“Why Year Of The Expert? I now have a new answer. It’s contained in the first 28 pages of Ian Dunt’s book, ‘How Westminster Works…and Why it Doesn’t.’ It recounts Chris Grayling’s 2013 decision to privatise probation in this country, and the devastating effects of a failure – a total refusal – to listen to experts who actually know what they are talking about. The impact of an idiot uninformed political decision makes you genuinely angry – mainly at Grayling, but also the system. Above all though, it is a sobering story of what happens when experts are ignored.” 

Bubble Bursting – part 2, chapter 5 of Year Of The Expert is now live, and you can also catch up on the whole series so far.

LISTEN HERE

Good morning. It’s Monday 22nd April 2024.

Monday: The Rwanda bill will once again return to the House of Commons for a fourth round of ping-pong

The case of the UK’s worst child serial killer in history, Lucy Letby, is heard at the Court of Appeal

Tuesday: MPs debate Football Governance Bill in the House of Commons

Wednesday:  Angela Rayner stands in for her boss at Deputy PMQS

US Supreme Court hears Idaho abortion law challenge

Thursday: Channel 4 hosts local elections debate

Friday: Paris 2024 Olympic flame handover ceremony

Saturday: White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner

Sunday: Israeli report on provisional measures due in South Africa’s ICJ case over Gaza genocide accusations

“To be chosen fills me with joy. It is a real privilege to present this extraordinary programme.”

BBC World Service presenter Nuala McGovern is the new presenter of Woman’s Hour.

Source: BBC Press Office

“The disinformation hurricane surrounding the Bondi stabbing marks the end of Twitter as a breaking news destination.”

Van Badham in The Guardian



READ MORE

“Listen here, this is a rehearsal, not a fxxxing tea party!“

One of the founders of ITN and a a legendary studio director Diana Edward-Jones has died. Colleagues have been universal in their praise of her creativity, unflappability and use of highly colourful language in the gallery…

READ MORE

Footnotes:

Last week I talked about sports journalist Henry Winter being made redundant by The Times. Jonathan Lieu in The Guardian writes an odd epitaph

Haiti’s ruler, Francois ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier, died after 14 years in power on this day in 1971.

Weather temperatures are suspended until summer arrives. (It’s too depressing to type “highs of 12 degrees” for the 453rd week in a row.

And just time for the obligatory dog photo. This is my niece’s dog Holly.

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

“This should take you no more than about 5 minutes to write. Which is good…because usually nothing will happen. But occasionally the journalist will bite.”

How do you email a journalist to pitch your research? Listen to our line-by-line guide.

It’s Part 2, Chapter 4 of Year Of The Expert, and you can also catch up on the whole series so far.

LISTEN HERE

Good morning. It’s Monday 15th April 2024.

Monday: Parliament returns from recess for the start of a crucial period for Rishi Sunak as the final battle to pass the Rwanda bill plays out

Trump set to become the first former (or sitting) US president to face a trial on criminal charges as jury selection gets underway in his hush-money case

Tuesday:  Liz Truss publishes her book, 10 Years to Save the West. (Form an orderly queue please…)

Deadline for US assurances in Julian Assange extradition case

Wednesday: Inflation data for March

US Senate committee hearing on Boeing safety culture

Thursday: Meeting of the UN Security Council

Friday: Parliamentary elections get underway in India

Taylor Swift releases new album

Saturday: Bitcoin fourth halving expected

Sunday: London Marathon

“It’s one dark day of many for British journalism, but I’m immensely proud of everything we achieved together.”

Ramzy Alwakeel

Non-profit newsroom Open Democracy is cutting about a fifth of its staff, including its head of news, news editor, and political correspondent.

It’s evidence of just how tough it is for the sector. (We really do need this news source at the moment.)

READ MORE

At the other end of the news spectrum, The Sun halved its losses last year with lower phone-hacking costs. The Times grew revenue but saw a drop in profits due to higher costs. New figures filed with Companies House also reveal TalkTV made losses of £53.7m in its first full year on air.

Source: Press Gazette

“One of the many mysteries of the combined BBC News Channel is why it has such a low story count given its worldwide resources. The half hour from 7pm only had two full stories, and nothing from the UK. It feels too thin too often.”

Roger Mosey, former Head of BBC Television News

Excellent story from Associated Press about what X/Twitter has become: a platform full of “right wing pseudonymous influencers who act as alternative information sources.”

READ MORE

Footnotes:

Brilliant sports writer Henry Winter has been made redundant by The Times. Terrible decision.

Word of the week is definitely pseudonymous.

The United States bombed Tripoli in retaliation for Libyan terrorist attacks on American targets in 1986.

Highs today of 9 degrees in Carlisle and 9 in Glasgow.

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

“Run B BONG UPSOT dip and cue…”

Peak geek to begin this week. BBC News Studio Director David Croxson posted on X a behind-the-scenes look into the opening headlines to a BBC1 10pm bulletin. It just shows how complicated the apparently straightforward actually is.

“And catwalk please Reeta…”

WATCH HERE (Twitter/X)

Good morning. It’s Monday 8th April 2024.

Monday: Total solar eclipse above the skies of parts of North America

Tuesday: Alan Bates gives evidence to the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry

Wednesday: The Cass review into NHS gender identity services is published

Parliamentary Elections in South Korea

Thursday: Inquest hearing into death of Brianna Ghey

The Masters begins at Augusta

Friday: UK GDP monthly estimate

Saturday: The Grand National

Sunday: Olivier Awards

“They’re good because they know us and our product, the sort of stories we do, and the demographic we’re aiming for.”

Another chat with a senior journalist this week (we spoil you). This time a former deputy editor of Radio 1 Newsbeat on the importance of a targeted approach to media engagement.

It’s Part 2, Chapter 3 of our weekly audio diary, and you can now catch up on the whole series so far.

LISTEN HERE

“It is worth asking whether their preoccupation with the waning newspaper powers is evidence of an anachronistic set of priorities.”

You may remember before Easter we were talking about The Sun flirting with an endorsement for Labour and Keir Starmer.

This piece from Archie Bland in The Guardian is an excellent follow-up. Why are Labour so fixated on a Murdoch endorsement?

READ MORE

“Capitalism doesn’t like something that doesn’t follow the market …”

The Rest Is Entertainment pod is consistently superb – thoughtful, funny and a brilliant pairing of Marina Hyde and Richard Osman. An impassioned discussion in the latest episode on the future of the BBC is well worth a listen. 

(Oh, and stay for the chat on Death In Paradise.) 

The episode is called: “Can Tim Davie Save The BBC” from last Tuesday.

Footnotes:

Mariella Frostrup has announced she’s stepping down as presenter at Times Radio to “focus on wider work commitments.”

Garry Richardson is to step down as sports presenter on Today after 50 years at the BBC and a mind-boggling 43 years on that programme.

And the Telegraph is launching a new daily podcast (because a new daily podcast is just what we all need) with Camilla Tominey and Kamal Ahmed.

___

Residents of the Californian town of Carmel overwhelmingly voted for actor Clint Eastwood as their mayor on this day in 1986.

“Highs” today of 14 degrees in Birmingham and 13 in Swansea.

Just time for the obligatory dog photo. Back when Stan was a little pup…

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

“If an approach lands in my inbox just at the time when that story is everywhere – and I’m looking for ways to cover it – then definitely yes I will take that expert on.”

Jane Andrews, BBC 5 Live

Proactive v Reactive:

In our latest audio diary we talk to BBC 5 Live journalist Jane Andrews about how she sources experts for reactive news stories.

LISTEN HERE

Good morning. It’s Monday 25th March 2024.

Monday: deadline for Donald Trump to post bond for the $460 million he owes following a civil fraud judgment against him in February

Tuesday: UN Security Council discusses Israeli settlement activity

PM appears before the Liaison Committee 

Wednesday: Amazon staff strike in Birmingham

Thursday: enforcement notice regarding Crooked House pub demolition

Friday: one-year anniversary of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s detention in Russia

Beyoncé releases new album

Saturday: the Boat Race 

Sunday: Tavistock gender clinic closes

An (unintended) politics special this week:

(1) “As democracy remains under siege, it has been frustrating to watch how the press covers politics these days…”

Veteran US news anchor Dan Rather takes to X to rail at everything from “both-sides-ism” to shirking tough questions.

READ MORE

(2) Ofcom has (finally) come down on GB News over its use of politicians as presenters/newsreaders. The regulator has warned the network: another breach and you will be sanctioned. Watch this space.

READ MORE

(3): An intriguing correction…

(4): And an interesting take from a former Sun editor as the election nears…

Footnotes:

The British Olympic Association voted by a large majority to defy government requests and send athletes to the Olympic Games in Moscow oaths day in 1980.

Highs today of 12 degrees in London and 7 in Edinburgh.

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