Media Training update w/c 29th April

A BBC Question Time audience member originally from Congo cites conflict between Rwanda and DRC and asks the government minister if the UK would send refugees from DRC to… Rwanda. A confused Chris Philp replies: “Well, Rwanda is a different country from Congo, isn’t it?”

The image of the audience’s reaction should be hung in the National Gallery…

Good morning. It’s Monday 29th April 2024.

Monday: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expected to make public statement on his political future

Tuesday: The King’s return to public duties 

Tony nominations announced

Wednesday: BBC faces employment tribunal over age and sex discrimination

Thursday: Local and Mayoral elections 

Results from Apple and Shell

Friday: Paul Nowak addresses NAHT conference

Sentencing for Just Stop Oil protestor who scaled M25 gantry

Saturday: Ofsted chief inspector addresses NAHT conference

Star Wars Day (“May the 4th be with you…”)

Sunday: Panama general elections

5 golden rules on how to find the contact details of a journalist. And crucially – what time should you get in touch with them? 

“I’m no mathematician, but if 34% of print journalists want 5am – 9am, and 34% of journalists want 9am – 12pm…well send it at 9am.”

It’s the final chapter of Part 2 of Year Of The Expert.

LISTEN HERE

“Imagine a general election campaign where a political party can interview itself on TV every day. It’s coming soon courtesy of Ofcom.”

Professor Stuart Purvis – a former ITN News boss and Ofcom official, writes a brilliant blogpost capturing perfectly the mess the regulator has found itself in over how it decides to police (or not) output on GB News.

READ MORE

Roger Mosey, former BBC News boss agrees:

“I’ve supported fostering the diversity of views. But they (Ofcom) have got this one wrong. They’re creating a gulf between ‘News’ and ‘Current Affairs’ which doesn’t exist, and they rely too much on audience perceptions. There has to be an editorial grip on what is impartial and fair.”

Daisy Goodwin in The Times is sick of middle-aged mansplaining on podcasts, (and it’s hard not to disagree).



READ MORE (firewall)

Andrew Neil gave evidence to a Lords Select Committee last week and packed his evidence with more liftable quotes than you can shake a stick at.

On how government should help journalists:

“Stay the hell out of it. You’re not on our side, we’re not on your side. We’re different. Relations between journalists – all media – and government should always be bad. And never, on any account, allowed to get better.”

On how GB News might have differed had he not left two weeks after it launched:

“The production values would have been much higher. It would not have looked as if it were coming from the nuclear bunker of the president of North Korea.”

And finally…this from James Ball of Demos and The Media Society:

Footnotes:

Fierce rioting broke out in Los Angeles following the acquittal of four white police officers accused of beating black motorist Rodney King on this day in 1992.

Weather temperatures remain suspended at this time due to stubbornly low numbers.

And just time for the obligatory dog photo.

Be part of the MMB. Thoughts on this week’s content, or interviews you’ve seen, heard, or (best of all) done. We’re @insideedgemedia or just reply to this email. 

Have a brilliant week.

All at Inside Edge