitzer Prize in Public Service for their coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this in-depth interview, Carl discusses the topic of his latest book – ‘Life’s Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive’ – shedding light on why it is “very difficult and may be impossible” to know precisely what life and death actually are; shares some of the problems that are caused by humans “wrongly making themselves the centre of any definition of life”, instead of realising that “the vast majority of life is not like us”; and reflects on just how much the pandemic dominated his work for two years, and how people trusting the accuracy of Covid-19 coverage is quite literally a matter of life and death.
Scott Armstrong is the former editor-in-chief of Arabian Business magazine, and founder of ‘mentl’ – a platform which provides a holistic approach to mental health issues in the workplace. With more than 30 years of experience as a journalist, editor and strategic communications consultant, his storied career has taken him from the UK to the Bahamas, through Oman to the United Arab Emirates. In this in-depth interview, Scott reflects on his years as an editor and how “instinct, leadership and management skills” are key to success – despite editors rarely receiving management training when promoted, which results in them lacking the necessary skills to lead effectively; argues that in local journalism, there is always a local angle to be found even within global news events – recalling his time working on The Evening Chronicle in Newcastle (UK), when they were able to find local residents who had been first-hand witnesses to the 9/11 attack in Manhattan; and reveals what inspired him to set up his new firm ‘mentl’ – a medium that finds solutions for protecting employees’ mental health – which is “the right thing to do” and is “best for both them and the business”.
Sophie Ferron is CEO of Media Ranch, an award-winning, Canadian production and distribution company, specialising in unscripted TV formats – including factual, reality/docu-reality and lifestyle. After two decades of working across production, broadcasting, distribution and business development, she launched her own venture in 2008. In this in-depth interview, Sophie recalls how working with media giant Endemol, the company behind ‘Big Brother’ and ‘The Real World’, inspired her to focus on unscripted programmes and drove her to expand the concept globally; explains why a reality show needs to leave room for cultural differences, while keeping its overall structure to achieve international success; and shares how her desire to promote the Canadian TV production industry abroad is now bearing real fruit.
Gavin Allen is executive editor-in-chief of Huawei. He joined in 2021, after nearly two decades at the BBC, taking in senior editorial roles at BBC News, including flagship programmes like ‘Question Time’. In this in-depth interview, Gavin tackles the groundless conspiracy theories levelled at the company, the real-world consequences, and the strategy for handling an unjustified reputational attack; shares lessons learnt from launching ‘Transform’ - Huawei’s thought leadership magazine covering brand development across all sectors; and takes us behind the scenes of how he has shaped the role of editor-in-chief in one of the biggest tech companies in the world, taking into account its experience in the media.
Andy Varley is founder and CEO of Insanity Group. The international talent management firm employs more than 80 people across offices in London and LA - representing the likes of artistes Tom Grennan, Joy Crookes, and presenters including Jordan North. In this in-depth interview, he recalls how winning Young Entrepreneur of the Year aged 17 gave him the confidence to grow and expand the company to represent broadcasters and content creators as well as DJs; shares how the pandemic prompted a pivot to creating subscription-based models for many of their content creators - allowing talent to work digitally rather than through in-person events; and discusses how the media industry is undergoing a revolution, and will never be the same for artists, agents or record companies.
Harry Mount is an author, journalist, and editor of The Oldie magazine. The monthly British title describes itself as a “light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity.” A former New York correspondent for The Daily Telegraph who remains a regular contributor to The Spectator, Daily Mail, and Evening Standard, he became editor of The Oldie in 2014, following the untimely death of his predecessor Alexander Chancellor. In this in-depth interview, Harry reflects on the magazine’s upcoming 30th anniversary, and how it’s “stood the test of time”, always staying true to its original aim of being “jokey, funny, cynical, and aimed predominantly at old people”; shares his surprise at how enthusiastically his readership has embraced the move to digital, with the website, app and podcast all popular; and discusses his close-up experience of working with two “Fleet Street legends”, Charles Moore and Paul Dacre - praising the former’s “meticulous” work and the latter for his “sixth sense” when selecting stories which matter to readers.
Isaac Saul is founder and editor-in-chief at Tangle News. Starting last year on Substack, the popular newsletter “brings all views of the news under one roof” and has already drawn in 40,000 daily readers and 6,000 paying subscribers. A former political reporter hailing from Pennsylvania, Isaac was named by Yahoo News as “one of the 16 people who shaped the 2016 election,” and in 2020 Forbes called him “one of the next 1,000 upstart entrepreneurs redefining the American dream.” In this in-depth interview, Isaac reflects on how starting his career at The Huffington Post was a “baptism of fire,” teaching him that “well-reasoned arguments will often be lost on readers who are already strongly wedded to the opposing view;” discusses the importance of “courting a diverse political readership,” rather than catering to only a narrow subset of the politically engaged; and shares his exciting plans for further growth - including expanding beyond the US into other countries, and even applying Tangle’s template to other topics beyond politics - such as sport and culture.
Toby Harnden is an award-winning author and veteran foreign correspondent. In 2012 he won the Orwell Prize for his book ‘Dead Men Risen’ - an account of beleaguered British soldiers fighting desperately to prevent the Taliban from seizing Afghanistan’s Helmand province. As foreign correspondent, he reported from 33 countries for The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and The Sunday Times, including postings in Belfast, Baghdad and Washington DC. In this in-depth interview, Toby shares the inspiration and journey behind his new book ‘First Casualty’ - which is the prime account of CIA Team Alpha in their own words - the first Americans to be dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11; reflects on how a decade serving in the Royal Navy inspired him to become a foreign correspondent, and better equipped him to report on “real stuff, real people - war, blood, and guts;” and discusses why much of his work is dedicated to covering PTSD - including presenting a BBC Panorama special, with the shock revelation that more British soldiers and veterans took their own lives last year than were killed in action.
Gideon Lichfield is global editorial director at WIRED. First published in 1993, with an initial focus solely on consumer tech, it has evolved over three decades to become a respected global media brand; reporting on - and influencing - global thought on “how emerging technology impacts culture, the economy, and our society.” With 52 million readers across print and online, and a further 30 million followers on social media, they have recently celebrated a 20% increase in paid subscribers. In this in-depth interview, Gideon shares how he is shaping WIRED’s global vision - widening their scope from reporting on technological change to becoming “the authority on tomorrow;” discusses how the “dizzying speed of cultural change” has inspired a greater focus on healthcare, civic society and the climate crisis; and reflects on his recent one-on-one interview with President Volodymir Zelensky, about how Ukraine’s innovation in tech and social media has strengthened the country’s defence against the Russian invasion.
Rebecca Whittington is the online safety editor for Reach plc, publisher of over 130 national and regional titles in the UK; including the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express and the Manchester Evening News. She joined Reach in 2021, in a newly-created role - the first of its kind - to tackle the growing problem of journalists coming under attack online. In this in-depth interview, Rebecca outlines the sheer scale of abuse which their journalists face, and the debilitating toll on their mental health; argues that only a multi-stakeholder approach will be effective - involving government, tech platforms and employers; and offers practical advice for those who find themselves under attack.
Tim Kring is a television writer and producer. He created the hit sci-fi drama ‘Heroes’, which became a global sensation - running for four seasons and winning him both a BAFTA and an Emmy nomination. Tim got his big break on ‘Knight Rider’ in 1985, and since then he’s worked on some of TV’s biggest shows like ‘Chicago Hope’ and the Jason Bourne spin-off show ‘Treadstone’, going on to become series creator for many flagship programmes, such as ‘Crossing Jordan’ and ‘Touch’. In this in-depth interview, Tim candidly reflects on his long and varied career, and tells us what Hollywood is really like from the inside - warts and all; takes us behind-the-scenes on how TV shows are made - from the initial idea, to seeing the results on screen - including the casting, production and politics challenges along the way; and reveals how he wasn’t prepared for just how profoundly his hit show ‘Heroes’ would change his world view.
Chris Kay is chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi. Founded in 1970, the iconic advertising agency employs over 6,500 people and has offices in 76 countries. An advertising industry veteran, prior to joining Saatchi he had senior roles at Manchester City Football Club, LA agency 72andSunny, and also worked for Fallon at the time when they were producing some of their most memorable work - including the ‘balls’ campaign for Sony, and the Cadbury’s Dairy Milk advert featuring the gorilla’s famous drum solo. In this in-depth interview, Chris reflects on a career journey that started in the unlikely place of a management science degree which, “despite being dull,” set him on the right path because brief encounters with advertising throughout the course sparked his passion; discusses the challenges ahead for the advertising industry, which must evolve to seismic changes such as the decline of traditional TV and the impact of the current cost-of-living crisis; and shares his determination to play his part in “rekindling Britain’s status as the world’s creativity and entertainment hub.”
Zillah Byng-Thorne is chief executive of Future plc. Founded in 1985, the leading publisher produces some of the UK’s most popular magazines, including Country Life, FourFourTwo, Marie Claire and The Week. Joining Future in 2014, Zillah has presided over a spectacular turnaround in the company’s fortunes - publishing 160 titles, and expanding the brand’s portfolio to include video games and digital magazines; and in 2020, they ventured into e-commerce, purchasing insurance company GoCompare.com for £590m. Under Zillah’s watch, their share price has soared, and the company is now valued at £4bn. In this in-depth interview, she shares her career journey - starting out as an accountant in working-class Glasgow before a dramatic pivot saw her set her sights on leading a large company, starting with a masters in behavioural change to build her leadership skills; shares the secrets behind Future’s strategy, resulting in 80% growth and £600m+ revenue despite the pandemic; and passionately argues that Future “has a moral responsibility, as much as a business responsibility, to maintain the quality and accuracy of its content.”
Erin McCarthy is editor-in-chief of Mental Floss. Founded in a university dorm room in 2001, the intellectual trivia brand for “curious people” blurs the lines between entertainment and education, and its “smart, quirky content” has reached over 1 billion people across multiple platforms including print, online, YouTube and podcasting. Joining in 2012, Erin hosts many of their most popular YouTube shows, and edited their book ‘The Curious Reader;’ as well as creating, producing, and hosting the ‘History Vs.’ podcast - which discusses “how historical figures faced off against their greatest foes.” In this in-depth interview, Erin discusses the growth of their YouTube channel which now has more than 1 million subscribers - covering a mammoth range of topics, from archaeology to mashed potato; explains why podcast episodes are her favourite part of the job - offering her the chance to provide in-depth analysis of a fascinating topic; and given the niche and eclectic nature of their work, delves into the detailed process fact-checking to make sure they get everything right - consulting with an array of independent fact-checkers, cross-referencing all their content before sharing it with the world.
James Bloodworth is an author and political journalist. A former editor of the blog Left Foot Forward, James’ work has appeared in The Guardian, The Spectator, the New Statesman and The Wall Street Journal. Author of ‘The Myth of Meritocracy’ and ‘Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low Wage Britain', his work was long-listed for the 2019 Orwell Prize. In this in-depth interview, James discusses his experience going undercover in the low wage economy for his book ‘Hired’ - and why a number of his discoveries, including Amazon workers urinating in coke bottles, made international news; reflects on his political journey, from Trotskyism and ultimately moving to the progressive centre-left - recently reserving his most strident criticism for his former far-left colleagues; and shares the plans for his next book which tracks how people become “radicalised into the manosphere” - arguing the growth of toxic masculinity and how our shared complacency ignores a very real threat.
Ricky Sutton is the founder of Oovvuu, the world’s leading AI video-matching engine. Launched in Australia in 2014, Oovvuu uses AI to match ad-funded videos with relevant news articles anywhere in the world instantly. The business has 600 participating broadcasters and its content is seen by millions of people daily. In this in-depth interview, Ricky reflects on starting out in his career and why he decided at the age of 12 he wanted to be a war correspondent; delves into how Oovvuu helps welcome a “new era of positive disruption in news” by adding relevant videos into news articles; and shares why he believes the companies that don’t make the change to embrace video “might not survive.”
Jason Cowley is an author, writer and editor-in-chief of the New Statesman. Since taking the reins in 2008, Jason has pushed the political and cultural magazine’s print circulation to a 40-year high. The publication’s longest-serving editor since the 1960s, he previously held staff roles for both The Times and The Observer. In this in-depth interview, Jason details how he used the time during lockdown to redesign the magazine’s branding - and launched a new “elegantly designed” website; shares his bold plans to grow the title worldwide, and how new political editor Andrew Marr is the first of many big-name signings to come; and discusses his latest book ‘Who Are We Now? Stories of Modern England’ - which uses key news stories from recent years to determine the state of the nation, and how it has evolved.
Galen Gordon is senior vice president of talent strategy and development at ABC News. An award-winning journalist with more than 25 years experience in both network TV news and sports, he was previously a producer for the likes of NBC, CNN and ESPN. In his current role, based in New York, Galen ensures that ABC News reflects the society it serves - both on-air and behind the camera. In this in-depth interview, Galen argues that - as well as being the right thing to do - promoting diversity gives the company an edge over other newsrooms, and ensures they hire the very best people; takes us behind the scenes of what a TV news producer actually does - from deciding what to cover, and ensuring the result on-screen is visually engaging; and reflects on his sabbatical from journalism to work at the NFL where he was in charge of talent management for the league’s media division.
Darren Scott is editor of SFX, the world’s most successful sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazine. Approaching three decades of success, it is the market leader - and takes in films and comics, as well as games. Darren previously wrote for The Guardian and The Independent; and spent 10 years as editor of Gay Times, the largest, longest-running and most-recognised LGBTQ+ media brand. In this in-depth interview, Darren explains how there was no such thing as a typical week for him before the pandemic - and shares his pleasure at different aspects of his role as editor slowly returning to their in-person forms; takes us behind the scenes - walking us through a complete timeline of bringing an issue from initial ideas to print; and discusses how they retain their “old school fanbase” that have supported them for nearly 30 years through keeping the physical magazine copy, whilst also developing their presence online and on social media.
London N. Breed is the Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco. The untimely death of her predecessor Ed Lee in December 2017 saw Breed appointed acting mayor, and the following year she won a special election and gained a mandate in her own right - becoming the first-ever Black woman elected to the role. Since taking the reins of the city, Mayor Breed has spearheaded its Covid recovery programme, making public safety and affordable housing her priorities in office. San Francisco has a proud history of encouraging female political leadership - with many of its luminaries going on to hold national office; including Vice-President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. In this in-depth interview, Mayor Breed reflects on how growing up in an underprivileged part of the city gave her the determination to fight injustice and speak up for the most vulnerable; shares how she is tackling the huge disparity between the most and least fortunate in her community - and how she is addressing the city’s “complicated” history with law enforcement - balancing the need to support the police, who put their safety at risk to keep everybody safe, with protecting marginalised groups from excessive use of police force; and discusses with pride how the city’s subsided medical care programme boosted its response to Covid - and her hopes that universal healthcare will ultimately be extended to the whole of the United States.
Nathalie Cox is an actor, model and co-founder of CountryLine, a global media brand and community uniting country music fans around the world. Launching five years ago, Natalie’s role as creative director involves capitalising on a surge of interest in country music worldwide. The subscription service offers fans access to backstage interviews, exclusive sessions, gig guides and tickets. In this in-depth interview, Nathalie delves into turning her passion for country music into a business and making the genre easily accessible to British fans; discusses their acquisition of the UK’s leading country music station, Chris Country, which they’ve rebranded as CountryLine Radio; and delves into her work outside of country music as a successful model and actor, sharing how she “fell” into both industries.
Richard Bernabe is an internationally acclaimed wildlife and travel photographer. Throughout his career, he has travelled to over 60 countries to capture incredible shots of the natural world on behalf of National Geographic, CNN, the New York Times, and the BBC. He has also built a significant following online, amassing a reach of over one million followers on both Instagram and Twitter, and has been named by Huffington Post as one of the most influential photographers on the web. In this in-depth interview, Richard winds back the clock and shares what inspired him to become a wildlife photographer; reflects on how he’s tried to give back to the photography community by writing books and running training workshops for people picking up their cameras for the first time; and discusses the successful launch of his own podcast ‘Beyond The Lens’ - and the unexpected advantages that discussing a visual medium through audio can bring.
Michael Ornstein is an actor, writer and visual artist. He began his creative career as an actor in New York, taking in 25 years on and off Broadway, before moving into film and television - where he is perhaps best-known for playing Chucky in the TV shows ‘Sons of Anarchy’ and ‘Mayans M.C.’ In recent years, he has shifted his primary focus to another of his great passions - painting. In this in-depth interview, Michael talks us through his varied and accomplished career, and how choosing to pursue the creative arts from a young age “gave me a purpose in life;” reflects on the nature of fame and celebrity, and how the blessing of playing such memorable a role as Chucky has come with the typecasting curse, where he is often seen as the character rather than as himself; and talks about how his creative career journey has culminated in monetising his most enjoyable pursuit - painting - through the fascinating new medium of NFTs.
Darren Marble and Todd Goldberg are co-founders of the TV show ‘Going Public.’ The series streams on the ‘Entrepreneur’ platform and charts the rise of founders on their capital-raising journeys - uniquely allowing viewers to ‘click-to-invest’ in the featured companies in real-time, live, while they watch the show. They’re currently halfway through season one and have already bagged 10 million views, 25 million ad impressions and 200k website visits - as well as raising over $10 million so far for the companies taking part. In this in-depth interview, they talk through their five-year journey of bringing the show from an idea to fruition; delve into why they engaged a ‘digital first’ broadcast strategy - and how the platform gives them to freedom “create content which is both entertaining & actionable;” and discuss their ambitious plans to ultimately rival globally recognisable brands such as ‘Shark Tank’ - guided by their deep access to data-driven insights revealing how viewers interact with the platform.
Sarabeth Berman is chief executive of the American Journalism Project, a philanthropic organisation which supports local non-profit newsrooms. The project’s mission is to accelerate the sustainable growth of regional news for the long term. In this in-depth interview, Sarabeth discusses the “real harm” to communities that the decline of local news has caused - and the “lack of transparency and accountability local governments enjoy as a result;” outlines their approach - partnering with communities, coaching leaders and sustaining their offices; and argues that society has been complacent in ignoring the dangerous implications of empty local newsrooms, which the pandemic has shown can be a matter of life and death.
Simon Leslie is the founder and joint chief executive of Ink. Founded in 1994, they are the world’s leading travel media company, producing 33 in-flight magazines for 24 airlines worldwide, including many of the largest carriers in the world, such as Easyjet and Virgin Atlantic. In this in-depth interview, Simon talks through the “incredible challenge” the pandemic caused the air travel industry, tackling the terrible devastation that the global depression bought on both aerospace and adjacent industries such as media; discusses the “enforced pivot” covid bought them, and his determination to “seize the opportunity to transform the company,” and grow in a new direction producing airport television and digital content; and shares how his latest book ‘White Belt Thinking’ documented these recent challenges and the “cathartic experience.”
Christopher Snowdon is a libertarian writer, commentator and self-styled “scourge of the nanny statists.” He joined the Institute of Economic Affairs in 2012 as their head of lifestyle economics, where his work focuses on social freedoms and what he sees as “the dangers of prohibition.” He often appears on TV and radio programmes offering a contrarian view on political topics and lifestyle choices, and writes regularly for a number of titles, including Spiked, The Critic and The Daily Telegraph. In this in-depth interview, Christopher discusses why Covid has been “a challenge” for libertarians' and criques the UK government's response as “very bad in 2020, and pretty good in 2021;” argues passionately why he believes “it’s not the government's job to interfere with people’s personal choices” which often leads to repercussions of what he defines as “victimless crimes;” and delves into his book ‘Killjoys: A Critique of Paternalism’ which makes the case that the government is too intrusive in our lives, particularly with health restrictions such as sugar intake and smoking.
Harry Jarman is founder and editor-in-chief of Gentleman’s Journal, the men’s luxury lifestyle magazine. Launched in 2011, the print edition regularly sells 35,000 copies, and overall monthly reach online regularly exceeds one million. It has expanded to include both its own e-commerce website, and a creative agency which builds campaigns for fashion clients. In this in-depth interview, Harry reflects on how the journey began, spotting a gap in the market when he was unable to promote his swimwear brand; argues that print is “enjoying a renaissance” and is “far from dead,” driving yet more traffic to their website; and shares his ambition to grow the company’s retail operation, building on the successful launch of their first shop in London’s Mayfair.
Christopher Lamb is the Vatican correspondent for The Tablet. Founded in 1840, the weekly journal is a hugely influential voice amongst the 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide. Joining in 2009 from the Daily Telegraph, he also appears regularly on TV news around the world. In this in-depth interview, Christopher reflects on the depth of his access to the Vatican, and his ringside seat witnessing Pope Francis’ battle to modernise the church - suggesting “the forces seeking to block a Pope’s agenda” have “not been this powerful since the Renaissance;” reflects on Pope Francis, the human being - “a reforming, enigmatic figure,” whose unique journey to becoming Pope has shaped a progressive, forward-thinking outlook - and leads him to challenge the church on clerical sexual abuse, injustice, and the exploitation of the world’s most vulnerable people - including refugees and those in poverty; and shares the nuts and bolts of how the Pope has harnessed modern media management techniques to improve the Vatican’s communication.
Batya Ungar-Sargon is deputy opinion editor of Newsweek, and author of ‘Bad News: How Woke Media is Undermining Democracy.’ Before Newsweek, Batya was opinion editor of The Forward, the largest Jewish media outlet in America, and has also written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books, and appears regularly on MSNBC and CNN. In this in-depth interview, Batya argues that mainstream news is “no longer just liberal,” but by being “woke” is “abandoning the working class by creating a culture war around identity;” argues “the media chasing the profit through outrage” is leading to the current crisis of misinformation and so-called fake news; and expresses her anguish that opinions have become so polarised - appealing for people “to find ways to meet people who you disagree with.”
Jolyon ‘Jon’ Connell is a journalist-turned-entrepreneur who founded the hugely successful global magazine The Week. His new venture ‘The Knowledge’ monitors hundreds of news media and compiles the very best stories into one weekly, easy-to-digest newsletter. Jon started his career at The Sunday Times, later becoming deputy editor of The Sunday Telegraph, leaving in 1994 to launch The Week - which now has editions in the UK, US and Australia, and was sold to Dennis Publishing in 2018. In this in-depth interview, Jon shares his ambitious plans for his new venture, building on a major investment from Lord Rothermere, to deliver “all the wisdom of the week in one place;” talks about why his daughter Flora gave up her promising career as a popstar to become a partner in The Knowledge and ensure it appeals to readers of all ages; and reflects on the “rollercoaster” journey of founding The Week, which he “grew out of impatience and laziness” - and which went on to become a global phenomenon.
Simon Walker is a media entrepreneur, and founder of Marquee TV, a streaming platform which brings live performances to a global audience and was recently described by The Financial Times as ‘Netflix for the arts’. In a career spanning senior management roles at the BBC, EMAP and EMI Music, Simon has been at the heart of the entertainment industry’s transformation to digital for nearly three decades. In this in-depth interview, Simon shares how Marquee TV “provided a lifeline” to arts organisations during lockdown, giving them a platform to stream dance, theatre and opera - and generating much-needed survival revenue; explains how they cater for “an underserved audience” and why niche platforms work alongside - not against - the streaming giants; and proudly shares the success of Countryline, his new venture serving country music fans - which is set to launch its new weekly TV show broadcasting live from Nashville, and has just secured investment from Sir Elton John.
Amanda Knox is an author, activist and journalist, best known for fighting to regain the narrative of her own life after being wrongfully convicted of murder. The global media seized on her case, after her 2007 arrest in Perugia and subsequent conviction for the murder of her friend Meredith Kercher. After four years in prison, she was exonerated by Italy’s highest court - but continues to be treated as a source of profit by the media and attacked online. In this in-depth interview, Amanda reflects on the devastating impact of those events and her efforts to build a new life; attacks a media “overwhelmed with sensationalism” which “wanted her to be guilty,” in spite of the facts - declining to focus on the actual murderer Rudy Guede, and continuing to push the profitable ‘Foxy Knoxy’ construct; and shares her frustration at Hollywood’s indifference to their damage - with new movie ‘Stillwater’ featuring a fictional character, clearly based on her, but with a so-called ‘twist’ that she was indeed the murderer.
Michael Cockerell has been described as “the Prime Minister of the political documentary.” His Emmy award-winning films have featured intimate conversations with the past 12 prime ministers, winning near-universal recognition for being the definitive account of their time in No 10. He has also produced captivating programmes taking viewers inside the Home Office, Foreign Office, HM Treasury and the House of Commons.In this in-depth interview, Michael reflects on his ring-side seat at the major political events of the last five decades, as well as the impressions he’s gained from his behind-the-scenes access to some of the most powerful people in the world; charts his journey covering Boris Johnson, starting with his famous 2013 interview which elicited the “if the ball came loose from the back of the scrum” quote which revealed his ambition; and recalls how at the height of the Falklands War, then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher lambasted his “odious” journalism in Parliament… only for history to prove him right - and confirm that the government did indeed mislead the public.
Gordon Crovitz and Steven Brill are co-CEOs of NewsGuard. Founded in 2018, their mission is to rate the trustworthiness of more than 7,000 news and information websites, and give every site its own “nutrition label” based on transparency and integrity. Prior to leading NewsGuard, Steven founded The American Lawyer, Court TV, and the Yale Journalism Initiative; while Gordon was executive VP for Dow Jones and a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. In this in-depth interview, they share how witnessing the depressing rise of fake news and the genuine harm it’s doing, gave them the idea for a platform which assesses the credibility of news outlets; discuss the nine criteria they use to rate news platforms - for example, how well a publication distinguishes between fact and opinion, and whether it clearly labels advertisements; and reflect on what has become their biggest challenge - tackling the “avalanche of covid-19 misinformation” and hoax sites getting more engagements than responsible health sites during the pandemic.
Annette King is CEO of Publicis Groupe UK. Founded in 1926, Publicis Groupe employs 80,000 people in 100 countries, and boasts an annual revenue of nearly €10bn. Annette previously spent 17 years at Ogilvy, latterly as CEO of its 10 UK operating companies. In this in-depth interview, Annette reflects on how digital has “revolutionised the advertising industry” with the insight that data brings; and proudly shares Publicis Groupe UK’s commitment to promoting the positive mental health of their staff - as it “makes business sense… as well as being the right thing to do.”
Craig Engler is general manager of Shudder, a premium streaming service focusing on horror, suspense and thriller content. A subsidiary of AMC Networks, they have over 1 million subscribers across North America and Europe, and have recently expanded to Australia and New Zealand. Joining in 2018, Craig previously enjoyed a long-standing career as a writer and TV network executive, spending a successful 15 years at Syfy. In this in-depth interview, Craig talks through the journey of their successful original series ‘Creepshow,’ when an “amazing series of coincidences” brought the show to launch, working with an array of Hollywood A-List talent including Stephen King, Kiefer Sutherland, Justin Long and Giancarlo Esposito; tackles critics who say the streaming market is saturated, and explains why “finding ways to surprise and delight members” is helping making Shudder “not your only streamer - but your favourite streamer;” and shares the creative process involved in bringing the hit TV show ‘Z Nation’ to the screen as writer and producer.
Harleen Kaur is co-founder and chief executive of Ground News. Created last year, the app was formed to handle the growing problem of misinformation and curates stories from a variety of media sources across the political spectrum, which are independently reviewed for bias and reliability, allowing users to see how the same stories are covered differently. In this in-depth interview, Harleen discusses how she abandoned her engineering career at NASA, and was inspired to tackle “information overload and media sensationalism;” shares how the app manages “filter bubbles” by revealing blind spots and news bias; and delves into how the app allows people to reach their own conclusions about developing stories.
Anna Palmer is the founder and chief executive of Punchbowl News. Nearly a year old, the daily email newsletter focuses on the “power, people and politics” in Washington DC. For almost two decades Anna has covered congressional leadership, campaigning, lobbying, the politics of government and the presidency - and in her prior role as Washington correspondent for Politico, co-created their successful ‘Playbook’ newsletter franchise. In this in-depth interview, Anna reflects on launching their new venture just three days before the “astonishing” Capitol attacks on January 6th; delves into her New York Times bestseller ‘The Hill To Die On’ which documented Trump’s first two years and won acclaim for “bringing to life the deal-breaking and backstabbing as never before;” and discusses whether Trump could return to the White House, and if so, how it would happen.
Zach Seward is co-founder and chief executive of Quartz. Founded in 2012, and now boasting a readership of over 10 million, its mission is to “make business better” and “solve real problems without creating new ones.” Previously at The Wall Street Journal, he reported on education and health and was the paper’s first-ever social media editor. In this in-depth interview, Zach reflects on the “emotional rollercoaster” of the pandemic - with the pain of restructuring and layoffs now eased with a return to growth across people, profitability and subscriptions; welcomes the “fresh energy” that returning to ownership and its renewed independence has brought; and shares his view on the future of the economy as it recovers from the pandemic.
In a special edition, we’re joined by the new editorial leaders of GQ. Established in 1957, the iconic men’s fashion and style title has a global reach of 10m in print, and over 50m online. Joining from New York is global editorial director Will Welch; and from London, deputy global editorial director Adam Baidawi. Will was previously the editor of GQ America; and Adam was previously editor of GQ Middle East, moving from Dubai to London to take the role. Both newly-promoted to deliver publisher Condé Nast’s new digital-first strategy, the pair immediately made their mark with a special issue - in which 17 of the brand’s international editions joined forces to simultaneously publish The Weeknd on September’s cover. In this in-depth interview, they pay tribute to Dylan Jones who left the UK editor’s chair after 22 years; share their plans to “harness the power of global unity” and end the era of local editions “competing” against one another for stories and interviews; and share insight from their strategic pivot to digital - with the “physical glossy magazine” always being “the shining diamond at the center of what we do.”
John Micklethwait is editor-in-chief of Bloomberg. Responsible for its editorial content across all global platforms, he leads its news, television and research services - with 2,700 staff in 120 countries. Beginning his career as a banker at Chase Manhattan in London, he switched to journalism in 1987, joining The Economist as financial correspondent, ultimately becoming editor-in-chief in 2006, and joined Bloomberg nine years later. In this in-depth interview, John shares why he sees audio content as integral to their future growth, following the success of their recent podcasts; discusses how they use “restless energy” to compete against digital-only startups for scoops and stories; and sets out his prediction on how the global economy will recover from Covid-19 - and why the pandemic has “exposed the weakness of the West.”
Noah Shachtman is editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone. Previously executive editor at The Daily Beast, and before that a national security reporter based in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait, he also worked on Bill Clinton’s 1992 election campaign. In this in-depth interview, Noah talks about taking the reins of the iconic publication - and how the music, politics and culture title will become “faster, louder, harder” as he seeks to grow its impact; shares how he turned The Daily Beast into a “scoop factory,” breaking some of the biggest stories of recent times including Jeffrey Epstein’s arrest and Donald Trump’s impeachment; and drawing on his years of experience in the Middle East, reflects on President Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan - and the likely consequences.
Richard Gibbs is a leading Hollywood movie composer, and music producer. Starting his career as a session musician, he was playing keyboards in the band Oingo Boingo when in 1988 an unexpected opportunity to score a film led to a long career as a film composer. He has worked on some of the very biggest movies and TV shows including Say Anything, Dr Dolittle, The Simpsons and Queen of the Damned. His studio in Malibu ‘Woodshed Recording’ is the musical home of U2, Chance the Rapper, Coldplay and Sting. In this in-depth interview, Richard reflects on a long career in music, working on dozens of movies - and explains how the business of making music in Hollywood really gets done; takes us behind-the-scenes of the whole process of film music composition from start to finish; and shares the journey of founding his charity ‘Armory of Harmony’ which takes guns - formerly in the hands of criminals - melts them down and turns them into musical instruments for deprived students.
Max Siegelbaum is co-executive director of Documented, an innovative non-profit news site solely dedicated to covering the plight of New York’s immigrant community, and the policies which affect them. Last year, they won an Online Journalism Award and LION Award for their use of WhatsApp as a news distribution platform to their most vulnerable readers, and also for their coverage of how the Coronavirus pandemic made life unthinkably harder for those seeking a new life in the Empire State. In this in-depth interview, Max recalls the early stages of the venture, gaining the trust and support of an ever-increasing readership, but also experiencing the struggles of having to “fight for a space” in the industry; discusses the lack of awareness of how tough the life of an immigrant can be, and how arduous a task it is to be represented in a city as fast-paced as New York; and reflects on how Donald Trump’s presidency created an “extreme and almost immeasurable impact” for immigrants - in which the ‘othering’ of recent settlers to the city only increased.
Sandro Monetti is an entertainment journalist and Hollywood media pundit. A Brit who moved to Los Angeles two decades ago, he has interviewed the world’s biggest stars, including George Clooney, Will Smith, Madonna and Paul McCartney; and in 2020 released his memoir ‘Confessions of a Hollywood Insider.’ In this in-depth interview, Sandro discusses “what kind of Hollywood will emerge from the pandemic” as it comes to terms with the devastation Covid has caused; a noted expert on the history of Hollywood, he talks about how La La Land’s past will shape its future; and shares some eyebrow-raising stories about A-listers behind-the-scenes over the years.
Clint Stinchcomb is president and chief executive of Curiosity Stream. Founded in 2015, with 20 million subscribers in 176 countries, it was the first streaming service to focus on non-fiction content; encompassing genres such as nature, history, science and travel. A TV industry veteran, he previously developed and ran channels for the Discovery Network; and co-founded PokerCentral, the world’s first 24/7 global online poker game. In this in-depth interview, Clint shares his “pure factual entertainment” strategy - creating a “distinctive, focussed service” and not “diluting the offer” into non-factual genres; details the differing viewing habits around the world and how they keep their content relevant to a global audience; and reflects on a long career in TV, including creating new on-demand TV channels at Discovery - which pioneered the modern broadcast era.
Paul McNamee is editor of The Big Issue. For over three decades, the magazine has provided dignity and income for homeless people - by “working, not begging.” Paul has built a career championing voices that are seldom heard by the mainstream media, and has been awarded magazine editor of the year three times. In this in-depth interview, Paul discusses the “utter devastation” that Covid has bought - with 18 months of deserted streets decimating their sellers’ income - and forcing the publication to innovate through subscriptions, fundraisers, selling through traditional retailers and the launch of their podcast ‘The Big Miss You;’ shares his belief that homelessness could be solved with genuine government and societal commitment; and reflects on why, in spite of competition from global A-listers, their most popular cover star was a cat - who went on to star in bestselling book and film ‘A Street Cat Named Bob.’
Professor Anand Menon is a leading political scientist and director of UK in a Changing Europe. The think tank was formed in 2015, amidst the polarised atmosphere of the Brexit referendum, and sets out to provide “high-quality and impartial research based on facts rather than opinions.” In this in-depth interview, Anand discusses his efforts to embrace new platforms like TikTok to connect with younger and seldom heard audiences; argues that Covid has reinforced support for Brexit through the success of the UK’s vaccine rollout; and shares the key takeaways from his famous TED Talk ‘How to Fix Britain,’ explaining how the referendum “held a mirror up to society.”
Georgie Holt is managing director for the UK, Ireland and ROW regions for Acast, one of the largest podcast companies in the world, with over 300 million listeners each month. She joined after two decades working in senior roles at some of the world’s biggest news and magazine brands - including the Evening Standard, Mail on Sunday, Cosmopolitan, and Stylist. In this in-depth interview, Georgie sheds light on how the podcast industry has weathered the pandemic - with the “opportunity to connect and feel part of a community” resulting in overall listenership increasing; takes us behind-the-scenes on the whole journey of launching a podcast - from shaping the idea, to launch, marketing and ‘extending’ the brand further into live events, merch and books; and shares her passion for tackling misogyny in advertising, with her campaign at Stylist aiming to “inspire a more truthful and respectful visual landscape for women.”
Anthony Matchett is chief executive of Napster Group. He acquired the platform - renowned for illegally sharing music in the 1990s - for £50m last year; and then merged it with MelodyVR, his virtual reality music company. In this in-depth interview, Anthony lays bare the depth of the devastation the pandemic has bought to live music, and his passionate belief that virtual reality will play a key part in its recovery; highlights the plight of how musicians are struggling financially, noting the irony that Napster - a platform with roots in bootlegging - is now the world leader in compensating artists fairly; and discusses the “immersive experience” of attending live events through virtual reality - building on the record online audience of this year’s Wireless Festival.
Suzi Watford is EVP Consumer, Dow Jones; and Chief Marketing & Membership Officer for The Wall Street Journal. In a career spanning two decades, she started out in her native UK overseeing sales at The Times and The Sunday Times, and in 2014 moved to New York to drive new revenue at Dow Jones - and has doubled their paying subscribers to over four million. In this in-depth interview, Suzi discusses their major new campaign ‘Trust Your Decisions’ which encourages people to take control of their lives post-pandemic; shares their efforts to appeal to a younger audience and “change the face of business,” an ambitious challenge as she readily admits the Journal may be “associated with their parents;” and explains how she steps up to the challenge of “provoking and challenging all of us to think differently about our business and push beyond the current definition of what is possible.”
Gillian Tett is an award-winning journalist, and chair of the Financial Times’ US editorial board. As editor-at-large, she writes weekly columns covering a range of economic issues, and in 2019 co-founded ‘FT Moral Money,’ a twice-weekly newsletter which has since become one of their most widely-read and impactful initiatives. In 2019, she won ‘Journalist of the Year’ at the British Press Awards for her prison interview with fraudster Bernie Madoff. An acclaimed author, she covered the global crash of 2008; and her latest book ‘Anthro-Vision’ utilises her extensive education in anthropology to “assess the post-covid age, and make sense of a world undergoing severe disruption.” In this in-depth interview, Gillian reflects on her time reporting during Trump’s presidency - how “constant de-stabilisation and confrontation” made it difficult to spot what she calls “social silences;” reflects on four decades in journalism, and the positive impact she’s witnessed as the industry becomes less male-dominated; and argues the current focus on ‘big data’ ignores an understanding of anthropology, which would “give the full picture” - why corporate projects fail, bank traders miscalculate losses, and pandemic policies succeed or fail.
Jim VandeHei is a media entrepreneur and founder/CEO of Axios. With a career spent at The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, he co-founded Politico in 2006, and left a decade later due to issues with the co-founder. Jim began Axios in 2016, which came to public prominence after Jonathan Swan’s iconic interview with President Trump, and now boasts over 4 million monthly visitors, 2 million newsletter subscriptions. In this in-depth interview, Jim discusses Axios’ unique proposition as “The Economist mated with Twitter,” and how their “smart brevity” approach makes “high-end info consumption more efficient, enjoyable and essential” with ambitious plans to expand local coverage to 50 cities; shares the whole story of Politico’s journey from start to finish - including a candid, warts-and-all discussion of the execution of their “all-politics, all the time” mission; and gives a Washington insider’s analysis on Biden’s first six months - and Trump’s likely next move.
Christine Hayes is group editor-in-chief of BBC Good Food and olive magazine. The “cook’s choice” for over three decades, they recently won ‘Media Brand of the Year’ at the PPA awards, praised by the judges for their “promotion of diversity and building their subscription business during lockdown” with nearly 9 million daily page views. In this in-depth interview, Christine discusses the opportunities and issues presented by the pandemic, with interest in home cooking growing exponentially, and her team rising to the challenge to deliver under lockdown - creating, testing and photographing the recipes themselves in their own homes; discusses the changes in people’s eating habits - and those that will remain post-pandemic; and shares their corporate drive to boost inclusion, by introducing new contributors and “giving a platform to voices that aren’t heard in food.”
Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a historian and expert on authoritarianism, propaganda, abuse of power and threats to democracy. A prolific media commentator, Ruth brings a historical perspective to current events across major media outlets on TV, print and online. A regular CNN contributor, and one of the few academics to accurately predict the insurrection of January 6th 2021, she joined New York University in 2000, and her work is supported by Fulbright, Guggenheim and other fellowships. In this in-depth interview, Ruth discusses her best-selling book, ‘Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present,’ which examines the methods that authoritarian leaders past and present use to stay in power - “corruption, violence, propaganda and outright machismo,” and why (with a few exceptions) this leadership style usually results in failure; shares her blistering analysis of former President Trump as a “dictator in the classic vein” with both “hoarder” and “victim” traits and a “manic desire to control everyone and everything;” and discusses the launch of ‘Lucid’ - a subscription publication which shines a light on, among many other things, sexual harassment - “a common factor among these types of abusive leaderships.”
Miles Copeland is an icon in the music business, known primarily for managing The Police, Sting, Jools Holland and The Bangles, and as founder of I.R.S records, launching the careers of The Go-Go’s, R.E.M., Fine Young Cannibals and The Alarm. In this in-depth interview, Miles reveals how the music industry really works behind-the-scenes, detailing some of the extraordinary things the job of a music manager involves; with a childhood spent in Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria, he reflects on his deep affection for the Middle East, which resulted in him introducing Arabic music to the US, and even advising the Pentagon on how to win over Arab hearts and minds after the Gulf War; and discusses his just-released memoir ‘Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: My Life in the Music Business,’ which shares practical, real-life advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on recovering from the inevitable setbacks along the way - including how Miles himself built his whole career from the ashes of near bankruptcy.
Professor Jay Rosen has taught journalism at New York University since 1986. Widely regarded as a global authority on the relationship between media and politics, in 2003 he started PressThink, an influential thought-leadership platform which addresses the big-picture challenges faced by the media. In this in-depth interview, Jay argues the Trump administration still “casts a shadow” over US politics - stating “we live in a two-party system… one of the two is anti-democratic, and the other is not sure that’s a problem;” attacks Fox News for the “corrosive” role it plays in America - by “deliberately and cynically” provoking “rage or loyalty;” and condemns the “ungovernable” Facebook - which is now “a danger to democracy around the world.”
Warren Webster is chief executive of Atlas Obscura. Founded in 2009, the online guide to the world’s “wonders and curiosities” has a reach of 6m monthly visitors, is one of the most popular travel websites in the world and boasts a submission-based catalogue of more than 22,000 places, 11,000 stories told and over 1,000 global experiences. Joining in 2020, he previously held senior leadership roles at Coveteur, goop and Patch - and in 2010 was named one of the ‘Most Powerful People in Media’ by Arianna Huffington. In this in-depth interview, he shares an exciting new chapter for the business, following Airbnb’s recent $20m investment; argues the global pandemic has somewhat counter-intuitively given them their strongest financial and audience success so far; and reveals their exciting plans to grow the scope of the company - with a new app and a book ‘Gastro Obscura.’
Joshua Foer is co-founder of Atlas Obscura. Founded in 2009, the online guide to the world’s “wonders and curiosities” has a reach of 6m monthly visitors, is one of the most popular travel websites in the world and boasts a submission-based catalogue of more than 22,000 places, 11,000 stories told and over 1,000 global experiences. In this in-depth interview, Joshua discusses how Atlas Obscura began, its growth into an online phenomenon, the upcoming launch of their app, and how they have tackled the impact of the pandemic; talks about his non-profit ‘Sefaria,’ a living library of Jewish texts - and his hopes to “bring the platform to life” and connect the wider Jewish community; and reflects on how he accidentally became a global expert on the science of memory - a journalist assignment in 2005 to attend the US memory championships, ended up in him taking part in the competition itself and winning - and going on give a popular TED talk and best-selling book ‘Moonwalking with Einstein.’
Lorna Willis is chief executive of Archant. Founded in 1845, they are publisher of 140 local, regional and national media brands; with a monthly reach of 5 million in print, and 9m online with 37m unique page views. She joined a decade ago as digital sales director after a career spent at the Financial Times and The Guardian, and became chief executive in 2021. In this in-depth interview, Lorna reflects on a decade of “disruptive methodology,” modernising the company and tackling its old-fashioned “hierarchical nature” - recalling that in the early days she was sent home for not wearing a suit; describes how many know Archant as a newspaper publisher, but don’t realise the “huge consultancy side” of the firm, providing marketing and audience insight services for over 37,000 commercial customers; and shares her optimism for the future of regional news - with Covid-19 fostering a “renewed level of appreciation” for the value of local journalism.
Douglas Murray is a provocateur, prolific debater, best-selling author, political commentator, and associate editor of The Spectator. In this in-depth interview, Douglas decries the “asymmetry of wokeness” - a shift from “reportable, objective truth” to so-called “personal truth” - meaning “feelings trump facts” and a growing propensity to shun voices of disagreement; argues we are witnessing a “great mass derangement” in society - a weaponised “rise of victimhood” and decline of the “British attitude” to tackling problems; and celebrates the “success” of Brexit - and the “democratic opportunities” it has created.
Yaakov Katz is editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. Founded in 1932, with a reach of over 12 million, it is regarded as one of the world’s leading Israeli-English voices. Appointed in 2016, and previously the paper’s reporter and defence analyst, he is also a prolific author - his latest book is titled ‘Shadow Strike: Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power.’ In this in-depth interview, Yaakov discusses the “vital role” of the Post for readers both in Israel & around the world, and the importance of the trust placed in them as “a reliable source of information;” argues that Israel must “win the narrative war” and renews his commitment to holding all parties to account, including the Israeli government & security services; and shares his optimism that despite the current hostilities, peace will one day come to the region.
William Cash is an award-winning publisher, journalist and author, and is currently editor-in-chief of both the Catholic Herald and Mace magazine. Twice winner of ‘Editor of the Year,’ he spent ten years in Los Angeles as a correspondent for The Daily Telegraph and then The Times, and upon returning to the UK founded a number of publications - including the ‘Westminster Index’ and ‘Spear’s’ - a business and culture magazine aimed at high-net-worth individuals. In this in-depth interview, William fondly recalls a lively decade of adventures reporting from Hollywood; reflects on the Catholic Herald’s long history - founded in 1888 and sold only within churches, now reaching a global audience and considered Britain’s most influential religious title; and shares ambitions for his new cross-party political magazine ‘Mace’ - with a focus on the business of politics itself, and an attempt to reduce political division.
Ashkan Karbasfrooshan is founder and CEO of WatchMojo. One of the most popular brands on YouTube with 40 million subscribers, their 25,000 videos have been viewed 17 billion times, and last year surpassed 100 billion minutes of watch time. Founded in 2006, the company has 50 full-time employees with offices in Montreal, New York City, Los Angeles and London. In this in-depth interview, Ashkan shares the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey - from starting the company at 27, facing financial and courtroom difficulties, eventually becoming profitable by “running out of ways to fail” and then winning Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year;’ discusses his relationship of “mutual dependence” with YouTube, working through copyright issues by encouraging a change in policies at the platform to protect WatchMojo’s content; and shares his ambitions to become “the most admired media company in the world” - and how he plans to get there.
José Díaz-Balart is anchor of Noticias Telemundo and NBC’s Nightly News Saturday. The only TV journalist to broadcast regularly in two languages, he has interviewed every US president since Ronald Reagan, and is an Emmy, Peabody and Alfred duPont award winner. In this in-depth interview, José welcomes the growing number of Latino voices on-air and celebrates networks’ growing commitment to diversity and representation on-screen; discusses a journalism career spanning four decades, and his inspiration to challenge the under-representation of US Latinos - with 60 million people, it ‘would be the eighth largest GDP on earth;’ and delves into his new digital series ‘American Dreaming,’ which shines a light on the human story behind immigrants’ journeys and the plight of ‘mixed-status’ families.
Juliet Kinsman is sustainability editor at Condé Nast Traveller. Founded in 1997, the luxury magazine has headquarters in New York and a monthly readership of over 5 million. Joining the UK team last year with this first-time title, Juliet has been a leading voice for the travel media for more than two decades as a successful author, writing columns for The Telegraph and as resident expert on BBC Radio London. As founding editor of Mr & Mrs Smith she was instrumental in creating a disruptive editorial brand, transitioning published hotel guidebooks into an award-winning online authority. In this in-depth interview, Juliet shares her hopes to inspire real change through “honest writing” about the travel industry – that sustainability is not “anti-flight,” but helping tourists become aware of the socio-economic impact they’re having on the environment, local economy and indigenous people; details the depth of the cataclysmic impact the pandemic has had, and the importance of educating and encouraging consumers to make better decisions; and reflects on why she remains hopeful for the industry’s future, arguing that travellers can play their part in helping the sector recover with a “postpone don’t cancel” attitude.
Joy Macknight is editor of The Banker. Founded in 1926, published by the Financial Times, the monthly magazine is the go-to industry source. After a long career in financial journalism, she joined in 2015 and was promoted to editor five years later - the first woman to hold the job in 95 years. In this in-depth interview, Joy discusses the significant economic challenge the pandemic has brought - and just how difficult the next few years could be; shares how the industry is dealing with a generational shift in millennials’ expectations - with the future of retail banking “hyper-personalised and digital-first;” and argues the sector needs to accelerate progress made on growing female leadership - suggesting practical ideas to help make it happen.
Andrew Wallenstein is president and chief media analyst of the Variety Intelligence Platform. Founded last year, the product provides insight and data to Hollywood executives, helping guide their decision-making and strategy. Andrew previously spent nine years as Variety’s co-editor-in-chief, and prior to this held senior positions at Ad Age and the Hollywood Reporter, and contributed on-air at NPR and PBS. In this in-depth interview, Andrew shares the outcome of their plan to pivot and reposition the Variety brand, which had “fallen behind the times;” discusses the sheer scale of devastation the pandemic has had on Hollywood, and difficulties in the forthcoming recovery; and welcomes the surge in demand for streaming services, but argues that the growing number of platforms is not sustainable - predicting an imminent consolidation with fewer, more dominant providers.
Josh Ellis is editor-in-chief of SUCCESS magazine. Founded in 1897, the title inspires its readers with ideas, strategies and profiles of successful people. Joining the team in 2012 after a long career in sports journalism, including writing for the Dallas Cowboys, he runs the magazine from their Texas HQ, which boasts a total reach of 8 million readers. In this in-depth interview, Josh discusses the evolution of the very meaning of ‘success’ across three centuries of publishing; argues the pandemic has “made the world feel more turbulent than ever,” necessitating time away from social media to improve mental health; and outlines their efforts to champion diversity to become a true “mirror of society” - and move away from outdated ‘alpha male’ leadership.
Angela Henshall is senior producer of 50:50 The Equality Project. Founded in 2017, the scheme is the BBC’s most significant initiative to date to increase women’s voices in the media. With 70 organisations also signed up worldwide, they have already doubled female representation on-air in just three years. She is also deputy editor of BBC.com, and before this held senior positions at the Wall Street Journal, AFP and Dow Jones. In this in-depth interview, Angela shares with pride the project’s successes, with many shows already achieving a full gender balance - including BBC Breakfast, the Andrew Marr Show and The One Show; discusses the nuts and bolts of how participating organisations report their results, with programme makers acknowledging that the very act of counting and submitting returns helps them recognise their blind spots; and describes their expansion in both scope and scale - with global corporations such as Unilever now taking part, and plans to tackle under-representation regarding ethnicity and disability too.
Clifton Leaf is editor-in-chief of FORTUNE. Founded in 1929 with headquarters in New York, the iconic business publication has a total worldwide reach of 20 million. Appointed in 2017, after a career spent at Time Inc, Dow Jones, and several other magazine companies, in 2005 he received the Gerald Loeb Award for distinguished business journalism. His critically-acclaimed book ‘Why We’re Losing the War on Cancer - And How To Win It’ is a searing indictment of the limited progress made in fighting the disease, and a call-to-arms to step up the battle. In this in-depth interview, Clifton discusses the changes in strategy made under new owner, Thai blockchain billionaire Chatchaval Jiaravanon, with a renewed commitment to “provocative storytelling” and “no longer playing it safe;” argues that the Covid pandemic has brought opportunities amidst the pain, and makes the case for optimism as the world economy emerges from lockdown; and shares their ambitious plan to leverage their impactful lists - including the iconic FORTUNE 500 - to inspire change, and focus on the leadership successes of women & people of colour.
Judd Legum is founder and editor-in-chief of Popular Information. Launched in 2018, the hugely influential newsletter covers democracy, politics and power “for people who give a damn.” Beginning his career as a lawyer, he moved into journalism in 2005 and founded the news website ThinkProgress, becoming research director for Hillary Clinton two years later. In this in-depth interview, Judd discusses his decision to remove their paywall during the pandemic to widen access and increase their impact; shares his front row seat on Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the 2008 democratic nomination - and his thoughts on why she lost; and recalls recent successes, including shaming restaurant chain Olive Garden into paying their staff when absent due to illness.
Brandon Borrman is vice president of global communications at Twitter. One of the most powerful PR professionals worldwide, Brandon joined Twitter in 2018, and leads a team of 60 people - helping shape the platform’s evolution, and leading their media relations strategy. In this in-depth interview, Brandon takes us behind the scenes on the decision to suspend President Trump’s account; describes the challenge of tackling the toxicity and bullying on the platform, balanced with continuing to allow anonymous accounts; and shares his mission to fundamentally change how Silicon Valley engages with the media internationally - by encouraging greater openness and transparency.
John Paton is chairman of the Independent and Evening Standard, and a non-executive director at the Home Office. With a long career as an executive and investor, he has led media companies across the US, Canada and Europe, overseen $7bn in financial transactions, and has previously served on the board of prominent organisations such as the Guardian Media Group. In this in-depth interview, John outlines their ambitious plans for global growth - having abandoned the Independent’s paper edition, the now-digital operation is “hugely profitable” and “targeting $100m in revenue;” describes their strategy to overcome the enormous challenge the Evening Standard has faced with an “empty London;” and takes us behind the scenes of his working relationship with two high-profile and enigmatic figures - Lord Evgeny Lebedev, and the home secretary Priti Patel.
Paul Tweed is an international media lawyer. One of the world’s foremost reputation managers, he has never lost a libel case, and has an impressive roster of clients including Liam Neeson, The Duchess of York, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Harrison Ford and Johnny Depp. In this in-depth interview, Paul takes us behind-the-scenes of some of his most high-profile cases, including an early win for Britney Spears, for whom he was the first in the business to obtain a media apology; argues that the law must be strengthened to protect us from online giants, who “believe they are so powerful that the rules do not apply;” and expresses his strong support for “protecting investigative journalism at all costs,” noting his long history representing both reporters and MPs, he explains why we’re still yet to see the full threat posed by fake news and the impact this will have on the media.
Tom Rogers is a media and technology industry leader who has revolutionised TV business news and TV itself. Best known for his time as the first-ever president of NBC Cable, he created CNBC and MSNBC and then spent eleven years as President of TiVo - transforming TV consumption globally and bringing Amazon & Netflix to our screens. In 2006, he received an Emmy for outstanding contribution to the development of television, and was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. In this in-depth interview, Tom reflects on the incredible journey launching iconic news brands, CNBC and MSNBC - amidst the industry’s conventional wisdom that CNN’s dominance could never be challenged; describes the serious threat cable is under with the competition posed by increasingly popular streaming platforms calling its very survival into question; and shares his predictions for broadcasting’s future - and how the entertainment landscape is set to be dominated by esports and gaming.
Andy Coulson is a strategic media advisor to CEOs and global leaders. In a meteoric career which included editing the News of the World and serving as Prime Minister David Cameron’s director of communications, it all came crashing down in 2014 when he was convicted of conspiring to intercept communications and sent to prison. Andy apologised for making significant mistakes as editor but denied - and still denies - breaking the law. In this in-depth interview, Andy reflects on the lessons learned from his time in jail and how “reverting back to his journalistic instincts” boosted his resilience and fortitude; shares the ambition behind his podcast ‘Crisis What Crisis,’ which features a diverse array of high-profile guests - and aims to give listeners practical “landing lights” to help overcome their own difficulties; and criticises the government for aspects of their handling of pandemic communication - arguing that their “disease of don’t know ... may have, at times, needlessly eroded public confidence.”
Tim Harford OBE is an economist, writer and broadcaster. A Financial Times senior columnist, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s ‘More or Less,’ TedX speaker and honorary fellow of the Royal Statistical Society, he was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to improving economic understanding. His best-selling book ‘The Undercover Economist’ enlightened millions of readers about the economic principles powering everyday life. In this in-depth interview, Tim discusses his mission to encourage people to have a positive and “healthy scepticism” towards statistics and data, as the best way to tackle fake news and widespread misinformation; shares his motivation for writing his latest book where he tempts his readers to share his love of statistics; and argues that the UK government needs to “get its priorities right on research” - with more money currently being spent on measuring sport than on crime…
Julia Angwin is co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Markup. Founded in 2019, the nonprofit newsroom has pioneered open-source data journalism to hold Big Tech to account and assess its impact on society. A winner (and two-time finalist) of the Pulitzer Prize, Julia previously held senior positions at ProPublica and The Wall Street Journal, and is author of the best-selling book ‘Dragnet Nation,’ a searing exposé of America’s “surveillance economy.” In this in-depth interview, Julia shares the reasons behind their newsroom’s determination to tackle fake news, and give their readers the tools to decipher between truth and propaganda; expresses her concern that social giants’ decisions are taken behind a “veil of secrecy” and The Markup’s mission to “stem the power grab from these largely unregulated platforms;” and describes how witnessing the recent riots at the US Capitol has redoubled her passion, determination and commitment to journalism itself... as “necessary for democracy.”
Errin Haines is founder and editor-at-large of The 19th*. Founded a year ago and based in Austin, Texas, the nonprofit, non-partisan newsroom covers the intersection of women, politics and policy. Named after the US Constitution’s 19th Amendment, their mission is to encourage the participation and representation of marginalised people in democracy. Her career has taken in senior positions at the Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and she is also a regular on-air contributor for MSNBC; and was recently appointed Ferris Professor at Princeton University, teaching a class on the role of race in the 2020 election. In this in-depth interview, Errin delves into her newsroom’s commitment to changing the narrative around underrepresented groups - and how their reporting avoids “cheap shots, cheerleading, partisanship and clickbait;” describes America’s recent “national reckoning” with insurmountable racial tensions and identity politics continually “shaping who and where we are as a country;” and shares her experience as a Black female reporter writing about President Trump’s racist rhetoric, and her hopes that Kamala Harris, the US’s first female, Black and south Asian to take the role, is the giant leap that American democracy needs.
Jamie East is a broadcaster, journalist and podcaster. Known for his witty commentary on showbiz and entertainment, he started ‘Holy Moly’ in 2002, which went on to become one of Britain’s largest and most influential gossip sites. He has presented Channel 5’s ‘Big Brother’s Bit On The Side’ and ‘Thronecast’ for Sky Atlantic - and has recently launched his new daily podcast ‘The Smart 7’ which summaries the news in seven minutes. In this in-depth interview, Jamie argues that traditional celebrity culture is “dying” as celebrities no longer need to cooperate with journalists, due to Gen Z’s preference for social media and its influencers; shares his reasons for resigning from talkRADIO in protest at a fellow presenter ripping up his face mask live on air; and reflects on his entrepreneurial highs and lows - with ‘Holy Moly’ failing to fulfil its potential after he sold 50% of it to Endemol, and the huge success of ‘The Smart 7’ which has recently celebrated its two millionth download.
Melanie Leach is CEO of South Shore Productions, and has spent decades creating iconic programmes for the BBC, ITV, Netflix, and beyond. Her production credits include the Emmy award-winning ‘Educating’ series for Channel 4, ‘The Real Marigold Hotel’ for the BBC - and ‘Hotel Inspector,’ now Channel 5’s longest-running show. Launched in 2019, and backed financially by ITV Studios, South Shore creates documentary, popular factual and entertainment programmes for stations and streaming platforms globally. In this in-depth interview, Melanie takes us behind-the-scenes of the whole process in creating a TV show - from the initial idea, through production, and ultimately to broadcast; shares both frustration and optimism at the opportunities created by new streaming platforms, tempered with the almost insurmountable production difficulties created by Covid-19; and discusses her ongoing quest to create and deliver “the next TV show game-changer” equalling the impact of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire.’
Stephen Sackur is the presenter of BBC HARDTalk - the most popular news interview programme in the world, with 70 million viewers. Before this, he was an award-winning BBC foreign correspondent covering landmark global events such as 9/11, the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the civil war in Sri Lanka. In this in-depth interview, he takes us behind the scenes on the “crackling tension” in the HARDTalk studio; reflects on some of his career highlights, from the first ever on-screen interview with Hugo Chávez, to getting Dr Anthony Fauci’s take on America’s handling of the pandemic; and defends the “dying art” of the long-form interview, which remains “hugely important and very compelling.”
Rick Wilson is a political strategist, media consultant, New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of The Lincoln Project. Described as “one of the best political analysts of our times” and “the father of the attack ad,” he has an award-winning column in The Daily Beast, and also writes for The Washington Post and The Spectator. In this in-depth interview, Rick shares how The Lincoln Project was born and takes us behind the scenes of some of their most provocative and attention-grabbing campaigns; slams Fox News as an “alternative version of reality” and a “sewage pipe of misinformation and conspiracy;” and reflects on the downfall of his former boss Rudy Giuliani, as a stark example of “unspeakable tragedy - someone who hasn’t fallen from grace, but fallen from legacy.”
Alvin Hall is a broadcaster, author and financial educator. Beginning his career on Wall Street, a chance encounter with a BBC producer led to an unexpected career detour - becoming one of the UK’s most prominent business TV presenters, hosting BBC flagship programmes and landing the beeb’s first-ever interview with Jay-Z. A successful author, his best-seller ‘You and Your Money: It’s More than Just the Numbers’ has helped millions take control of their finances. In this in-depth interview, Alvin takes us behind the scenes of his hit podcast ‘Driving the Green Book,’ his first-person reportage following the original journey from Detroit to New Orleans, and his examination of America’s Jim Crow laws and long-standing history of racism; shares how growing up in poverty in Florida and then making a fortune on Wall Street drove his passion for teaching financial literacy - to guide others on avoiding poverty and start building wealth; and reflects on memorable on-screen moments - including the famous out-take of him standing in a field doing a piece to camera, sporting his iconic bow tie... only to be repeatedly attacked by a flock of ostriches.
Alessandra Galloni is global managing editor at Reuters. Established in 1851, the organisation comprises 2,500 journalists, working in 16 languages across 200 locations in over 100 countries. Her bestselling 2013 book, “From the End of the Earth to Rome,” profiles Pope Francis and his unexpected election as pontiff. Beginning her career at The Wall Street Journal, she spent over a decade as correspondent, economics writer and editor in multiple locations including New York, London, Paris and Rome, before joining Reuters in 2013. In this in-depth interview, she paints a picture of a newsroom “bombarded by a huge attempt at misinformation” from governments (including China, Russia and the US) who have “seriously underplayed the severity of the disease;” outlines the challenges tackling the false claims of the Trump administration - and advocates that the occasional killing of a story is “the ultimate act of journalistic bravery;” and reflects on some of the more unusual moments of her career - the first to get an on-the-record quote from a mafia boss, and the only one so far to have expensed a latex bodysuit.
Kyle Pope is editor and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review - an essential publication for journalists, and respected watchdog of the press. Starting out as an editor at The Wall Street Journal, Kyle then moved to The New York Observer as editor-in-chief, joining CJR in 2016. In this in-depth interview, he recalls his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee, where he argued that Congress had “failed to stand up for press freedom” whilst “under attack” from President Trump; shares his perspective on the role Covid-19 has played in reinforcing the need for a local press - as “granular information became a matter of life or death;” and questions whether it’s possible for a Biden White House to normalise relations with the media, noting the damage caused by Trump may well be “irrecoverable.”
Laura Wilshaw is editor of ITV News at Ten. She previously held senior positions at Euronews, 5 News, NBC and Sky News, and her team was recently shortlisted for a BAFTA. In this in-depth interview, she reflects on this year’s “incredible news cycle” and the multifaceted editorial & logistical challenges brought on by the pandemic; ponders on the ethics of balancing human empathy with the responsibility to report fairly when covering sensitive (yet divisive) issues such as the UK’s migrant crisis; and shares her passion for increasing the representation of women in newsrooms - recognising how her mentoring of other women who aspire to work in television news is bolstered by her own “non-traditional route” (and late entry) into the industry.
Jonathan Munro is the BBC’s Head of Newsgathering, leading the day-to-day activity and deployments of all journalists working across the network’s 60 international bureaux. Prior to this he spent 26 years at ITN joining as an editorial trainee, and ultimately becoming their Correspondent reporting on stories in the US, Russia and Africa. In this in-depth interview, Jonathan describes the challenges of covering a year of “a lot of shade and not much light” - including Covid-19, Brexit and the Presidential election; discusses incoming D-G Tim Davie’s new social media impartiality guidelines, and their efforts to improve on-screen diversity; and shares lessons learnt following the BBC’s controversial coverage of the aborted police investigation into Sir Cliff Richard.
Professor Sir David Omand was the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, and formerly director of GCHQ. Spending much of his career leading the UK’s national counter-terrorism strategy, he was directly responsible to the prime minister for homeland security. His book ‘How Spies Think: 10 Lessons in Intelligence’ is described as a “call to arms for more rational decision-making” and shares the spooks’ problem-solving skills. In this in-depth interview, Sir David argues the government has “failed to protect its citizens” against Covid-19 - after several warnings that a global pandemic was likely - and warns we now have “years of great disturbance” ahead; blames “disinformation, conspiracy theorists and social giants” for encouraging division and “creating a fundamentally fragmented society;” and recalls the pressure of making judgements then delivering difficult news to the PM - including giving the order to “ready the fleet” after warning Margaret Thatcher that Argentina was about to invade the Falkland Islands, and his ringside seat whilst Tony Blair dealt with 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq.
Nicholas Coleridge is chairman of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Beginning his career as a journalist at Tatler, he moved to the Evening Standard as a columnist, and was appointed editor of Harpers & Queen (now Harper’s Bazaar) at age 29. Joining Conde Nast in 1989 he spent 26 years at the top, overseeing some of the world’s leading brands such as GQ and Vogue, operating in 32 markets and reaching over 400 million. An author of fourteen books, his renowned memoir ‘The Glossy Years’ recounts his experiences as a socialite, attending parties with Princess Diana; and his adventures as a journalist, including a brief spell in a Sri Lankan prison. In this in-depth conversation, he describes the incredible challenge the pandemic has brought to the museum sector - noting the V&A has lost 75% of its visitors, he discusses the long-term viability of maintaining the nation’s cultural heritage; reflects on the exciting day-to-day of the media industry and his experience launching the staple magazines Vanity Fair, Wired and Glamour; and fondly explains why he will forever be “an optimist for print.”
John Battelle is co-founder and CEO of Recount Media. Founded in 2018, they have developed “a new approach to politics” that “won’t waste your time,” by collating current affairs content to create videos that reflect the modern consumers’ shorter attention span. His eclectic career has encompassed two professorships and co-founding Wired magazine. He also wrote the best-selling book, ‘The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture,’ regarded as the definitive take on the subject. In this in-depth interview, John reflects on a long career in the media industry, seeing it lose almost half of its journalists and suggests what must be done to tackle its decline; argues that big tech are stifling smaller companies’ ability to innovate by withholding data from developers and creators; and in the lead up to an election marred by fake news and disinformation, shares his frustrations that “free speech doesn’t mean free reach” - and how the election result may need a ‘recount’ in more ways than one...
Scott Omelianuk is the newly appointed editor-in-chief of ‘Inc.’ Founded in 1979, the award-winning magazine focuses on inspiring entrepreneurs and has a monthly reach of 25m. In an eclectic journalism career, taking in positions at both GQ and Esquire, Scott has also been a film producer, and presented several TV shows across fashion and design. In this in-depth interview, the self-described “under-achieving entrepreneur” explains how a series of failed ventures has given him an admiration for business people and a determination to help inspire and equip them to succeed; shares concern over the “win at all costs” attitude of today’s social giants, and how their huge footprint forces smaller brands to compete for resource and money; argues how the US government letting businesses down amidst the pandemic (and recent social unrest), puts responsibility on companies to lead the way and use their power to “do the right thing.”
Eric Schurenberg is CEO of Mansueto Ventures, publishers of iconic business magazines ‘Inc.’ and ‘Fast Company.’ Founded in 2005, and with a team of over one hundred, their mission is to inspire and inform the business leaders of the future. Over two decades, Eric’s career has spanned both business and finance, beginning on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs, before moving into journalism with stints at BNET and CBS MoneyWatch. In this in-depth interview, Eric argues there is still “real magic” and potential in the printed page, despite the growth of digital; talks passionately about diversifying the boards of corporate America, and the genuine company and employee benefit of opening up opportunities and welcoming differing perspectives; and shares his fears that if the US “closes its borders” post-election, this would “deny employers much-needed talent” and lead to “economic suicide.”
Robert Wolf is an entrepreneur, investor and board member of the Obama Foundation. Known to many as ‘the Dem on Fox,’ he is a regular contributor on Fox News and Fox Business, challenging Republicans and arguing the Democrats’ position. Starting out as a “brash punky-type kid,” in a meteoric career on Wall Street he spent a decade at Salomon Brothers, before 18 years at UBS saw him rise through the ranks, ending up as Chairman and CEO of UBS Americas. In 2009, President Obama appointed him as economic advisor, tasked with focussing on job creation, economic recovery and US exports. In this in-depth interview - and with the Presidential election just weeks away - he discusses the prospects of a Biden victory, the commotion of the campaign so far and addresses fears that Trump will not leave the White House without a fight; reflects on his efforts to guide President Obama through the precarious economic circumstances following the global recession of 2008; and shares anecdotes of time spent with the Obama and Biden families - golfing with the President, his long friendship with VP Biden - and considers whether former First Lady Michelle Obama would (or should) run for election.
Craig Newmark is the founder of Craigslist. Established in 1995, it’s one of the world’s most popular websites, active in 700 cities across 70 countries. Stepping away from day-to-day management of the site in 2000 to become a full-time philanthropist, Craig is a passionate campaigner for a free and fair press - supporting journalism, and combatting disinformation. In this in-depth interview, he recalls the journey of Craigslist from an obscure email distribution platform built in his bedroom into the $3bn global behemoth it is today; likens his philanthropic mission to stand up for a free media to that of a “combat engineer, fighting to preserve western democracy” from its “biggest enemy” which he calls “information warfare;” and shares his deeply-held belief that the media is “the immune system of democracy” - arguing that much of it is “failing the American people at the time they most need it.”
Toby Young is a writer, social commentator - and one of the most provocative voices in Britain. In his thirty years in journalism, he founded The Modern Review with Julie Burchill in 1991, has spent over two decades at The Spectator, and is associate editor at Quillette magazine. His memoir of time spent at Vanity Fair in New York, ‘How To Lose Friends and Alienate People’ was turned into a Hollywood film. In this in-depth interview, Toby argues that the government-enforced lockdown has failed to balance public health with science and the sustainability of the economy, and his motivation to campaign against these “disproportionate measures;” contends that so-called ‘cancel culture’ is a “resurgence of Puritanism,” and recalls his own ‘cancellation’ when he “lost five jobs to the Twitter mob;” his experience encouraged him to set up the Free Speech Union to support those who are, in his opinion, fellow victims of the rising precariousness of free speech.
Naomi Kerbel is head of television, radio scheduling and special projects at Bloomberg, and creator of the acclaimed podcast ‘Show Me The Way.’ Beginning her career as an actress, she then moved into business as an associate at Goldman Sachs, when a chance encounter with Jeremy Vine put her on the path to journalism. Soon after, she rose through the ranks at CNBC before moving to Sky News as business editor. Her passion for diversity and inclusion inspired her podcast, which provides a platform for successful women to share their stories and challenges. In this in-depth interview, Naomi discusses the Black Lives Matter movement and her hopes that this will reshape the workplace; argues that personal branding “is crucial,” with a particular focus on “leveraging your life through your wardrobe;” and explains how Bloomberg is meeting the challenges of unverified clickbait and an increasingly pressured media marketplace.
Eliot Higgins is the founder and chief executive of Bellingcat, the investigative journalism ‘collective’ responsible for “uncovering wrongdoing all around the world”. Founded in 2014 with HQ in the Netherlands, they have 18 employees and more than 30 contributors around the world. Pioneers of open-source journalism, their forensic research of publicly available data and ‘citizen-journalist analysis’ uses techniques such as ‘geo-location’ to pinpoint exact locations through satellite imagery to corroborate or disprove claims. Their work uncovering cases of child abuse in Ukraine was nominated for the 2020 European Press Prize for Innovation. In this in-depth interview, Eliot describes how they identified the Russian rocket-launcher which brought down Malaysian Airlines flight MH17; explains how they uncovered the identities of the Russian agents involved in the Salisbury novichok poisoning; and discusses the threats they face - online and physical - from those trying to frustrate their work, including governments and secret services.
Christophe Deloire is Secretary-General of Reporters Sans Frontières, known internationally as Reporters Without Borders. Founded in Paris in 1985, it’s the world’s biggest NGO “specialising in the defence of media freedom” and has over 150 correspondents covering ten international bureaux, and a €6m budget. Since 2002 their annual ‘World Press Freedom Index’ has measured the level of media freedom in 180 countries. Before taking the reins in 2016, Christophe ran the Journalists’ Training Centre in Paris, and spent nine years as an investigative reporter for 'Le Point.' He is also a documentary maker and author of several bestsellers. In this in-depth interview, Christophe reveals the extraordinary fact that nearly half of the world’s population still lacks access to free information; argues these are the most perilous times for journalists in terms of their physical safety, coming under targeted attack as never before; and discusses the night they turned off the Eiffel Tower’s lights to pay tribute to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Peter Wanless is chief executive of the NSPCC, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Before taking the reins in 2013 he was CEO of the Big Lottery Fund, and prior to that held a number of senior civil service jobs across Whitehall, working directly with senior ministers including Michael Portillo, David Blunkett and John Major. In this in-depth interview, he argues children are the “hidden victims” of the pandemic, noting a 37% rise in calls to Childline from children under 11; describes the challenges the NSPCC faces as charity fundraising comes under unprecedented pressure, and as a former senior civil servant discusses the opportunities and risks that the government’s planned shake-up will bring.
One of the best-known TV journalists in the UK, Mark Austin presents ‘The News Hour’ on Sky News. Beginning his career at the Bournemouth Daily Echo in 1976, he joined ITN in 1986 and presented ITV News at 10 for well over a decade, which was twice awarded the Royal Television Society ‘Programme of the Year’. He left ITV News in 2017 after just shy of three decades, and joined Sky News, initially reporting from the U.S. before returning to the studio. In this in-depth interview, Mark recounts his adventures on the front line, reporting on events such as 9/11, both Iraq invasions, genocide in Bosnia, and winning a BAFTA for his recent coverage of the Hong Kong protests; reflects on the 2003 death of his ITN colleague Terry Lloyd, killed by US forces’ friendly fire in Iraq; and talks about the international friendships he’s made along the way including, notably, Nelson Mandela.
Neil Brown is president of The Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Founded in 1975, based in Florida and with a team of over 50 people, the Institute aims to “improve journalism and strengthen democracy around the world”. Joining as president in 2017 after 24 years at the Tampa Bay Times (seven of which as editor) while under his leadership the title won dozens of awards, including six Pulitzers. In this in-depth interview, Neil argues that media organisations shedding journalists is placing journalism itself in peril, and undermining democracy; charts the progress of PolitiFacts, their fact-checking tool which rates politicians’ claims on their ‘Truth-O-Meter’; and describes the key role fact-checking and media ethics will play during the forthcoming US Presidential election - where the sitting President seemingly “has little regard” for either.
Decca Aitkenhead is chief interviewer at the Sunday Times. Beginning her career at The Independent in 1995, she then spent 21 years at The Guardian, winning ‘Interviewer of the Year’ at the British Press Awards in 2009. In 2018 she joined the Sunday Times where she has profiled the very biggest names including Hillary Clinton, JK Rowling, Oprah Winfrey and most recently made headlines talking to Tony Blair. She has also written her memoir ‘All At Sea’ which reflects on the tragic death of her husband and coming to terms with her grief. In this in-depth interview, Decca reveals some of the methods behind her successful technique, reflects on her explosive 2008 interview with then chancellor Alistair Darling where he inadvertently revealed “the country was facing the worst recession in 60 years”, and discusses how she has been able to write about the devastating events in her personal life with such honesty.
Hadas Gold is CNN’s media, tech and politics correspondent based in London. Beginning her career as a web producer at Politico in 2012, then media reporter, she joined CNN in 2017, moving to the UK the following year. Since then she reported extensively on Brexit and now coronavirus. In this in-depth interview, Hadas discusses the current east/west tensions in tech and its impact on the future of the internet, shares her concern for reporters accused of fake news in countries without the 'protection of the first amendment', and reflects on her experience in Argentina with the Pultizer fellowship in 2011, where she spent time with the cartoneros who dig for recyclables in Buenos Aires, learning to handle sensitive situations and convey both emotion and politics when telling their story.
Alex Bilmes is editor-in-chief of Esquire UK. Beginning his career in 1994 as a reporter for the Richmond and Twickenham Times (under chairman David Dimbleby), he joined Esquire as editor in 2011, via senior positions at British GQ and Vogue. In this in-depth interview, Alex reveals his repositioning strategy – increasing the cover price, publishing bi-monthly and preferring ‘everyday heroes’ above celebrities on the cover, discusses his love of print journalism and figuring out how it can adapt to the shifting consumer habits, and shares anecdotes from his interviews with the likes of Jay-Z and Angelina Jolie.
Jon Sopel is the BBC’s North America editor. Joining the Beeb in 1983, he rose through the ranks to become one of the best-known faces across their flagship programmes. Appointed to his current role in 2015, he is familiar to many for standing outside the White House reporting on the ups and downs of the Trump presidency. In this in-depth interview, Jon argues that the BBC’s “fair and balanced” coverage is more important than ever amidst growing claims of ‘fake news’, discusses Trump’s ability to surprise even him on a near-daily basis, and shares his excitement at the launch of ‘Americast’, his new podcast co-hosted with colleague and friend Emily Maitlis for what is set to be a fascinating and unprecedented election.
Lorraine Heggessey has had some of the biggest jobs in broadcasting - head of Children’s BBC, controller of BBC1 (the first woman to do so) and chief executive of Talkback Thames. Now a media consultant, public speaker and advisor to Channel 4, she left the media world in 2017; and spent two years working for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, as chief executive of The Royal Foundation. In this in-depth interview, Lorraine recalls the time she memorably fired Blue Peter presenter Richard Bacon for taking cocaine, describes the risks she took when commissioning Strictly Come Dancing in order to “reinvent Saturday nights,” and discusses her work as chair of the Grierson Trust, which helps young people from diverse backgrounds to get into documentary making.
Angelo Carusone is president and CEO of Media Matters for America, a campaigning non-profit described by Bill O’Reilly as “the most dangerous organisation in America.” Founded in 2004 and based in Washington DC, it challenges right-wing bias and monitors social media across the US to correct conservative misinformation. In this in-depth interview, Angelo argues that Donald Trump takes advantage of the “right-wing echo chamber created by Fox News”, challenges critics accusing them of “liberal fascism” after they urged brands to pull their adverts from Facebook as part of the recent BLM boycott, and shares his fear that a “free and fair US election is impossible” given the current political climate.
Nazir Afzal is a writer, legal reform campaigner and former chief crown prosecutor. He spent 25 years at the CPS and is best known for prosecuting landmark cases including the Rochdale grooming gang, Stuart Hall and the death of ‘Baby P’, which he recalls in his recently published memoir ‘The Prosecutor‘. A lay member of the ipso's complaints committee, he also advises governments on preventing violence against vulnerable women, especially those from a BAME background. In this in-depth interview, Nazir reveals how his upbringing in inner-city Birmingham inspired him to pursue a career in law, shares his ideas for reforming the criminal justice system and tackling its institutional racism, and argues that the courts can build public confidence through better engagement with the media.
Martin Frizell is editor of ITV’s This Morning. Beginning his career at Radio Clyde, he worked as a correspondent for Thomson Reuters and GMTV before his ten years in the editors chair famously came to an abrupt end. He then briefly entered the world of PR as an executive director at GolinHarris, before returning to television in 2014 as editor of Loose Women. After a year he took the helm at This Morning, one of the most prestigious editorships in UK television. In this in-depth interview, he shares his exhilarating and often heart-breaking adventures as a young correspondent (including the time he was begged by a Kurdish family to take their baby), argues that This Morning has acted as a ‘comfort blanket for the nation’ during lockdown, and shares his joy at the programme's campaigning successes - including ‘Project 84’ which directly led to the creation of a minister for suicide prevention.
Hugo Rifkind is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster. Joining The Times in 2005 he has been a diarist, features writer and TV critic and now writes many of their leaders as well as ‘My Week’ – the very popular diary parody. He is also a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz. In this in-depth interview, Hugo shares the difficulty of “being funny in a very un-funny political climate”, discusses the peculiar experience of taking part in The News Quiz without a studio audience, and reveals details of awkward real-life encounters with subjects of his satire.
Jamie Angus is director of the BBC World Service Group. Appointed in 2018, he oversees the World Service, BBC World News and BBC.com, as well as BBC Monitoring. He joined the Beeb in 1999 and has edited Newsnight, The World at One and The World This Weekend, and as editor of Radio 4’s Today programme, he took the show to a peak audience of more than seven million listeners. In this in-depth interview, he recalls taking over Newsnight in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal when the programme’s future was in doubt, argues that social media giants like Facebook and Google have to “step up” in the fight against ‘fake news’, and describes standing up for the BBC’s editorial impartiality and reputation against disinformation around the world as a “war”.
Dr Fiona Godlee is editor of The BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal), one of the world’s most respected news outlets for clinicians, with a monthly print circulation of almost 125,000 and an online reach of nearly three million. Graduating in medicine from Cambridge and initially training as a general physician, she then moved into research. She is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. Fiona started writing for the BMJ in 1990 on a range of topics including public health, and has been editor-in-chief since 2005. In this in-depth interview, she argues that the COVID-19 pandemic is even more serious than recognised, refutes the “guided by the science” defence and puts the government’s response down to political judgement and scarcity of resources, and blames the lack of “openness and […] courage” in communicating the true gravity of the health crisis, warning that a second wave is “sadly inevitable”.
Graydon Carter is co-founder of Air Mail. After starting an award-winning magazine in his native Canada, he moved to the US to write for for Time, then Life. In 1986, he launched the satirical monthly Spy, which specialised in irreverent takes on the media, entertainment and high society, then in 1992 he succeeded Tina Brown as the editor of Vanity Fair. During his 25 years as editor, the magazine won dozens of national and international awards, and Graydon himself was nominated to the Magazine Editors’ Hall of Fame. He stepped down from Vanity Fair in 2017, and recently launched Air Mail, a digital weekly concentrating on covering lifestyle stories with “sophistication, authority and wit”. In this in-depth interview, he talks about launching a digital-only publication while sticking to the high journalistic and production values of a glossy magazine, discusses his turbulent relationship with Donald Trump from the early days of a Vanity Fair profile to the presidency, and describes the origins of the now-famous Vanity Fair Oscars party.
Alessandra Stanley is editor of Air Mail. Born in Boston and educated at Harvard, she began her journalistic career at Time magazine, and in 1994 she joined the New York Times, initially as a foreign correspondent, serving as bureau chief in Moscow and Rome. She became the paper’s chief television critic in 2003, and produced influential analysis of events from the finale of ‘The Sopranos’ to Russian TV coverage of Vladimir Putin’s re-election in 2012. Most recently, she joined Graydon Carter to launch Air Mail, a digital-first lifestyle newsletter reporting with “sophistication, authority and wit”. In this in-depth interview, she talks about bringing “poetry” to the newsletter format with illustrations and cartoons, discusses being a television critic during the format’s “golden age”, and describes the thrill of being an editor when an important and high-profile story emerges from your team.
Amelia Gentleman is a multi-award winning Guardian journalist, and famously uncovered the scandal of West Indian immigrants and their families being threatened with deportation, subsequently writing ‘The Windrush Betrayal: Exposing the Hostile Environment’. A graduate of Wadham College, Oxford, she reported from New Delhi for the International Herald Tribune before moving to the Guardian, as correspondent in Paris then Moscow. She then became a feature writer for the paper, and in late 2017 received an initial email tip-off which led to six months’ work charting the Windrush scandal, leading ultimately to the resignation of the Home Secretary. Amelia has won some of the most prestigious awards in British journalism, including the Orwell Prize, the Paul Foot Award and the Cudlipp Award, with several organisations naming her ‘Journalist of the Year’; her book was long-listed for the Baillie Gifford prize in 2019. In this in-depth interview, she describes the terrible cost of the government’s failures for the lives of the Windrush community, shares anecdotes about the life-and-death nature of reporting in Russia, and discusses how the freedom of being a feature writer allows her to focus on stories for which she has passion and interest.
Philip Bernie is head of television at BBC Sport. Joining the Beeb straight from university, he worked his way up in TV and radio, ultimately taking the editor’s chair at ‘Grandstand’ and ‘Match of the Day’. His career has seen him lead the team behind many of the biggest events in sport, the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games and two World Cups, and win a Royal Television Society award for editing ‘BBC Sports Personality of the Year’. In this in-depth interview, he talks about the challenge of keeping the nation engaged when every single sporting event has been cancelled and presenters are locked down, shares his passion for keeping these “national psyche” events free for as many viewers as possible, and discusses how he made ‘Nessun Dorma’ a popular classic when covering Italia ’90.
Nima Elbagir is a senior international correspondent for CNN. Born in Sudan, she moved to the UK with her family as a child and began her journalism career with Reuters, and soon moved into broadcast journalism with Channel 4. In 2011 she joined CNN, with a focus on the world’s most dangerous regions; highlighting the plight of the most vulnerable, often at great personal risk. She has won clutch of prestigious global awards for her journalism, including 2020 RTS 'Television Journalist of the Year' for her "fearless reporting across Africa ... documenting rarely seen exploitation and corruption." In this in-depth interview, she reflects on some of the stories which have made her name; including being the first to report from Chibok, the Nigerian village from which over 250 schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram; going undercover reporting children for sale in Nigeria - and being offered two for $500; and how her coverage of Yehya Ibrahim - a Sudanese woman sentenced to death for apostasy - prompted a government reprieve
Richard Frediani is editor of BBC Breakfast. Known throughout the industry as ‘Fredi’, he studied journalism at the University of Central Lancashire before joining the county’s Red Rose Radio as a reporter. Moving to London, he climbed the current affairs ladder and switched to television, first at ITN then as head of news for ITV, before he returned to ITN and edited their early evening 6.30 pm bulletin. Fredi took the helm of BBC Breakfast last autumn, with the programme facing the aftermath of Naga Munchetty’s censure for remarks about President Trump. In this in-depth interview, he describes the role of the BBC in combating disinformation and ‘fake news’ amid the coronavirus pandemic, talks about the Breakfast show’s friendly rivalry with Piers Morgan and ‘Good Morning Britain’, and considers the way in which the most-watched breakfast programme in the country has set a distinctive tone for its audience, including in interviewing the Prime Minister.
Mark Landler is London bureau chief of the New York Times. Educated at Georgetown University, he joined the Times as a ‘copy boy’ in 1987 before moving to Business Week. He returned in 1995 covering the finance beat, then headed the bureaux in Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Washington DC. In 2011, he became White House correspondent, covering the Obama and Trump administrations, before moving to London as bureau chief in 2019. A regular panellist on ‘Washington Week’ and ‘Face the Nation’, his 2016 book ‘Alter Egos’ shone a light on the fraught relationship between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. In this in-depth interview, he describes covering Brexit Britain from the perspective of an outsider, argues that the polarising rise of Trump has given the Times a sharper focus and identity, and shares his adventures writing “all the news that’s fit to print” for 27 years - across 70 countries.
[Editor’s note: this podcast was recorded in London on 3rd March 2020, before the onset of the coronavirus public health crisis.]
Peter Spiegel is US managing editor of the Financial Times. After studying at UPenn and the LSE, he spent five years as a staff writer for Forbes before moving into the defence and security brief for the FT, the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal. In 2010, he went back to the FT as bureau chief in Brussels, reporting on the Eurozone crisis and the origins of Brexit. In 2016, he was promoted to news editor. Last year Peter was promoted to US managing editor and moved to New York, where he runs the US bureau network and leads the news operation across all its platforms. In this in-depth interview, he talks about covering “money in politics” in a US presidential election year as the Democrats struggle to find a Trump-beater; maintaining a distinctive British voice under the ownership of Nikkei and Roula Khalaf’s new editorship; and developing the paper’s footprint in the US, described by former editor Lionel Barber as a “land of expansion”.
[Editor’s note: this podcast was recorded in New York on 27th February 2020, before the onset of the coronavirus public health crisis.]
Daniel Pearl is commissioning editor at Channel 5. He spent ten years at BBC News, where he edited the 2010 prime ministerial election debate, and was deputy editor on Panorama, Newsnight, and the Six & Ten O’Clock News. In 2012 he joined Channel 4 as editor of Dispatches, winning a clutch of awards including two BAFTAs. Daniel also served as the network’s deputy head of news and current affairs, commissioning the Emmy-winning ‘Leaving Neverland’ revealing renewed allegations of child abuse against Michael Jackson. In 2018, he moved to ViacomCBS for his current role, where he has created and overseen dozens of wholly new factual series, and notably brought Jeremy Vine into their morning schedule. In this in-depth interview, he traces his career through the shifting sands of current affairs coverage over the past twenty years; takes us behind the scenes of some of Dispatches ‘big hits’ including ‘plebgate’ and the Stephen Lawrence undercover policing scandal - which led to a full public inquiry; and shares his strategy to make Channel 5 make itself visible in a crowded news field, with hard-hitting content like ‘Hate Crimes: Uncensored’.
[Editor’s note: this podcast was recorded in London on 5th November 2019, well before the onset of the coronavirus public health crisis]
Paul Croughton is editor-in-chief of Robb Report. Founded in 1976, the luxury lifestyle brand has 18 international editions dedicated to cars, boats, planes and bikes – plus travel, watches, art & design, and food. Paul has spent the majority of his 20-year career on consumer titles, during which time he held a number of senior editorial roles at Arena and the Sunday Times. He launched the UK edition of Robb Report in 2016, and moved to New York to promote the brand globally as editor of their flagship US edition two years later. In this in-depth interview, he recalls his time on the launch team for celebrity weekly ‘Heat’, describes the challenge of creating content suitable for an ultra-high-net-worth readership, and discusses his editorship so far – including the ambitious redesign of its print edition and website.
[Editor’s note: this podcast was recorded in New York on 27th February 2020, before the impact and scale of the Coronavirus was known]
Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE is an international best-selling novelist and journalist. Starting as a typist at the Yorkshire Evening Post, she became a reporter at 16 and was the paper’s first woman’s page editor at 18. By 20, she was a fashion editor and columnist on Fleet Street. Her 1979 debut novel, ‘A Woman of Substance', has sold 32 million copies worldwide. Since then, she has had 38 books published in over 90 countries and 40 languages. In this in-depth interview, Barbara looks back fondly at the creative process and inspiration behind some of her best-loved characters, describes the experience of transforming her books from page to screen – and explains why she thinks 'Me Too' has "overstepped the mark".
Chris Mason is a BBC journalist and presenter. Over the last 15 years, he has developed an increasing profile as an expert on all matters Westminster. He also hosts the Radio 4 show ‘Any Questions?’ and co-presents Newscast, the televised podcast which started life in 2017 as Brexitcast. In this in-depth interview, Chris recalls the ‘imposter syndrome’ he experienced during his first presenting role on BBC Breakfast, describes the experience of going viral after admitting on air that he didn’t have “the foggiest idea” what was going to happen during Brexit – and takes us through his appointment and first few months as host of ‘Any Questions’.
Felicity Capon is editor of The Week Junior. Aimed at eight to 14-year-olds, since its launch in 2015 it has become the UK’s fastest growing magazine with a circulation of over 70,000. Felicity is also a travel writer for the adult edition, and appears regularly on its weekly ‘Unwrapped’ podcast, which unearths underreported stories. In this in-depth interview, she explains how sticking to the facts allows them to tackle difficult subjects without dumbing down, recalls the “baptism of fire” in her first week following the Paris terror attacks – and discusses how their loyalty to print has enabled them to buck the trend of declining circulations.
Jay Rayner is an award-winning writer, journalist and broadcaster. Best known as restaurant critic for the Observer, during his 30-year career he has covered topics from crime and politics to cinema, theatre and the visual arts. His broadcast credits include the BBC’s ‘MasterChef’ and ‘The One Show’ and Radio 4’s ‘The Kitchen Cabinet’. He also presents his own podcast, ‘Out to Lunch’, in which he interviews stars in a restaurant of his choosing. As a performer, he can be seen on solo book tours or as jazz pianist with his band, The Jay Rayner Quartet. In this in-depth interview, he argues that he is a “deadline-orientated old hack” who just happens to write about food, explains why he always orders “the stupidest thing on the menu” – and reveals the creative process which helps him to find the story behind each review.
Jacqui Gifford is editor-in-chief of Travel + Leisure. Known for its stunning photography of far-flung destinations, the world's most influential travel brand has five global issues with a combined circulation of almost two million and an online readership of nine million. A specialist in travel and lifestyle content for almost two decades, Jacqui has written and edited for publications including Vanity Fair, OK!, and Brides magazine. In this in-depth interview, she examines changing consumer tastes such as the shift towards multigenerational holidays, discusses the challenge of appealing to the Instagram generation who value imagery over experience, and evaluates the impact of modern travel on local economies – and the planet.
Philip Thomas is chairman of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which celebrates the achievements of the creative communications industry. Its prestigious awards attract 30,000 entries from over 100 countries. Previously, Philip enjoyed a successful journalism and publishing career, and was editor of Empire and managing director of FHM Worldwide. In this in-depth interview, he explains why businesses that invest in creativity are more successful, discusses plans to create a movement with Facebook and Google to make the internet “a bit kinder”, and looks back on his “extraordinary” time transforming FHM into a global business – before the internet killed the magazine “stone dead”.
Phil Riley is a radio and podcast entrepreneur. Starting as a trainee at Birmingham-based BRMB in the 90s, he ultimately became programme controller. He launched the first ever Magic station, and led the transformation of Heart FM into one of the UK’s key industry players. Now a senior independent advisor, he has been called one of the most influential people in commercial radio. In this in-depth interview, Phil describes his journey from “doing grunt work” at BRMB to selling it as part of a reported £50m deal, discusses how micropayment models could lead to podcasts being monetised, and with over half of listeners now tuned into national digital stations, answers the question: “Can local radio survive?”
Mike Gunton is creative director of BBC Studios' Natural History Unit, and has been in charge of its programming for over a decade. Responsible for bringing new and pioneering stories about the natural world to global audiences, he has worked on more than 300 documentaries during his 35-year filmmaking career. In this in-depth interview, Mike explains how an “idiot” weaver bird inspired him to make documentaries entertaining and relatable, discusses the groundbreaking new technologies developed to film the plant world for the upcoming series ‘The Green Planet’, and outlines the challenge of showing audiences the reality of climate change without “being preachy”.
Ross King is an award-winning entertainment journalist and presenter. Starting in hospital radio as a teenager, he went on to work as a DJ, presenter and actor in the UK before leaving for Los Angeles in 2000. As entertainment correspondent for ITV, he is known for his red carpet interviews with Hollywood’s biggest stars on shows such as Good Morning Britain and Lorraine. In this in-depth interview, Ross describes the “light and shade” of covering celebrity gossip alongside hard-hitting news stories, argues that the 'Me Too' movement hasn’t yet killed the Hollywood casting couch – and reveals his favourite celebrity encounters from his star-studded career.
Trevor Beattie is one of the most accomplished and respected faces in the British advertising industry, and founder of ad agency BMB. Responsible for creating iconic campaigns including ‘Hello Boys’ for Wonderbra and FCUK for French Connection, he is also a movie producer whose films include the BAFTA-winning sci-fi movie ‘Moon’, and documentaries on subjects such as the thalidomide scandal. His poster featuring William Hague’s face superimposed onto an image of Margaret Thatcher played a key part in Tony Blair’s second landslide victory, and he went on to lead Ed Miliband’s leadership campaign. In this in-depth interview, Trevor describes how he “tricks” his brain into creative thinking, argues that the “drippy” sentimentality typified by the John Lewis adverts is on its way out – and explains why his most famous campaigns would now fall flat in the face of political correctness.
John Bird is founder and editor-in-chief of the Big Issue. Launched in 1991, the independent magazine is sold by homeless people to help them out of poverty. Their charitable foundation, launched in 1995, helps people in 74 countries by providing support and advice. He also started the International Network of Street Papers, which supports 100 publications with a combined readership of more than 100 million. In this in-depth interview, John reveals the costly mistakes which almost caused the magazine to fold in its first year, describes how he transformed the business in just three months following an ultimatum from a high street investor – and outlines his vision for “prevention, emergency, coping and cure” which he hopes will eradicate homelessness for good.
Lord Michael Grade is one of the most recognised names in television. With a background in light entertainment, he started his broadcasting career at LWT in 1973. Dominating the British entertainment industry for five decades, he has held the hat-trick of top television jobs – chief executive of Channel 4, chairman of the BBC, and executive chairman of ITV – as well as a chairman at Pinewood Studios. He was awarded a CBE for services to broadcasting in 1998 and was made a life peer in 2011. In this in-depth interview, he recalls the highs and lows of his five decades in the industry, explains why he left a lucrative role at Embassy Television in the US and took “the biggest pay cut in history” to become controller of BBC1, and discusses one of the proudest moments of his career – his involvement in the groundbreaking Live Aid concert.
Alex Hill is the CEO of AEG, the global sports and live entertainment company. They own, manage or consult with more than 120 arenas, stadiums, theatres, clubs and convention centres around the world, entertaining more than 100 million people annually. Starting out at KPMG, Alex was appointed CFO at Freemantle Media before being headhunted by AEG in 2007. In this in-depth interview, he takes us through the operation to reinvent the O2 from an idle “white elephant” that was the Millennium Dome into a multi-purpose international venue attracting nine million visitors a year, takes us behind the scenes of their global events such as Coachella and the ATP tennis finals, and gives us a glimpse into the future of the events industry – from 'scam-proof' tickets to the cutting-edge holographic technology which allows artists to perform in multiple venues simultaneously.
Dr David Starkey is a historian and broadcaster. Developing an interest in the past through grammar school and a scholarship to Cambridge and a lecturer in Tudor history at LSE for nearly 30 years, his trenchant opinions and unforgiving style quickly caught the eye of broadcasters and journalists. His popular television documentaries include ‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’ and ‘Monarchy’, and his appearances on Radio 4's ‘The Moral Maze’ earned him the reputation as “the rudest man in Britain”. In this in-depth interview, he argues that the rise of historical programmes has done nothing to reverse the decline in academic standards, discusses how his uncompromising nature has taken him through his career, and reveals how a passion for tradition means he is a staunch Conservative – despite his working class roots.
John Ryley is head of Sky News. Abandoning his original plans to become a barrister 35 years ago, his career in journalism started in local radio before joining the BBC’s trainee scheme. Working on programmes such as The World at One and the Nine O’Clock News, he left for ITN in 1990, where he later became editor of News at Ten. Joining Sky News in 1995, he took the helm 11 years later. In this in-depth interview, John reflects on key moments of his career including the successful campaign for televised election debates, talks about their culture of continuous innovation including ‘Sky News Brexit-Free’, and reveals the name of their new global news channel, launching in partnership with NBC.
Melissa Fleming is Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications at the United Nations. Leading a team of 700 people in 59 countries, she is responsible for galvanising global support to tackle issues around climate change, war and sustainable development goals – as well as drawing attention to the plight of the world’s 70 million refugees. Her TED talk describing one young woman’s harrowing escape from war-torn Syria has been viewed by millions, inspired her best-selling book and will soon be a Hollywood film. In this in-depth interview, Melissa discusses the challenge of mobilising global citizens into taking action, explains the power of storytelling in drowning out the “drumbeat of war”, and defends celebrity ambassadors such as Angelina Jolie against critics who accuse them of being “white saviours”.
David Aaronovitch is a columnist and presenter. Starting his career in the 1980s as a researcher, he moved from television to print journalism in 1995 as chief leader writer for the Independent. He has written for many newspapers in the UK and has won numerous accolades, including the Orwell Prize for Political Journalism, and his television work includes the BBC1 documentary series ‘The Blair Years’. He has also written three books, including ‘Voodoo Histories’, which debunks modern-day conspiracy theories. In this in-depth interview, he discusses being a “radical moderate” in an era of increased polarization, argues that the thinking around urban myths such as the “fake” moon landings has led to the rise of Trump and Corbynism, and after nearly two decades of writing columns, takes us behind the creative process.
Camilla Tominey is associate editor of the Daily Telegraph. Reporting on a variety of royal and political stories over the last 15 years, she has covered major events from royal weddings to lavish foreign trips, and has witnessed the “brutal” inner workings of Westminster. In this in-depth interview, she explains the rivalries within the Royal household and how each “doubles down” separately in times of crisis, argues that privileged politicians have to take a “long, hard look at themselves” – and examines the options available to Buckingham Palace to deal with Prince Andrew.
Daniel Roth is editor-in-chief of LinkedIn. Described by Business Insider as ‘the most powerful business journalist on the internet’, he oversees their Daily Rundown of news and insights, which is viewed by more than 40 million members a day. With users spanning 56 countries and nine languages, the site could be considered the world’s largest business publication. In this in-depth interview, Daniel outlines how the “three C’s” – 'creating, curating and cultivating' content – help to “pop the filter bubbles” of social media, explains how teams of “relevance engineers” use machine learning to keep users’ newsfeeds fresh and relevant, and argues that, with more than two million posts hosted on the site daily, “writing is the new resumé“.
James Harding is co-founder and editor of Tortoise Media. Starting at the Financial Times on the European desk, he later opened their bureau in Shanghai before covering the media beat. In 2007, he moved on to the Times where, at 38, he became its youngest ever editor. He was ousted by owner Rupert Murdoch five years later, and moved on to the BBC as director of news and current affairs. In this in-depth interview, James argues that the demand for breaking news has led to "headline addiction", explains how their 'ThinkIn' conferences are creating a more open form of journalism which puts the emphasis on context and depth, and describes the moment he decided to leave the BBC to launch Tortoise on Kickstarter – despite being tipped to become Director-General.
Julia Hartley-Brewer is a journalist and talk radio presenter. A vocal and high-profile Brexiteer, her appearances on shows such as Question Time often divide opinion and provoke fierce debate on social media. In this in-depth interview, Julia argues that her talkRADIO show speaks to an audience that is “sneered at” by a “largely liberal media elite”, discusses the “terrifying phenomenon” of ‘no platforming’ and its effect on democracy, and defends the charge that opinionated, ‘non-neutral’ radio talk shows have contributed to the increasingly combative tone of political debate.
Justine Picardie is the editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar UK. During her long career she has been features director of Vogue, editor of the Observer magazine and a columnist for the Telegraph, and has written five books. In this in-depth interview, Justine reflects on her career as she departs the magazine and describes how she rediscovered “a sense of sisterhood” in the editor’s chair in memory of her late sister; discusses her role as launch editor of Town & Country, and how the “dream of Britishness” is popular in the US; and advocates for the “power of paper” over digital – and the connection between fashion and great works of literature.
Martin Bright is an investigative journalist and social entrepreneur. During his 20-year career he’s covered politics, religion and culture for a range of newspapers, magazines and television channels, and was the first non-Jewish political editor of the Jewish Chronicle. While at the Observer in 2003, he exposed the dirty tricks behind the Iraq War after receiving a leaked memo from GCHQ whistleblower Katherine Gun – a story dramatised in the new film ‘Official Secrets’. In this in-depth interview, he discusses the real events behind the film and how it felt to see Matt Smith play him on screen; reflects on his time with the Tony Blair Faith Foundation – and why he now believes it was ultimately doomed to fail; and describes why he founded Creative Society, a non-profit dedicated to social mobility in journalism and the creative industries.
Jeremy Bowen is the BBC’s Middle East editor. One of Britain’s best-known war correspondents, over the last 35 years he has brought the region’s most important stories to our screens – despite being shot, robbed at gunpoint, threatened, arrested and even thrown in jail. In this in-depth interview, Jeremy relives some of his most pivotal moments, from his first foreign assignment covering the invasion of Kuwait in 1990 to his recent battle with cancer; discusses the practical challenges of reporting impartially on issues like Israel, when both sides complain every report is biased and even the choice of individual words have to be taken carefully; and takes us behind the scenes of his interview with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
Roula Khalaf is deputy editor of the Financial Times. Described in 1991 as an “insolent reporter from Forbes magazine” by the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Jordan Belfort, she was subsequently fictionalised in the Oscar-winning film. Starting as their North Africa correspondent in 1995, her rise though the FT ranks has been consistent – as Middle East editor she launched their regional edition, and led their coverage of the Arab Spring. In this in-depth interview, she celebrates the “rebirth of fact checking” prompted by the Trump presidency, discusses the implications of Brexit through a global financial lens, and describes the role AI plays in their journalism – including the “Janet Bot” which alerts editors to the under-representation of women within its pages.
Chris Burns is head of audio and digital for BBC England, and is responsible for the majority of their local radio stations across the country. Starting as a late-night phone-in presenter for Radio Trent, her career has included stints editing shows on Radio 4 such as Woman’s Hour, Any Questions and Start the Week, and she is now tasked with reinventing the medium for the next generation. In this in-depth interview, Chris walks through a career dedicated to radio, having developed a love for it as a child, argues that “repeats shouldn’t be a dirty word” as they give people a chance to revisit much-loved programmes, and explains how new technology is driving a deeper “emotional connection” with listeners.
Melanie Blake is a celebrity agent and author. Starting her career at ‘Top of the Pops’ in the 90s, in her four years on the show she increasingly advised stars on a myriad of professional opportunities, which led to her launching her own agency. In this in-depth interview, she takes us behind the scenes of the multi-million pound deals brokered for client magazine spreads, books, tours and television shows; reveals her strategy for the cut-throat negotiations around structured reality shows such Big Brother; and pledges never to end her fight against industry “ageism, classism and sexism” – which are “still very real barriers for women in the entertainment industry”.
Fraser Nelson is editor of The Spectator, the world’s oldest weekly magazine. Celebrating a decade in the editor’s chair, on his watch circulation is now at its highest ever – nearing 80,000 print, 2.5m online and 1.4m podcast listeners. In this in-depth interview, Fraser describes how he spent his early years as editor trying to recreate “the Boris peak” and contrasts it with now covering his predecessor as Prime Minister; welcomes the greater numbers of people willing to pay for quality journalism, because print advertising revenue is “never coming back”; and explains why commissioning the cover cartoon is one of his most important responsibilities.
Adrian Lovett is CEO of the World Wide Web Foundation. Founded in 2009 by the inventor of the web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, it tackles the “digital divide” – fighting for more than half the world’s population who still can’t get online, and for the other ‘connected’ half too, for whom the web’s benefits come with risks: to privacy, democracy, and freedom itself. In this in-depth interview, he argues that internet access is a “basic human right” akin to clean water and education, reflects on the web’s recent 30th birthday, and outlines his vision for the future where people “create as much as they consume”.
Christopher Hope is chief political correspondent and assistant editor at the Telegraph. He is chairman of the Parliamentary Lobby, and presenter of the ‘Chopper’s Brexit Podcast’ which features interviews with senior politicians and analysis from the Telegraph’s Westminster team. In this in-depth interview, he discusses the somewhat unusual situation of having his former colleague Boris Johnson become prime minister, and his appeal as the “Heineken” politician; tackles critics of the ‘Lobby’ and the alleged “cosy” relationship between reporters and MPs, and reveals how a family tragedy inspired him to found ‘Legacy of Hope’ - a charity helping child amputees in the developing world.
Kate Ward is international president of Refinery29, a media and entertainment company for women. She launched their London office in 2015 and now oversees their international operations. In this in-depth interview, Kate outlines how reach, revenue and relevance are key to the brand’s longevity at a time when other media businesses are closing, reveals how their expansion into video, filmmaking and live events helps to keep readers engaged, and discusses how building powerful relationships with women moves the business forward.
Dave Lee is Silicon Valley reporter for the BBC. Based in San Francisco, he has covered technology stories across the US since 2015. In this in-depth interview, he details how companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon and Tesla have an increasing impact on our lives, and the deep implications for society; argues that a growing ‘tech cynicism’ is now stifling innovation, and discusses the challenge of maintaining a working relationship with tech giants - whilst also holding them to account.
Alan Hunter is head of digital at the Times and Sunday Times. Joining in 2001, he was appointed editor of News Review in 2010 and led their coverage of the London Olympics and the killing of Osama bin Laden. He became their ‘digital guru’ in 2013, and they were the first newspaper to announce that digital subscriptions had overtaken print. In this in-depth interview, Alan reveals how increased engagement from journalists deepens their relationship with readers, explains why taking the emphasis away from breaking news actually increased subscriptions, and recalls how inspiration for their popular ‘Walking the Dog’ podcast came when his family adopted a puppy.
Terri White is editor-in-chief of Empire. An award-winning editor with 19 years’ experience on both sides of the Atlantic, she joined in 2015 from Time Out and led a radical reimagining of the magazine prior to its recent 30th birthday. In this in-depth interview, Terri describes how its “weirdly disparate” team of movie geeks translate their passion for film into every page, speaks out against unpaid internships and the lack of opportunities for budding journalists from disadvantaged backgrounds, and reveals how they maintain exclusive relationships with movie studios while still giving honest reviews.
Dave Berry is a presenter on Absolute Radio. After just a year on air, it is the number one commercial breakfast programme in the country, with over two million listeners. Starting his career in television with stints presenting on Nickelodeon and MTV, he switched to radio in 2007 and has fronted shows on Capital and XFM. In this in-depth interview, he reveals the technology behind the tricky balancing act which allows listeners to tune into alternative versions of the show on different stations; takes us behind the scenes of the show’s “capers” including reinventing Quantum Leap, racing a Sinclair C5 and trying to save the world’s last Blockbuster Video store; and discusses his celebrity interviews – including the day Denzel Washington came into the studio and “fired” the sound guy.
Bill Abbott is president and chief executive of Crown Media Family Networks – one of the most successful entertainment companies in the US and the team behind the Hallmark Channels. In his two decades with the business, it has expanded exponentially and now includes three top-rated channels, e-book publishing, a podcast and a streaming service with over 600,000 subscribers. In this in-depth interview, Bill tackles critics who call their content “saccharine”, and examines how their commitment to the ‘formula’ has delivered consistently high ratings; explains why they listen to feedback from focus groups when deciding storylines; and describes the brand’s success as the “best kept secret” in entertainment – in contrast to ailing mainstream TV networks, who have “lost their way”.
Heather Dietrick is chief executive of The Daily Beast. Previously president of Gawker Media, she was a key part of the legal team trying to save the company when they were sued by Hulk Hogan. In post at the ‘Beast’ since 2017, she is responsible for growing their reach, which already stands at 20 million. In this in-depth interview, she recalls how a billionaire with a grudge plotted the “litigation assault” on Gawker; discusses the focus on finding new revenue streams, and the first year of their paid membership programme ‘Beast Inside’; and argues how Trump’s war on the media has made ‘news neutrality’ impossible - for everyone.
Ken Bruce is a veteran radio presenter who has fronted the BBC Radio 2 morning show for over three decades. With nine million listeners, he is one of the most recognisable voices in broadcasting. In this in-depth interview, he takes us behind the scenes of his long-running show, sharing anecdotes about the genesis of PopMaster and plans to take the popular quiz on the road; explains why “feel and judgement” is more important to him than audience metrics; and admits that after hundreds of celebrity guests, the “greatest thrill” of his broadcasting career so far has been interviewing Basil Brush.
Dominic Smales is CEO of Gleam Futures, one of the biggest “digital-first" talent management firms in the world. They represent the brightest stars of social media including Tanya Burr, Zoe Sugg (aka Zoella), Pixiwoo, Grace Fit and Jack Maynard. In this in-depth interview, Dominic reveals how their talent is expanding into new areas like publishing and product creation, explains how to cut through the noise and stand out from the 25 million social media creators – and discusses how portraying “real lives” on social media sends a positive message around mental health.
Katy Searle is editor at BBC Westminster. With over three decades at the corporation, she has built up a wide range of experience on a variety of radio and television programmes. She has overall responsibility for political news and leads a 90-strong team, anchored in Westminster, who report from around the UK. In this in-depth interview, Katy describes the daily challenge of creating engaging political coverage to fight against ‘Brexit fatigue’, gives her take on the Tory leadership battle, and reveals how, in the face of criticism from all sides, the BBC decides which politicians to put on air – or not.
Alok Jha is science correspondent at The Economist. After studying physics and science communication at university, he spent 11 years at the Guardian where he launched their award-winning Science Weekly podcast. He presented over 300 episodes before leaving for ITV News, where he led their science and environment coverage. He is also an honorary lecturer at UCL, and best-selling author. In this in-depth interview, Alok describes the challenges of communicating complex scientific ideas to a mainstream audience, recalls the “incredibly frustrating” transition from print to broadcast, and discusses how “a stray thought” inspired him to write a book about water – the most unique (and important) liquid in the whole universe.
Debbie Ramsay is editor of BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra Newsbeat. The flagship news programme has been on the air for 45 years and has a weekly audience of eight million 16 to 24-year-olds, with 14 million more online through articles, videos and social media. Since joining the BBC in 2006 she has done “every job in Newsbeat”. In this in-depth interview, Debbie speaks out against critics who claim news must ‘dumb down’ to attract young audiences, describes how the “immediacy” of broadcast lured her away from print, and argues that the secret to Newsbeat’s longevity lies in telling “diverse” and “authentic” stories.
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson is US business editor of the Financial Times. In his 21 years with the FT on both sides of the Atlantic, he has covered a range of editorial and reporting roles, including eight years as their global media editor. With an international network of journalists covering every time zone, it has a paid readership of over 1m with almost 80% online. In this in-depth interview, Andrew describes how he handles the “five speeds” of news from breaking stories to long reads, reveals the lesser-reported political events causing CEOs most concern, and explains why part of the FT’s job is to look for “the grit in the oyster” when it comes to predicting financial disasters.
Jeremy Darroch is group chief executive of Sky. He joined as chief financial officer in 2004 and took on his current role in 2007. Sky delivers television, broadband, mobile and pay-TV. With 23 million customers, it is Europe’s biggest entertainment business. In this in-depth interview, Jeremy discusses their plans for the future under new owners Comcast, talks about the responsibility of big business to act responsibly by “showing up” and paying their taxes – and recalls how the launch of the company almost took Rupert Murdoch “personally to the wall”.
Mark Borkowski is an acclaimed PR specialist, writer and industry commentator. Famed for his grand publicity stunts, he has been successfully advising celebrities and brands for four decades. Since first catching the publicity bug in 1979, his headline-grabbing stunts have included filling Selfridges with hundreds of naked people and gift-wrapping a helicopter for Harrods. In this in-depth interview, he argues that despite the proliferation of fake news, social media has made it easier to protect a client’s reputation; explains why artificial intelligence means PRs will be “redundant” within 15 years, and remembers the chaos he caused by setting a bunch of live scorpions loose in a BBC green room.
Tyler Brûlé is chairman and editor-in-chief of Monocle. Noted for the jet-set lifestyle journaled in his “Fast Lane” FT column, he launched the magazine in 2007, which has since evolved into a global brand with its own cafes, retail stores and a 24-hour radio station. He is the youngest ever recipient of the British Society of Magazine Editors' Lifetime Achievement Award. In this in-depth interview, Tyler explains how the 2008 recession changed the face of the magazine through an editorial shift towards entrepreneurialism, speaks candidly about the decision to move print production to Germany because of “volatility” in the UK market, and reflects on his experience of being shot while reporting from Afghanistan.
Greg Williams is editor of Wired UK. Starting as deputy editor after its relaunch in 2009, he took the top job in 2017. With a UK audience of 1.5m and 4m across the globe, it has grown into a multiplatform business with an award-winning podcast, consultancy and a successful programme of live events. In this in-depth interview, Greg argues the case for investing in longform journalism to tackle the growing anti-science movement, describes how Brussels is leading the fight against the ‘big five’ tech companies that are making “about $150 billion” from European markets every year from our personal data, and reveals how FinTech apps are making the biggest difference not in the west, but in emerging economies.
Raju Narisetti is professor at Columbia Journalism School, where he is director of the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship, a prestigious one-year economics and business programme for working journalists. After moving from his native India to the US in 1990 to study journalism, he spent two decades working for the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and News Corp as a reporter, and later led their transformation into digital-first operations. In 2006, he was founding editor of Mint, India’s second biggest media business and its first newspaper to be published in the Berliner format. In this in-depth interview, Raju recalls the challenge of bringing brands such as Gawker, The Root and The Onion together during his time as CEO of Gizmodo, explains the notion of the “truth sandwich” when reporting dubious facts – and discusses his renewed optimism about the future of print journalism.
Jeremy Hillman is communications director at The World Bank. Formerly a journalist with the BBC, he spent a decade with the corporation; first as economics reporter, then New York bureau chief, and finally economics and business editor. He left in 2011 to become director of external communications at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, before taking on his current role in 2014. In this in-depth interview, Jeremy discusses the “white saviour” stereotype and the “incredible optimism” of developing economies, describes the challenges of modern philanthropy in tackling poverty, and argues that economic journalism is crucial to understanding in almost all areas of the media.
Will Young is a singer-songwriter and actor. Since winning the first series of ITV talent show Pop Idol in 2002, he has released six chart-topping albums and four number one singles. He is now co-host of the popular ‘Homo Sapiens’ podcast, a “queer Woman’s Hour” which has featured interviews with a string of well-known guests including Alan Cumming, Julian Clary, Margaret Cho, Clare Balding and Sam Smith alongside poignant stories from everyday heroes. In this in-depth interview, he explains why it’s important for him to live in the moment, describes what it’s like returning to music at 40 – and reveals the real reason he walked out on Strictly Come Dancing.
Lydia Polgreen is editor-in-chief of Huffington Post. Appointed in 2016, she oversees content and direction for the site, which has 170 million readers worldwide. Prior to her current role, she spent 15 years at the New York Times, where she covered conflict, democracy building and development in West Africa. In this in-depth interview, Lydia describes the “enormous responsibility” of upholding the legacy of the iconic brand, recalls how living through a coup in Kenya as a child inspired her to become a journalist, and argues that being a “queer black woman” gives her a stronger insight into diversity issues.
Professor Richard Sambrook is director of the Centre for Journalism at Cardiff University. His first job at the BBC was in local radio. He then moved over to TV news as a producer and quickly rose through the ranks, securing a variety of roles including news editor, head of BBC Sport, director of news and finally head of the World Service. He also played a key role in the roll-out of 24-hour news, and the launch of Radio 5 Live. In this in-depth interview, Richard shares how he led the BBC’s response to the Hutton Inquiry over the so-called “sexed-up” Iraq war dossier, describes his role in lobbying for the safety of journalists worldwide as chair of the Frontline Club; and discusses his academic work, including a forensic analysis of the connection between fake news and press freedom.
Tina Brown is an award-winning journalist, podcaster and author. Previously editor of both Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, she founded The Daily Beast and has written two best-selling books. She also created Women in the World, the annual “live journalism” summit attended by global thought leaders such as Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton and Melinda Gates. In this in-depth interview, she talks us through her legendary editorships, argues how podcasting fills the gap in the market for intelligent ideas – and explains why she’s not interested in “empowerment venting”.
Ken Hertz is an entertainment lawyer and prominent Hollywood dealmaker. A senior partner in Hertz, Lichtenstein and Young, he counts Will Smith, will.i.am, Gwen Stefani and Celine Dion among his clients. He also founded brand agency MemBrain, which advises the world’s most recognised brands, including McDonald’s, Hasbro and Intel. In this in-depth interview, he describes the brutal truth of the “fame lottery”, reveals what it really takes to make it in Hollywood – and argues that now is the time “where anyone can truly be anything”.
Martin Brunt is crime correspondent for Sky News. He has been with the channel since its launch in 1989, spending the first five years as a general reporter before moving to his now-familiar role covering stories from grisly murders to acts of heroism. In this in-depth interview, Martin discusses how the relationship between the press and the police has changed over the last 30 years, describes how he balances reporting under court restrictions with the demands of live TV – and shares his sadness at the tragic and far-reaching consequences he has witnessed around the Madeleine McCann case.
James Wildman is CEO of Hearst UK. As the country’s largest premium magazine publisher, it has a circulation of 5.3 million and a digital footprint of over 20 million through magazines including Elle, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar. Appointed in 2017, James has harnessed their best-known brands to expand into new products and services such as content creation, events, hotels and homewares. In this in-depth interview, he talks us through his career including previous roles at Trinity Mirror, Yahoo and Virgin Media, discusses how Hearst competes for ad revenue against the “duopoly” of Facebook and Google, and reveals how a period of extraordinary growth has seen the publisher “get its swagger back”.
Darren Childs is chief executive of UKTV. Appointed in 2010, he previously held senior positions at BBC Worldwide, Sony Pictures and Star TV. Starting life in 1992 as a single channel, UKTV is now one of the UK’s largest television companies with more than 100 original shows in production and a 10% share of the commercial TV audience. In this in-depth interview, recorded days before his resignation, Darren discusses the “creative arms race” created by the rise in streaming services, outlines how he has addressed the challenge of staying relevant to younger audiences as they turn their backs on scheduled viewing – and describes why “best mate” channel Dave is such a success.
Rachel Jupp is editor of BBC Panorama. Appointed to the role in 2016, she was previously head of home news at Channel 4 News and deputy editor at Newsnight. First broadcast in 1953, Panorama is the world’s longest-running current affairs programme, turning the lens on criminals, corporations and governments to expose wrongdoing. In this in-depth interview, Rachel describes the significant responsibility of taking on challenging investigations, discusses the importance of impartiality in pursuing stories “without fear or favour” – and explains how their report on the gender pay gap demonstrates that even the BBC itself is not immune from investigation.
Stephanie Mehta is editor-in-chief of Fast Company. Her career has so far taken her from the Wall Street Journal to Fortune, Bloomberg and Vanity Fair, where she was deputy editor. Now approaching her first anniversary in the editor’s chair, she oversees the magazine’s editorial and design vision with the aim of recognising “the human side” of business. Stephanie is also responsible for expanding the brand into new territory, including “live journalism” through its annual Innovation Festival. In this in-depth interview, she recalls what drew her to the business beat, delves into the inner workings of the magazine’s newsgathering operation, and discusses the renewed obligation of business to engage more constructively with communities.
Matt Murray is editor-in-chief of the Wall Street Journal. Attracted by the “compelling drama” of business journalism, he joined the paper as a reporter in 1994, rising through the ranks over 25 years and eventually securing the top job in 2018. Today, the paper is the biggest-selling broadsheet in the US, with a print circulation of 900,000 and two million digital subscribers – the most in its history. In this in-depth interview, Matt reflects on his long career, discusses the balancing act of supporting investors while holding businesses to account - and reveals what it’s really like working for Rupert Murdoch.
James Ball is an award-winning journalist and author. After completing a Master’s degree in investigative journalism aged 21, he cut his teeth at The Grocer before progressing to the Times, the Telegraph, Dispatches and Panorama. In 2010, he joined the Bureau of Investigative Journalism to work on the Iraq war documents, and was poached by Julian Assange to join WikiLeaks. He became the Guardian’s data editor in 2013 and was a key member of the tight-knit team investigating the documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, for which they won a Pulitzer Prize. In this in-depth interview, he describes the clandestine methods used to keep the investigation under wraps, argues that data ‘holds the key’ to keeping governments accountable – and reveals what it was really like working for “serial liar” Julian Assange.
Elizabeth Day is an award-winning author, journalist and podcaster. Landing her first column aged 12 in her local paper, she went on to become a journalist for the Observer before going freelance. She has written for a range of newspapers and magazines in the UK and the US including the Times, the Telegraph, Vogue and Elle. Now a columnist for the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine and contributing editor for Harper’s Bazaar, she has also written four novels. Lauded by critics for its painful honesty, her celebrity podcast, How to Fail, debuted at the top of the iTunes charts and forms the basis for her forthcoming non-fiction book. In this in-depth interview, she takes us through the launch of the podcast, discusses how the rise of long-form journalism could reverse the decline in the newspaper industry – and reveals what it was like to spend a week living as Gwyneth Paltrow.
Erwin James is editor-in-chief of Inside Time, the UK’s only newspaper for prisoners. Convicted in 1982 for two murders and sentenced to life, he went on the run to the French Foreign Legion for two years before handing himself in. In his two decades behind bars, he studied English and discovered a love of writing. This led to ‘A Life Inside’, the first ever national newspaper column written by a serving prisoner, which appeared in the Guardian until his release in 2004. A vocal campaigner for penal reform, he took the reins as editor of Inside Time in 2015. With a circulation of 60,000, he receives 500 letters a week from inmates across the UK. In this in-depth interview, he describes his “relief” at the sentence which allowed him to leave behind a life of crime, talks about how he “owes it to his victims” to do the best he can to prevent young offenders from making the same mistakes – and reveals the truth about life inside some of the UK’s most notorious prisons.
Ewan Vinnicombe is editor of Blue Peter. A lifelong fan of the show - and a proud recipient of one of its sought-after badges when he was just six years old - he started with the BBC aged 21 as a “tea boy for the Chuckle Brothers,” before moving on to entertainment development. He later became head of presentation, producing shows such as 'CBeebies Bedtime Stories' and the live links between programmes featuring children's favourite Hacker T Dog. In this in-depth interview, he takes us behind the scenes of the iconic show, pays homage to past presenters, reveals the recruitment process behind the on-screen current line-up – and discusses last year’s record-breaking 60th anniversary celebrations.
Martha Lane Fox is founder of Doteveryone and a member of the House of Lords. A successful entrepreneur, she co-founded Lastminute.com in 1998, which eventually sold for £577 million in 2005, the same year she launched karaoke chain Lucky Voice. She is chancellor of the Open University, patron of several charities and a board member at Twitter and Chanel. In this in-depth interview, she discusses how she uses her voice in the public and private sector to push for action on climate change, recalls the “incredible culture” that made lastminute.com a success, and explains why curiosity, resilience and kindness will always have value in the future – even when the world is being run by robots.
Sir Harold Evans is former editor of the Sunday Times. Revered throughout Fleet Street, his name is synonymous with the golden age of investigative journalism; during his career he has risked prison, defied the courts, and put his newspaper’s very existence on the line in pursuit of the truth. In doing so, he has exposed government cover-ups; brought thalidomide to public attention, later winning compensation for victims; and campaigned for a national cervical screening programme which still saves thousands of lives every year. In this in-depth interview, he takes us through his 60-year career from his very first reporting job in the aftermath of World War II, reflects on his move to New York and later career in publishing – and pays homage to his wife, former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown, whose journalistic skills leave him “cowering in the corner”.
Miranda Sawyer is a journalist, broadcaster and best-selling author. Starting in the 80s at iconic magazine Smash Hits, she was synonymous with ‘Madchester’ and the rave scene in the 90s, and has since built a portfolio career covering print, radio, television and publishing. She has been the Observer’s audio critic for 13 years, and has interviewed artists from the Happy Mondays to Madonna. In this in-depth interview, she describes the joy of writing a well-crafted hatchet job, shares her definitive guide for overcoming a midlife crisis – and vents her frustration that the long overdue rise of women radio presenters is still limited to former ‘ladettes’.
James Ledbetter is editor-in-chief of American business magazine Inc. Taking the reins in 2014, he oversees a global multimedia business covering print, digital, video, custom publishing and live events with a monthly online audience of 20 million and a print circulation of 700,000. Their ‘Inc 5000’ list is the definitive ranking of America’s fastest-growing, privately held companies. In this in-depth interview, he takes us through the magazine’s 40-year history from the three-piece suits of the 70s to the diversity of today’s socially-conscious entrepreneurs, discusses how the “robot revolution” isn’t shaping up to be the crisis that many predicted it to be, and argues that it’s easier to start a business in Singapore than it is in the US.
Matthew Belloni is editorial director of the Hollywood Reporter. A former attorney, in 2008 he swapped the courtroom for the newsroom, two years after becoming their entertainment law editor. Now in charge of a global brand, he oversees 150 editorial staff who produce an array of multimedia content for an audience of over 35 million worldwide. In this in-depth interview, he reveals the unglamorous reality of red carpet reporting, describes the “colossal failure” of the Academy to make the Oscars watchable – and discusses how the new ‘post-Weinstein’ Hollywood has given filmmakers, particularly women, the freedom to tell more diverse stories.
Julie Etchingham presents ITV’s News at Ten, and fronts their major current affairs shows Tonight, Exposure and On Assignment. Starting her career as a BBC trainee in 1990, she has worked for Sky and ITV, reporting on global events such as Grenfell, the US and UK elections and terror attacks in Westminster, Paris and Brussels. She also led ITV’s coverage of the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and in 2015 was the first woman to moderate a general election leaders’ debate. A vocal campaigner for equality, her programmes on the menopause, #MeToo and transgender rights have highlighted some of the most important issues facing society. In this in-depth interview, she recalls ‘doorstepping’ Pope Francis, takes us behind the scenes at News at Ten, and describes the “quiet Friday night” which ended when news broke of the Paris terror attacks, just one hour before the nightly bulletin.
Adrian Monck is managing director of the World Economic Forum, best known for their flagship conference at Davos. The annual event brings together the world’s political leaders with entrepreneurs, economists and celebrities to discuss the most pressing issues facing humanity. In this in-depth interview, the former broadcast journalist and university professor talks behind the scenes at Davos, how social media is helping the Forum to reach new audiences worldwide – and reveals what it really takes to get world leaders to listen to one another.
Stephen Wright is associate news editor at the Daily Mail. His reporting of the Stephen Lawrence murder drove the paper’s campaign to bring his killers to justice. During his 30-year career he has written about the country’s most shocking murders, investigated criminal gangs, and exposed police corruption. In this in-depth interview, he discusses the difficulty of reporting distressing court details, how the press/police relationship suffered after Leveson – and recalls how he feared for his life while doorstepping a vicious murderer from Interpol’s ‘most wanted’.
As co-head of Creative Arts Agency, music industry agent Emma Banks leads a £200m business with 2,000 employees. Her clients include some of the biggest names in music such as Florence + The Machine, Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Muse. During her 25-year career, she has received a number of industry gongs – including the 2018 MITS award for her “significant contribution to the UK music industry”, having been hailed “a trailblazer for women”. In this in-depth interview, she shares the secrets to spotting and nurturing emerging talent – and reveals the mountain of decisions needed to get multimillion-dollar tours on the road.
Mark Williams-Thomas is a multi award-winning investigative reporter. After a 12-year career with Surrey Police, he became an advisor for television crime dramas, and got his first on-screen presenting job while organising a sting on a German paedophile in 2008 for ITV’s Tonight programme. He has since reported on a number of major investigations, including the murder of Tia Sharp and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his involvement with the Savile investigation – and how the existence of celebrity “untouchables” means there may be more to come.
Julio Bruno is chief executive of Time Out Group. During his three years at the helm, he has overseen the brand’s transformation into a multi-platform media, entertainment, retail and e-commerce operation with a global audience of 217 million. He has also coordinated the expansion of the new Time Out Markets, which last year attracted 3.6 million visitors and is already helping to drive the company back to profitability with five more set to open over the next 12 months. In this in-depth interview, he discusses the 50-year heritage of the iconic Time Out brand, talks about taking the company public, and how his love for London inspired the post-Brexit ‘Dear World’ cover.
Paul Royall is editor of BBC News at Ten. After joining the BBC in 1997 as part of the original News 24 team, he worked on BBC Breakfast before becoming editor of the distinctly different Six and Ten in 2012. Since then, he has overseen reporting of two general elections, the Scottish referendum, Brexit and the presidency of Donald Trump, and has responsibility for deciding the running order of the two programmes. In this in-depth interview, he answers the question he’s most asked - about the role of presenters behind the scenes, who writes the scripts, and what happens when things go wrong – and reveals how a trainee came up with the idea for a new BBC Three initiative to appeal to younger audiences.
Rageh Omaar is international affairs editor at ITV News. During his 25-year career, he has reported from some of the world’s most unpredictable conflicts and humanitarian disasters in Kabul, Baghdad and Gaza. His 2017 report on the impending famine in the Horn of Africa led to more than £50m of aid being raised, and cemented his reputation for hard-hitting coverage of humanitarian disasters. In this in-depth interview, he recalls some of the pivotal moments of his career, from interviewing Nelson Mandela to the “seat of the pants” experience of presenting News at Ten.
Alison Phillips is editor of the Daily Mirror. She has held a number of top jobs within Trinity Mirror (now ‘Reach’), including editing the Sunday Mirror, the Sunday People and the short-lived New Day. Since taking the reins at the UK’s longest-running red-top, she has vowed to continue the newspaper’s proud history of campaigns - over the last century, the paper has been instrumental in securing more lifeboats (after the Titanic sank without enough for steerage passengers), outlawed seal clubbing, and today is seeking to change the law on organ donation. In this in-depth interview, she takes us through a typical day in the newsroom - and explains why print still prevails over digital, particularly in the run-up to Brexit.
Emily Wilson is editor of New Scientist. Following on from a successful career at the Guardian, including a stint editing its Australian edition, she is the first woman in charge of the magazine in its 62-year history. Tasked with bringing the magazine to a younger, more diverse audience, she discusses her plans to expand on its existing five million online readers. In this in-depth interview, she argues that science advocacy is “boring”, and describes how some of her favourite stories are the ones that “slaughter the sacred cow” of her own beliefs.
Alan Rusbridger is former editor-in-chief of the Guardian. During his two decades at the helm, he masterminded the newspaper’s transformation into a global digital brand with a reach of over 150 million, and played a central role in coverage of major events including the phone hacking scandal, Wikileaks, and the Pulitzer prize-winning revelations involving whistleblower Edward Snowden. In this in-depth interview, he argues why President Trump’s anti-media crusade has “done us all a favour”, and how introducing media literacy lessons in schools will help young people distinguish fact from fiction.
Carl Swanson is editor-at-large of New York magazine, Vulture and The Cut. Carl was pivotal in the company’s expansion into digital, and its branded websites now attract around 50 million unique users per month. In this in-depth interview, he looks back on 14 years at one of New York’s most prestigious publications, and remembers the magazine’s relationship with the then ‘New York micro-celebrity’ and frequent cover star Donald Trump.
John Ridding is chief executive of the Financial Times. Since starting his career on the newspaper’s international desk, he has reported from South Korea, Indonesia and China. After he introduced a paywall in 2008, the FT is now celebrating the highest paid-for readership in its 130-year history. In this in-depth interview, he talks fondly about the ‘serendipity factor’ that print brings, and warns how the world risks missing the ‘tectonic shift’ happening in China while we’re distracted by Trump and Brexit.
Sarah Baxter is deputy editor at the Sunday Times. After a successful career in publishing, Sarah started her journalism career at Time Out, before tackling roles at the New Statesman and the Observer, where she became senior associate editor. She has reported on the fall of the Berlin Wall, the rise of Hamas in Gaza and, while living in New York in 2001, the 9/11 terror attack on the Twin Towers. In this in-depth interview, she pays tribute to departed colleagues AA Gill and Marie Colvin, discusses the changing face of foreign news reporting and gives her unique insight into Pestminster and the political elite.
Jeff Smith is head of music at BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music. A 25-year veteran of the industry, he has been head of music at Radio 1, director of music programming at Napster and controller of Capital Radio. He is responsible for what makes it onto the stations’ playlists, heard by more than 15 million listeners every day. In this in-depth interview, he looks back at the highlights of his career, explains why he thinks the BBC is uniquely placed to break new music, and reveals how he came up with the idea for Radio 1’s popular Live Lounge.
Emma Tucker is deputy editor of the Times, the UK’s longest-running daily national newspaper. Previously a reporter for the FT and editor of FT Weekend, she joined the Times in 2007 as associate features editor and became editor of T2 within a year. After the controversial decision to introduce an “impermeable” paywall in 2010, she explains how they evolved the model to give non-subscribers partial access, which led to an increase in paid subscriptions. In this in-depth interview, Emma reveals why she believes there has never been a better time to be a journalist – and addresses the question of whether the Times could soon have its first female editor.
Lisa Smosarski is Editor-in-Chief at Stylist, a free weekly women’s magazine distributed to commuters across seven major UK cities with a circulation of over 400,000. Launching the magazine from scratch in 2009, Lisa aimed to develop an intelligent magazine that represented different kinds of women through ethnic, body and age diversity. Stylist’s goal was to change the dynamic of magazines by providing a title which portrayed life through a feminist lens. In this in-depth interview Lisa talks about the magazine’s growth on digital platforms, the role social media has played in evolving the brand, and seeking out new opportunities to diversify Stylist for an even wider audience.
Katherine Bell is Editor-in-Chief at Barron’s, a US newspaper founded in 1921, providing weekly analysis and market commentary. Starting her career in academic publishing - followed by an usual segue launching chef Delia Smith’s online business - Katherine spent ten years as the editor of Harvard Business Review’s digital site. Appointed Editor-in-Chief at Barron’s with a brief to lead their digital transformation, Katherine’s strategy has broadened its audience and extended its influence. In this in-depth interview she discusses emerging trends in finance, increasing momentum toward sustainable investment, and Wall Street’s response to the uncertain political climate.
Sari Botton is Essays Editor at Longreads. Founded in 2009, emerging from the success of a hashtag campaign on Twitter, the site popularised the concept of the ‘long read’, initially aggregating content from around the web. Since then the site has grown its scope to host original journalism, personal essays, local news and blog posts. A long-time advocate and participant of the slow news movement, Longreads supports longform journalism through investigative pieces, profiles, interviews and personal essays. In this in-depth interview Sari passionately argues that storytelling itself has been lost amidst the 24-hour news cycle, and outlines their plans to address this.
Melissa Kirsch is Editor-in-Chief of Lifehacker. Established in 2005, with an initial focus on tech and productivity, the site has grown to a record readership of 7 million and has expanded its scope to food, health, parenting and personal finance. A published poet and author, Melissa released “The Girl’s Guide” in 2015, a book aimed at younger women detailing the benefits of a social media detox. She is also a co-host of ‘The Upgrade’, a weekly podcast where listeners are offered tips on health, careers and relationships. In this in-depth interview Melissa talks about how she established and implemented her editorial vision and reveals the best life hack she has ever learned.
Carla Buzasi is Managing Director of WGSN, the trend forecasting company. With over 250 trend forecasters and data scientists, and 75,000 active users globally, they help 6,500 businesses in twenty different industries across 100 countries. Carla spent 15 years in journalism, and was founding Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post UK - taking it from a static mock-up up on her iPad to a major brand with 8m UK users, winning ‘Editor of the Year’ twice in a row along the way. In this in-depth interview, Carla talks about her career journey in journalism, and her work with her team of global specialists helping companies literally predict the future - giving examples of the big changes we’ll see in how we live and work.
Simon Cole is Co-Founder and CEO of 7digital Group PLC. The company powers a huge amount of streaming and radio brands behind the scenes, providing both content and technology, serving 85 countries from four global offices with 150 employees, and a catalogue of 60 million songs. A self-confessed “radio industry lifer” he started out as an ambitious teenager working at BBC Radio Blackburn, and in 1989 he started the Unique Broadcasting Company, which became the market leader in network commercial radio production, creating iconic brands such as ‘The Pepsi Chart Show’ among the way. In this in-depth interview, Simon predicts how the next generation of digital music will combine both streamed and curated services, discusses the implications of the UK government’s plans to switch off the analogue signal altogether, and passionately makes the case for radio’s long-term future.
Les Hinton worked for Rupert Murdoch for over fifty years, starting out as a copy boy at the Adelaide News, ultimately spending decades as his most trusted lieutenant, running his global media empire. His memoir “The Bootle Boy: an untidy life in news” has recently been published to positive reviews. In this in-depth interview, he talks through the highs and lows of those five decades, taking in periods at the helm of Fox TV, News International, The Wall Street Journal; and discusses his resignation in 2011 following the News of the World hacking scandal. He shares memories of a decades-long working relationship with Rupert, their current friendship - and his analysis of what’s next for Murdoch, now they are poised to sell a large part of the empire Les helped him build.
Tim Shipman is Political Editor of the Sunday Times. A national newspaper journalist for nearly twenty years, he was previously the Deputy Political Editor of the Daily Mail, and Washington Correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph. In this in-depth interview, he shares his front-row seat at the ongoing battle for Brexit and the recent bungled general election, with daily life dealing with all the major players - both on and off the record; observes that during the days of Blair and Brown people at least knew what the rules of the game were, and nowadays no one does; reveals what it was like to work for the likes of Paul Dacre and Richard Desmond; discusses how social media has irrevocably altered not only how politics is done, but how its covered too; and stares into his crystal ball to answer the biggest questions of the moment - how long can Theresa May stay as Prime Minister, and could Corbyn actually win?
Henry Faure Walker is CEO of Newsquest, one of the largest publishers of regional news in the UK. It owns 165 newspapers and 40 magazines; with a combined reach of 6.5 million print readers and 30 million online; and employs 5,500 people across the country. In this in-depth interview, Henry discusses the challenge of making local news commercially sustainable, amidst a litany of challenges: the decline of classified advertising, reducing headcount, and the ‘frenemy’ relationship with the likes of Facebook and Google - who drive significant traffic, but also poach revenue. Amidst the challenges, Newsquest launched ten new papers last year - and Henry outlines his vision of a “much brighter future” for local journalism to maintain its vital role as a community voice: a pivot to digital marketing partnerships with neighbourhood businesses; and a new initiative with the BBC building the number of local democracy reporters, with nearly fifty of them already hired.
Emma Gormley is Managing Director of Daytime at ITV Studios. She is responsible for 6.5 hours of live TV every day, a team of over 400 people, and is Editor-in-Chief of ITV’s flagship brands Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, This Morning, and Loose Women. In this in-depth interview, Emma takes us behind the scenes on all the shows, talks in detail about how they are put together, her work modernising the brands and their future direction, innovations such as ‘This Morning Live’ which attracted 30,000 people to Birmingham’s NEC, the importance of social media to connect directly with the audience, the recent move of their entire operation from London’s South Bank to the recently-revamped BBC Television Centre in Shepherd’s Bush - and shares pride in her team, noting the shows are increasingly setting the news agenda itself.
Matt Kelly is Chief Content Officer at Archant, and Editor of The New European - launched as a four edition ‘pop-up’ national “newspaper for the 48%” who voted to remain in the EU. Its first edition sold 40k copies, is now on a permanent footing with a weekly distribution of 75k, and earning the prestigious ‘Chairman’s Award’ at the National Press Awards along the way - with Matt himself winning ‘Pioneer of the Year’ by the Society of Editors. In this in-depth interview, Matt talks through the lightning-speed launch - from a “crazy idea” email to his bosses at Archant to publishing the first edition just nine days after the 2016 referendum result; discusses whether his paper can ultimately help block Brexit or secure a second referendum – and whether it can even survive March 2019 if Brexit stays on track; his career to date including 18 years in senior roles at The Daily Mirror; and his evolving style of campaigning journalism – arguing the whole existence of his paper is “to give people hope” - and explains why he still believes more than ever that Brexit will not actually happen.
Stephen Bayley is a critic, columnist, and best-selling author - the original ‘design guru’ and the recipient of “Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” - France's top artistic honour. His work has transformed popular perceptions of design; he writes regularly for major publications including Vanity Fair, The Times and The Observer; is Contributing Editor of GQ, and has appeared on many TV shows such as ‘Have I Got News for You’ and ‘Grumpy Old Men’. In this in-depth interview; he talks through his career, including his relationship with Terence Conran, his work at the V&A and founding London’s Design Museum; his time as Creative Director of the Millennium Dome - and his famous falling-out with the “dictator” Peter Mandelson.
Sam Taylor is Executive Editor of the BBC News Channel and BBC News at One. Starting his career as a news trainee in 1997, Sam oversees the coverage of huge breaking stories to an audience of 8 million; and combines both editorial and managerial responsibility, while also leading the channel’s future direction. In this in-depth interview, Sam talks about tackling cries of ‘BBC bias’ from passionate voices on either side of issues like Brexit, Trump, and Scottish independence; the right tone and mix of stories for the lunchtime bulletin; salaries of his presenters - and the furore over equal pay for women; keeping the channel relevant in the digital age to serve audiences old and new; the future of rolling news itself... and the perennial challenge of increasing quality with an ever-reducing budget.
Emma Gannon is an author, consultant, broadcaster and podcast presenter. Her first book ‘Ctrl, Alt, Delete: How I Grew Up Online’ came out in 2016, and the eponymous podcast has featured guests such as Lena Dunham, Gillian Anderson, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Zoella. Her imminent second book ‘The Multi-Hyphen Method: work less, create more, and design a career that works for you’ has led to her starring in a national advertising campaign for Microsoft which showcases her career, and the ‘Method’. In this in-depth interview, she talks through how she left the world of stable, regular employment to pursue and monetise her “side hustles” - including growing her now hugely popular and acclaimed podcast; shares tips on how to self-promote online “without feeling icky”; and argues that changes in the workplace means increasingly more people will balance a regular job (“to pay the rent”) alongside creatively-fulfilling freelance work too.
Anthony Scaramucci is an entrepreneur, financier, and for a short time was President Donald Trump’s Communications Director. In this in-depth interview, ‘The Mooch’ talks in detail about that tumultuous period - how he became an “accidental entrant into the political system”, put his company up for sale to serve a President whose candidacy he had previously opposed, though ultimately becoming one of his most loyal and vocal supporters; talks about his relationship with Trump, calling him the “toughest guy I’ve ever met” - arguing he will be re-elected, and bring peace with North Korea; compares the reality of life in DC as being even more brutal than House of Cards; shares his frustration with some of Trump’s actions such as his tweeting, calling for a “truce” from “both sides” in the media war; advises what Democrats need to learn if they are going to effectively oppose the President; and takes responsibility for the errors which led to his downfall - albeit arguing he “would have been fired anyway” as John Kelly “wouldn't have allowed a guy like Scaramucci in the White House.”
Jason Feifer is the Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur magazine, which has 3 million readers and an online reach of 14 million, and established over 40 years ago as the ‘go-to’ brand aimed at ambitious people looking for advice and inspiration to ‘start, run and grow’ their business. He also hosts two podcasts: ‘Problem Solvers’ - about solving unexpected problems in business, and ‘Pessimists Archive’ - a history of unfounded fears of innovation. In this in-depth interview, he details the evolving editorial direction and changes he’s made since taking the top job; shares what he’s learnt from spending time with hundreds of successful high-flyers – what motivates them, how they think, their biggest challenges, and what they get wrong ...and reveals that working with entrepreneurs has inspired him to become one himself.
Rosie Nixon has been at HELLO! magazine for over a decade, appointed joint Editor in 2008 and promoted to Editor-in-Chief in 2016. Under her leadership, the magazine has recorded the largest-ever increase in reach, with a weekly print readership of 900,000 and over 2 million online. In this in-depth interview, she reveals how the iconic magazine is put together, with its unique mix of celebrity, royalty, and red carpet paired with fashion, beauty and lifestyle - deliberately positive, warm and upbeat in tone; shares how she has built personal relationships with some of the world’s most famous names - and the edge this gives the brand in her growth strategy for the hugely competitive digital space, with celebrity coverage websites battling for millions of clicks; talks about her two recent novels and her plans to write further books; and divulges the meticulous level of planning involved in the forthcoming royal wedding.
Christian Broughton is Editor of The Independent. After spending much of his career at the ‘Indy’ and the i newspaper, he became Digital Editor in 2012, and launched the award-winning indy100 website. In 2016, when Evgeny Lebedev famously closed the print edition, he took over as Editor, taking their reach to a peak of 120 million, and 6 million daily readers. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his efforts to take full advantage of the opportunities digital presents, while maintaining their long-held values and brand strength; shares details of his commitment to more foreign bureaux and specialist reporters, and their ‘InFact’ unit tackling fake news; talks through the challenges of expanding the business in a commercially sustainable way, their relationship with twitter, facebook and google; and tackles critics who accuse the site of chasing clicks at any cost.
Audrey Cooper is Editor-in-Chief of the San Francisco Chronicle. One of Cosmopolitan magazine’s ‘50 Fearless Women’ she joined as Assistant Metro Editor in 2006, and just nine years later became Editor-in-Chief - the first woman to hold the position in the publication’s 150 years, and the youngest-ever to fill the top post at a major US paper. In this in-depth interview, she shares the secrets of her amazing turnaround - from shedding staff and losing millions to a sustainable business with a record readership of 35 million; talks through innovations such as the re-introduction of an investigative team, and hiring a cannabis consultant to cover the now-legal marijuana industry; and fondly analyses San Francisco itself - contrasting the wealthy beneficiaries of the tech boom against a massive homelessness crisis, outlining how her paper is trying to be a catalyst for the solution.
Andrew Tuck is Editor of Monocle, the international affairs and lifestyle media brand. After initially turning down founder Tyler Brûlé with his idea for a new kind of premium lifestyle magazine, he soon relented and they launched in 2006. In this in-depth interview, he explores their relationship, the journey so far, and how his own role has evolved; discusses their approach to international affairs, business, culture, design, and fashion; talks through their innovations such as the launch of radio station Monocle 24, retail stores, book publishing, and café; defends their deliberate lack of engagement with social media... and reveals exciting plans for the future.
Sarah Sands is Editor of Today, the BBC’s flagship news programme. In this in-depth interview, she shares how her appointment surprised many after a long career in print, the changes she has already made to the show and her plans for its future direction; reflects on life in the Editor’s chair at the London Evening Standard, where she stands by her former paper’s support for Zac Goldsmith - though conceding he “would've been terrible” as London’s Mayor; discusses the BBC gender pay gap problem and her efforts to get more female voices on the show; and given that for the first time in the BBC’s history it’s likely the next Director General will be a woman... she reveals whether she wants the top job.
With 33 years in broadcast journalism under his belt, Neil Thompson began rising with the larks in 1993, as part of the GMTV launch team, and has been a stalwart of ITV early mornings ever since. In this in-depth interview, he discusses the multiple attempts to rescue the “disaster” that was Daybreak - lessons learned which resulted in the wholly rethought “live, inclusive, immersive” approach for Good Morning Britain; examines the successful pairing of “two alpha brains” Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, how their relationship works (both on and off-screen), and how viewers have embraced the tension - helping GMB make significant gains in the ratings war; and reveals how a typical show is put together... plus the secrets of Piers’ recent interview with President Donald Trump.
A 20-year BBC veteran and respected war correspondent, Katya Adler is still covering ferocious conflict - this time with Brexit. Appointed Europe Editor in 2015 - arriving in Brussels with reservations that her new beat would be dull and uneventful - she instead found herself reporting on Europe’s most turbulent time since the Second World War: the Greek economic collapse, the Migrant Crisis, and the rise of populism. In this in-depth interview, she laments an increasing propensity for European leaders to refuse to go on the record; tackles critics from all sides who accuse her of bias; outlines her personal take on Brexit negotiations, and the likely result; and how speaking five languages is her secret weapon for getting her sources to open up.
Madhav Chinnappa is the senior executive at Google responsible for their relationship with the news industry. After 9 years at the BBC leading their commercial team, he joined the ‘wonderfully crazy company’ and deliberately became ‘the most technically dumb guy at Google’ to boost their understanding of the media ecosystem beyond a tech-only approach. In this in-depth interview, he talks through their Digital News Initiative - offering expertise, and even cash investment through their Innovation Fund; discusses the huge complexity of complying with the laws of hundreds of countries; and outlines their initiative to tackle fake news - ensuring perpetrators don’t profit, and marking search results which have been fact checked.
David Yelland is the former Editor of The Sun, and is now a senior communications advisor to global CEOs. A journalist for 18 years, he started on a local weekly newspaper, eventually reaching Deputy Editor at the New York Post. He then took the reins for five successful years at Britain's biggest-selling daily newspaper before leaving to join the world of corporate comms. In this in-depth interview, David discusses the challenges he faced as Editor; talks candidly about his successes and mistakes, and the reality of working with Rupert Murdoch; shares leadership lessons from his time at Harvard Business School; argues passionately against Brexit and offers his analysis of why the Remain campaign lost; and explains his work tackling alcoholism, inspired by his own recovery.
Jessica Coen is Editor-in-Chief of Mashable, the global media brand for all things tech, entertainment and culture, with 70 million monthly readers. In this illuminating interview, Jessica talks through her career journey - how her previous job as Editor of Gawker gave her a ‘tremendous launch pad’ and a strong digital insight, now helping her take Mashable’s audience to record highs; argues the so-called ‘Trump bump’ is over, and outlines what media companies need to do to stay relevant, sustainable and profitable in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
Lorraine Candy is Luxury Content Director of The Sunday Times, and Editor-in-Chief of the paper’s Style magazine. A former Editor of Cosmopolitan and ELLE UK, she was twice-named Editor of the Year. In this in-depth interview, she describes her start in journalism as a teenager at the Cornish Times, and questions whether the same opportunities are available today; goes behind the scenes of her biggest news stories; details how her job has to combine traditional editorial with digital insight to reach new audiences; and explains how Style has a stronger impact - and better reader engagement - than other ‘glossy’ magazines.
Adam Boulton is Editor-at-Large at Sky News. He was instrumental in establishing Sky’s politics team in 1989, and over the next three decades went on to cover seven general elections. In this in-depth interview, he describes the thrill of assembling a story live on air; explores the tension between politicians and journalists; and reminisces that, uniquely, he is the only journalist to have ever ‘doorstepped’ the Queen.
Tom Newton Dunn is Political Editor at The Sun, the UK’s most read daily newspaper. Widely regarded as one of the best story-getters in the industry, Tom is an award-winning journalist and a regular TV commentator. In this in-depth interview, he fails to recall the last time there was a 'quiet week' in politics; contemplates the future of the centre-ground as voters crave radical change; explains why Corbyn needs to learn to love the word 'aspiration' if he wants to be PM; and says why he couldn’t imagine leaving political journalism in such unpredictable times.
Ian King is the presenter of Sky News’ leading business programme. The former City Editor at The Sun and Business and City Editor at The Times, Ian twice won Business Journalist of the Year before swapping the newsroom for the TV studio in 2014. In this in-depth interview, he describes how the shelf life of exclusive stories has been cut from weeks to hours; discusses how social media has changed the way CEOs respond to crises; and reveals what his day job has taught him about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
Jane Francisco is the Editor-in-Chief of Good Housekeeping, one of the world’s leading women’s magazines. Founded in 1885, Good Housekeeping has counted Virginia Woolf and Evelyn Waugh among its former contributors, and is widely known and respected for its iconic Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. After her appointment in 2014, Jane grew the magazine’s reach to 60 million, and was recently named Editorial Director at Hearst Lifestyle Group. In this in-depth interview, she discusses the segmentation of the magazine’s readership, and how she appeals to an audience that cuts across generational divides; explains why she introduced the Good Housekeeping audience to the ‘slow living’ movement; and reveals what inspired her to set up the Awesome Women Awards with award-winning TV producer Shonda Rhimes.
Mike Williams is the Editor-in-Chief of NME, the UK's most widely read music publication. Launched in 1952 as a newspaper, NME was the first British title to include a singles chart, and later championed emerging British groups such as The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Oasis. Mike led the successful relaunch of NME as a free magazine in 2015, and was named Editor of the Year in 2016, when the magazine recorded its highest ever circulation. In this in-depth interview, Mike takes us behind the scenes of the strange world of working with musicians, and explains the difference in attitude between global megastars and promising new acts; describes how to appeal both to older long-time readers and a younger audience; and reveals how he found himself at the centre of a political storm after interviewing Jeremy Corbyn.
Joanne Lipman is Editor-in-Chief of USA Today, with a daily reach of 3.3 million in print across the US, and 102 million unique visitors online reading 1.2 billion articles; and Chief Content Officer of The USA Today Network, employing 3,000 journalists in 110 regional newspapers across America. In this in-depth interview, she talks about her ‘calling’ to journalism and how an internship at the Wall Street Journal led to over twenty years at the paper; her current role and the challenges of leading an iconic media brand; and shares her frustration with the low number of women in media leadership roles - how she is dedicating the next phase of her career to being part of the solution, and her forthcoming book “That’s What She Said: What Men Need To Know (and Women Need To Tell Them) About Working Together.”
Farrah Storr is Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan UK, Britain's most widely-read women's magazine, with an online reach of over ten million regular readers. Named on The Guardian’s 2017 list of Britain’s most powerful people, in this in-depth interview she describes how the iconic media brand is facing the digital challenge, who today's ‘Cosmo woman’ actually is, and why she had to reinvent the way they write about sex; discusses why she is passionate about improving diversity in the creative industries, the use of plus-sized models and the media’s responsibility on body image issues; argues there is a strong future for traditional glossy monthly women’s magazines, defending them as a force for good which empower women; and shares how Cosmopolitan Housing is providing homes for young women looking to start their careers in London.
David Pemsel is CEO of The Guardian Media Group. In this in-depth interview, now over two years into the job, he discusses his plan to tackle mounting losses and return to profitability - shedding jobs, abandoning the Berliner presses and moving to tabloid; discusses the success of their initiative to encourage readers to become ‘supporters’, which now raises more revenue than print advertising and keeps the site paywall-free; outlines his plans to grow the Guardian’s global presence and build on their existing base of 10 million regular readers; and reveals why despite the onslaught of ‘fake news’ and his frustration with Google and Facebook’s destructive impact on their digital revenue, he is more optimistic than ever about GMG’s future.
Carl Johnson is Founding Partner and global CEO of Anomaly, an award-winning advertising agency with over 600 staff, and offices in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Shanghai. Launched in 2004, their name is a direct response to the “broken” traditional agency model, and the “blurring of the borders” between previously separate disciplines such as advertising, branding, marketing, social media and PR. In this in-depth interview, he pulls back the curtain on some of the most successful global campaigns; argues the industry is facing existential and commercial challenges like never before; warns agencies failing to embrace fundamental change they face ruin; and shares his hope of continued success in spite of the “global uncertainty” caused by Brexit.
Mark Frankel is Social Media Editor at BBC News. In this in-depth interview, he discusses how for millions of people the news is now increasingly broken (and made) on Twitter; the importance the BBC places on accuracy over speed, and the editorial challenges created by each of the various social platforms; how the breaking news alerts are managed technically; how their use of live streaming allows them to engage with audiences in new ways; dealing with trolls, abuse, and the politics of fake news; and gives his thoughts on what’s next for BBC News - arguing social media will ultimately overtake not only broadcast, but the other online platforms too.
Alistair Smith is Editor of The Stage, trade newspaper for the performing arts. In this in-depth interview, he discusses the challenges of moving the world’s oldest theatre publication (founded in 1880) to digital, and embracing the commerical/editorial opportunity; offers an in-depth analysis of the global theatre trade, the ‘less glamorous’ side of show business, and the rapid rise in ticket prices; argues their world is controlled by closed networks and ‘who-you-know,’ how the Stage Debut Awards have created opportunities for new talent, and aspiring performers who don’t have the networks to break through; and reveals his all-time favourite productions - including some current hidden gems.
Louisa Compton is Editor of ‘Victoria Derbyshire’ on BBC2. In this in-depth interview she discusses her long career in BBC Radio, her strong working relationship with Victoria, and their joint move from 5 Live into TV; takes us behind the scenes on the show, creating a unique mix of original stories, exclusive interviews, audience debates, and overlooked regional/world journalism; the emerging importance of social media as a platform in its own right, and how their success is measured on traditional TV viewing figures, but also on impact, iPlayer, and social media metrics; her pride in the show often driving the day’s news agenda, with clips regularly used in major news bulletins; and her joy at her team’s recent BAFTA win.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy is a Presenter on Channel 4 News. In this in-depth interview he argues that there has never been a better time to be a reporter, amidst the global uncertainty of Brexit, Trump and North Korea; expresses disappointment in politicians avoiding giving a straight answer, and the emerging trend to avoid the ‘tough interview’ altogether; speaks candidly about the pressures of war-zone reporting and his joy at fronting the ‘Unreported World’ programme; and in light of the Harvey Weinstein allegations, discusses sexual bullying and harassment in the media.
Rob Stringer is CEO of Sony Music, one of the world's biggest record labels, with offices in 43 countries and $5bn revenue. In this in-depth interview, he reveals how a punk fan from Aylesbury made it to the very top of the global music industry; what it’s really like working with stars like Beyoncé, Adele, and Harry Styles, and how they deal with the darker side of fame; why no one really cares about the charts any more; and how in spite of streaming apps killing traditional record sales, there are still healthy profits to be made.
Lionel Barber is Editor of the Financial Times. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his long career, including covering the end of the Cold War, the first Gulf War and several US presidential campaigns; takes us behind the scenes of his interviews with some of the biggest global leaders, and reveals what Putin is really like in person; recalls his recent visit to the “chaotic” White House, meeting with a “self-conscious” President Trump; argues that Facebook and other “big platforms” have a responsibility to tackle fake news, and suggests strategies to contain its spread; and why politics has become more “divisive”, resulting in Brexit and an “assault” on journalism.
Darren Scott is Editor of Gay Times, the largest, longest-running and most recognised gay magazine in the world. In this in-depth interview, he discusses how he grew the readership to nearly 3 million by making the content less news-driven, building a female audience, and a commercially-driven focus on creating content ‘that will sell’. He explains that while their coverage of ‘serious’ issues such as persecution of LGBT people in Russia is important, he isn’t driven by activism per se ‘because everyone has bills to pay’. He talks through his career, revealing how Smash Hits magazine and a challenge from an ex-boyfriend inspired him to get into journalism, and gives advice to those who want to follow in his path.
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown is a journalist, author and activist. In this in-depth interview, she asserts that being a proud “leftie-liberal, anti-racist and feminist” makes her more susceptible to online abuse; questions why a “feisty woman of colour” like herself wasn’t invited to comment on Brexit; and condemns the state of the media industry, arguing that newspapers have “dumbed down” and journalists would “rather write about Beyonce” than hold power to account.
Iain Martin is a columnist for The Times, and Editor of Reaction, a website dedicated to political, economic and cultural analysis. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his journalism career including making Editor of The Scotsman aged thirty, then Editor of Scotland on Sunday, and Deputy Editor of The Sunday Telegraph. He talks through his portfolio career as columnist, blogger, and business owner; says no-one should get too ‘noble’ about journalism as it’s ‘politicians people remember’; argues it’s crucial for the survival of the newspaper industry that Facebook and Google are properly classed as publishers; and maintains that Trump and Brexit have increased public recognition that good quality journalism is essential for a healthy democracy - and should be properly paid for.
Richard Bradley is Editor-in-Chief of Worth, the lifestyle and wealth management magazine for ‘ultra-high-net-worth’ individuals. In this in-depth interview, he reveals what he’s learnt in a career profiling the super-wealthy; the growing culture of large-scale philanthropy in the light of the ‘Giving Pledge’ campaign; how President Trump has vastly fewer fans in the global elite than he claims; their efforts to utilise technology, data insight, and prestigious brand partnerships to retain the print magazine’s profitability - thus sustaining Worth as a global editorial platform, powering their iconic annual ‘Power 100’ list.
Gavin Hewitt is Chief Correspondent at BBC News. In this in-depth interview, he speaks candidly on Brexit and Trump, having observed both first hand as the BBC’s Europe Editor and then embedded in Trump’s campaign; enthuses about moving from reporting to commentating, welcoming a new-found ‘freedom’ to express his personal views; dealing with trolls while fulfilling his ‘obligation’ to engage in online debate; and argues we still haven’t realised the depth to which the technology-driven ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ will change every aspect of our lives.
Justine Roberts is co-founder and CEO of Mumsnet. In this in-depth interview, she reveals how a disastrous family holiday led to her founding a platform which now has 10 million users and 120 million monthly visits; why a funding round scuppered by the dot-com crash gave them the chance to grow ‘something real’ - a genuine grassroots community, built from the ground up; reveals the shocking severity of troll attacks, including the sending of an armed SWAT team to her house; tackles critics claiming that Mumsnet forums are ‘nasty’; and suggests that Trump would be an ideal webchat guest - in spite of community objections.
Anita Jacoby is a veteran journalist, TV and film producer, former Managing Director of ITV Australia, and board member of the Australian Communications and Media Authority. During her 30 year career, Anita has produced some of the country’s most successful news programmes including 'Good Morning Australia' and '60 Minutes', and is the recipient of six awards from the Australian Film Institute. In this in-depth interview, she discusses the current media landscape ‘Down Under’, and her role as regulator; walks through her career to date, talks candidly about gender diversity in the Australian media, condemning its ‘blokey’ culture; and what her new ‘eclectic portfolio career’ actually entails.
Maeve McClenaghan is a reporter at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a London-based, not-for-profit organisation that works to uncover stories in the public interest and hold power to account. In this candid interview, Maeve talks about the thrills and frustrations of working to expose injustice; how attitudes towards journalism differ in the U.S.; the emotional impact of probing wrongdoing; how more journalism can mean less objectivity; and why investigative journalism defies political boundaries.
Jenny Afia is a senior media and privacy lawyer, and Partner at Schillings. In this in-depth interview, she discusses balancing an open society with the individual’s right to privacy; the legal mechanics of dealing with trolls and malicious online harassment; superinjunctions and the general direction of privacy law; explains the need for proactivity and compromise when managing the media; and argues against greater press regulation, despite her “contempt” for the paparazzi and the misery they cause her celebrity clients.
Darcy Antonellis is a well-known Hollywood executive, and CEO of Vubiquity - a global technology company which brings movies and TV to viewers on any device. In this in-depth interview, she discusses the future of the entertainment business and why she thinks virtual reality will transform our lives; shares career lessons learned during senior leadership positions at CBS and Warner Brothers, including pioneering the world’s first anti-piracy solution; praises workplace diversity as ‘just good business’; and argues the best leaders always prefer ambition over acumen.
Stephen Cole is an international broadcast journalist, and Chairman at the Institute of Diplomacy and Business. In this in-depth interview, he recounts his adventures on the launch presenting team of four global channels - Sky News, CNN International, BBC World and Al Jazeera English; reveals why modern TV news ‘bores’ him; claims the Middle East is the ‘only story’ we should be giving attention; argues the BBC should ‘give up pretending to be impartial’; and shares what he learned from four hours one-on-one with Bill Clinton.
Dolly Alderton is a journalist, podcaster, director and former Story Producer for Made in Chelsea. In this in-depth interview, Dolly talks about her portfolio career, and freelancers’ need to have “13 good ideas before breakfast” to succeed; reveals behind the scenes of story producing a BAFTA-winning ‘reality’ series; her infamous dating column and the importance or striking a balance between oversharing online and keeping one’s personal life private; praises paywalls as a method of reducing trolling and ‘protecting’ young female journalists …and why Tatler thinks she’s more important than Nelson Mandela.
Ian Bremmer is Editor-at-Large and global affairs columnist at TIME magazine, and the Founder and President of Eurasia Group, a leading political risk research/consulting firm, with offices in seven countries. In this in-depth interview he argues Trump, Brexit, refugee crises and Isis have resulted in the worst geopolitical environment since World War II; why experts need to take responsibility for failing to make the case during the Brexit and US election campaigns - including himself; and why despite analysing an increasing number of global crises... he is still an optimist.
Anna Williams is Head of News at BBC World News. In this in-depth interview, she reveals the challenges behind delivering news to a global audience of 100 million; broadcasting to strongly-censored countries such as North Korea; balancing fair coverage of the Thai monarchy without landing their in-country correspondents a life sentence; covering Brexit from a truly international (and decidedly non-UK only) perspective; combatting gender inequality at the BBC; how cold-calling CNN kickstarted her career; and explains why she warned her son away from a career in journalism.
Laura Desmond is a media entrepreneur, board member of Adobe Systems Inc. and former CEO of Starcom Mediavest, one of the largest media networks in the world. In 2008 she became their youngest CEO, billing $26 billion a year, and doubling the size of the business to 8,000 employees in 110 locations. In this in-depth interview, she shares lessons learnt from over 30 years at the top; including candid advice from Sheryl Sandberg, and why her early career in Latin America was instrumental to her later success.
Poorna Bell is UK Executive Editor and Head of Global Lifestyle at HuffPost. In this in-depth interview, she discusses her book ‘Chase the Rainbow’ about her husband’s tragic suicide, the paradox of modern masculinity, and HuffPost's campaigning commitment on mental health issues; shares the changes she made to grow the Lifestyle section into the site's second most popular channel; argues successful editors have to build on great journalism with an equal focus on commercial concerns; and contends that printed media still has a strong future - despite competition from huge online brands... such as HuffPost.
Maxine Mawhinney is a veteran journalist and former BBC news anchor. In this in-depth interview, she talks through her career reporting around the world, starting in Northern Ireland during the Troubles; her experience as a correspondent in Tokyo and Berlin; her secondment to Washington covering the Clinton Presidency, the OJ Simpson trial and the Waco siege; breaking the news of Princess Diana’s fatal accident on air; and gives frank advice to the next generation of journalists who want to follow her path.
Roger Mosey is Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge; and former BBC Editorial Director. Roger spent over 30 years at the beeb, and held some of its biggest jobs: Director of Sport, Controller of Radio 5 Live, Head of Television News, and leading the coverage of the 2012 Olympics. In this in-depth interview he reveals behind the scenes at the top of the world’s largest broadcaster, the maelstrom behind closed doors during the Savile crisis; why he never wanted to be Director General and the "relentless" nature of the job; and despite the pressure, why the Olympics was an opportunity he "couldn’t possibly turn down".
Nicky Cox MBE is the founder and Editor of the children's newspaper First News. Founded in 2006, with 2.3 million readers and half of the UK’s schools subscribing, it won Best National Weekly Newspaper of the Year in 2012. In this in-depth interview, Nicky explains how they cover war, terrorism, and disasters in an appropriate way; discusses the importance of tackling fake news due to its stronger impact on children; and lists the issues that young people care about the most - with Brexit surprisingly their most pressing concern.
Minna Salami is a journalist, writer, and TED speaker. Based in the UK, with a childhood in Finland and her formative years in Nigeria, she uses her triple nationality to frame her writing; and has emerged as a feminist voice with an African-centered perspective, on her blog msafropolitan.com. ELLE Magazine named her one of ‘12 women changing the world’ with Michelle Obama and Angelina Jolie. In this in-depth interview, Minna argues bloggers have an important role driving global political change; explains how it can be productive to engage with trolls and detractors; and reveals why she enjoys the ‘challenge’ of writing.
Ian Burrell is former Media Editor of The Independent, and one of the UK’s foremost news industry commentators. In this in-depth interview he talks through his career, starting at the Birmingham Post & Mail, his work at the Sunday Times Insight team, and 20 years at The Independent; discusses journalism’s future, despite ‘heartless’ cuts to newsrooms; and strongly criticises Facebook for holding back ‘critical’ information from publishers, threatening the industry.
Jimmy Wales is the founder of Wikipedia, the world’s largest encyclopedia. In this in-depth interview he talks through the whole journey from inception to today, now with 270 million daily views and 40 million articles in 293 languages. He speaks candidly on what’s still wrong with Wikipedia and what he’s doing to put it right, including addressing the deficit of female voices; shares his plans for WikiTribune, his new website to combat fake news; and discusses the Turkish government’s Wikipedia ban, and his personal outreach to talk them out of it.
Mary Hockaday is Controller of the BBC World Service. In this in-depth interview, she talks through the challenges of running a truly global broadcaster and producing content that appeals to audiences across the world; reflects on reporting landmark events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nelson Mandela’s death, and 9/11; examines the sensitivities covering graphic and horrific stories; shares her optimism about journalism despite a ‘challenging and bumpy time’; and light-heartedly contrasts life at the BBC with the sitcom W1A.
Aidan White is Founder of the Ethical Journalism Network. Following his journalism career at the Financial Times and the Guardian, he became General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, and Chair of the Appointments Panel at IMPRESS, the controversial press regulator now recognised by Royal Charter. In this in-depth interview, he challenges the conventional wisdom that the internet has had a positive impact on journalism, arguing it has encouraged a plethora of badly written and poorly-researched articles; defends IMPRESS and its role ‘upholding ethics’ in journalism; discusses the lessons learnt from the Leveson Inquiry; and describes how the values of news media are being ‘trashed’ more than ever by their ‘corrupt’ owners.
Matthew Gwyther is Editor of Management Today, the UK’s biggest-selling business magazine, launched in 1966 and regarded as one of the most authoritative in the world. In this in-depth interview, he takes us behind the scenes of the whole editorial operation; celebrates entrepreneurs and argues they are born, not made - but can often be terrible managers; shares their collective passion to advance the cause of women in business, and calls for more women in middle management; and contends strongly that Brexit is not just bad for business, but will be toxic for the wider UK economy.
Hannah Devlin is the Guardian's Science Correspondent, and presenter of their science podcast. In this in-depth interview, she explains why she chose journalism over academic biomedicine; talks frankly about sexism in science; discusses her move from Science Editor at The Times, the differences of writing without a paywall, and her view that social media has fundamentally changed journalism; reveals the slate of groundbreaking research she's currently reporting on; and explains why - as the evidence apparently shows - that two G&Ts is the "scientifically perfect" amount.
John Fallon is CEO of Pearson, the multinational publishing company and former owner of the Financial Times. In this in-depth interview, John discusses the disposal of the FT; outlines his plans for Pearson’s turnaround, despite facing their toughest years yet; talks candidly about his business successes and failures; takes us through his career, from humble beginnings as John Prescott’s researcher, to CEO of a global brand; reveals why he treasures the first edition of Dr Johnson’s Dictionary in his office; and explains his motivation to return to corporate life after beating throat cancer.
Janet Lee is the BBC’s Executive Producer for Arts and Culture. In this in-depth interview, she discusses the challenges she faces growing the audience for arts programmes, and how she balances attracting new viewers and listeners while maintaining artistic integrity; robustly defends the BBC’s efforts on tackling diversity; and shares her adventures during a long career, including stints as Editor of The Culture Show, Producer of Desert Island Discs, Producer of Simon Schama's History of Britain, Commissioning Editor for Arts at Channel 4; and Editor of Imagine, BBC One's flagship arts and culture series.
Heidi Dawson is the Editor of BBC Radio 5 Live. In this in-depth interview, she champions their move to Salford’s MediaCityUK, welcoming a “less London-centric view”; advocates podcasting as the key to unlocking a younger audience; recounts how a work trip to Jerusalem profoundly changed her journalism; talks through her ambitious plans to grow the station, and hits back at critics who describe it as “bloke-ish”.
Randall Lane is the Editor of Forbes, one of the world's most iconic and prestigious business publications. In this in-depth interview, he explains how covering a huge cocaine bust for his student newspaper made him want to be a journalist; reveals what he’s learnt from interviewing the world’s biggest billionaires (and the three things they all have in common); takes us behind the scenes of the groundbreaking '30 under 30', the feature which discovered the founders of Snapchat, Instagram and Spotify; and talks frankly about hard-earned lessons from his own entrepreneurial ventures.
Pam Wasserstein is CEO of New York Media, whose publications include New York magazine, Vulture, and thecut.com. In this episode, Pam discusses the practical implications of Trump’s ‘shocking’ position on the media, her transition from a career in corporate law to CEO of a global media brand via the Tribeca Film Festival, and the importance of valuing journalists now more than ever.
David Callaway is CEO of TheStreet, one of America’s leading providers of financial news, with 11 million monthly readers. He was previously Editor-in-Chief of USA Today, modernising and growing the iconic brand to the fifth-largest in the US. In this in-depth interview, he talks candidly on the challenges and opportunities faced in 30 years in journalism; reflects on the risks and opportunities for Wall St under Trump; and ponders on the dangers facing the free press, with an increasingly hostile White House, and a journalists around the world facing mortal danger as never before.
Caroline Norbury MBE is founding CEO of Creative England, whose purpose is to 'accelerate talent and ideas’ across the media industry. Funded by both public and private investment, the not-for-profit company emerged in 2011 after the government closed the UK Film Council; and so far has invested £40m to secure over 1,000 jobs - largely outside of London - across gaming, film, digital, and production services. In this in-depth interview, Caroline contends that Britain’s creative sector is at risk if we don’t embrace diversity, and passionately argues for supporting creatives who live outside London – because, "talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t."
Kurt Barling is Professor of Journalism at Middlesex University. In this in-depth interview, he reveals how observing first-hand the brutal Broadwater Farm Riots inspired him to follow a career in journalism. As well as winning many major awards for his reporting, Kurt has written a number of books, including "The 'R' Word: Racism"; and in over 25 years as a leading BBC broadcaster, has made dozens of primetime documentaries, reported undercover from multiple war zones, and been threatened with an AK-47 held to his head.
William Watkin is Professor of Contemporary Philosophy and Literature at Brunel University. In this in-depth interview, he discusses the emergence of ‘fake news’ and so-called ‘factobesity’; argues press complicity led to Brexit and Trump; and dissects the mechanics - and consequences - of post-truth media.
Michael Wilson is a journalist, broadcaster, and British TV's longest-serving Business and Economics Editor. In this in depth interview, he reveals how 'a boy from Scarborough' went on to transform TV news; takes us through his 20 years at Sky and how he brought 1.5 million viewers to GMTV; gives the inside look on Fleet Street’s golden age; and defends business itself - as the 'driving force that keeps our country going'.
Eleanor Mills is Editorial Director at The Sunday Times, and Chair of Women in Journalism. In this in-depth interview, she discusses her career-defining campaigns on FGM and ‘Generation Porn’; takes on the ‘stale pale male’ media, challenging both men and women to level the imbalance; and talks through her landmark ‘trousergate’ interview with PM Theresa May.
Michael Hodges is Editor-at-Large for the Radio Times; and former Executive Editor at Time Out, known for his ‘Slice of Life’ column - an irreverent take on day-to-day London life, often from (or nearby) a pub. In this in-depth interview, he shares his adventures as an iconic London columnist; divulges what he’s learned from interviewing the biggest names in entertainment; and conveys his experience of taking a ‘lads mag’ into a war zone.
Mark Gallagher is one of the UK’s most well known and respected lobbyists, prominent Brexiteer, and former Director of Public Affairs at ITN. He founded Pagefield in 2010 as a result of ‘boredom’ and a love of what he calls 'running towards the gunfire’. As Senior Partner, he has built an award-winning agency, with clients including Camelot, 21st Century Fox and John Lewis. In this in-depth interview, he reveals why old media brands are ‘not to be underestimated’ despite the move to digital, and makes the case that corporates are unfairly held to a much higher standard than NGOs and charities.
Tess Alps is Chair of ThinkBox, the marketing body for commercial TV in the UK. In this frank interview, the self-described ‘wise old bird’ discusses her zero-tolerance for critics who claim TV is dying; argues successful engagement with digital presents strong opportunities; advocates ‘likeability’ as the most effective measure of success instead of relying on so-called ‘objective’ metrics; and sympathises with those who fast forward through the ad breaks...because she does too.
Robert Safian is the Editor of Fast Company. In this in-depth interview, he reveals the strong sense of purpose behind the business and how this infuses their reporting; discusses how to stay flexible in a fast changing environment; explains why metrics are sometimes overrated; debates the difficulties of monetising an audience, and the struggle to make money in media; and waxes lyrical on the importance of company culture.
Zillah Byng-Thorne is the CEO of Future plc, publisher of many best-selling magazines and media brands. In this in-depth interview, she walks through her career from accountant to media CEO; explains how a relentless focus on profit put the company back in the black from a £35m loss, searching for new revenue streams and fighting back against adblockers; and shares her ideas to get more senior women in the media.
Perez Hilton is an American entertainer and popular blogger, founder of the eponymous celebrity gossip site. In this in-depth interview, he explains what has made "Hollywood’s Most Hated Website" a success, outlasting many others; divulges the frustrations of his job and the pressures and intrusion of social media; reveals a ‘ton of regrets’ over historic celebrity feuds; shares his thoughts on Castro’s death after his inaccurate announcement in 2007, and why he isn’t optimistic about the future for Cuba; gives advice to the younger generation of bloggers, and discusses his commitment to sheer hard work as the only route to success.
Steve Crabtree is Editor of BBC Horizon, the world's longest-running science documentary. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his 'humble origins' as a self-described ‘local lad’ from Barrow-in-Furness. After dropping out of school with no qualifications, he worked at the shipyards painting nuclear submarines, reading comic books and playing in a local band - but determined to succeed in media, he took a creative arts degree and moved to London. Now Editor of the very programme from which he was initially rejected, he discusses how the programmes are made, the challenge of making science accessible to the public yet maintaining ‘journalistic rigour;' and reveals how the current BBC restructuring will affect the show’s future.
Jim Impoco is the Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek. In this in-depth interview, he talks through the recent resurrection of the iconic brand, and the 'exciting opportunity' it presents to reinvigorate long-form journalism; argues for still further editorial risk-taking and innovation to tackle 'post-truth' social media; describes the current newsroom operation and the process of creating the ideal Newsweek cover story; and recalls the now-infamous 'Madam President' double cover furore - an ironic end to the ‘bitter and toxic’ 2016 Presidential debate, which instead saw a win for her opponent.
Alan Murray is the Chief Content Officer at Time Inc, responsible for its journalism across the whole company - 7,200 employees, 150 million readers, and 100 global media brands including People, TIME, Sports Illustrated, and Entertainment Weekly. He is also Editor in Chief of Fortune. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his new role - the opportunities and challenges for legacy brands embracing digital; connecting with emerging talent and trends; interacting with 80,000 readers on his daily personal e-newsletter; and shares what he learned at two decades at the Wall Street Journal, including the ‘sacred’ relationship with the reader, and the overwhelming importance of truth; how 9/11 forced a career change, and why the Monica Lewinsky scandal nearly made him leave journalism forever; and why all ambitious fledgling journalists should learn... to code.
Henry Blodget is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Business Insider. In this in-depth interview, he explains how he created one of the most successful business publications in the world, from the jaws of ‘humiliating’ defeat - taking the site to 100 million readers, 300 employees, and a $343m sale. The self-confessed ‘news addict' argues we're in the ‘golden age’ of journalism; welcomes Facebook as a generator of traffic and not as competitor; shares an innovative idea to fund struggling local newspapers; and talks practical techniques to encourage clicks - but without crossing into 'brand destroying' clickbait.
Cristina Nicolotti Squires is Editor of Channel 5 News. In this in-depth interview, she makes the case that TV news is here to stay amidst social media and smartphones; talks industry sexism and lack of diversity and questions the strength of the glass ceiling; discusses the importance of humanising tragic news, including her reaction to breaking MP Jo Cox’s murder live on air; argues that journalism is now more dangerous than ever in the face of extremist groups; reflects on the best and worst moments of her career so far, and reveals what’s top of her to-do list for her new job at Sky News, as Director of Content.
Bill Taylor is a business journalist, bestselling author, columnist, and media entrepreneur. In this in-depth interview, he shares his story of leaving his job as Editor of Harvard Business Review to co-found 'Fast Company' magazine; starting in borrowed office space, but soon gaining countless awards, a passionate global following - and sold just six years later for $340 million. An adjunct professor at Babson College, America's top-rated school for entrepreneurship, Bill writes regularly for Harvard Business Review, the New York Times, and The Guardian. His latest book "Simply Brilliant" describes "how great organisations do ordinary things in extraordinary ways".
John Hardie is Chief Executive of ITN. In this in-depth interview, he talks through his career and how he ended up in television news, despite a 14-year ‘detour’ at Proctor and Gamble and Disney; reveals how he turned ITN around despite a challenging start with a 'black hole' in its pension fund; discusses the future of journalism and ITN's role in it; strongly supports News at Ten's revamped style, arguing its anchors are right to mix commentary with their reporting; and shares his worry that rising extremism is threatening journalism.
Stig Abell is Editor of the Times Literary Supplement, and former Managing Editor of The Sun. In this in-depth interview, he reveals behind the scenes at his LBC show; argues that low wages and internships are making journalism a ‘parasitic medium’; discusses his love/hate relationship with social media and death threats he’s received; recounts his time at The Sun, his fondness for its ‘mix of high and low culture’, and empathises with its Hillsborough critics; welcomes how new technology is challenging ‘cocky’ newspapers; and outlines his ambitious plans for the TLS.
Veteran BBC broadcaster Rhod Sharp hosts 5 Live’s ‘Up All Night’ - described by the Washington Post as ‘arguably the best night-time show in the world’. In this in-depth interview, he argues media 'balance' is letting Donald Trump off the hook; reveals the secrets of the show’s production, including broadcasting from his Massachusetts home and uniquely intimate relationship with 1m listeners; discusses his commitment to the US and recent American citizenship; shares his best and worst day at work so far, and offers advice to ambitious journalists beginning their career.
As Director-General, Mark Thompson led the BBC for 8 years, and is now CEO of the New York Times. In this in-depth interview, he reflects in detail on his career, and the BBC's challenges both past and present; reveals the demands on a Brit leading an iconic American newspaper, while keeping it relevant and profitable in the digital age; and makes the case that the language of modern politics - dominated with 'truthiness', 'authenticism' and the derision of expertise - is now at odds with the public good.
Times columnist and Tory peer Daniel Finkelstein is one of the UK’s leading political commentators. In this in-depth interview, he voices growing concerns about the ‘threatening and dangerous development’ of anti-semitism in the Labour Party, and why Corbyn’s ‘pretty lame’ response makes things worse; argues the EU Referendum was both right and necessary, reveals his misgivings at the ‘rising rift’ between educated and uneducated; the looming struggle for Conservatives after Brexit, and why despite everything he remains enthusiastic about the future for journalism.
Investigative journalist Heidi Blake has helped break some of the biggest scandals of recent history: 'Westminster for sale' lobbying, 'generals for hire' defence deals, bribery at FIFA, and worldwide corruption in tennis. In this in-depth interview she challenges cynics, arguing investigative journalism is in its ‘golden age’, reveals some of the methodologies used to expose the rich and the powerful, and their counter techniques to block investigation; discusses the variety of sources from cab drivers to senior government officials, and wryly recounts the tale of travelling to Bulgaria for an undercover sting - only to end up the victim of one herself.
Jeffrey Archer is one of the world’s most successful authors. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his strict writing regimen; how his personal experiences drive his characters and plots; his future writing plans, and indifference to literary piracy. On politics, he argues Sadiq Khan will be the next Labour PM, reveals enduring regret at abandoning his own mayoral bid; takes responsibility for his perjury conviction and the ultimate end of his political career; and shares anecdotes of his time at the very top of Tory politics.
Amy Bernstein is Editor of Harvard Business Review. In this in-depth interview, she discusses the huge influence of HBR and the responsibility which comes with it; reveals the companies she pays attention to, and her predictions for the Next Big Thing; argues Africa is more interesting than Apple, gives advice to aspiring journalists keen to follow in her footsteps, and defends the importance of embracing failure.
Master inquisitor Matthew Stadlen presented over 200 BBC News ‘Five minutes with…’ programmes, and led ‘The Interview’ series for the Daily Telegraph. In this in-depth discussion, he reveals the art of the celebrity interview, divulges lessons learned from conversations with the biggest names; discusses his battles with PRs and his refusal to intrude into stars’ private lives, and explains why Jeremy Paxman would be his dream interview.
Carla Sosenko is the Editor of Time Out New York. In this in-depth interview, she talks about ‘the best job in the world’ - being top of every invite list, the process of putting each issue together; her passion for creative writing and joy at seeing her play ‘Headcase’ performed; her advice to aspiring journalists and the importance of having a mentor, and her recent stab at stand up comedy.
Chris Wright founded Chrysalis records and launched the careers of dozens of iconic artistes such as Blondie, Spandau Ballet and Billy Idol. In this revealing interview, Chris talks through four decades of sex, drugs and rock n roll; disrupting the radio industry through founding Heart and buying LBC, and shares his regret at selling Chrysalis Television, responsible for seminal TV shows such as Midsomer Murders.
Working for the BBC as a Correspondent based in Los Angeles, Peter has interviewed almost everyone in Hollywood, and is now covering the 2016 US presidential election. Well known to listeners of Radios 1, 2 and 5 Live, he also writes and makes documentaries about diet, exercise, and the ageing process. In this in-depth interview, he describes what it was like to cover the shocking OJ Simpson trial; reveals how different BBC programmes compete with one another; and explains how the celebrity junket interviews work - including memorable encounters with Cher, Harrison Ford... and even Bill Clinton.
Science broadcaster Vivienne famously presented Tomorrow's World and Panorama. In her pursuit to explain science to the public, she also wrote columns for The Times, The Guardian, and The News of the World; and was resident agony aunt, Lydia Mogg, for Good Housekeeping. In this in-depth interview, she walks through her career; criticises the television media for ageism against women; defends science reporters without an academic background; argues there's too little space for quality science reporting on TV, and calls on the BBC to bring back Tomorrow's World.
Matt Tee is the Chief Executive of IPSO, the UK’s largest press regulator, overseeing 2,500 publications. In this in-depth interview, he describes IPSO’s fiery birth after phone hacking, Leveson, and turmoil in both Parliament and industry. Previously a senior civil servant controlling government communications - and a stint running NHS Direct - Matt talks about the complex regulatory framework; a boycott from The Guardian et al, with no settlement in sight; an often tense relationship with editors, and a sceptical public. He outlines plans to reshape the role of regulator from the PCC’s “failure”, and shares just how heartbreaking complaints can be.
Christian raised eyebrows when appointed Editor of City AM, joining the paper aged 28 with no prior senior editorial experience. In this in-depth interview, he reveals how he was unexpectedly offered the job over dinner with the founders; describes the transition from PR and public affairs to journalism; discusses the initial challenges he faced and his approach to editing; defends giving advertisers the ability to publish directly to their website, and speculates about building on the success of the paper by expanding into new territories.
Iain Dale is a political commentator, writer and publisher; presenter of LBC's drivetime show, and MD of current affairs publisher Biteback. In this in-depth interview, he talks candidly about his career highs and lows; reveals he partly blames himself for David Davis losing the Conservative leadership election; explains how he prepares for his daily LBC show; reminisces about founding Total Politics magazine, and criticises Dods for "running it into the ground"; and discusses in detail the legal issues surrounding his televised 'seaside scuffle' with a nuclear campaigner.
A Sky News stalwart, Gemma Morris presents and co-produces Swipe, their weekly technology show; previously anchoring news coverage for both Sky News and Channel 5. In this in-depth interview, she talks through her career; reveals her unique process for choosing gadgets to feature on the show; describes the working relationship between journalists and PRs, including what makes an effective PR pitch; talks about the high-octane pressure of covering live breaking news, and discusses her work producing compelling content for Sky’s digital platforms, including online, social media... and even the screens in the back of taxis.
Best known for presenting Crimewatch, Nick Ross's BBC career took in presenting all the major news programmes on Radio 4 and the launch of BBC Breakfast Time. Now a crime consultant and author, he created the term 'crime science' and founded the Jill Dando Institute at UCL. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his broadcasting career; reveals why the police were initially reluctant to support Crimewatch; argues that the BBC licence fee should be axed; talks in detail about the murder of Jill Dando; and defends again his controversial comments on rape.
Jacqui Smith was the first woman to hold the office of Home Secretary. Now a lobbyist and NHS executive, while in government she was a peacemaker between Blair and Brown, worked in the departments of health and education, and also served as Chief Whip. In this in-depth interview, she talks through her career; reveals what it takes to maintain party discipline as Chief Whip; describes being at the center of the expenses scandal; criticises the media for targeting women politicians, and explains why she thinks Jeremy Corbyn is unelectable.
One of the best-known and most respected journalists in the UK, Sir Trevor has reported from the most dangerous places in the world and interviewed an incredible array of world figures. In this in-depth interview, he talks through his career, condemns the media for an undue over-focus on 'balance'; criticises positive discrimination to fix the media's lack of diversity; and reveals behind-the-scenes stories from his time on News at Ten, interviewing Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, and Nelson Mandela.
A right-wing firebrand, Katie is a MailOnline Columnist and LBC Presenter, and has appeared on a number of ‘celebrity’ TV shows, including famously snubbing Lord Sugar in The Apprentice. In this in-depth interview, she is robustly challenged on her controversial views, asked just how calculated her use of provocative language is, and whether she exaggerates her opinion for media attention. After accusing the BBC of ‘discriminating against white people’, discussing her police interview for her comments on migrants, and laughing off the constant threats and attacks she receives on Twitter, Katie then uses the interview to ask the Editor of The Guardian... to give her a column.
Matt is among the most senior global leaders at Google; and as President EMEA, is responsible for all their operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In this in-depth interview, he defends the accusation that Google is killing newspapers; describes how the company is now working closely with news agencies; argues Google still hasn't become part of the 'establishment' - and discusses his memorable appearance before Parliament to defend the company's controversial tax affairs.
Lindsay Nicholson, Editorial Director at Good Housekeeping; Kate Kinninmont, CEO of Women in Film and Television, and Christina Lamb, author and Foreign Affairs Correspondent at The Sunday Times, join Paul Blanchard for a roundtable discussion on gender equality in the media. Why do men continue to vastly outnumber women in senior positions across print, television, and film? Are female reporters taken less seriously by the industry and indeed society? And what solutions could solve the problem - are quotas the answer?
Bruce runs Twitter's business in Europe. In this exclusive, in-depth interview, he describes what they have done to overcome bullying and tackle trolls; pulls back the curtain on the verification process; reveals his favourite Twitter account and tips for an impactful presence; discusses the legal challenges of differing censorship rules in multiple jurisdictions; and describes his plans to grow the overall business using apps like Periscope to broaden their audience.
Andrew has covered politics for The Times, The Telegraph, and the Daily Mail, where he is now Consultant Editor and a columnist. A regular on Sky News, he also hosts his own show on LBC. In the interview, he gives his insider's view on working with Paul Dacre and hearing him "roar", discusses the difficulties of criticising friends in his column, and explains his view that the UK party political system is at breaking point.
Hollywood PR Lawrence Atkinson has been responsible for generating the buzz around many of the world's largest blockbusters. In this in-depth interview, he explains how to get ahead in the movie business; outlines the latest innovations in fighting piracy, argues how British film can beat Hollywood at its own game... and shares his favourite anecdotes from working with the likes of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Robert Redford.
Simon Cox, Investigations Reporter at the BBC; David Pegg, investigative reporter at The Guardian, and Hugo Greenhalgh, Wealth Correspondent at The FT, join Paul Blanchard to discuss their media coverage. This episode: where does the line lie between public and private life, and is it fair to report individuals' private tax affairs? How did the ICIJ choose their media partners, and is collaborative journalism the future? And if the public isn't surprised by these revelations, was the story big enough to dominate the front pages?
Westminster's chief mischief-maker, Paul Staines founded and runs the political blog Guido Fawkes, whose exposés have led to multiple resignations. In this exclusive interview, Paul challenges the "cosy relationship" between politicians and lobby journalists; responds to criticism that his blog is now part of the establishment, and discusses potential launches in India and Australia.
Now the Daily Mail's Political Editor-at-Large, Isabel left The Sunday Times to co-author, with Lord Ashcroft, the famously-unauthorised biography of David Cameron "Call Me Dave". In this exclusive interview, she gives her inside view on the Chris Huhne speeding points scandal, which led to his resignation and imprisonment; discusses life as a lobby journalist and political TV pundit, and explains how writing her recent book "Farmageddon" changed her views on the farming industry.
Pete Clifton is Editor-in-Chief at Press Association, one of the world's oldest news agencies. In this exclusive interview, he explains how digital has radically and irreversibly changed the news business; reveals what the future holds for the Press Association as it seeks to become a wholly digital-first agency; and talks through his career, including launching BBC News Online, leading MSN, and running the much-loved Ceefax.
Richard Watson, BBC Newsnight's specialist terrorism reporter, Vaughan Smith, co-founder of the Frontline Club, and war correspondent Michael Goldfarb join Paul Blanchard to discuss the media and war. This episode: with increasingly fewer war correspondents on the ground, do the public have enough information? Does the military exhibit too much control over journalists when 'embedded'? And with terror groups now having their own PR teams, how can the media resist spoon-fed spectacle?
Sir Martin is CEO of the largest marketing and public relations company in the world, and employs 190,000 people in 112 countries. In this exclusive interview, he describes how he grew WPP into world's biggest advertising business by risking his own money, explains why he's worth every penny of his £60m pay packet, and reveals his view that a President Donald Trump might not be the economic disaster some people are expecting.
One of the UK's most recognisable TV broadcasters, 'Voiceover Man' Peter Dickson has been the announcer behind Britain's Got Talent, The X Factor, Live at the Apollo, and countless other shows, radio programmes, and video games. In this interview, he reveals what it is like to work with Simon Cowell; explains the vigorous vocal exercises involved in creating his beloved booming voice, and discusses how the voiceover industry works.
Martin Fewell is Director of Media & Communications at the Metropolitan Police Service. In this extended interview, he talks about the critical role the media plays in solving crimes; and details the challenges of managing highly sensitive information - ensuring criminals are caught, but ultimately still get a fair trial. Martin explains the decisions involved with terrorism and disorder issues - balancing reassuring the public but raising awareness of any danger. Plus the challenges of rebuilding the Met's reputation when it was held to be institutionally racist.
Will any print newspapers exist in 10 years? Christian Broughton, Editor of the Independent Digital; Malcolm Coles, Director of Digital Media at the Telegraph Media Group, and Nic Newman, Editor of the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, join Paul Blanchard for this roundtable episode of the show to discuss the Independent's historic decision to end its print edition, whether newspapers will ever be able to make money from digital, and whether the digital future is something the industry should welcome or fear.
David Sillito is Media and Arts Correspondent at BBC News. In this wide-ranging interview, he discusses how the move to digital has fundamentally changed journalism, details the challenges of the BBC reporting on itself, gives his personal view on Charter renewal, and reveals the amount of time he spends preparing obituaries... for people who are still alive.
Rob Burley has held top jobs at many leading political TV shows, including The Sunday Edition, Newsnight, Newswatch and Question Time. Now Editor of the Andrew Marr Show, the UK's flagship political programme, he reveals the behind-the-scenes of putting together the show, what it's like to work with Dimbleby and Paxman; and explains why he isn't afraid of Robert Peston's new ITV show.
Journalist and author Sir Simon Jenkins has held many of media's top jobs - including Editor of the Evening Standard, Editor of The Times, and Political Editor of The Economist. Now a well-respected columnist at The Guardian, in this in-depth interview he reveals some of the trickier decisions he made in the Editor's chair, discusses his long tenure as Chair of The National Trust, and tells us some of his favourite stories from a long career at the top.
Sara Custer, Deputy Editor at The PIE News, and Simon Parkin, an author and contributor at The Guardian and The New Yorker, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: Is virtual reality the next frontier for journalism? Is it a smart idea for The Mirror to launch a new title targeted at women? And, is there still space for long-form journalism online?
A legend in the world of music PR, Alan has represented some of the world's biggest stars, including David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Amy Winehouse, and Michael Jackson. In this in depth interview, he challenges negative perceptions about the PR industry, describes the mechanics of an effective campaign, and lifts the lid on some of his most memorable moments - including why he was once pulled in to the Prime Minister's office with the singer Shakira.
Lauren Fedor, Chief Reporter at City AM, and Stephen Khan, Editor of The Conversation UK, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: Are journalists guilty of sensationalising academic research? Has the media contributed to the rise of Donald Trump? And do celebrity guest editors undermine the credibility of media brands?
Damian McBride was a key member of Gordon Brown's inner circle, and as his Special Adviser, oversaw his campaign to become Prime Minster in 2007. In this interview, Damian discusses the struggles between Tony and Gordon, why he thinks Labour lost in 2015, and gives Corbyn some candid advice on how to revive the Labour Party.
Tim Willcox, BBC News Presenter, and Mihir Bose, columnist at the Evening Standard, join Paul Blanchard for a New Year special. This episode: how will BBC Charter renewal discussions pan out this year? What sides will the media take in the EU Referendum? And what will be the big media stories in 2016?
Comedian and screenwriter Andy Hamilton has created and written some of TV and radio's most popular shows, including Outnumbered, Drop the Dead Donkey, and Old Harry's Game. A regular panellist on QI, Have I Got News For You and The News Quiz, in this in-depth interview, he discusses his approach to comedy, explains how he adapts his writing for TV and radio differently, and talks about crowdfunding his first novel, The Star Witness.
Investigative journalist David Rose famously exposed the UK Government's role in the torture of terror suspects. Former Home Affairs Editor at The Observer and now Special Investigations Writer at The Mail on Sunday, he talks about his role in overturning the murder convictions of the Tottenham Three, explains how he secured the first interviews with prisoners released from Guantanamo, and reveals the backlash he has experienced on social media in response to some of his articles.
Bob leads many of the BBC's flagship radio stations, including Radio 2, 6 Music, and the Asian Network. In this extended interview, he outlines his plans as the first Director of BBC Music, discusses Charter renewal, reveals the issues leading to the closure of Channel 4 Radio, and tackles claims the Beeb is too populist.
0:55 - Day-to-day duties of a Radio Controller
8:00 - Will 6 Music survive?
17.20 - Career to date
24.40 - The internet's impact on radio and TV
33.30 - Lessons learned from the closure of Channel 4 Radio
39.00 - Charter renewal and the future of the BBC
43.30 - "My best day at the BBC so far..."
Joseph Harker, Assistant Comment Editor at the Guardian, and Jack Riley, Commercial and Audience Development Director at the Huffington Post, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: Are the BBC are right to switch off BBC3? Should the Sun have published a survey claiming “one in five British Muslims has sympathy for ISIS”? And is it possible for traditional newspapers to compete online?
Investigative journalist John Sweeney is known for what he calls his "explosive" documentaries at BBC Panorama. In this intimate interview, he says what it was like to be harassed by the Church of Scientology; explains how he challenged the evidence of Professor Roy Meadow to help free cot death mum Sally Clark and six others, and recounts the challenges of going undercover in war zones like Chechnya, Zimbabwe and North Korea.
0.55 - Covering the Paris attacks
10:55 - ISIS brainwashing and reporting the Syrian war
13:00 - Maintaining sanity in a warzone
23:38 - What motivates him as a journalist
25:05 - The Church of Scientology and his famous on-screen 'meltdown'
28:37 - Redundancy and BBC charter renewal
31:42 - "The best thing I have ever done..."
James Porter, Head of UK Journalism Training at the BBC, and Rob Lewis, CEO of Electric Jukebox, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: can news media be impartial on sport scandals when they are financially involved with the top teams? Will the music industry ever turn a sustainable profit from streaming? And what skills will the next generation of reporters need to compete?
Richard rose to prominence by shining a light on the secretive and sometimes shadowy world at the top of international sporting organisations. Now Sports News Correspondent at BBC Radio 5 Live, in this in-depth interview, he talks about applying the techniques of political reporting to sports; reveals how he secured an exclusive and rare interview with Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA, and says what he was really like, and predicts where some of the next shocking stories in the sports world will come from.
Paul Johnson, Deputy Editor at The Guardian, and Jason Collie, Assistant Online Editor at the London Evening Standard, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: why did The Sun scrap its paywall just two years after it was introduced? Is the Government about to weaken the Freedom of Information Act, and should reporters be concerned? Now Seumas Milne has joined Team Corbyn as communications director, what advice should he give his new boss?
Author of "Trust Me, PR is Dead", Robert Phillips famously quit as President and CEO of Edelman, the largest PR company in the world. In this in-depth, one-to-one interview, Robert reveals the thinking that went into the decision which shocked the PR industry; explains why he believes social media and "radical transparency" have killed off PR and spin for good; and describes why trust is now one of the rarest commodities for companies - and how they can effectively build it.
Ed Needham, Editor of Coach, and Sirena Bergman, Head of Content and Community at The News Hub, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: are so-called 'freemium' magazines the future? Do contributor networks, like The Huffington Post, pose a threat to traditional journalism? And will adblockers kill off banner advertising on the web - and could this seriously harm revenues?
Political strategist Lynton Crosby is credited with winning the 2015 UK General Election for the Conservatives. He has built up an international reputation as an election winner, having helped Boris Johnson win the Mayoralty of London twice, and the Liberal Party of his native Australia win the national election four times. In this exclusive interview, Crosby reveals the goings-on behind the scenes during the recent election, explains why he feels Boris has the skills to lead, and gives a detailed assessment on why he thinks the Labour Party has now lost its way.
Rachel Oldroyd, Managing Editor at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, and Aidan Radnedge, Chief Reporter at Metro, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This week: Should newspapers have reprinted the PigGate allegations when they were based on only one source? Would privatising Channel 4 jeopardise the quality of its output? And will more news websites turn off comments because they are expensive and difficult to moderate?
Simon McCoy has been a News Presenter at the BBC for more than 12 years. A rolling news veteran, he previously spent 16 years at Sky News - as Royal Correspondent, then presenter of Sunrise, and memorably co-anchoring its coverage of the Iraq conflict live from the war zone. Simon takes us behind the scenes on how a live TV news show gets to air, and discusses how the industry has changed.
Florentin Collomp, UK Correspondent at Le Figaro, and Jess Best, Deputy News Editor at MirrorOnline, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: Does the media spend a disproportionate amount of time reporting on the Royal Family? Would the launch of BBC TV and radio services in Russia and North Korea be a good use of public money? And will campaign groups like Greenpeace play a bigger role in funding investigative journalism in the future?
Susie Boniface's anonymous blog "Fleet Street Fox" caused a stir with its warts-and-all glimpse into the inner life of a tabloid journalist. A successful columnist at The Daily Mirror, she discusses why she created her alter ego, explains the decision to 'out' herself in her successful book, and reveals a few shocking tales from the newsroom.
Paul Hamilos, World Features Editor at BuzzFeed, and David Singleton, Editor at Total Politics, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: Is the SNP trying to increase its influence over the BBC? Has reporting on immigration, and its use of words like "swarm" and "migrants", contributed to public acrimony against refugees? And have papers given too much space to criticism of Jeremy Corbyn - and has this actually grown his support?
Once named "the most influential man in British television," Sir Peter Bazalgette has created some of TV's greatest global hits, including Ready Steady Cook, Changing Rooms, and Ground Force. As Chairman of Endemol UK, he brought us the iconic Big Brother, and persuaded Noel Edmonds to front their new show Deal or No Deal. In this in-depth interview, he gives an end-to-end insider's view of the TV production process, reveals the behind-the-scenes rules to creating globally successful television, and discusses his new role as Chair of Arts Council England.
Chief Executive of the Advertising Standards Authority, Guy Parker is responsible for regulating advertising in the UK. In this in-depth one-to-one interview, he explains the challenges the ASA faces regulating the web and YouTube; describes the behind-the-scenes process that goes into deciding whether an advert is offensive or not; and explains the rationale of its more contentious rulings, including on the Atheist Bus Campaign and the 'Are You Beach Body Ready?' posters.
Now Director of Communications at Google, Peter Barron was previously Editor of Newsnight, and Deputy Editor of Channel 4 News. Responsible for the search engine's communications in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, he explains why he left a top job in journalism to take a PR role, gives an insight into how Google will work with news companies in the future, and reveals the inside workings of the public policy function at one of the largest and most secretive technology firms in the world.
Jeremy Vine's lunchtime show on BBC Radio 2 is Europe's most-listened-to news radio programme. Known for presenting Newsnight and Panorama, he also presents Eggheads, Points of View, and is the keeper of the election night swingometer. In this intimate, extended interview, he explains how his daily radio show works behind the scenes, discusses the politics within (and of) the BBC, looks back on his career, and has candid advice for ambitious would-be presenters.
Caroline Crampton, Web Editor at the New Statesman, and Barney Guiton, News Editor at Newsweek Europe, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: does the sale of the FT puts its editorial independence in jeopardy? Is journalists' perception of public opinion disproportionately influenced by social media? And what should be at the top of Laura Kuenssberg’s to-do list as she becomes the Beeb’s new Political Editor?
A journalist, writer and respected academic, Brian is perhaps best known for co-founding the campaign group Hacked Off. He reveals the behind-closed-doors discussions that took place during The Leveson Inquiry, explains why he thinks the new independent press regulator Ipso is toothless and critically biased, and outlines his plans to ensure that Leveson's recommendations are enacted in full. He also talks through his long career as a journalist, including his time as Deputy Editor of The Independent on Sunday.
Former Assistant Editor of The Times, Mary Ann Sieghart has worked across TV, radio and print, writing on politics and societal issues for many of the major newspapers and presenting Newshour on BBC World Service. Now working freelance, Mary Ann describes how she got started in journalism at the age of just 16, tells us about the time she approached Rupert Murdoch to buy The Times, and reveals how she managed the challenging transition from staff columnist to freelance journalist.
In this 62 minute interview you will hear Alastair Campbell describe what it takes to command a winning strategy, the highs and lows of his political career, and learn the inside story on being Blair's right hand man.
Key insights in this episode:
00.52 - Career beginnings
08.40 - Alastair’s first story and first headline in the Daily Mirror
14.05 - Winning political predictions: 6 rising stars from the ‘90s
15.49 - Moving over to politics full time and naming Tony Blair as the next Labour leader
19.40 - What was the one thing Gordon and Ed didn’t get that Tony did?
24.52 - Was it inevitable that Tony would become Prime Minister?
26.54 - What winning an election really feels like
31.16 - Working in Downing Street, the highs and lows
37.30 - The anxiety of big speeches
40.48 - Handling personal attacks and Twitter politics
48.49 - The kind of motivation it takes to make a winner
55.25 - Alastair’s working week
Ian Brimacombe, Editor of BBC World Update, and journalist Kunal Dutta who writes for Channel 4 and The Independent joins Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: when does press questioning turn into harassment? How can journalists report on terrorist attacks without spreading propaganda? And does the traditional media no longer resonate with young people?
Former Editor of The Independent, and City Editor at the Evening Standard for nearly a decade, Chris Blackhurst was promoted to Group Content Editor of the Lebedev's media group. Now a columnist, TV presenter and writer, in this candid interview he gives us some revealing insights into the start of his career as well as the rapid growth of Evgeny Lebedev's group, including the ambitious and successful launch of the i newspaper and the challenging early days of London Live.
Pete Picton, Editorial Director at Mirror Online, and Rebecca Clancy, Head of Business Breaking News at The Times, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: did Kay Burley push too hard in her interview with Alton Towers' CEO? Should journalists be held personally responsible for their story page views? And can Twitter move on from its current problems?
John Humphrys has presented the Today programme on Radio 4 for more than twenty five years. Taking us through his career from leaving school at 15, joining a local paper as a cub reporter, and then his meteoric rise through the BBC - opening news bureaux in the USA and South Africa, anchoring the Nine O'Clock News, and now presenting Mastermind. John talks us through a typical day on Today, the logistics of breaking news on air, and gives advice to would-be interviewees on how to survive a 'John Humphrys interview'.
Ed Butler, Senior Broadcast Journalist at the BBC World Service, and Jake Kanter, News Editor at Broadcast magazine, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: should the wider media now rally to the support of the Beeb? Is investigative journalism now financially unsustainable? And should journalists always be able to report a politician's comments – even if it's claimed they're false?
A journalist and media pioneer, Luke Lewis launched the UK edition of BuzzFeed and has grown the website to an astounding 18 million unique monthly readers. Luke reveals the behind-the-scenes secrets to launching a globally successful media brand, tells us how some newspapers now threaten to be put out of business by the web, and explains the winning formula to writing viral online content.
Toby Castle, Deputy News Editor at BBC News, and Andrew Dickens, Senior Reporter at C21 Media, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: what does the appointment of John Whittingdale to Culture Secretary mean for the BBC? Was the publication of Prince Charles' 'black spider' memos an invasion of privacy? And is it a good idea for publishers to allow their articles to be run in full in Facebook’s news feed?
A leading musician, writer and activist, Pat Kane is one half of Scottish pop duo Hue and Cry. He has also played a prominent role in the media, writing for NME, The Scotsman and The Guardian; presented a number of TV and radio shows, and helped found The Sunday Herald. Pat explains how he balances his music and consultancy work, outlines his role as Lead Curator of 'FutureFest' and discusses how the music industry is embracing new business models.
Shona Ghosh, Senior Reporter at Marketing magazine, and Hana Stewart-Smith, Media and Tech Reporter at Alliance News, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: will we be reading the news on our watches in the future? Did CNN cross the line from covering the Nepal earthquake to doing its own PR? And is it time for newspapers to boycott Google?
Lara O'Reilly, Global Advertising Editor at Business Insider, and Adam Sherwin, Media Correspondent at The Independent, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: should the DPP resign over Operation Elveden? Do advertisers have an increasing influence over editorial decisions? And should we be worried about newspaper owners' political pressure over the UK election?
Asa Bennett, Assistant Comment Editor at The Telegraph, and Kumutha Ramanathan, journalist and presenter at World Finance, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: should four Sun journalists cleared of charges related to paying a public official for stories have been taken to court in the first place? Should newspapers be banned from naming sexual offence suspect until they are charged? And, has The Sun lost its once much-lauded political clout?
John Myers is one of the biggest figures in radio. Starting as a presenter, he explains how he moved from 'microphone to management' and launched or rebranded many of the UK's most innovative radio stations, including Smooth, Rock Radio, Real Radio and Century Radio. Author of the highly influential 'Myers Report' into UK commercial radio, he takes us behind-the-scenes of launching a radio station and gives us his view on the future of the industry.
William Turvill, News Editor at the Press Gazette, and web psychologist Nathalie Nahai join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This edition: should the BBC consider selling BBC Three instead of moving it online? Have newspapers turned 'Jihadi John' into a celebrity? And should we be concerned about journalistic standards at MailOnline?
A Time Out veteran, Tim has written for and edited most sections, and was Editor of the UK magazine before becoming CEO of the worldwide group. He oversaw the revolutionary move to take the iconic listings magazine from London newsstands to freesheet, and launched 'Time Out Live,' the brand's award-winning UK events business. He takes us behind-the-scenes of Time Out and shares some of the lessons learned along the way.
Guy Parker, Chief Executive at the Advertising Standards Authority, and writer Neil Mullarkey, founding member of the Comedy Store Players, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This edition: will the BBC push local papers out of business as it expands regional coverage? Do advertising laws need to be updated for the digital age? And how much should news organisations show of graphic terrorism videos?
Andria Vidler has been at the helm of a number of iconic media companies, including Capital FM, Magic and EMI Music; and oversaw the launches of BBC 5 Live, BBC News Online and BBC Sport. Now CEO of Centaur Media, she reveals the behind-the-scenes challenges of launching and re-launching hallmark brands, and shares her tips for success.
Cristina Nicolotti Squires, Editor at Channel 5 News, and Robert Cookson, Digital Media Correspondent at the Financial Times, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: why did it take so long for The Economist to appoint its first female editor? Is Netflix too ambitious, and what will the wider impact be of their expansion plans? And why did The Sun appear to 'axe' Page 3, only for it to return two days later?
Long-time Media Correspondent at the FT, Raymond Snoddy has built up a reputation as one of the UK's most respected media reporters and commentators. Well-known as the launch presenter of BBC's NewsWatch, Ray reveals what it was like to work at the broadcaster in light of the Hutton Inquiry, explains how he got the scoop on many explosive stories, and tells us about the time he flew on Concorde to interview Rupert Murdoch.
Claire Fox, Director of the Institute of Ideas, and journalist Alex Matchett of Spear's Magazine join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This episode: what long-term impact will the Charlie Hebdo attack have on the media? Should PRs and journalists work more openly together? And is David Cameron right to pull out of the General Election debates if the Green Party can't take part?
An award-winning broadcaster, Professor Jim Al-Khalili has presented some of TV and radio's most successful documentaries, including 'The Life Scientific' and 'Atom'. A leading physicist, academic and author of a number of bestselling popular science books, Jim explains how he balances his academic and broadcasting work, reveals what goes into making a popular documentary, and risks some predictions about the future of science reporting in Britain.
Mark Watts, Editor-in-Chief at Exaro, and Alex Chandler, Editor of ITV News Election 2015, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This edition: what are we to make of Alan Rusbridger's tenure at The Guardian? Why did the so-called 'VIP paedophile ring' allegations go unreported for so long? And what was the biggest media story of 2014?
As General Secretary at the Labour Party, Peter Watt oversaw the party's transition from Tony Blair to Gordon Brown. Resigning at the height of the Donorgate affair in 2007, he published his no-holds-barred memoir and exposé 'Inside Out' soon after, which cast an unforgiving light on Brown's leadership style and caused a media furore. Now Director of Child Protection at the NSPCC, Peter explains how he 'managed' the press at the top of the Labour Party and talks about the NSPCC's campaigning role in the Jimmy Savile scandal.
Jasper Jackson, Editor at TheMediaBriefing.com, and Katie Glass, columnist and features writer at The Sunday Times, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This edition: should Channel 4 have aired 'The Paedophile Next Door'? How can UK local television stem the decline in viewing figures? And will Scotland's first pro-independence daily paper succeed in the long term?
David Cohen is Campaigns Editor and Chief Feature Writer at the London Evening Standard. He has led some of the paper's most memorable campaigns, and won the Paul Foot award in 2013 for 'Frontline London' which helped former gang members start social enterprises. David gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life at the 'Standard', shares the ingredients for writing the perfect campaign story, and reveals the challenges and rewards of working with the city's most disenfranchised people.
Julian Lloyd-Evans, Managing Director at Dennis Publishing, and consultant Jimmy Leach, formerly Head of Digital Comms at 10 Downing Street, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This edition: how can broadcasters report offensive views responsibly? Will the increase in digital ad spending keep newspapers in business? And is CNN's withdrawal from Russia the start of a worrying trend?
Media correspondent at the BBC for over 20 years, Torin Douglas has reported on some of the industry's most explosive stories, including the Hutton Report and Jimmy Savile affair. Now a visiting media professor and columnist, he explains how he got started in the industry, talks about becoming one of the UK's first dedicated media reporters, and gives us an insider's view on the BBC's most famous crises.
Kenny Campbell, former editor of Metro, and John Godfrey, Group Communications Director at Legal & General, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This edition: Do automated news 'aggregator' websites need a human editor? How should traditional broadcasters respond to competition from online streaming giants? And are corporate PR 'newspapers' a threat to independent press scrutiny?
Matthew Eltringham, Editor of the BBC College of Journalism, and Adam Dustagheer, Digital Communications Manager at the CBI, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories. This edition: Should the police be able to access journalists' phone logs without a warrant? Should Nigel Farage take part in the TV election debates? And is the news bad for our health?
Launch Editor of Smash Hits and Empire magazine, and launch executive of FHM, Heat and Zoo, Barry McIlheney started some of the world's most-read and beloved magazines. Now Chief Executive of the Professional Publishers Association, in this in-depth one-to-one interview, he shares his adventures behind-the-scenes; gives his tips for people starting out in the industry, and offers practical lessons learned in the Editor's chair.
Michael Hill, Managing Director of Radioplayer, and Evening Standard journalism apprentice Mollie Goodfellow join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories. This edition: was the Brooks Newmark sting in the public interest? Should media employers actively hire more state-educated journalists? And have the public been told enough about the FM switchover?
In this in-depth one-to-one interview, producer David Puttnam shares a few behind-the-scenes moments on set, offers practical advice to those starting out in the film industry, and reveals the difficulties of balancing family life with a hugely demanding career. One of the UK’s most respected film producers, over a thirty year career he produced many iconic movies including Chariots of Fire, Midnight Express and Bugsy Malone. Awarded a CBE, a knighthood, and appointed to the House of Lords in 1997, his films have won 25 BAFTAs, 10 Oscars, and the Palme d'Or.
Broadcaster Helen Zaltzman and BBC radio producer Tim Johns join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories. On this podcast: was there a press bias against Scottish independence, and did it affect the outcome? Will podcasts ever go mainstream? Are shows like LBC's 'Call Clegg' and 'Ask Boris' the new way of connecting people with Westminster, and which politician will be next to get their own show?
Clothilde Redfern, Director of One World Media, and consultant Tom Whitwell, former Head of Digital at The Times, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories. Press chiefs have confessed that they're "terrified" of sending their journalists to Iraq. How can we prepare correspondents to report from these dangerous areas? IPSO, the new press regulator, has already been subject to a lot of criticism with The Guardian announcing it would join some other papers in a boycott. Now the dust has settled on Leveson, are we any better off? An organisation has launched a crowdfunding campaign to buy The Times and The Sunday Times, to highlight the fact that 80 percent of UK national newspapers are owned by five families. Is there too much media power concentrated in the hands of the few?
Indra Adnan, founder of the Soft Power Network, and media technologist Tony Churnside, Technical Director at The New Radiophonic Workshop, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories. The Guardian has been criticised for publishing an advert that compared Hamas to “child killers”. The advert had been turned down by The Times - which paper was right? With the Scottish independence referendum just around the corner, have TV channels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland given the issue enough coverage? BBC3 has just broadcast its first interactive drama, giving viewers the power to make decisions for the main characters and change the direction of the programme. Is this the future of television?
Ian Dunt, Editor of Politics.co.uk, and Jo Twist, CEO of UKIE, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories. Jon Snow has been criticised for recording a candid and emotive piece to camera about the Gaza conflict - do TV reporters have a duty to appear impartial at all times? Sky has increased its investment in Jaunt, a start-up that lets broadcasters film in 360 degrees and play it back through 3D goggles - in ten years, will we all be watching TV through headsets? Associated Press has announced some of its simple finance stories will now be written entirely by computer programs - in the future, will all our news be written by 'robots', and what are the implications?
Ben joins Paul Blanchard for an extended one-to-one interview in this episode of Media Masters. Named one of the 100 most influential people in the public sector, Ben leads market research company Ipsos MORI and has conducted polling for large corporate clients as well as Presidents and Prime Ministers from around the world. In this episode, Ben explains how and why he started his career in polling; predicts who might win the 2015 General Election; and gives us his tips for success.
Bob joins Paul Blanchard for an extended one-to-one interview in this episode of Media Masters. Named 'the father of public relations', Bob launched offices for PR company Burson-Marsteller in Russia, Australia and the Middle East, helping it become the largest public relations agency in the world. Bob tells us what he learnt expanding the business; explains how the trade has changed over the last 30 years; and lets us in on some of his top PR tips.
Exclusive book offer: Listeners of Media Focus can buy a signed copy of Bob's latest book, The Art of Perception, for only £10 (usually £25) plus P&P by contacting Grainne.Harling@bm.com.
The Independent's Social Media editor, Felicity Morse, and Head of Digital Communications for the Liberal Democrats, Bess Mayhew, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories.
A new ruling lets people remove their personal information from Google results. Do people have a "right to be forgotten" - and what does it mean for reporting?
ITV's Director of Television has said that "TV has conquered" the Internet - but will it ever be replaced by YouTube and free user-generated content?
And Loaded and Stuff have both dropped cover models saying they were "lowering the tone" of their magazines...is this the beginning of the end for lads' mags?
Digital media strategist Jon Bernstein and Professor Suzanne Franks join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories. As Jeremy Paxman exits Newsnight, what's the show's future? With 'data journalism' on the rise - is it time for trainee journalists to stop learning shorthand and open their database textbooks? And as Eric Pickles slams "town hall Pravdas," are these local council freesheets killing the local press?
The BBC's Raymond Snoddy and journalist/live-Tweeter Peter Jukes join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media stories. The next Chair of the BBC Trust - is Lord Coe the right fit - and if not, who is? Crowdfunding the news - is it really a viable option for journalists? And the UK press don't print a pic of Kate Middleton’s bottom... but in an online age, do reporting restrictions still make sense?
Presenting Media Focus: Media Masters - extended interviews with those at the very top of the media game.
In the first edition, Paul Blanchard talks to Camilla Wright, co-founder of legendary gossip website/newsletter Popbitch.
Simon Bucks from Sky News and Jonathan Roberts from the UK Chamber Of Shipping join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest issues in the world of media – the news behind the news. Richard Desmond's sale of Channel 5 - what's next for the channel? As the editor of Metro moves into PR - is this an inevitable career move for journalists? And cameras in the courtroom - is it time to let TV in on the action?
The FT's Media Correspondent Henry Mance and Baroness Jenny Jones AM join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest in the world of media.
Buzzfeed's Patrick Smith and former BBC Chief Spokesman Donald Steel join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest in the world of media.
Broadcaster and journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and Al Jazeera's Ben Rayner join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest in the world of media.
Digital content specialist James Erskine, and communications guru Andrew Caesar-Gordon join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest in the world of media.
Communications expert Holly Sutton, and former deputy Political Editor for the Daily Mail, Paul Eastham join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest in the world of media.
The BBC's Jumoke Fashola, and media expert James Hutchinson join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest in the world of media.
Broadcaster Michael Wilson, and political blogger and podcaster Mark Thompson join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest in the world of media.
Writer and broadcaster Christina Patterson, former BBC Editor Kevin Marsh, and political consultant Jo Foster join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest in the world of media.
Former BBC Media Correspondent Torin Douglas and Tim Collins, producer of The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the coverage of the death of Nelson Mandela and the rest of the week's big media stories.