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How do journalists find audiences in the platform era?

November 21, 2024/0 Comments/in Politics, PR, Marketing, Event, Communications, Media Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers, Media Database Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

How has the emergence of new media platforms impacted journalism, and its audiences?

To explore the state of journalism today and how it’s evolving for the future, we invited two panels of industry experts to share their expertise with an audience of PRs and fellow media professionals for the Pulsar x Vuelio event: ‘Seeking Audiences: Journalism in the Platform Era’ event.

Joining us to discuss the ‘new news’ landscape – including the challenges of capturing audience attention amid fragmenting forces like TikTok; the role of podcasts; and comebacks for local news – was Press Gazette UK Editor Charlotte Tobitt, ITV News Reporter and Producer Siham Ali, Polis Founding Editor and Director of The Journalism AI Project at the London School of Economics Professor Charlie Beckett.

Covering changes in audience perceptions, brands, and behaviours was CNN International Commercial Vice President, Audiences & Data Tini Sevak, The Economist’s Media Editor Tom Wainwright, and BBC News Journalist, Producer, and Presenter Kamilah McInnis.

Here are key points from the speakers, as well as extra answers we ran out of time for…

The new news: Reaching audiences with journalism today, from TikTok to podcasts, to local journalism

So many platforms, so little time for each: What are the biggest hurdles to reaching an audience for journalists?

‘Two main things – the fragmentation of the media landscape, and Google sending less traffic to them,’ was the verdict from Press Gazette’s Charlotte Tobitt, who covers the fortunes, and fluctuations, of the media as part of her daily beat.

‘It’s rarer for someone to search for ‘The Telegraph’ to find their news now, and publishers are finding it harder to engage directly. They need to future-proof against the many other platforms out there by building brand connections – trust is at a real low in the UK and the US’.

Charlie Beckett, whose organisation Polis campaigned hard for amendments to the Online Safety Bill, highlighted just how much the media industry has been transformed by competing platforms pumping out information, 24/7:

‘I remember when it was just papers and TV. We were the only place you could get news – life was great!

‘Social media is the biggest thing to happen to journalism in a hundred years. You have incredible access to different sources, and that can be overwhelming. But as an audience, we don’t want to go back.

The problem for publishers is having to start from a place of what people want. But journalism has always been good at that.’

Is the plethora of platforms warring for audience attention actually an opportunity for journalism? ITV News’ Siham Ali, talking as a reporter with ‘boots on the ground’ across the UK, sees the positives:

‘I think finding an audience is easy with TikTok and Instagram. Especially with local news – Facebook has made our jobs easier.

‘We have stories that perform well on TikTok. The trick is adapting our storytelling to this new way of sharing news. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. But then, I’m young, so…’

Another ‘newer’ format for storytelling is podcasting, a medium the publishing industry has invested in heavily over the last few years.

‘[The podcasting format] is infecting ‘traditional’ broadcasting and making it more casual,’ believes Charlie. ‘And they aren’t much different – they’re merging.

‘Podcasts are ambient. TikTok, you’re more focused on it. When we talk about audience attention, it’s skeletal – it doesn’t tell us everything we need to know.’

Rebuilding trust in the news industry when bad actors also have a platform

Vuelio’s head of insights Amy Chappell asked if the extra competition for audience engagement has meant more clickbait (and as a result, more misinformation).

‘You have to be really careful where you get your news from,’ said Siham. ‘I’d like to think the big media names are the good actors. There’s clickbait everywhere.’

Charlie pointed out that this isn’t a phenomenon born from the digital age:

‘Audiences have a lot of agency – they consume “fake news” because they want to. People are driven by identity and emotions, by fear – they choose to consume what panders and pays attention to fears they have.

‘Clickbait wasn’t suddenly invented. Marketing and advertising people have known this for decades.’

Trust was also highlighted as a difficult part of the local journalism ecosystem –

‘People are at the heart of everything we do. In journalism – people are the story,’ said Siham.

‘I was only able to work on certain stories because of people in communities. I saw their need to be heard.’

The importance of time covering a local new beat on a journalist’s skillset was underlined by Charlie – not just for the journalist, but also for building loyalty with audiences:

‘Editorial diversity is what’s needed – knowing what it’s like to grow up on a council estate, for example.

‘Most national press get their stories from local news. The media have to be honest that we’ve messed this area up by reducing news teams – fewer journalists are left now in regional journalism.’

Is social media and vertical video making news accessible, and can it bring media success?

‘The news industry was slow to TikTok, and then a few individual journalists picked it up,’ explained Charlotte.

‘The Daily Mail is now one of the biggest news publications on TikTok, and it’s a good thing for the longevity of the brand.

‘People were hesitant initially because the monetisation wasn’t there. But for brand building, it’s worth it. The TikTok algorithm is so good that the right stuff should find the right people.’

But Charlotte also recommended caution regarding social platforms like TikTok:

‘It would be risky to rely on them completely – the platforms can change up the algorithms anytime. Publishers shouldn’t get too excited about one platform.’

‘Audiences that are underserved [by traditional media] are on TikTok,’ added Siham.

‘They might then come through to ITV at 6.30pm. An 18-year-old then knows what’s happened in Westminster today. They’re now able to pass that information to their friends at the pub.

‘TikTok used to be an afterthought, but now it’s part of the planning stage at ITV. The social team make up a chunk of our output on the platform’.

The opportunities for PRs and a bright future for journalism

‘I used to work in PR, and we didn’t think to add vertical assets – there’s a lot of potential in that space, said Siham. ‘Show that your content is multiplatform.’

‘I’ve seen politicians doing interviews directly with social teams, and not the digital news teams. That trend is quite interesting.’

‘I’m excited by the new platforms, adapting as a news organisation is exciting.’

‘If I wasn’t optimistic about the future of journalism, I would be in the wrong job,’ said Charlotte. ‘People are aware of the challenges, but there’s lots of innovation and cool stuff going on.’

‘The news industry is more aware than it’s ever been. News is incredibly resilient – the dogs won’t die,’ said Charlie.

Journalism in the platform era: Audience perceptions, brands, and behaviours

How worried should the media and comms industries be about increasingly polarised communities?

The Economist’s Tom Wainwright highlighted just how split media audience are along political lines – particularly in the election-heavy 2024:

‘More extreme takes travel further online than more moderate ones. That makes the space seem very polarised. And what you see in polling is that trust is very split along partisan lines in readerships and viewer bases. After Brexit, the big fallout between ‘leave’ and ‘remain’ audiences, for example.

‘It’s part of a broader mistrust from more conservative audiences with what they see as ‘elite’ institutions. This split is a hard thing to fix. Organisations need to increase their diversity of staff partly because of this. There’s a divide that’s baked in.’

‘People still value credible and well researched journalism but news is dominated by organisations that focus on sensationalism and misinformation,’ added BBC News’ Kamilah McInnis.

‘Organisations should apologise when mistakes are made, listen to audiences and be consistent to rebuild trust. Respond to what audiences need. And remember that they also tune in for escapism and analysis.’

CNN’s Tini Sevak emphasised how vital established and non-partisan media organisations are for the public, whatever their political outlook:

‘When people are making big decisions, they’re still coming to news organisations.’

Bringing audiences back to engaging with news reporting, wherever it’s published, posted, or shared

The panel talked about the rise in news avoidance over the last few years, and how this is increasingly impacting audiences across demographics. It’s not just younger people who avoid hard news – not tuning in to ‘traditional’ news mediums like ITV News at 10, or picking up a daily print newspaper. Even those who had previously been avid news-followers are tuning out for a variety of reasons – the increase in global conflict; the ways awareness of this has seeped into all other mediums to become a constant in the background of modern lives; even the lack of censorship and inclusion of distressing images and updates.

Much has been made of this increase in news avoidance over the last few years – both at industry conferences for journalists, and in reports detailing challenges for publishers. Could a factor be a simple lack of visibility for ‘traditional’ news platforms?

As Tom pointed out: ‘As a child, I had to watch Newsbeat to get to Grange Hill. People are moving from a news-rich environment to a news desert. Maybe people are bored of news, but I think they’re just seeing less of it.’

Discussion also centred on the lack of news on the streaming channels now available – Tom mentioned Netflix as an example of a platform that doesn’t have an option for news updates. For many of the public, the only way they will encounter broadcasts devoted to news reporting specifically will be by seeking it out. How can new organisations build relationships so that audiences will search for them as sources?

For Tini, reputation and reliability are vital:

‘When you’ve got a brand that stands for something, you have a relationship with your audience. It’s about giving back – news has to be a reflection of life. Hard news, but also culture – reflecting what life is about’.

The impact of paywalls and subscription models

Tom pointed out the difference that a subscription model makes to an outlet’s overall focus, not just their audience:

‘Organisations that focus more on subscriptions are more likely to go niche. The New York Times has shifted to a subscription model and is aiming to be more in tune with their readers – for the good and bad.

‘If you’re funded by advertising, however, you’ll be more generalised and centrist. With subscriptions, readers want to engage with content they agree with. The way publications respond to that dilemma depends on their business model’.

‘The brand safety aspect is very real,’ added Tini.

‘Advertising within news doesn’t have to be a detriment to your brand. There’s an opportunity to engage with a tuned-in audience’.

For more on this topic, as well as the Pulsar and Vuelio research discussed during this event, check out our reports ‘TikTok journalism: The platform’s impact on news audiences’ and ‘Hold the homepage: How scoops circulation through the modern media landscape’.

Media trends: How to get UK press coverage in November

November 5, 2024/0 Comments/in Politics, PR, Communications, Media PR, Press and Bloggers, Media Database, Media Analysis Blog Posts /by Andrew Strutt

What will go off with a bang in the media in November? Many people will be celebrating Bonfire night with fireworks this evening, and journalists, broadcasters, and influencers have been using the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service to source information about this and other topics.

Find out below what the media wanted from PRs over the last month, and how to get coverage in November.

An avalanche of Christmas content

‘Christmas’ has been the number one keyword used by journalists in enquiries for a couple of months now, and October was no different – the festive season featured in around 17% of the total requests. Nearly 10% of the enquiries included the words ‘gift guide’ with ‘advent calendar’ on 3%.

While the vast majority of requests were for products, journalists looked for different angles as well, including how to avoid social burnout in the lead up to Christmas, and for comment from a historian on British Christmas heritage.

Going forward? Have products ready to review for gift guides and information about the perfect Christmas dinner and events to get out to (amongst other topics). Journalists at The Sun Online, PA Media, Daily Mirror, and The Guardian all sent requests last month so you could get national press coverage.

Political interest and money matters

Rachel Reeves’ first budget announcement as Chancellor of the new Labour government was always going to be a big talking point, and so it proved with ‘budget’ featuring in 4% of all enquiries throughout October and ‘Government’ in 3% of those containing that word.

GB News, The Independent, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, and ITV News all sent requests around the budget. They asked for opinion on how the Autumn statement would affect different areas, such as pensions, tax rises, the bus fare cap, and specific industries including tech.

Going forward? Politics is always a popular news topic with the media and journalists are regularly using the Journalist Enquiry Service to get insight and information. They will also want expert reaction to and comment on the US Presidential election, plus the recent Conservative leadership race. Personal finance experts will also continue to be in demand for advice on the on-going cost-of-living crisis.

Winter is coming and so are more features on AI

Journalists regularly use the enquiry service for seasonal content but despite still being in Autumn, Winter is now their main focus. 4% of the total requests in October featured ‘winter’ in them, double the amount that had ‘Autumn’.

Another topic that regularly gets a good amount of requests each month is ‘AI’. Nearly 4% of the enquiries last month were from journalists covering artificial intelligence’s impact on businesses and people’s daily lives.

Going forward? AI has been a big topic of conversation for a while now but journalists continue to use the enquiry service to get expert comment. If you have someone that can provide a quote or advice then you could be featured in the Metro, IT Pro, Evening Standard, or BBC News Online.

Winter requests have ranged from choosing the best duvet and skincare products, to knowing the signs of norovirus. If you have winter-specific information or products, you’re very likely to find relevant media opportunities.

Other opportunities for PRs in November and beyond

Black Friday arrives at the end of the month, so journalists will be looking for information on the best deals, as well as products to try out and review themselves.

Health and medical specialists will be in demand ahead of World Diabetes Day (14 November) and environmental experts may be required for comment for National Tree Week (23 November – 1 December). The whole of November is also World Vegan Month, so have information ready on the benefits this can bring and you could get media coverage as a result.

To connect with the media on these topics, and much more, check out the Journalist Enquiry Service and the Vuelio Media Database.

Find out more about how Vuelio can help you gain and track your coverage in the media here.

How podcasts shared the story of water pollution

Listen up: News podcasts share the story of water pollution in the UK

October 31, 2024/0 Comments/in PR, Communications, Media, Podcast Media Database, Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Bad news has the ability to spread quickly in our hyper-connected modern world of multiple platforms. For PRs, this means more channels to monitor than ever before for signs of crisis… but it also provides extra ways to boost important stories, connecting audiences to vital information.

One crisis with far-reaching implications for the UK audience over the last few years has been polluted waterways. This issue was put to politicians in the run-up to our General Election this summer, discussed with frustration across social platforms, and covered by the media in print, online, and in podcasts.

To highlight the impact of the podcasting format as an increasingly useful way to connect with audiences, we tracked the story of water pollution in the UK, and internationally, across podcasts from 1 November 2021 to 29 September 2024.

So many podcasts… and for good reason

2022’s Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers’ report on podcasting projected that the industry would generate $2 billion in revenue in 2023, and $4 billion by 2024. The prediction of podcasting’s emergence as a format for storytelling has proved right – not just among friendship groups sharing anecdotes on their sofas (of which there are many), but for publishers, too.

The Daily Telegraph’s political editor Ben Riley-Smith highlighted podcasts as ‘a huge booming area for news consumption’ when speaking on the changing political landscape in the UK in 2023, and other publishers and big media brands have capitalised on this in 2024:

‘It makes sense for publishers to be moving towards the podcast space,’ believes Reach Studio’s head of content Yara Silva, whose team launched The Division Bell podcast to coincide with the UK General Election, and the Euro Thrash vodcast for Euro 2024.

‘People are just busier and busier – it’s so easy to consume a podcast while you’re doing other things. Podcasts are only going to get bigger and more important to publishers’.

The importance of news podcasts to audiences is also clear when tracking mentions of the format on X since 2021:

Mentions of news podcasts reached a zenith on X in June 2023 as the industry ‘boomed’, and it continues to be a source of discussion on social media. It’s now a firmly established format to turn to for news, with listeners/viewers no longer posting about a ‘podcast’, but specific shows, namechecking where they heard about certain topics.

Examining mentions of the two biggest podcasts in the UK – The Rest is Politics, which launched in March 2022, and The News Agents, launched in August 2022 – proves podcasting’s utility as a news source. Peaks occur around key events in the news cycle – the obvious example being the UK General Election causing a spike in mentions for both podcasts this summer.

Podcasts aren’t just for entertainment – they are also turned to by the public as a way to stay informed on events happening around the world, as well as closer to home.

How podcasts reached audiences with reports of water pollution

Water pollution is an issue faced across the world to varying degrees – tracking related news shows a firm focus on the topic in UK and US regions especially. Following mentions also shows how these stories reached further audiences with publisher-affiliated podcasts.

UK media outlets including BBC News and The Guardian have an outsized impact on the global conversation. Their influence on ‘greener’ socially progressive conversations is to be expected within their UK base, but this international dominance is surprising… Until the impact of their podcast brand extensions is considered. Both outlets reported on water pollution, and then took up the story in their podcasts to share extra information and delve deeper into the specifics. By contrast, US and Australian outlets like The Washington Post or ABC Australia produced a significant amount of written content, but did not fully utilise their podcast channels.

The ‘boom’ of podcasting as a format for news reporting isn’t just the result of a faddish focus within the publishing industry – audiences are listening (and watching, when there is accompanying video). PR and comms teams tasked with raising awareness by securing coverage in the press should expand their focus to aural formats alongside the traditional written word – important stories can reach audiences across every platform out there to engage with.

For connecting with podcasts relevant to your brand or niche, try Vuelio’s Podcast Monitoring – providing access to 65k podcasts as well as insight into audience sentiment and emerging trends within the world of audio content.

Not sure which platform is right for your next campaign? Check out the benefits of each social media platform – and how Vuelio can help you make the most of them – in this blog post.

Lifelines for local journalism: How the media is reconnecting with communities

October 17, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Communications, Media Media Database, Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

Aiming to engage local audiences with media outreach for an upcoming PR campaign? First for the bad news, and then for the good…

Fortunes have undoubtedly been rather bleak for local journalism in the UK for a while now. Newspapers relied upon by their local communities for generations have closed in favour of shiny new centralised news hubs. Long established publishers have been bought out and absorbed into larger organisations. Where did the readers go? Many to social media, joining private Facebook groups or following hashtags on X to find out what’s happening in their area – risking misinformation, and further increasing the pressure on existing local journalists.

But now for the good news: local journalism is fighting back. It’s the perfect time for comms teams tasked with connecting with communities across the country to take another look.

To examine the ways local journalism is making a comeback across the UK, we analysed mentions of the phrase across online news and social media from 2019 to 2024. The story told by the data – a more positive outlook for the UK in comparison to other regions across the world.

What renewed public interest in local journalism?

Examining spikes in discussion of ‘local journalism’ across the UK in comparison to the US highlights commonalities in times of increased interest over the last four years.

To be expected – April 2020’s discussion of local journalism spiking as the effects of the pandemic on the job market also hit newsrooms. In the US, posts focused on job losses at papers including the Tampa Bay:

Support from local journalism came from senators in Virginia and even Ben & Jerry’s in Vermont. Since then, interest has tended to taper off. That is not the case within the UK.

Back in 2020, #buyapaper trended as local outlets faced closures, with reminders to support local journalism coming from within the media itself, and the public:

January 2022 saw a huge spike in discussion around local journalism in the UK, driven in part by recognition for the stories it remained capable of breaking, even after successive years of declining budgets and readerships.

Political controversies and coverage in the wake of, and run up to, our respective election seasons in the UK and US are causing discussion of local journalism to rise in both regions again. While trust in ‘mainstream’ media channels has fallen, confidence in localised reporting appears, by comparison, to have strengthened.

A ‘continued rise in community journalism’ was how Sefton Council’s senior communications officer Ollie Cowen described this trend when talking about his team’s task to raise awareness of changes in UK voting laws across the UK in 2023. They reached out to local reporters to do this, also making the most of ‘geographically centred pages on social media that had either been created or grown exponentially as a result of the increase in “good neighbour” behaviour during lockdown.’ As the pandemic kept people apart physically, it would eventually bring local communities back together – this has been a boon for local journalism, too.

Publishers and journalists have had to find news ways to connect with audiences and rebuild followings in the wake of how the world changed – advocating for communities across the UK with targeted, audience-first reporting.

For an example, let’s head to Manchester…

‘What local journalism should be about’: The Manchester Mill finds its community online

The Manchester Mill was launched in June of 2020 by Joshi Herrmann, a journalist with experience at national outlets including The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph, the Evening Standard, and The Spectator. Unlike these publications, the Manchester Mill is not available on newsstands to pick up in person, but is instead accessible online on Substack, a newsletter platform.

‘The Mill is my attempt to build a media company around readers rather than advertisers,’ reads Herrmann’s mission statement. ‘We won’t copy and paste press releases. Instead, we will dig deeper into local stories that matter – whether they are about crime, culture, business, or new ideas.’

The Manchester-focused Mill publishes one in-depth article via email and online daily to paying members (also known as ‘Millers’), and provides a free option in the form of a weekly digest email. This is paying off in both engagement and revenue. Meanwhile, its journalists have become part of the local ecosystem, helping to spur engagement with other localised reporters and continually grow the audience for the publication.

In terms of the most influential local voices, Herrman himself drives much of the conversation, generating the most engagement overall with almost as many posts as the main Mill account.

Manchester Mill employees actively share news articles and express positivity about their contributions to local journalism and the work the Mill is doing – something its community of ‘Millers’ are also grateful for. Subscribers number 50k so far, with reader reaction to its success highlighting commitment to community ‘collaboration’ and its focus on breaking important stories, including its Sacha Lords scoop.

Summing up this commitment to localised reporting, senior editor Sophie Atkinson said ‘Nowhere else do you get this level of engagement, comments, emails, tips. It’s exciting and rewarding’. And, from looking at the numbers, it’s working.

Nichification: Success in Suffolk?

Centralised news hubs dolling out automated updates to readers living across the country removed journalism from its audience in other ways than the physical. How can local news publications reconnect with locals? By tapping into existing loyalties through coverage of local heroes – their sports teams.

By analysing how often audiences (and other media outlets) link to these publications, we can get a sense of what’s driving growth or re-engagement among audiences.

Clearly, sport is playing an outsized role here – and the story becomes clearer still when we break things down on a topic-by-topic basis.

Outside of the football pitch, engagement goes to reporting on the local environment, including stories on crime (with spikes for fox hunting and a local criminal case) and amenities (road closures, criticism of Anglian Water, and the construction of a local solar power plant).

It could be argued that the extra interest – and potential revenue – driven by engagement with a local team (one experiencing its greatest success in decades) is in some senses underwriting more traditional local journalism topics. Recent promotional campaigns from The East Anglian Daily Times suggests they certainly view it this way, touting a subscription model that appears closest to that of The Athletic (which sells subscriptions based on unparalleled attention on local teams).

However, this comes with two potential problem points. Firstly, the financial implications of this engagement (whether it is truly able to support dedicated local journalism over a prolonged period) is yet to be tested, Likewise, a local team enjoying back-to-back promotions to the Premier League is hardly a model for all local journos.

Similarly, some would point to the Mill’s success and suggest it could only work within parcels of the wider country – namely those boasting large, youthful populations.

Whether or not these approaches could work for the local journalist scene at large, it proves that publishers and journalists are continuously finding ways to breathe new life into a sector long neglected. A local football team cannot be counted on to drive a mass of feelgood engagement – but it does provide a model for nichification, around sporting or cultural institutions. Likewise, the Mill shows the opportunity latent in an increasingly tech-savvy population, used to getting its news via non-traditional means.

The story told by the data – people care about what’s happening in their local community. News teams that make the effort to find their communities where they share and consume news – and pay attention to what they genuinely want to read and react to – are providing a lifeline to local journalism as a whole, as well as a place for longer-term loyalty and connection.

To connect with local communities through media outreach, find out about the Vuelio Media Database and the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service.

Want to know more about the state of journalism in 2024? Check out our analysis of audience attitudes across the globe.

The state of journalism in 2024: What do audiences think?

October 10, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Communications, Media Media Database, Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

PRs will always need journalists, and journalists – in turn – will always need an audience. But how do audiences across the world see journalism in 2024?

While the media has always had to evolve to meet the changing needs and expectations of its audiences, this requirement has only accelerated in recent years. The changing role of journalists in our fast-moving modern climate presents challenges – for society as a whole, media organisations, and for the PR and comms industry professionals who navigate the media landscape.

How has citizen and independent journalism on platforms including TikTok, and in increasingly popular formats like podcasting, impacted the way news is shared? How are international news brands and local reporters each effected by these alternatives to ‘traditional’ news sources? And how do stories spread across media, platforms, and audiences in this climate?

Journalism is…

These are all questions we’ll be exploring over the coming months, as we conduct our research into journalism and news audiences. But first, to investigate the current perception of journalism across the world, we’ve analysed over 1.2 million media and social data points internationally, tracking mentions of ‘Journalism is…’ from May to September 2024.

Let’s begin with a look at the differing attitudes towards journalism across the world, and specifically, the UK…

How is journalism perceived in the UK in comparison to other regions?

The short answer – not in a particularly positive light. When tracking words commonly used following the phrase ‘Journalism is…’ online, ‘dead’ tracked the highest in the UK, followed by ‘biased’, and ‘corrupt’.

The source of this negativity isn’t hard to find, with press coverage of this summer’s UK General Election sparking criticism from the public across social media en masse. As debates, interviews, and analysis filled television schedules and column inches, the people watching and reading at home went online to share their frustrations, with high-profile journalists bearing the brunt.

The US audience shared a similarly dim view of journalism across social and online media – also unsurprising, perhaps, considering the political unrest stirring in the light of their own leadership race.

While the US and UK are aligned on attitudes towards the media, the ways in which they are expressed in public spheres and the media is where they differ (and not just in the UK audience’s willingness to share opinions with a sprinkling of swear words in their X posts).

So which audience of those we tracked considers journalism most important? Those in Australia and New Zealand. ‘Journalism is important’ was a more popular opinion shared online than ‘journalism is dead’ in these regions. A higher number also believed journalism to be ‘crucial’ than in the US and UK.

Is journalism ‘dead’?

Aside from UK fans disagreeing with reporting regarding their favourite sports team, celebrity, or other niche personal interest, the sharing of the view that journalism is ‘dead’ among UK news audiences has been rampant.

2023’s Edelman Trust Barometer found that the UK is one of the countries with the lowest faith in the media. Of the 27 countries surveyed, respondents were only less trusting of the news industry in Japan and South Korea.

While trust was up by 2% from Edelman’s previous survey in 2022, regaining confidence from the public is going to be hard going for the UK news industry. A consideration being taken seriously, as shown by the debates happening at media industry events across the country, including last year’s Society of Editors’ Media Freedom Conference.

The past year has also seen criticism of media reporting on the ongoing Gaza conflict, with disconnects between images and video shared on social media, public protests happening across the world, and the choices made in media coverage sparking further distrust.

Is journalism still ‘crucial’, ‘essential’, and ‘important’?

While use of positive descriptors by those sharing their view of journalism in the UK was much lower than use of the more negative ones, news reporting – in all of its different formats – continues to be cited as ‘important’…by invested communities. Journalists themselves, and those in adjacent industries, see and share reasons for optimism, but how can this be transmitted to audiences who have become distrustful, and disconnected?

Among the challenges facing the news industry – misinformation, lowering revenues, and distrust – audiences still seek information, and reporters, broadcasters, and content creators of all kinds are adapting to provide this.

Media brands making the effort to stay attuned to changing audience needs are building back loyalty and trust. For some recent examples: The Independent has doubled its profit and revenue over the last five years; the Financial Times is adopting data-driven personalisation as part of an audience-first strategy; and Reach plc’s launch of its Reach Studio hub is bringing each of its brands to new viewers in new formats.

The current state of journalism in the UK is in flux, and the prognosis can perhaps seems bleak. But there are causes for optimism to be found in emerging audience behaviours, platforms, and brands, which we’ll be exploring as part of our continued State of Journalism series.

Interested in how the media is evolving? Sign up for the 23 October Vuelio and Pulsar webinar ‘The New News Audiences’.

‘The more real an interaction I can have with a PR, the better’ – Media interview with Patrick Clarke, deputy editor of The Quietus

October 8, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Communications, Media Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Andrew Strutt

Want to get the ear of music journalists? Here is insight on the ins and outs of the music media from Patrick Clarke, deputy editor of The Quietus. Having worked in music journalism for nearly ten years – freelancing for titles such as NME and Rolling Stone – here Patrick shares his day-to-day routine, AI’s effect on the media industry, and the best way for PRs to get coverage.

What does a typical working day/week look like for you at The Quietus?

Everyone at the Quietus freelances as well, meaning it can be quite an ad hoc, chaotic operation. Generally, my role is split between editing, commissioning, and writing. I edit between a third to a half of the site. I commission our regular columns, such as the baker’s dozen segment, which is one of our biggest ones, and then work with my editor on commissioning the more straightforward features. Every week or two, we have a staff meeting where we go through all the music that we like and dislike over the next month and decide what we think is worthy of coverage, what suits the ethos of the site, and what doesn’t.

The other half is writing. I write a few features a month, which vary wildly from in depth features to little news partnerships. I’ll obviously be out at gigs as well, usually two or three nights a week. It’s very full on dealing with all the pitches from writers and all the pitches from PRs. Trying to keep on top of it as much as we possibly can, which usually proves impossible, but we do our best. There’s no typical day, really, or typical week, but those are all features of it.

Is The Quietus team using any AI tools to help with content creation, and what are your thoughts on AI?

I’m pretty against the idea of letting AI write an article for you. I don’t think AI can listen to music and evaluate music. I think it can gather facts about music, but I don’t think that it can replace the very subjective and very personal experience of listening to music and transferring that personal, emotive experience to the page.

I wouldn’t say that AI has no place whatsoever. I use AI to help me transcribe and save me time. We recently launched a new website with The Quietus, and there was AI involved in the basic tech side of transferring one site to a new one. So I think it can be useful as a tool, but creatively I have a lot of doubt about whether or not it should be used to write anything for you. The best music journalism is work that really comes from a very personal place, from the writer.

What contributions do you find most useful from PRs and what are your pet peeves?

It’s good when PRs understand what our website is and what the music that we cover is. We don’t cover stuff just because it’s big or because it’s got a lot of streams. We cover stuff because we think it’s interesting. When we get PR emails that are very clearly a blanket mail out – an impersonal blanket mail out that doesn’t reflect anything at all that we do on the site, or maybe there’s been a cursory look at what our sections are called, without considering whether or not it will actually work, that can be quite frustrating. It’s probably a waste of the PR’s time as well.

When you get PRs who know what we’re about and know what we do, that’s always very enjoyable and satisfying. We don’t see ourselves as oppositional to PRs in any way or like we’re trying to frustrate them. We want to work together on things that work for us and work for them. I think we give a level of coverage that most music websites don’t, as long it’s the kind of stuff that actually fits with what we do.

Also, I get PRs that get my name wrong, or the name of the website, or I’ll get pitched stuff for a website that I haven’t written for for a decade. Therefore, I think the more personal, the better. The more real an interaction I can have with a PR, the better.

What is the relationship like for you when you are contacting PRs representing bands and musicians, and how can that be improved?

Some of the relationships are good, some of them are bad. I think the same way that some people understand what it is that we do, that’s always good. I’m never too fussed about a rejection or a no, it’s just as long as it’s polite and that it actually happens.

I find clarity is what I really crave a lot of the time. Sometimes you’ll get strung along, or you’ll be told an artist wants to do this, and then when it comes to actually asking them, they never wanted to do it. The key here is truthfulness and clarity. When that happens, it is always very rewarding, and I try to give that on the other side.

When is the best time for PRs to contact you and in what form?

I think just an email in office hours, as basic as it is, and then follow ups. I don’t mind if someone needs to follow up five or six times to get me to read something. I get hundreds of emails a day and I work other jobs at the same time, so it can be difficult to read everything. I can sympathise with all the PRS who I’ve never replied to!

I do find it quite frustrating though when PRs encroach on my personal life, or will message me on personal social media platforms, or have got my number from someone and will call me up without me having given them my number. I like to separate my work life from my real life as much as possible. Therefore, as annoying as it is, just an email to my official work email is the best way to get in touch with me.

Patrick’s first book ‘Bedsit Land: The Strange World of Soft Cell’ has been published by Manchester University Press.

Connect with Patrick, and other UK and international journalists, via the Vuelio Media Database.

How PRs can get media coverage in October 2024

Media trends: How to get press coverage in October

October 4, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Communications, Media Media Database, Media Monitoring, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Andrew Strutt

Wondering what the media are covering as we ‘fall’ into October? The change of season and weather is often a popular angle for journalists and requests sent to PRs via the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service this month backs that up.

Read on to find out what else journalists were asking for in September, and what you can do to catch their attention, and gain press coverage, in October.

Halloween on the horizon

Journalists have been getting their Halloween content sorted early – just over 2% of the total enquiries in September were around ‘Halloween’.

PA Media, The i paper, Bella, and Stylist.co.uk have all sent requests to PRs via the Journalist Enquiry Service, looking for a variety of things, from Halloween snacks to home decor, costumes, and spooktacular themed days out for families.

Going forward? With Halloween at the end of the month, journalists will likely be making short deadline requests to get information and products. Be prepared to have product samples to send over with easy-to-read information, and you could get featured in a national press title or consumer magazine.

Gift guides and advent calendars in high demand

Requests for Christmas content have been coming in since July, and September saw a significant increase with ‘Christmas’ appearing in just under 14% of all enquiries. This is over double the amount we saw in August and a 3% rise on this time last year.

A lot of the festive requests are for ‘gift guides’, with that phrase cropping up in nearly 9% of enquiries last month. ‘Advent calendars’ are also popular, with 3.5% of journalists looking to review them. It also meant big increases for the consumer-focused categories on the Enquiry Service with Children & Teenagers seeing a 44% increase between August and September, 39% for Men’s Interest, 31% for Food & Drink, and 21% for Women’s Interest & Beauty.

Going forward? October is usually the most popular month for ‘Christmas’ content on the Journalist Enquiry Service. Last year, 18% of enquiries were for festive material. The majority of journalists will be looking for gift guide products and advent calendars, as well as Christmas events, decorations, and recipes. You could get media coverage in The Guardian, Good Housekeeping, The Independent, or The Sun.

Autumnal advice, mental health experts, and fashion in focus

Seasonal content is frequently requested on the Journalist Enquiry Service and the change of season has seen nearly 4% of journalists in September including the keyword ‘Autumn’. The topics have varied from interiors to wellbeing, to staycations, and beauty products for the new season.

Fashion has also featured in the Autumn requests and on its own as a keyword appeared in just under 4% of the requests. This is possibly linked to the London Fashion Week taking place. 2% of enquiries in October were also for ‘mental health’, with journalists looking to get expert opinion and advice ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October.

Going forward? Now that we are firmly into Autumn, journalists often send requests about heating and how to stay warm in colder months, plus skincare advice, and what to do with your garden during this season. Have expert commentary ready and there is the potential to feature in The Metro, The Times, Ideal Home, and The Daily Telegraph – journalists from all of these outlets sent requests last month about ‘Autumn’.

Other opportunities for PRs in October and beyond

While both still a little way off, Bonfire night (5 November) and Black Friday (29 November) are approaching. Journalists will be looking for the best places to watch fireworks and any related events, plus the best deals and offers on at different retailers for Black Friday.

The Health category, which had an 8% increase between August and September, could rise further as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and includes World Menopause Day (18 October). Experts in these fields could get media coverage as a result. Food & Drink should also perform well again as a category with International Chefs Day (20 October) and World Pasta Day (25 October). Have chefs ready to interview, and pasta recipes to share.

To connect with the media on these topics, and much more, check out the Journalist Enquiry Service and the Vuelio Media Database.

Find out more about how Vuelio can help you gain and track your coverage in the media here.

Press Gazette Future of Technology Conference

How newsrooms are changing and what this means for the PR industry

September 24, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Communications, Media Press and Bloggers, Media Database, Media Analysis, PR Blog Posts /by Andrew Strutt

Newsrooms are always looking for ways to improve their processes, and the PR industry needs to keep up as they evolve. Press Gazette’s Future of Media Technology Conference featured a panel discussion dedicated to exactly that – newsroom transformation.

Here are insights shared by David Dinsmore, COO of News UK, Graham Page, sector lead for media, tech, telco & sports at Q5 Partners, Paul Rowland, editorial director at Reach plc and Nina Wright, chair of Harmsworth Media and the Professional Publishers Association…

AI’s impact on the newsroom

While AI might still be in its infancy, it’s already having an impact on the newsroom. Paul Rowland spoke about how Reach plc have been using Guten:

‘It’s a rewriting tool which makes a piece of content written in house, and reversions it for another title in that style of that publication, therefore eliminating the need for journalists to do things which aren’t distinct to their particular beat or their particular patch.’

Other publishers also mentioned different tools they are using to make the more mundane parts of a journalist’s job quicker. But David Dinsmore stressed the important role of humans for research – ‘The journalist is still going to go and dig up the proper stories, and that’s the stuff that the customers are interested in.’

The impact on PRs: Remember early predictions that AI could one day be turning your press releases into articles? Should this come to pass, journalists will have more time to dedicate to writing in-depth articles. Getting these stories will continue to require a lot of research, and the media will be reliant on expert opinion and case studies to give news and features colour and credibility. PRs – get your clients ready to be featured regularly, and in more detail.

The importance of brand

PRs and publishers both have this in common – the importance of brand and brand reputation. The problem for a lot of publishers in the current climate is that younger audiences, especially Gen Z, don’t recognise news brands. As Graham Page explained:

‘When people come across your content, they don’t recognise who it is and whether it should be trusted or not. We run a youth panel – when we talk to people, around 16 to 18, their knowledge of news industry brands is very light.’

Newsrooms are adapting to make sure that their brand is standing out. Nina Wright shared that ‘Brands need to be alive and sing on a whole number of different platforms, and your revenues need to do that as well.’

She gave the example of the New Scientist which, as well as having several revenue streams and being on all the social media platforms, also has an extensive live event programme. This helps to further its connection with communities and make the brand more memorable.

The impact on PRs: Publishers could well be shifting from their traditional platforms and PRs must be ready for these industry changes. News organisations won’t be interested in pitches that don’t align with their current branding. Make sure that you understand their brand, and that your own brand is also trusted and reputable. With publishers also more likely to be getting on the newer platforms, such as TikTok, make sure the content you are suggesting can work on a myriad of mediums.

Platform changes affecting publishers

Google’s algorithm changes have been impacting publishers, as we highlighted in this round-up of the conference on our sister ResponseSource blog. Nina said that many publishers are currently ‘at the mercy of the platforms’ as ‘you never know when they are going to change their algorithms, and then you have to scramble around and react and respond to that.’

Newsrooms have had to be even more savvy to make sure that their content is performing well on search and that the right audience is reading it. This is a particular challenge for smaller newsrooms. Paul spoke about Reach plc’s CornwallLive, which aims to be ‘a local, trusted, relevant news source in Cornwall, but also wants to thrive and scale.’ With a story about a new bypass, the team there were able to use the platforms to their advantage. As Paul explained:

‘The Google Discover algorithm knows that lots of people have an interest in Cornwall, and if they optimise that through headlining it in a clever way, then it can reach a huge audience, beyond the core audience of loyal Cornwall users it wants to get to.’

Impact on PRs: While Paul was able to recount a positive story for Reach plc, a lot of publishers are struggling due to Google’s changes. As PRs, stay on top of what changes the platforms are making – algorithms are no longer the same. Be aware of what is going to perform well on Google, and where SEO can be optimised – journalists will be more likely to want to work with you.

For more on the ins and outs of the publishing industry, and how you can work with journalists, broadcasters, and influencers to gain coverage in the media, check out the Vuelio white paper ‘From pitching to getting published: A PR’s guide to media relations‘.

Winning comms: Who made the Paralympics PR podium?

September 12, 2024/0 Comments/in PR, Marketing, Communications, Media Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

This year’s Olympic comms efforts got plenty of positive reaction from the PR industry and the public, but how did PR teams at the big brands do at the 2024 Paralympics?

Here are thoughts from PR pros who were watching (and taking notes) at home.

Making the podium for gold-medal-tier comms…

…Channel 4 dropping its ‘Super. Human’ theme from the previous Games for its ‘Considering What?’ campaign. The move was considered a major win for many of those watching at home, and across the PR industry.

Where the Tokyo 2020 campaign (which had won industry awards and accolades at the time, including the Cannes Lions Grand Prix) had been construed by critics as patronising, 2024’s effort was instead direct, hard-hitting, and propulsive.

‘It’s hard to look past the “Considering What?” campaign, which in my opinion really hit the mark, rightly positioning Paralympians as world-class athletes, rather than people ‘overcoming’ their disabilities,’ believes Matt Peden, managing partner at sport specialist creative comms agency Hatch.

‘Dropping the previous creative was a big move, but I think it paid off.’

For a mix of competition with cosy nostalgia was the International Paralympic Committee’s spot We All Stand Together, which utilised the 1984 children’s song from Paul McCartney. A big hit with many school children at the time, it was a canny pick for getting the attention of the older Millennials out there.

‘I was really impressed with how the IPC launched their central theme for the Games, which showcased the competitive nature of the Paralympics,’ added Matt.

‘TikTok have also done fantastic work pre and during the Paralympics, really demonstrating the uniqueness of their platform and embodying the spirit of the Games really well.

‘I don’t think there are many examples of campaigns that have missed the mark, more of brands not giving the right amount of attention to the Paralympics. Adidas, for example, in my opinion have been relatively quiet when it came to the launch of the Paralympics. If you look through the partners of ParalympicsGB (such as John West and Dreams), all have been very active in their own space, which was great to see.’

For other big brands associated with the Games, Nike won plaudits in many PR industry publications. For good reason, believes Tristan Van Den Berg, account manager at Spa Communications:

‘I found ‘Winning is Winning’ very compelling, as it focused on athlete empowerment and challenged perceptions of ability. The success primarily lies in authentic storytelling, using athletes’ voices to drive the narrative.

‘On the other hand, campaigns that rely solely on tokenistic representation, without offering depth or engagement, often miss the mark – they fail to create a lasting impact because the focus feels superficial.’

And could do better in future goes to… the lack of hype around the Paras compared to the Olympics

‘We have made significant progress since the Paralympics first began, and it is encouraging to see daily coverage of the games. However, we are still far from achieving the same level of visibility and excitement for the Paralympics that the Olympics receive,’ says Kully Dhadda, founder and CEO of digital communications agency Flame.

‘Similar to the growth of women’s football, the Paralympics requires consistent prime-time exposure both on the TV and in the mass media to reach a wider audience.’

Could a lack of hype for the Paras simply be related to scheduling? Perhaps, believes Matt.

‘The fact the Paralympics is post-Olympics will always be a slight deterrent – it can feel like it’s an afterthought which goes against messages from governing bodies and brands. If it was switched, with the Paralympics taking place first, then the natural comparisons made throughout might not be as strong.’

However the Paraympics is scheduled, there is clearly an existing problem with visibility in adland when it comes to disability. Drawing attention to this during the Paras was a short film from Channel 4 and Bupa, produced with Purple Goat and Sassy+, which asked: ‘Where are all the disabled people in ads?’

Inclusion for disabled people, including those that will be competing in future sporting events, needs to be a year-long priority for PR, marketing, and ad teams:

‘To give the Paralympics equal coverage in future, brands need to invest more in year-round visibility for Para-athletes and collaborate with media to keep the conversation alive outside of event cycles,’ believes Tristan.

For what kind of PR campaigns could help boost attention for the Paras in future years, Kully recommends the reliable comms tool of human-led stories:

‘Efforts should be made to create compelling stories around the athletes and events, engaging audiences through human interest stories, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive social media campaigns – sometimes an athlete’s journey is just as interesting as the sport itself.

‘Broadcasting organisations and sponsors could collaborate to ensure the Paralympics are marketed just as heavily as the Olympics, creating equal anticipation and hype – I can personally see a huge gap for someone to own the games the same way as how Nike unofficially took control of the 1996 Atlanta games.

‘By showcasing the full spectrum of what the Paralympics have to offer, we not only draw in new viewers, but also inspire future athletes for both games.’

Want to connect with journalists who’ll be reporting from upcoming sporting events, and track your coverage? Try Vuelio’s Media Database and Media Monitoring.

What the UK media are looking for in September and beyond

September 5, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, journalism, PR, Communications, Media Media Database, Media Monitoring, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Andrew Strutt

Looking for insight on what journalists will be covering in September? What will make the news isn’t always predictable, but the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service can give a strong indication of what will be trending and popular with the press.

Below, we analyse what journalists have been requesting from PRs during August and shed light on what we expect them to be sending enquiries for this month and beyond.

Christmas content in demand

In July, we saw the first flurry of ‘Christmas’ requests. August saw a more substantial covering as over 6.5% of requests contained the word last month.

The majority of enquiries in August were focused on gift guides. This meant lots of requests for review products. However, we also saw journalists looking for Christmas decorations, throwing a successful Christmas party and festive events taking place around the UK.

Going forward? September 2023 saw the amount of Christmas requests double from the August number and we would expect similar numbers again this year. Gift guides and advent calendars will likely be the most in demand. Journalists from The Independent, PA Media, Country Living and Prima all sent enquiries last month, presenting opportunities to get featured in high profile media titles.

Summer season falls into Autumn

A lot of media professionals use the Journalist Enquiry Service to source seasonal content and August saw a shift from requests for ‘Summer’ towards ‘Autumn’. 2.5% of the total enquiries last month were for ‘Summer’ but this was surpassed by ‘Autumn’ which appeared in just over 3% of journo asks.

These encompass all sorts of topics and angles, and included health and wellbeing, fashion, home decor, fitness, and recipes. Journalists from The Daily Express, Good Homes, Bella, The i Paper and Sunday Brunch all sent requests last month.

Going forward? Topics such as getting your garden ready for Autumn, changing your wardrobe for the new season, and health concerns as we head into the colder months are all common requests around this time. Make sure you have gardening and fashion experts ready and doctors and health professionals to comment on these areas.

Four day work week, winter fuel payment, and AI

UK politics is always a focus for the media, even more now with the change of government. Topical issues like the proposed four day working week, the cuts to the winter fuel payment, and changes to pensions have all been the subject of enquiries by journalists during August.

‘Work’ proved popular as a keyword, appearing in over 3% of enquiries, and ‘pension’ cropped up in over 1%. ‘AI’ also regularly performs well on the service and in August even more than usual as 5% of the total requests included the topic. That could be in part due to the Government’s plans to scrap funding for an AI project.

Going forward? September in the UK is annual Party Conference season and journalists will be keen to cover the major policies and announcements. If you have political commentators as clients then have them ready to provide comment – you could get coverage in titles such as The Times, Metro and Reuters. Information and experts on AI are also likely to get write-ups, as it remains a popular topic to cover in the media.

Other opportunities for PRs in September and beyond

Halloween is just over six weeks away and journalists are always keen to cover it. Requests are usually for products to review such as costumes or party decorations. This presents a good opportunity to get items featured.

Fashion experts are likely to be in demand with London Fashion Week (12-17 September). Fitness proved popular in September 2023 with nearly 3% of requests containing the keyword, likely linked to National Fitness Day, coming up on 25 September this year. We also expect the Food & Drink category to get lots of enquiries, with many towns and cities holding events for Oktoberfest. If you have experts or information about this, relevant journalists will want to hear about it.

To connect with the media on these topics, and much more, check out the Journalist Enquiry Service and the Vuelio Media Database.

Find out more about how Vuelio can help you gain and track your coverage in the media here.

‘We love creating content around talent’ – Media interview with head of content at Reach Studio, Yara Silva

August 19, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Media Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Andrew Strutt

Social media has been an important tool for both journalists and PRs for well over a decade already, but the rapid rise of TikTok has meant an increased focus on vertical video to reach new audiences. Want to get your brand featured in a publisher’s video creation?

Yara Silva has recently been appointed as head of content at Reach Studio – here, she sheds light on how PRs can collaborate with the media to create content in this increasingly popular format.

‘If you’re trying to get a journalist’s attention and you have talent on board working with you – that’s always a big draw.’

What does a typical working day/week look like for you at the Reach Studio?

I’m not sure there is such a thing as a typical day. I have a lot of meetings, because my role involves liaising with lots of different parts and lots of different people within the company, internally and externally. I head up the content part of Studio, which is wide-ranging. We have the branded content team, our social video experts, and we have the site video team. We have an ideation team as well, and they come up with the big ideas, so it’s fun to work with them.

Our Mirror Gaming brand and our youth brands, Curiously and Hear Me Out are also a big part of what we do. They are brands for young people, run by young people. It’s been brilliant to work with them, as I’ve not had the opportunity before. They’re so talented and they’re content creators who are just real digital natives. Bringing them closer in with the rest of the teams working on video has been brilliant, because we’re learning from them and they’re learning from the wider teams too

Vertical video is becoming a big focus for many media organisations – how can PRs help journalists with this form of content creation?

I think the best stuff that we’ve got through PRs has always been around the talent that they have on board working with them. Media organisations and people working in video love creating content around talent. If you have a sports star associated with your brand, offer us your sports star. We would love to go and create content around that. If you’re trying to get a journalist’s attention and you have someone on board working with you, I’d say that’s always a big draw.

How can PRs make the most of social media – both engaging with journalists and promoting their brand?

I think social media is an easy way to engage with journalists, because they’re often on there, looking for products or for people to speak to. Keeping an eye out for journalists making journo requests is quite a simple way of making the most of social media.

In terms of promoting brands, jumping on trends is a good way of keeping your brand relevant; also using humour. The current Marks and Spencers social video campaign – featuring Spencer Matthews and Mark Wright (Mark and Spencer) – they’re all very funny and quite simple, but it’s led to lots of other brands jumping on the bandwagon.

Journalists are increasingly making use of social media as research tools – what are the pros and cons of this?

I think there’s a lot more pros than there are cons. Social media gives you access and opens your eyes to different people and different ways of thinking that you might not be exposed to if you’re not on social media. Obviously, that’s a cornerstone of journalism – opening people’s eyes to things that they don’t necessarily always get to see.

A big con, though, is fake news. Misinformation is huge on social media, but I think journalists are pretty savvy about that. At Reach, we have a lot of training around it, and I think other publishers do, too. I think we just need to make sure that we’re always informing the audience about it too, so that they don’t get misled.

What is your opinion of the use of AI in journalism?

I think there are places where it can be really useful. Any tool that can help journalists save time, or just help a journalist do their job, shouldn’t be disregarded. We’re all so busy and there are a lot of repetitive tasks that do take up a lot of time. That bit could be made easier with AI.

Anything that we do with AI needs to be constantly re-evaluated. We don’t ever want AI to be taking journalists’ jobs. We want it to be helping journalists make the most of their time. There are massive risks involved but there are time saving and really helpful uses for it.

Within Reach, we have an AI tool which we created called Guten. It’s more for articles though, so it’s not really for video, but it helps us to make sure that we’re getting content across different titles in the most effective way possible. The journalists use that a lot. However, we’re being incredibly cautious of how we’re using it and everything that we use goes through a very rigorous testing.

What contributions do you find most useful from PRs, and how/when should they contact you, or your team?

Email rather than phone. I think the most useful thing, like I said before, is access to talent. We’re always looking for stuff like that, or invites to events where we can make content. We’ve got so many titles. There are 120 brands within Reach, and the Reach Studio makes content for all of them. So we need content, and we can create content that gets shared very widely and goes to a lot of people. Therefore, if we can get invites to events where we can create really good content that we think our audiences would like, or access to talent, then that is super useful.

To connect with journalists across publishing, broadcast, and more, check out the Vuelio Media Database and the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service.

Winners and losers: Who placed on the PR podium for the 2024 Olympics?

August 15, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Sport, Communications, Media Media Database, Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

There are no medals for PR at the Olympics (yet), but comms teams across the world were busy bigging-up sponsorships and superstar athletes throughout the 2024 event in Paris. Which PR campaigns were successful and deserving of plaudits, and which could have done better?

With the Paralympics (and a whole new load of PR moments) on the way, here is our overview of what worked, and what didn’t, at this year’s Olympics…

Our gold medal goes to… cheese

Probably an unsurprising choice (if you’ve been online at all throughout the games) is Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa’s partnership with cheese brand Parmigiano Reggiano. Sponsored by the cheese since 2021, Villa’s past photoshoot with wheels of the good stuff was rediscovered by X users at the end of July, to widespread joy and social virality.

As said by one X user: ‘Dunno how much the Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese Consortium has been paying Giorgia Villa since this deal was arranged in 2021 but they’re certainly getting their money’s worth this week’.

Will Villa further build her own brand with other tie-ins, like Usain Bolt, George Forman, and Mo Farah have in recent years? It’s a solid PR strategy for sportspeople, and the brands they work with, for getting attention online and press coverage.

Silver goes to… Mongolia’s opening ceremony uniform

Way before the serious sporting even started for this year’s Olympics games, competition was rife among the countries taking part… around the release of their uniforms.

While Team USA had tagged in fashion heavy-hitter Ralph Lauren to clothe their competing athletes, it was Mongolia’s uniform that received the majority of attention online, as shown by analysis of social and news platforms using Pulsar.

A common feeling among the takes on Mongolia’s uniform – positivity for the nods to tradition, careful crafting, and textile choices.

Reaction to the US’s uniform – perceived laziness for the choice of ‘dated’ brand Ralph Lauren.

Mongolia’s uniform got the public talking, with pleasant surprise. All this, despite the lack of a big PR and comms function behind the team.

When looking at brands involved in the Paris Olympics, Ralph Lauren received plenty of mentions on social and news write-ups – both prior to and post-competition – much of it negative.

There’s a lesson here for those tasked with tie-ins and team-ups for the upcoming 2028 Olympics: find out what your intended audience actually wants to see by researching their interests. Integrating cultural relevance into branding was effective in this case. Well-researched choices can spark those watching at home – an average of 30.6 million people watched coverage of the Paris Olympics on Comcast Corp.’s US media outlets, by the way – to dive into the conversation.

Bronze goes to…Snoop Dogg and Flavor Flav

Bringing ‘delight to the games’, as reported by The Guardian, was superstar Snoop Dogg, who served as a special correspondent for NBC’s Olympics programming.

Plenty of celebrities featured at the Paris Olympics – including, confusingly, the Minions during the opening ceremony – but none got quite the same level of fondness in their press write-ups. Apart from Flavor Flav.

Fellow musician and memetic star Flav’s signing of a five-year sponsorship deal with the US women’s and men’s water polo teams, and help with landing sportspeople brand deals, has strengthened his profile. AND, more importantly, is sure to help more people of colour into the sport – a hope he shared during an interview with NPR.

And the ‘better luck next time’ award goes to… a well-intentioned misstep in memeing

Shout-out to the PRs who flagged this one – a brand post aimed at highlighting inspirational female athletes… with subtitles related to relationships.

‘I mean, it’s 2024, right? […] It’s sad to see this stereotype being used yet again. Are we not past the point of thinking women are only interested in men and relationships?’ was one take on LinkedIn. The company later deleted their Instagram post – a wise strategy when a piece of PR isn’t winning over the audience.

Want to connect with journalists who’ll be reporting from upcoming sporting events, and track your coverage? Try Vuelio’s Media Database and Media Monitoring.

Are you following the Green Claims Code with your comms?

July 22, 2024/0 Comments/in Politics, PR, Marketing, Communications, Media Media Database, Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

A growing awareness of the impacts of climate change has meant greater accountability for PRs communicating company ESG credentials.

Alongside the potential for bad press if you’re doing it wrong are the dangers of falling foul of legislation – the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)’s Green Claims Code, this Autumn’s DMCC, and incoming EU regulations being just three possible pitfalls.

In our latest webinar ‘Navigating the Green Claims Code: How to avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing’, The Grocer’s editor-in-chief Adam Leyland explained the clampdowns, why your words matter, and how to communicate your credentials to the media.

The clampdown on ESG claims

‘Greenwashing has been going on for a long time – it’s rampant,’ said Adam.

‘In the FMCG space, sustainability-related terms are used liberally – words like ‘eco’, ‘green’, and ‘sustainable’ are scattered into comms. Sometimes this is innocent and well-meaning – linked to positive initiatives to minimise the impact on the environment. Sometimes it’s cynical and glib – and PRs are among the worst offenders.’

Is PR all bad, then? No, explained Adam.

‘The point is this is all relative. Using different packaging doesn’t make a product ‘green’. To make that claim now, you have to undertake some onerous lifecycle analysis of all aspects of the supply chain – packaging, sourcing, catching, energy, water, and what happens to it at the end of the cycle. It’s a difficult thing to make these claims when you have to be so exhaustive.’

While there have been rules set in place on sustainability to be aware of already – Trading Standards and International Standard ISO 14021, for example, Adam warned that ‘it’s only getting more onerous’.

‘The Green Claims Code was established in 2021; Autumn’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC) could mean great whacking fines – the pressure is on,’ said Adam.

‘The market is saying enough is enough. It’s unfair to claim you’re green and gain an economic advantage if you’re really not that green, or you’re being highly selective about it.

Why words matter

‘The reason I said that PRs are the worst offenders for greenwashing is because of the frequency of the stuff you’re putting out,’ explained Adam.

‘All brand marketers are looking for ways to make claims. But when you’re producing that many words, that frequently, things can slip out. It’s different with ads, which have to be ratified by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – they’re going through a level of scrutiny before they go out.

‘With PR, you’ll see certain words everywhere – people pick journos up when we use these words, too.

‘“Ethical” is contentious, even words like “responsibility” come with difficulty. This also applies to images – leaves, skies, all these things that suggest a perfect world are under scrutiny.

‘Phrases like “saving the planet” – remember, the planet is going to be fine. It is lifeforms that are in danger from climate change. The planet will still be there, even if it’s a nuclear wasteland. We need to be careful with the words we use.’

Mistakes to avoid

On what not to do, Adam shared what the team see at The Grocer:

‘Setting targets, and then backtracking is incredibly embarrassing. You’ve traded on something you will do, rather than something you have done. That gives a halo that may not be warranted.’

‘Another issue is dressing up simply following rules and regulations, and putting out press releases about it.

‘Hyperbole isn’t good and neither is hypocrisy. Or glibness. But there are degrees of seriousness, and as much as I’ve been critical, there are worse things than trying to do something good, to reach for the stars and not be able to get there. There’s lying, there are cover-ups, and avoiding the truth – that is the worst form of PR, burying the truth.’

‘Sometimes brands get away with it, and sometimes they don’t.’

The difficulties of the Green Claims Code

‘While the principles of the code sound really simple, the truth is that practicing these principles is actually really difficult,’ said Adam.

‘There are those who don’t know where they’re going wrong. You have to avoid technical jargon while being clear and meaningful. It’s not that straightforward.’

What do journalists want from PRs on ‘green’ topics?

‘The first thing I’d say is honesty’ said Adam, highlighting an example of Abel & Cole rectifying a claim around recyclable packaging in an ad that ran in The Grocer.

‘This is where PR can disarm criticism – admitting that something you did was wrong’.

Abel & Cole went on to win a Grocer Gold Award for Sustainability Initiative of the Year.

‘There’s huge amounts of data needed, and PRs need access to toolkits, and business insights. Start with the data and then make your claim, not the other way around.’

‘Seemingly small things are interesting – we wrote about Quality Street changing their wrapping. We also wrote about British Snack Co working with Aquapak to produce recyclable packaging. You don’t have to make major claims.

‘There are marginal gains, little changes, that chime with the consumer.’

But be careful – as highlighted by Adam, even something as ‘small’ as teabags can come with greenwashing dangers. Moving from plastic? Claiming a teabag is sustainable also means double-checking the tea’s own lifecycle.

Reaching for the stars on ESG

‘I do have a concern for the future in terms of comms. And a concern for a lack of progress towards sustainable development goals. I worry that people will only change because of legislation,’ said Adam.

‘But I think there is a competitive advantage in reaching for the stars with comms. It requires you to do the work on transparency, on data, because without that you can’t take action.

‘If you stop communicating with shoppers, it makes it harder for them to know what’s more sustainable. Those who do the right thing, try to lessen their impact on the environment, and communicate what they’re doing clearly, honestly, and carefully, will be those that flourish.’

For more on PR’s part in ESG, download the Vuelio white paper ‘The perception of PR in sustainability communications: How to avoid greenwashing and be an advocate for change’.

‘We need to give more coverage to lesser-known businesses, chefs, and cuisines’: Food & drink freelance journalist Ali Dunworth

July 11, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, Media Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Andrew Strutt

Looking to secure media coverage for your food and drink brand or clients? Freelance journalist Ali Dunworth has 20 years of work experience in the hospitality industry, and has spent the last decade writing freelance for titles such as the Irish Times and Sunday Times Ireland.

Read on for insight from Ali on how the food and drink scene has changed and what journalists in the sector need from PRs now, what the typical day for a freelance journalist looks like and what PRs should be doing (and not doing) when getting in contact.

The life of a freelance writer can be varied, what does a typical day or week look like for you?

It’s different every day but usually, I divide it into two. Mornings are when I’m focused, so I start with a quick walk to wake up and then straight into a few hours of concentrated writing with plenty of cups of tea. In the afternoon, I’m more easily distracted so that’s a time for lists, emails, phone calls and research.

What are the current challenges facing the food & drink industry?

The food and drink scene in Ireland has changed so much over the last few decades, particularly in Dublin, where it has become much more multicultural. However, this diversity is often not reflected in our media and food writing.

Non-European cuisines feel marginalised, they are not featured as prominently in lists or reviews. They are not given the same recognition or written about in the same way as those more familiar to us, and I’ve been guilty of this myself. I do think the tide is turning on this slowly but I believe as food writers, we need to make a concerted effort to broaden our horizons and give more coverage to lesser-known businesses, chefs, and cuisines.

Misinformation is on the rise – what can journalists and PRs do to stop this?

I think a lot of misinformation comes from lazy cut-and-paste situations. Picking up the phone or contacting someone directly via DM to double-check stuff should be the standard, not just replicating information found online.

Which parts of your work can PRs help you with, and how do you prefer for them to contact you?

Email is always preferred. It’s frustrating to get DMs on social media from PRs when my email is linked in my bio, or easy to find with a quick Google. Also, PRs should keep up-to-date on where you are writing. Some still contact me about a website I haven’t written for in years or maybe they don’t know about my Substack.

Ali’s first book ‘A Compendium of Irish Pints’ has been published by Nine Bean Rows.

Connect with Ali, and other UK and international journalists, via the Vuelio Media Database.

Webinar – Navigating the Green Claims Code: How to avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing

July 8, 2024/0 Comments/in PR, Communications, Media Media Database, Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

As modern consumers have become more eco-conscious and ethically aware, journalists are prepared to uncover any misalignment between company claims and ESG credentials.

In this climate of increased accountability for company communications, how can PR teams ensure their sustainability messaging is compliant and that all claims are completely above-board?

Join our next webinar ‘Navigating the Green Claims Code: How to avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing‘ at 2pm on 17 July to hear The Grocer’s editor-in-chief Adam Leyland discuss this from the point of view of the media.

The session will cover:
– Current and incoming regulations from groups including the CMA that comms teams need to know about
– How to avoid greenwashing and greenhushing missteps
– Ways to highlight company ESG profiles in the media and with audiences

Can’t join us live? Register here and we’ll send you the recording.

Want more on the responsibilities of PR and comms when it comes to sustainability messaging? Download our Vuelio white paper ‘The perception of PR in sustainability communications: How to avoid greenwashing and be an advocate for change‘.

Journalist Enquiry Service overview July 2024

Political commentators, destination experts, and sports professionals: What the media are looking for in July

July 8, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR Media Database, Media Monitoring, Media Analysis, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Andrew Strutt

Want to get your clients featured in the media in July? While the General Election has been the media’s focus for the last six weeks – and will be a priority for a while yet – there are plenty of other opportunities for coverage, and the ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service is a good gauge for what is trending. Here is what journalists have been requesting throughout June, and what we predict their focus will be in July.

General Election fallout

Unsurprisingly, ‘election’ became a popular keyword on the Journalist Enquiry Service, appearing in 2% of all enquiries in May, growing to 2.5% in June.

Journalists focused on gathering interviews, and the viewpoints of CEOs and leaders from different sectors, including technology, retail, and business. There have also been requests for information on tactical voting, analysis of the manifestos, and for an expert to comment on election marketing and advertising.

Going forward? Journalists will most likely be looking for expert comment on what to expect from the new Government, the impact on the public, and the economy. The Times, The Independent, Reuters, and ITV News all sent requests concerning the election in June, giving an opportunity to feature you or your client in the national news now.

Summer holidays and gardening remain popular

‘Summer’ was the top keyword on the Journalist Enquiry Service for a second month in a row, as it featured in 9.5% of all requests. This is also an 8% increase compared to this time last year, maybe a sign that we’re in for some better weather as well? ‘Holidays’ cropped up in just over 3% of the enquiries in June this year. ‘Gardening’ proved even more popular as it appeared in 5.5%, and this is a 51% increase compared to June 2023.

Requests around ‘summer’ varied widely last month with everything from fashion to health to skincare to food and drink. The enquiries about ‘holidays’ tended to look more for travel experts and information on places or activities for the school summer holidays. Journalists sending requests about ‘gardening’ were primarily looking for experts to give tips and advice.

Going forward? Journalists will be looking for gardening experts and travel experts/information on destinations, so have these clients ready to engage with these media coverage opportunities.The nature of summer requests are harder to predict, but fashion experts could be needed to comment on the best clothing to wear and health advice/information on what to do to stay cool during warmer temperatures. Journalists from The Guardian, The Sun, The Daily Telegraph, Homes & Gardens, and Woman’s Own all sent requests on these three topics last month.

Other opportunities for PRs in July and beyond

It’s just a couple of weeks until the Olympics starts in Paris and in June, just under 1% of all enquiries featured ‘Olympics’. This will receive a lot more traction this month as we approach the games, with journalists looking for former athletes and sports professionals to interview. ‘Euro’s’ has also featured as a keyword and if England continue to progress in the tournament, journalists will likely look for information on the best places to watch the matches, as well as the impact it could have on the economy. Both of these events, plus Wimbledon as well, means sports spokespeople will be in high demand from journalists.

There are several food and drink related days this month including World Chocolate Day (7 July), National Hot Dog Day (19 July) and the whole of July is National Ice Cream Month. Journalists could be looking for food experts to give related recipes and advice. Finally, while school will only just be finishing, the media will begin in July to look for information on back to school items. This could be for uniform, stationery, lunch boxes, and more. This will gain in popularity throughout July and into August, so have the information you need prepared to send to journalists and get media coverage in both national press and consumer media.

To connect with the media on these topics, and much more, check out the Journalist Enquiry Service and the Vuelio Media Database.

Find out more how Vuelio can help you gain and track your coverage in the media here.

How the General Election conversation has evolved

How the General Election 2024 conversation evolved from the announcement to voting week

July 1, 2024/0 Comments/in Politics, PR, Communications, Media, Public Affairs Media Analysis, Political Services, PR, Political Database, Press and Bloggers, Political Monitoring Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

By Phoebe-Jane Boyd, Michael Kane, and Dahye Lee.

Despite the General Election announcement by the Government on a rain-soaked Wednesday evening coming as a complete surprise, the themes and dividing lines that have defined the Conservatives and Labour’s campaigns have not.

While the Conservatives have faced ridicule for their 14-year record, fueling significant anti-Conservative rhetoric across the country, Labour have consistently been questioned on their alleged opaque plans for Government, and what they envision for the future of the country should they take power.

But how has the wider online conversation and press coverage evolved since the first week of campaigning to today? What topics captured the interest of political reporters and the voting public, and which media platforms shaped the narratives?

We analysed the UK General Election 2024 conversation across online and print news, TV, radio, and podcasts as well as X, Threads, Facebook, blogs, and forums, from 23 May – 1 July to examine these fluctuations as we head towards an historic decision for the UK.

Which topics have preoccupied the press and public, now and then?

When laying out the top-mentioned topics during this last week against that of 23 – 29 May, conversation around the top ranked has intensified, while the remaining topics have not experienced dramatic changes since the initial General Election announcement.

NHS/Health remains a key consideration, making up 12.6% of discussion over the last week. Natural, perhaps, following major party pledges and public concerns surrounding the state of healthcare following the election.

A topic that started off top of the agenda in the press and on social media and has since fallen out of conversation drastically? Sunak’s National Service idea, which fell by 60%. Controversy has stayed with Sunak, however, with mentions of Sleaze jumping by 80% due to recent gambling scandals. This scandal has also spread to Labour.

While the first leadership debate, hosted by ITV on the 4 June, saw Sunak consistently stressing the ambiguity in Labour’s plans for tax, the junior doctors strikes, and curbing illegal immigration, Starmer focused on a need for Sunak to be ‘ashamed of the last 14 years.’

Flash forward to the last leadership debate hosted by the BBC just last week and the underlying messages remained the same. Sunak ramped up the rhetoric as he urged voters to ‘not surrender’ their pensions, taxes, or borders to Labour. Starmer, again, sought to associate Sunak with the last 14 years of Conservative Government, condemning him as ‘Liz Truss Mark II.’

Labour has managed to hold its lead over the Conservatives in polling, at around 20%, showing the party’s defensive strategy has paid off.

What topics are Labour and the Conservatives each associated with?

Each party’s associations are shaped by their core political priorities, as shown in the above breakdown of conversation by Conservative and Labour. Conservatives prioritise National Service and Foreign Affairs, consistently scoring above 70, which is partly weighted by public criticism.

Labour has seen an uptick when it comes to housing, with mentions coming from a mixture of audiences – Labour candidates, and supporters of other parties. Yet, these mentions are still less than those from anti-Tory audiences.

Have the media and public been aligned on what matters?

Social and news data breakdown signals how the public and media (mis)aligned on what matters to them.

News coverage has focused on Tax, NHS, and immigration – issues that highlight contentious aspects of major party pledges, from Sunak’s proposed tax hike, to Reform UK’s immigration policies, and Labour’s latest NHS plans.

In contrast, the public’s interest, shown on social media, has focused on Foreign Affairs, Sleaze and the NHS, featuring speculation on Sunak’s early election call, and the growing calls for action from the Government.

Online conversations on the General Election today continue to lean towards news and political events. Channel 4’s TikTok dominance, particularly among young people, highlights its influence.

With UK party leaders showing less visibility on TikTok compared to figures like France’s Jordan Bardella – who boasts 1.7M followers – it could be argued that there is less emphasis on populist styles of leadership for the majority of UK political parties.

Where this is markedly different – Reform UK. The party’s burgeoning impact in TikTok dialogues has challenged the traditional discourse dominated by major parties.

In fact, the return of Nigel Farage as leader of Reform UK, alongside Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey’s campaign stunts and serious focus on social care, has squeezed the incumbent Conservatives from both the left and the right throughout the 2024 General Election campaign.

This has the potential to redraw political boundaries as Farage may finally be elected as an MP in Clacton and the Liberal Democrats may return to become the third largest party in the Commons, removing many Conservatives from the blue wall.

Personality-focused campaigns can project messaging further into new audiences, providing beneficial, and unforeseen, impacts (if not on votes, as Farage has found in previous years, with no election to office).

Which outlets are leading the conversation and coverage now?

The Guardian and the Mirror emerge as the top-shared media sources among the public – both left-leaning outlets. Notably, people frequently share articles from The Guardian to substantiate their opinions, often using them as evidence in debates.

The most engaged articles focus on questions around the timing of the General Election, and scrutinisation of Sunak’s representation throughout his campaign.

Meanwhile, right-leaning publications such as The Telegraph and GB News, previously outside the top ranks, have also emerged among the top credible sources. This is largely due to the growing social sharing by ex-Tories and Brexiteers who are keenly watching Reform UK’s rising influence.

It was only October 2022 that Sunak promised to deliver ‘integrity, professionalism and accountability’ in Government while Starmer has consistently emphasised the importance of returning politics to the ‘service’ of working people. Whether these aspirations materialise after the election is a different question but no one can doubt the importance of this with the last few weeks, and years, in mind.

For regular updates on what is happening in UK politics and public affairs, sign up to our weekly Point of Order newsletter, going out every Friday morning.

The scandals of the General Election 2024

The scandals of General Election 2024: How the D-Day and gambling controversies spread among audiences

June 27, 2024/0 Comments/in Politics, PR, Communications, Media, Public Affairs Media Analysis, Political Services, PR, Political Database, Press and Bloggers, Political Monitoring Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

By Phoebe-Jane Boyd, Dahye Lee, and Ingrid Marin.

While political experts predict a lack of enthusiasm from the public when it comes to voting on 4 July, there has been growing interest in the scandals of the UK 2024 General Election across the press and social media.

The big two controversies providing catalysts for column inches and social snarking? Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s early departure from this year’s D-Day celebrations, and the numerous political figures currently under investigation for gambling on the election date.

With no two scandals quite the same, we explore how each story reached audiences on different platforms and grew, analysing the UK General Election 2024 conversation across online and print news, TV, radio, and podcasts as well as X, Threads, Facebook, blogs, and forums, from 27 May – 27 June.

A disastrous D-Day for Sunak

Right at the beginning of the General Election campaign, Sunak walked out of D-Day celebrations in France to appear on ITV News. Despite the apology from the PM, this story hasn’t gone away, earning another mention during last night’s final Sunak vs Starmer BBC debate. But how did the story originally grasp the attention of reporters and potential voters?

Breaking down the D-Day conversation across different platforms shows that it was reporting from broadcast media that initially sparked interest in the D-Day scandal, with social media picking up the story and amplifying it to new audiences. Early broadcast clips proved perfect fodder for panels criticising Sunak, and for people to share on their social channels.

While the D-Day scandal went quiet from 11 June across broadcast, press, and social media, it made a comeback on 21 June, propelled by Byline Times’ decision to circle back to the issue as part of its reporting on the use of veteran ID cards for voting.

Given the prominence issues like defence and security have had so far in this election campaign, Sunak’s mistake has ultimately been a gift to his rivals, leaving the stage clear for Keir Starmer to show leadership and patriotism.

However, Starmer has not been immune from scandal…

Bad bets placed by politicians

The betting scandal has dominated election campaigns as the run-up to the General Election rumbles into its final week.

Some quick context to the latest controversy: reporting started prior to last weekend, with parliamentary candidates Craig Williams and Laura Saunders, an unnamed Metropolitan police officer, and the Conservatives’ Director of Campaigns Tony Lee first implicated in the betting crisis. Nick Mason, the Conservative’s Chief Data Officer, was subsequently revealed to be under investigation by the Gambling Commission. According to a BBC report, 15 Conservative candidates and officials are now being investigated by the commission.

Nevertheless, the betting scandal is not contained to the Conservative party, as Labour revealed the suspension of Central Suffolk and North Ipswich candidate Kevin Craig following his admittance of betting against himself.

In contrast to the D-Day scandal, the spread of this story shows the crucial role of social media in shaping a scandal’s narrative from its early stages, well before it gains mainstream attention.

Behind the early social peak on 12 June – a Channel 4 TikTok video breaking the news of the MP Craig Williams inquiry going viral (102k views to date).

On June 19, social media swiftly circulated news of Williams’ alleged arrest on betting allegations, which was then backed by BBC coverage.

The revelations of additional Conservatives’ betting activities, coupled with Craig’s suspension from Labour on 25 June, furthered the narrative – gaining the attention of political journalists, and propelling the story into mainstream media outlets.

Over time, the scandal has captured the attention of both press news outlets and broadcast channels, both mirroring the narrative arc of the discourse happening on social media.

A lesson for the comms teams for each of the political parties vying for power at the 2024 General Election, perhaps: in the modern climate of interconnected media, crisis management has to start early in the cycle of a story, and across all platforms, before a scandal can spread.

Sunak and Starmer’s latest responses to the scandals

Last night, Sunak and Starmer drew the curtain on five weeks of intense campaigning in their final head-to-head television debate.

The D-Day and gambling scandals got early mentions, but weren’t the only controversies to feature in the latest clash.

Both Partygate and ‘Covid contracts’ were brought back into debate by Starmer – showing that while scandals can fall out of the public eye and press columns for a time, there’s always the possibility they will be weaponised at the most inopportune moments for those involved or implicated.

For regular updates on what is happening in UK politics and public affairs, sign up to our weekly Point of Order newsletter, going out every Friday morning.

How to raise your ESG profile to reporters and consumers in the retail sector

June 21, 2024/0 Comments/in PR Pulse, PR, Communications, Media Media Database, PR, Press and Bloggers Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

A strong ESG strategy can strengthen your stakeholder relationships across all audiences, from consumers, to the media. But which sustainability stories will grab the attention of journalists, their readers, and secure customer loyalty for your brand?

Retail Week managing editor Stephen Eddie and data and insights director Lisa Byfield-Green led Vuelio event ‘Raising your ESG profile: Insights and strategies for success’ on Wednesday evening, 20 June, at Vinoteca City.

Topics covered during the session included which stories the public are more likely to engage with when it comes to ESG; what journalists want to write about; and exactly how much of an impact personal values have on purchasing decisions and brand buy-in.

What ESG stories do consumers want to know about?

To provide context on what content audiences want to see on sustainability, Stephen and Lisa pointed out the importance of first understanding their buying habits. In 2024, it’s complicated:

Context on consumer habits – the bad…

Are consumers’ own ethics as solid as those they demand from retailers? Not quite.

‘We might want to do the right thing as consumers, but affordability is an unavoidable issue,’ said Lisa. ‘Due to the cost-of-living crisis, price takes precedence.’

Stephen also highlighted the ‘say/do’ disconnect in consumer behaviour. Vinted and Shein – two companies at different ends of the sustainability scale – are both incredibly popular with consumers. Strange, considering the modern focus on climate change? Not so much, said Stephen:

‘Price and value still often trump values’.

…and the good

While financial insecurity has pushed the popularity of fast fashion chains up over the last few years, it has also had positive impacts on carbon-reducing consumer behaviour:

‘The cost-of-living crisis has made us more sustainable, with the rise of capsule wardrobes, buying accessories instead of a whole new outfit, shopping on Vinted. Consumers are thinking more about the lifecycle of products now,’ said Lisa.

Put your best people forward

‘Authenticity is vital, and consumers – and reporters – have a nose for when something is inauthentic,’ said Stephen.

‘People like people – offer media interviews. They do well for Retail Week, and on social media. Who in your business can tell your story well? Put them forward for articles, and awards.’

‘Your colleagues and customers will be more engaging to the audience than announcements about your policies. Have spokespeople ready who can cut through the jargon.’

The challenges, alongside the successes

‘There is complexity around how to measure ESG KPIs,’ said Lisa.

‘A lot of businesses are still in that journey. If you are – communicate that to customers; they’ll want to know about it.’

While retailers proudly announce their achievement of B Corp status – brands who have this include Fat Face, Aesop, and The White Company – few admit failing to secure it. Stephen posed that this would be an interesting story for readers – what will the retailer do next to secure the certification?

‘It’s powerful to know what progress is being made,’ added Lisa. ‘People want to hear about it. Don’t wait until you have all the answers – share the little steps.’

Other stories the public will want to read about… but you won’t want to share…

‘Greenwashing has made retailers nervous to make commitments,’ shared Lisa.

A consequence of the rise of greenwash-shaming in the press and from consumers is an accompanying rise in greenhushing – retailers quietly deleting ESG promises from their websites when goals haven’t been met.

Transparency is how to secure loyalty and trust – Lisa highlighted Nobody’s Child’s canny choice to share sourcing and supply chain details for its products:

‘The brand is already ahead of incoming legislation around this. It will drive loyalty, that it’s a sustainable business. It’s good marketing’.

What is Retail Week interested in sharing with its readers?

Unusual stories

An example from Stephen – House of Hackney’s decision to legally appoint ‘Mother Nature’ and ‘Future Generations’ to its board of directors secured the brand a Q&A in Retail Week. The unusual and unexpected will grab the attention of reporters, and their readers.

First movers

‘As ever, the newer something is, the more newsworthy it is,’ said Stephen.

‘Being a first mover means getting a reputation for being a leader in the industry. Reporters will want to follow the next step you take.’

Retailer team-ups

‘Establish partnerships if you share suppliers already – no one is competing when it comes to global warming,’ Lisa said, using the June 2023 teaming of B&Q, Screwfix, Bunnings, and The Home Depot to reduce Scope 3 emissions as an example of an interesting story, and an important collaboration.

‘If you can’t do it yourself, be part of a team – it will have more impact,’ added Stephen.

Contributions for sections outside of the news pages

‘It’s not just about the news,’ said Stephen.

‘Contribute to columns – but don’t be too salesy. Offer interviews, chances for us to sit down with a CEO – don’t gate-keep the talent.’

‘Case studies, reports, and people lists are other great ways to tell your story, and they have a great tail – readers will go back to them.’

Get in touch to learn how the Vuelio Media Database and ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service can help you connect with retail journalists across broadcast, national and regional press, as well as consumer and trade publications.

Ambition, ‘bad ideas’, and pushes to be ‘bolder’: General Election 2024 manifesto reactions among audiences and the media

June 14, 2024/0 Comments/in Politics, PR, Communications, Media, Public Affairs Media Monitoring, Political Services, Political Database, Press and Bloggers, Political Monitoring Blog Posts /by Phoebe-Jane Boyd

By Phoebe-Jane Boyd, Dahye Lee, and Ingrid Marin.

This week represented the midpoint of the General Election campaign and it was a pivotal moment for all parties to pitch to voters.

Manifestos from the main parties were released throughout the week – with the exclusion of Reform UK, due to come on Monday 17 June.

To understand how the releases impacted press coverage and online discussion, here is analysis of the UK General Election 2024 conversation across online and print news, TV, radio, and podcasts as well as TikTok, Threads, Facebook, blogs, and forums, from 11 – 14 June, as well as a deep dive into political stakeholder reaction as the week progressed.

First, a look at the big two – the incumbent Conservatives, and the party expected by many to oust them come 4 July, Labour.

Manifesto coverage and conversation – Conservatives vs Labour

Following the passionate clashes during the ITV and BBC debates between Conservative and Labour, the main impact of their manifestos is focused on tax.

Conversation has risen around this topic following Labour’s manifesto pledge to increase taxes, in a potential boost to the Tories.

Did Labour’s manifesto make an impact?

As to whether Labour’s manifesto has changed reporting and social media discussion around its policies and promises, analysis of the pre- and post- release shows an impact on the topics of tax (+5.3%) and energy policy (+7.5%).

The increase in coverage and discussion of tax is driven by diverse news narratives surrounding Labour’s related policies. The highest engagement is for ITV‘s focus on Labour’s tax lock, while GBNews highlights voter concerns about Labour’s proposed tax increases.

Why the spike for energy? Labour’s pledge to ban new petrol and diesel cars and ensure ‘certainty to manufacturers’ in energy and sustainability has prompted Conservative communities to generate criticism.

Did the Conservative manifesto make a difference?

The Conservative manifesto also made an impact on Tax (+8.2%), alongside Housing (+2.3%).

BBC’s coverage of Keir Starmer’s condemnations of Sunak’s National Insurance cuts dominates the tax narrative, as the Tory campaign becomes increasingly embattled. Over on social media, the proposal to scrap National Insurance for the self-employed is provoking negative reaction due to perceived unfairness.

Unsurprisingly, Nigel Farage is enmeshed in discussion of Conservative chances at the election, as the Reform UK leader criticises policies as they are announced – this week’s manifesto included. Gaining traction online now – his comment that a Conservative promise regarding its Rwanda Bill was ‘another lie’.

Political stakeholder reaction – a look back at the week

Monday: Liberal Democrats got ambitious
The week began with the Liberal Democrats releasing their party manifesto. They pledged a £8.35bn NHS and care package – funded by reversing tax cuts for banks and closing tax loopholes – and set out long-term plans for rejoining the EU.

Nuffield Trust Chief Executive Thea Stein responded to the manifesto, calling it highly ambitious. However, she also said the funding proposed appeared ‘insufficient’, and that the sums ‘simply don’t add up’. Additionally, IFS Director Paul Johnson said that the tax measures would not raise the £27bn a year that the party claims, and that some of the tax raising proposals are, economically, a ‘bad idea’.

Tuesday: Conservatives sparked questions regarding costings
Questions about how proposals will be paid for were also raised on Tuesday when the Conservatives released their manifesto and pledged to cut taxes (including entirely scrapping the main rate of self-employed National Insurance) and introduce a new Help to Buy scheme by abolishing stamp duty for first-time buyers (on homes up to £425,000).

Paul Johnson from the Institute for Fiscal Studies said that the manifesto promised £17bn a year of tax cuts, alongside a big hike in defence spending, and questioned how this would be paid for. The Conservatives suggest they will fund some of their commitments by cutting the rising welfare bill, but Johnson questions how achievable this is.

Similarly, Labour leader Keir Starmer said it was a ‘Jeremy Corbyn-style manifesto’, suggesting the Conservatives had not explained how they would pay for their policies. He promised that Labour’s manifesto would be ‘fully costed’ and would only include ‘promises that we can keep and that […] the country can afford’.

Wednesday: Green Party pushed Labour to be bolder
Wednesday marked the release of the Green Party manifesto, pledging to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund more spending on housing, the NHS, and the climate crisis.

The manifesto includes the introduction of a wealth tax and a raising of National Insurance on annual wages above £50,270. Focusing on the four seats which the party believes are winnable, the co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay said electing Green MPs would ‘push Labour to be bolder’, particularly on net-zero climate change policies, which they accused other parties of ‘running away from’.

Thursday: Was Labour too cautious?
On Thursday, Keir Starmer launched the Labour party’s manifesto, where he pledged to prioritise ‘wealth creation’. As commentators expected, the document was relatively light on policy detail, and didn’t contain any big surprises.

Some commentators have suggested that Labour’s spending plans are more cautious than the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. If Labour are firmly committed to not raising taxes, this does raise questions about how they would be able to avoid cuts to public services.

Former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls warned the manifesto could be a ‘straitjacket’, and make the first year of a Labour Government very difficult. Senior Labour figures have responded to such criticisms by saying they would deliver growth, and therefore expand the total revenue available for public services without having to raise taxes.

Still to come: Reform UK
Ahead of the Reform UK manifesto being released on Monday 17 June, a poll found that Reform UK had overtaken the Conservatives for the first time. Farage has said his party ‘are now the opposition to Labour’, and that a Tory vote would only ‘enable’ Starmer’s party.

Whether the release of Reform manifesto adds solidity and credibility to their challenge, or else sees their recent progress melt away, is something that will be closely monitored by politics watchers.

For regular updates on what is happening in UK politics and public affairs, sign up to our weekly Point of Order newsletter, going out every Friday morning.

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