Media Training Update w/c 28th September

Edition 547

Today we launch a new online course: Newsroom Insider. It’s built around a simple idea…

The skills of a great newsroom make us all better at our jobs.

Across five modules people meet an editor, a correspondent, a producer and a newsreader, then try newsroom skills for themselves.

They translate into tangible, transferable skills that help us think more clearly, communicate with more impact, handle tough conversations and make better decisions under pressure at work.

We’ve worked so hard to bring the feel of our live coaching sessions into the course. Crucially, it’s designed for people across an organisation, rather than just comms teams or spokespeople.

It’s been a real labour of love, and I’m proud of the result.

I trust the Monday Media Briefing hive mind, so any feedback (and I know you don’t hold back) will be very gratefully received. 

And spread the word. If you have colleagues in HR or Learning and Development who might be interested please forward this to them.

OK. On to the usual business.,,

Good morning. It’s Monday 28th September.

Rory Stewart went viral last week for this nightmare-inducing display of excessive eye contact during a Newsnight panel…

Monday: John Healey delivers speech at Labour conference.

Pope Leo concludes France trip with speech in Metz.


Tuesday: Andy Burnham delivers leader’s speech at Labour conference.


Wednesday: GDP National Accounts figures released.


Thursday: New energy price cap takes effect.

VAT removed from electricity bills.

Friday: Zack Polanski addresses Green Party conference.


Saturday: UEFA Nations League: England v Croatia.

Sunday: Conservative Party conference begins.

Presidential and legislative elections in Brazil.

NFL London.

Number 4/20: 



“Our intention is not necessarily to catch you out by keeping it brief. We know short questions encourage shorter responses. If you are long-winded in what you say, you might well get more quick-fire posers back. Whatever our motive however, the fact remains that the short question gives you little time to think. So you need to create time. Take a pause. It’s incredible what difference an extra second or so makes – you are likely to muster a more cogent answer in that space.”

“The BBC is at risk of entering an inescapable doom spiral if it continues in this direction.“
Laura Davison, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists

Friends and former colleagues tell me the current mood in the BBC newsroom is both desperate and mutinous. More job cuts were announced last week with more detail of where the axe will fall expected soon. (BBC Sport and local radio in particular are braced for further bad news.) 

Laura Kuenssberg’s interview with BBC DG Matt Brittin is worth a listen.

“For the very first time in my experience the President of the United States will have no television network cameras with him when he leaves the office. This is unprecedented.”
The New York Times’ Peter Baker

Although the bar is already stratospherically high, the ongoing battle between the White House and (parts of) the media scaled new heights last week.

Here’s the latest, as of Sunday afternoon.

Still want to be Prime Minister? 

Andy Burnham’s pre-Conference regional TV interview schedule (c/o Politico)

The BBC’s former Africa Correspondent Mark Doyle died last week at the age of 67. 
He was so beloved in West Africa that Sierra Leone made him an honorary citizen.

Finally I’m aware last week I teased more content from Ofcom’s 2026 News Report. it’s coming I promise!

On This Day… The Warren Commission concluded there was no conspiracy surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy and gunman Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone on this day in 1964.



Our Week: London, Brighton and Glasgow for us this week.

The Mutts

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 on Monday. Have a brilliant week.



All at Inside Edge