Welcome to the Media Network bulletin, brought to you by MHP Group. Our unrivalled team of former journalists and media experts bring you the latest insights from behind the headlines.
In this edition you will find:
“We receive hundreds if not thousands of emails”: Secrets to pitching around the Budget
By Keith Gladdis, former Daily Mail Executive News Editor speaks to Ryan Sabey, Deputy Political Editor of The Sun
How do you prepare for a Budget?
Budget preparation really lasts from the moment the Chancellor calls the date. We try to speak to range of people, from those in Government, stakeholders and others, to see what direction the Government is moving in.
We will have our team split between continually updating online coverage, to having people in the Commons chamber itself and then at the briefings afterwards. We will then speak to experts and receive briefings from think tanks who have crunched the numbers.
What kind of content are you looking for from businesses and campaigners?
We do receive hundreds if not thousands of emails in the hours during and after the Budget. We need a comment of no more than two or three sentences to fit in to a story. If it turns out it’s a big theme of the Budget we can then call you for more. Just by sending in an email doesn’t mean it will go in. Building up relationships over the medium term probably helps as we get so many messages.
Any tips for getting content in The Sun?
Short, snappy and to the point. Coming in cold on Budget day isn’t ideal if it’s just the same quote as hundreds of other people. To get noticed it would have to be a new piece of analysis or new line, which is obviously a quick turnaround. How many people are affected by the announcement? How much money will it cost them/save them? What haven’t they told us?
Contributors to Sun TV need to have something to say on the big topics of the day. I would recommend watching it before pitching. You can link up with production team to talk through ideas.
Join MHP for immediate reaction to the Budget on 30th October alongside a stellar line-up of guests including:
Sign up here if you would like to attend.
Aussie news is more than “shark attacks, car crashes, and the weather”
Keith Gladdis, former Daily Mail Executive News Editor, speaks to Katie Strick, former Evening Standard feature writer now based in Sydney.
The MHP Media Network extends beyond the UK. For each bulletin, we speak to a journalist operating abroad.
Why have you moved to Australia? What’s the plan?
I moved to Sydney in September for both personal and professional reasons. My partner had already moved to Sydney with his work, and I’d always fancied a taste of the outdoorsy Australian lifestyle — so when the Standard announced a round of redundancies, the timing felt right. After seven years at the Standard, I was ready for a new adventure, so decided to move across and take the freelance plunge.
What kind of stories and content are you looking for?
My first few weeks in Australia have been spent writing and hosting a true crime podcast with the Standard, in partnership with the award-winning podcast production company Message Heard. Going forward, I’ll be working as a freelance writer covering news, features, podcasts, lifestyle, travel and comment. I also plan to launch a Sydney edition of my podcast, Sydney Love Stories, in the coming months.
Will you be creating content for Australian titles or UK titles?
The dream is to create content for both Australian and UK titles. My heart will always be in the UK, where I’ve spent the last decade working in newspapers, but at the same time it’s good practice (and fun!) to make contacts in a new city. I’m far from the first journalist to make this move, and I’ve been lucky to build a solid network of British writers and editors Down Under already.
How does the Australian media differ from the UK?
There’s a joke among Brits who move here that the Australian news revolves around three things: shark attacks, car crashes, and the weather (at least, I think it’s a joke…). There’s a far greater focus on morning TV here in Australia, the newspaper landscape looks pretty different, too. I may only be six weeks in, but it seems to me that there’s a lot more to Sydney than sunshine and scary creatures. Maybe I’ll teach the Aussies a thing or two about how we Brits do journalism, maybe they’ll teach me some Aussie tricks in return. Stay tuned…
The rise of podcasts and what it means for brands
By James Rollinson
The growth of podcasts continues to be exponential. Data released earlier this year by the BBC, Ofcom and RAJAR showed that listening hours in the UK have increased by 139% between 2018 and 2023, with two-fifths of people in the UK aged over 15 saying they have listened to a podcast.
On 21st November we’ll be joined by an outstanding line-up of panellists who look after some of the UK’s most popular podcasts, covering news, culture, politics and more.
Robert Abel, Head of Audio Strategy at The Guardian
Mike Wooller, Deputy Head of Podcasts at DMG Media
Ellie Clifford, Head of Content at Persephonica, the producers of The News Agents
They will join me to discuss what the rise of podcasts means for brands and how communications professionals can make the most of them.
Register for your place at the event here
Why “The Rest Is Politics”, a British podcast, is a hit, The Economist by Carla Vargas-Puccio
The Economist looks at the success of the show co-hosted by Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell and suggests the public appetite for political journalism is going through a profound shift.
The format is hardly revolutionary, an-hour long show where two middle aged men and some guests discuss current events.
But The Rest Is Politics (TRIP) resonates with an audience that’s looking for a less cynical, less combative approach to political discourse.
As the Economist says: “Bickering is a faux pas; so is excessive partisanship.”
It’s a sign there is still an appetite for insights and reasoned conversations, rather than shouty sensationalism.
Government to clamp down on AI “content kleptocracy”
By Ian Kirby, former News of the World Political Editor
Keir Starmer this week said publishers should be compensated if their content is hoovered up by AI companies.
The new Digital Markets and Consumers Act is the government’s first attempt to introduce regulations that recognise and seek to shape the role of artificial intelligence in the media. The Prime Minister has previously said the UK “needs to run towards “ AI to bolster economic growth.
His comments come as Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation has launched a massive legal compensation claim against AI search engine Perpexity, claiming the “content kleptocracy” are profiting from news stories created expensively by NewsCorp journalists without permission.
NewsCorp alleges their articles are used to produce AI summaries, using proprietorial knowledge and insight.
Writing to the News Media Association, Mr Starmer said: “We recognise the basic principle that publishers should have control over and seek payment for their work, including when thinking about the role of AI.”
By Zara Billings
Last week, MHP’s Director of Earned Media James Rollinson was joined by a stellar panel of guests to discuss the rise of podcasts and what it means for brands. The key takeaways are covered in this... Read more
Welcome to the Media Network bulletin, brought to you by MHP Group. Our unrivalled team of former journalists and media experts bring you the latest insights behind the headlines. ... Read more