Media Training Update w/c 4th November

Good morning, it’s Monday 4th November. Big week ahead…

Monday: National Audit Office report on dangerous cladding

Budget debate begins in the Commons

Tuesday: US presidential election

Wednesday: First PMQs for new Conservative leader

Thursday: Interest rate decision

Friday: GRAMMY nominees announced 

Saturday: Two-day Tour de France Criterium in Singapore, expected to be Mark Cavendish’s final race 

Sunday: King Charles leads Cenotaph Remembrance Sunday service 

Part 4 of Year Of The Expert – The Studio is now packaged up as a 20 minute audio montage.

LISTEN HERE 

Next week we start the last lap of our 12 month journey with Part 5- ‘So What’s Stopping You?’

A number of you have been in touch and we’ll address your thoughts in the weeks to come. But for now, let’s take this one from Kristin:

“Chris, what’s stopping me is the fact I am constantly ditched at the last minute by the media. I clear my schedule, prepare loads, and all for nothing.”

One of the episodes in last year’s Scenarios series addressed this very point. I thought it was worth digging out…

“You’re not in the news business. You’re in the ad business. And you’re failing at the ad business.” 

Marina Hyde 

Reach is a vast media operation. They own nationals like The Mirror and The Express as well as a stable of regional titles. You may remember this quiz question from the Briefing a few weeks ago….

The answer – improbably – was 8, and Marina Hyde gives that both barrels in a blistering segment on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast. 

Churnalism. Local news that isn’t local. News that isn’t news. Journalists that aren’t journalists. AI-generated copy. And ultimately a failed business model. 

“There are important investigations in the Mirror or the Express. But it’s difficult to find them when there are also 40 stories about Martin Lewis.”

We’ve also written a number of times about the future of local journalism being on Substack, and this is something Hyde and Richard Osman also cover.

LISTEN HERE (or wherever you get your podcasts). It’s 18 minutes in.

“I couldn’t cry over my children like everyone else”

Nesrine Malik’s long read about Palestinian journalist Wael al-Dahdouh is extraordinary.

After his wife and two of his children were killed in Gaza the Al Jazeera journalist became famous around the world for his decision to keep reporting. 

“He was no longer seen as just a high-profile reporter, but a bearer of Gaza’s grief and a symbol of its people’s character.”

READ MORE

The Media Club podcast picks up on two stories we’ve covered in recent Briefings: the Washington Post sitting on the presidential fence, and the BBC World Service’s potential funding deal.

LISTEN HERE (or wherever you get your podcasts)

Footnotes:

On this day: Ronald Reagan won the US presidential elections by a landslide on this day in 1980.

Quiz: Not sitting this week (this is getting embarrassing…)

Weather: 11 degrees in Galashiels, 12 degrees in Grimsby, and 21 degrees in Grenoble.

Mutts:

(PS please give fireworks a miss this year.)

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