Media Training Update w/c 8th September

Edition 506

Good morning, it’s Monday 8th September.

We’ve been busy in August. This is the result…

1) Farewell Melvyn

If I kept a tally of the programme academics tell me they’d love to appear on, In Our Time would be top by a country mile.

It’s partly I suspect so they can spend a morning in the company of Melvyn Bragg. After more than 1000 episodes and 27 years the great man has announced he’s had enough:

“For a programme with a wholly misleading title which started from scratch with a 6 month contract, it’s been quite a ride.”

Melvyn Bragg

He’s a superb broadcaster – and I know that for one reader of the Briefing he’s a regular bedfellow to help him sleep in the early hours.

If you’ve appeared on the programme over the last three decades please get in touch and we’ll share some reflections over the next couple of weeks.

In Our Time will continue with an as-yet unannounced new host. 

2) Farewell Angela

Words, first of all from Mic Wright in his newsletter Conquest Of The Useless:

“As the front pages began to roll in on Thursday night, even Labour’s media allies signalled trouble.”

And The Guardian’s Michael Savage on “an old-fashioned scalp for the rightwing press.”

READ MORE

Five newslines that caught my eye over August:

1: The war in Gaza became the most deadly conflict for journalists in history.

Read More

2: Bluesky’s status was confirmed as the social media platform of choice for the world’s scientists.

Read More

3: Sky News cancelled its Business Live programme, leaving the channel without a stand-alone business programme for the first time since 2007.

Read More

4: The Post uncovered extraordinary new details and previously unreported efforts to find Austin Tice – the reporter kidnapped 13 years ago in Syria.

Read More (p/w)

5: “A cornucopia”: 1,500 matches will be broadcast in the UK this football season, an unprecedented number.

Read More

The Week Ahead:

Monday: Paul Nowak addresses the Trades Union Congress.

Erin Patterson is sentenced after being found guilty over Australian deadly mushroom lunch

Tuesday: Apple launch event for iPhone 17

Wednesday: Ursula von der Leyen delivers State of the European Union address.

National Television Awards.

Thursday: ECB interest rate decision.

Court hearing for Jeffrey Donaldson over alleged sexual offences.

Friday: House of Lords debates assisted dying bill for the first time.

Monthly UK GDP estimate.

Saturday: ‘Tommy Robinson’ supporters and Stand Up To Racism stage competing protests in London.

World Athletics Championships begin in Tokyo.

Footnotes:

On this day: General Dwight D Eisenhower told the world of the secret capitulation five days ago by the Italian Government on this day in 1943.

Mutts: Stan on an August walk..

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 week. Have a brilliant week.

All at Inside Edge