Media Training update w/c 7th April

Good morning. It’s Monday 7th April.

Stories scheduled for the next seven days:

Today: EU trade ministers meet following US tariffs announcement.

Tuesday:  King Charles and Queen Camilla begin state visit to Italy.

Court of Appeal hears Prince Harry’s challenge over police protection.

Wednesday: US reciprocal tariffs come into effect for the EU and countries including China, South Korea, Japan and India.

Thursday: ‘Coalition of the Willing’ defence ministers meet in Brussels.

The Masters begins.

Friday: Monthly UK GDP estimate.

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu expected to appear in court.

Saturday:  Presidential election in Gabon following 2023 military coup.

Sunday: EU introduces counter-measures to US tariffs.

“It’s 8 o’clock, you’re listening to Today on Radio 4…”

A morning soundtrack for many of you. 

My view – for what it’s worth – is too often at the moment the programme feels like a slog of a listen. It also doesn’t feel as agenda-setting as it used to. 

The papers are awash with rumours of discontent amongst the main presenters, most notably Emma Barnett and Nick Robinson – the sort of gossipy story the BBC will hate. But there’s an argument corporation comms should even lean into this a bit. Today doesn’t feel heavyweight any more. It needs egos and big beasts (Redhead/Timpson/Humphrys/Naughtie/Husain). Robinson is allegedly (and I quote the Mail On Sunday here) over-bearing? Well so he should be. 

I know it’s not as easy as the good old days when PMs phoned in, big-hitters came on air for 20 minutes and weren’t media trained within an inch of their lives (ahem). But it still feels like the programme has lost its way. 

Unless.

Maybe it isn’t Today that has changed. Maybe it’s me. All those news podcasts listened to on delayed trains…is the way I get (or expect) my news a model Today just can’t squeeze itself into anymore? 

As ever, your thoughts welcome. 

“Things Learnt (Then Forgotten)” – Week 13.

The problem with Algeria and the Seychelles…

“Newsletters with a few handpicked stories, podcasts delving into a single subject, and a reduction in story counts have already emerged as early winners from the news avoider war.”

Interesting article from the Guardian on the rise in news avoidance, a theme we’ve touched on a couple of times in previous weeks. 

What are newsrooms doing (or planning to do) to fight back?

READ MORE

News In Brief:

Tortoise Media has announced its first big hire for The Observer ahead of completing its takeover of the title later this month.

Times journalist Rachel Sylvester will be the paper’s political editor.

Speaking of the Observer’s impending new chapter, commentator Mic Wright writes:

“While Tortoise has made a big noise about investing more in its title, its future is surely going to be more focused more on long-form features, analysis and breaking stories that are less tied to the daily ebb and flow of reporting.”

We’ll read with interest.

What do politicians listen and read?

Source: INHouse

And delicious irony from The Sunday Times:

Footnotes:

On this day: US President Jimmy Carter decided to postpone production of the controversial neutron bomb on this day in 1978.

Monday weather: Edinburgh – 15 degrees and sunny. Hull – 14 and sunny

Mutts: Stan throwback. 2018…

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