Media Training update w/c 1st December

Edition 518

Good morning, it’s Monday 1st December.

Word Of The Year:

For the last few years we’ve had a tradition of jumping on the OED’s Word Of The Year bandwagon with one of our own. 

The word is effectively the concept we’ve been thinking about and developing as trainers perhaps more than any other over the last 12 months.

Surprisingly (maybe?), we’ve opted for the word enjoyment this year.

And here’s why:

“Pointlessly Formulaic”:

Insights into Budget Day from Jessica Elgot, deputy political editor at The Guardian: 

“I will often get 300+ emails offering quotes. 95% of these I won’t even open. Too many rapid reaction quotes are pointlessly formulaic. Mostly we get quotes that say ‘this is a budget of two halves, one half good, the other half bad, time will tell etc….’”

“My real advice is not to prioritise speed but to take time to read the thing and try to highlight stuff that is not obvious and that might make a good day two story – something others might not have clocked.”

The Week Ahead:

Monday: Keir Starmer delivers foreign policy address at Lady Mayor’s Banquet.


Tuesday: OBR at committee session on the Autumn Budget following early publication.

IOPC report on Hillsborough.

Thursday: England men begin second Ashes test against Australia.

Vladimir Putin begins two-day visit to India. 

Friday:  2026 World Cup draw and inaugural (ridiculous) FIFA Peace Prize winner announcement.

House of Lords continues debate on assisted dying bill. 


Saturday: Small Business Saturday.

“Call them the four horsemen of the infocalypse. Unchecked, they will surely destroy our trust in almost anything we read online.”


Excellent, if depressing article from John Thornhill in the FT on the perfect storm of imposter accounts, lax moderation, extremism and synthetic content.


READ HERE

New Year, New Job.

Fancy it?

You have until the 31st December to get your application in.

Good luck!

Footnotes: 


On this day: Rosa Parks was arrested by police in Montgomery, Alabama, after refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white person on this day in 1955.

Mutt Photo:

Be part of the MMB. Thoughts on this week’s content, or interviews you’ve seen, heard, or (best of all) done, please let us know.

Back next Monday for one more edition before we take a break. 

Have a brilliant week.

All at Inside Edge