BBC

Laura Kuenssberg given bodyguard at Labour conference

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Laura Kuenssberg, the BBC’s political editor, has been assigned security detail at the Labour Party conference after sustained online abuse.

The BBC’s first female political editor has endured online abuse consistently since she was thrust into the spotlight. Aggressive, threatening and abusive messages are commonplace for Kuenssberg and all high profile female journalists online.

Kuenssberg is typically accused of impartiality over political stories by both sides of the political spectrum, often if a story about a leader or party is ‘negative’. Online trolls seem to have confused a political journalist doing their job, and holding politicians to account, with ‘taking sides’.

The fact Kuenssberg has had to resort to protection in order to be safe at work has angered many in politics and the media, though the truth is that this is nothing new for female personalities in the public eye, who have always received abuse online.

In the Guardian, Diane Abbott – no stranger to online abuse herself – has condemned abusive party ‘supporters’. She said: ‘It is wrong. Laura is doing a job, I may not always like how she does the job every time, but it is her job and why – just because she is a woman journalist – does she get that level of abuse. It’s wrong.’

John McDonnell has also attacked the trolls, saying it was ‘unacceptable’ and that any abusive activists would be ‘disciplined’. Though as reported in the Telegraph, McDonnell has also been accused of making light of the abuse by saying ‘I’ve said to Laura today, if you identify people, they will be disciplined by this party… John McDonnell will sort them.’

James Kirkup, writing in the Spectator, has suggested the fact a journalist is not safe to do her job without security detail is a blow against democracy in this country. Comparing the situation to a less democratically-free nation, he writes: ‘Britain would – and does – chide ‘developing’ nations in Africa, Asia and South America for failing to safeguard the free media and ensure journalists’ ability to report the words and deeds of people in power’.

The list of those publicly outraged is bountiful, but so too is the group who claim Kuenssberg has made the story up or is doing it just for attention. The bodyguard can’t stop the online abuse and so once again attention turns to the social media networks that host it but are struggling to make any sort of impact against abuse while maintaining ‘free speech’.

Women in Journalism’ s recent report highlighted the fact that one of the major reasons female journalists were missing from front page bylines was because there were so few in senior political editor positions.

But this goes further, Laura Kuenssberg’s bodyguard is not just an indication that women are struggling in journalism but an indication that women are struggling in society.

Blogger Spotlight: Antonia Ludden, #tidylife

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Antonia Ludden is the Top 10 Interior Design Blogger behind #tidylife. Antonia was inspired to create her blog back in 2012 after following US bloggers and their DIY, home organising and décor blogs. We spoke to Antonia about transforming rooms, being inspired by bloggers and working with PRs.

How would you describe your blog?
#tidylife is the place to discover all the latest UK home interior design trends and ideas, lush homeware and lifestyle inspiration.

Why did you start your blog?
Five or six years ago, I began searching for home improvement inspiration online and was finding lots of blogs from the USA but not many equivalent UK blogs. So, I thought I would give it a try myself.

What’s your favourite thing to blog about?
I love to style products and there’s also something exciting about revealing a finished project; I love a good ‘before and after’ when a room has been transformed and think readers enjoy that sort of thing too.

How do you manage your photography?
I get reasonable pictures with my Nikon – set to auto mostly, but would like to develop my photography skills. I am considering working with a photographer in the future to produce some magazine-worthy shots.

What’s your favourite interior?
I like dark moody interiors as well as light, bright modern spaces.

What or who are your biggest inspirations?
Fellow bloggers and Instagrammers mainly.

What makes your blog successful?
Perhaps because it has been going a while, I’ve been blogging consistently since 2012.  I also like to share achievable interiors and design inspiration on a budget, plus I am adding more lifestyle content at the weekends for something different.

How do you like to work with PRs?
It makes things so much easier when a PR is clear about their expectations. Getting a brief sent through with deadlines, social media hashtags to use etc. is really helpful.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I am flexible and open to creative ideas!

What other blogs do you read?
The first blog I discovered was IHeart Organizing and I still like to look in on it from time to time. I enjoy reading the blogs of people who have become friends through blogging and am starting to dip into more beauty and fashion blogs as well as the home interior ones.

Antonia Ludden is just one entry in the market-leading Vuelio influencer database, which has thousands of bloggers, influencers, journalists, editors and media outlets. Find out how to reach them all here.

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Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 22 September 2017

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The #VuelioVoice podcast covering the major trending stories from the worlds of media, marketing and PR this week.

Listen to Akeshia Clarke and Jake O’Neill discuss five things you shouldn’t have missed.

This week the stories include:

1. Women on front pages – a new report from Women in Journalism has revealed that just a meager 25% of front page stories contain female bylines. We explore why female journalists aren’t getting the coverage they deserve.

2. A tale of two bookies – Paddy Power has this week fallen foul of ASA’s advertising rules while Betfair has announced a new celebrity endorsement with Rio Ferdinand in its Defender to Contender project. We discuss the opposing marketing strategies.

3. Heidi Klum’s designer clothing – Heidi Klum has launched a new range of clothing with Lidl. We explore how the supermarket is appealing to a luxury-loving audience while maintaining its low prices.

4. Ryan Air in the news – Ryan Air’s pilots are all taking their holiday at the same time due to a planning ‘mess up’. The airline’s CEO has made some controversial comments but also defended the company’s relationship with its pilots.

5. Morrisons focuses on staff – another supermarket story as Morrisons has refocused its advertising on the staff it has in store and the fresh, on-site goods they’re creating. We look at how the company, like Lidl, is repositioning itself after positive results.

Think we’ve missed something? Get in touch on Twitter @Vuelio or use the hashtag #VuelioVoice.

 

beauty prods

Beauty Shortlist Awards now in seventh year

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The seventh annual Beauty Shortlist Awards will take place in London on Friday, 2 March 2018. Run by the Beauty Shortlist team, including top blogger and editor Fiona Klonarides, the Beauty Shortlist Awards are widely respected in the beauty industry for their independent accolades.

The awards are also open to submissions from international beauty, health and men’s grooming brands, for the second year in a row.

The Judging panels this year are spread across three continents – taking in London, New York and Australia. The Panels include:

London

  • Red carpet, cruelty-free humane society ambassador Justine Jenkins, who has been the make-up artist for Fearne Cotton and Eleanor Tomlinson
  • Health coach and yoga and beauty expert Amber Macintosh (Dandelion Wellbeing)
  • Contributing beauty editor and freelance beauty/lifestyle writer Helen Wilson-Beevers (Marie Claire, Stylenest, Cosmopolitan)

New York

  • TV fashion stylist and on-air presenter Dawn Del Russo (Access Hollywood, E!, Cosmopolitan, Vogue Italy)
  • Her sister, makeup artist Denise Del Russo
  • Beauty + Content founder and beauty photographer Amy Schneider

Australia

  • Holly Spierings, creator of award-winning makeup brand Eye of Horus Cosmetics
  • Eco-luxe skincare blogger Arjun Sudhir

There will be 20 judges in total, who over six months will test every entered product thoroughly and evaluate it for efficacy, texture, scent, packaging, and numerous other factors. There are 179 open categories – find out more about the categories here.

The closing date for all entries is Friday 17 November.

The Beauty Shortlist is just of thousands of blogs that appear on the Vuelio Influencer Database. Want to know more? 

Carl Thompson blogger

Blogger Spotlight: Carl Thompson

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Carl Thompson is a Top 10 Men’s Lifestyle Blogger with his eponymous blog. Created to document his personal style and promote his menswear label Carl Thompson covers grooming tips, cocktails and travel. We caught up with Carl to talk about FSTGLFFC, modern man, the iPhone changing marketing and how he likes to work with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
The blog is really an evolution from my menswear label ‘Hawkins & Shepherd’ that I launched back in August 2013. I like to think the site is a reflection of my personal interests. I often describe it as an amalgamation of fashion, style, travel, grooming, lifestyle, fitness & food content. Which is a bit of a mouthful but unfortunately FSTGLFFC is a rather rubbish and convoluted acronym.

Why did you start your blog?
To begin with I was looking to drive more traffic to my menswear label, but it soon became apparent that the blog was developing into something separate and deserved its own platform. I wanted to talk about things other than fashion such as travel, cars etc. and Carl Thompson the blog became an extension of Carl Thompson the person. I’m really proud of the way the blog looks now.

What are the latest trends in men’s lifestyle we should be aware of?
I actually get this a lot, and it may sound funny but I’ve never been one to follow trends. I once heard David Gandy speak about the same thing in an interview, that trends are so fast and disposable that if you try and keep abreast of them all it will send you slowly round the bend. Also, lifestyle is a huge encompassing word; interior design is lifestyle, fashion is lifestyle, whisky is lifestyle. I suppose if I was to pick out any trends I know that male skincare and male grooming is getting spoken about a lot. Men are even getting into making their own moisturiser which was unheard of 5-10 years ago.

Male grooming is nothing new, it’s been around since Ancient Egypt and the Early Crusades, but it’s certainly proliferated with the likes of social media making it the zeitgeist of men’s lifestyle.

How does the modern man compare to men of the past?
It really depends on how you’d like to pigeon-hole the modern man. Certainly, our views on masculinity have changed, say from the 60s. If you think that Sean Connery was a body builder back in his day. His physique more than his thespian skills landed him the role of James Bond. Compare a 60s’ Sean Connery to a modern day Daniel Craig. A nice juxtaposition on Ursula Andress coming out of the water in Dr No was to have Daniel Craig coming out the water in his trunks in Casino Royale.

My point is, how we compare modern men to men of the past is heavily dependent on how we view not only masculinity, but varying degrees of masculinity. I mentioned David Gandy earlier who is the embodiment of elegant or refined masculinity then on the other end of the scale you have Connor McGregor, who many see as rugged masculinity. It’s an interesting question, one that has many facets though.

What’s going to be the next big trend in men’s lifestyle?
It might sound obvious but we’ve recently seen the introduction of the iPhone 8, which has integrated facial recognition technology. This will mean that people will likely be making more payments with confidence on the phone rather than on a desktop or tablet. I’ll be interested to see how men’s lifestyle reacts, how brands will move over to this technology sector where everything will be dictated by your mobile phone. I hope I don’t sound like a conspiracist; I have nothing against Apple. But they’re very clever, they don’t do a lot of advertising because the media goes nuts over them anyway and they’re very  determined, like Facebook, to have you do everything through their platform, whether that’s buying that new sectional leather sofa or downloading the latest style app. I think brands will be more mindful than ever on how they market themselves online.

Carl Thompson with his french bulldogWhat one thing could you not live without?
Ha, my Apple 8. Only kidding. My phone is king in my life but I’m also nuts about my coffee maker. I once heard that Beethoven counted out his coffee beans, I’m not that anal but I recently upgraded my coffee machine to a KRUPS Espresso Automatic Series. I’ve successfully climbed the ranks to reach ‘Coffee Snob’ status through years of purchasing substandard freeze dried crap, pre-ground coffee beans in cafeterias and capsule coffee machines. It also costs a king’s ransom so I’d be very sorry to see it go.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I’m lucky enough to know a lot of people within the PR world. I like to try and think from their perspective what do they want from me. The answer is numbers. They like to see a return on their investment for their client whether its stats, exposure or some really decent imagery.

It’s a real treat for me when my blog receives certain accolades. It’s not just a badge of honour that looks good on the site or in the email signature, it’s great for the PR companies too as they get to show it to their clients. It means they’re picking the right influencers to promote or endorse their brand.

What’s one of your favourite collaborations?
I’m going to mention the one I did with HomeSense. Most probably because it’s fresh in my mind, but it was also a lot of fun as I got to include my beloved French Bulldog Charlie. It was fun to play around with as it centred on a home interior theme, but themed for dogs. Charlie had a good time, he got some new toys and I just remember that being a fun day and they’re a good brand to work with.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I get to the point on the email. I’ve been told I’m a lot nicer in person than I am in email threads, but when you have an inbox like mine you don’t always have time to fluff around with niceties and holiday chat etc. I like to be clear, concise and I think everyone benefits from that.

What other blogs do you read?
This should be the time when I list all the cool blogs and mention other great bloggers doing amazing work. Truth is, I only read a handful of blogs. I like the obvious ones like the Mr Porter Journal, I keep an eye on Fashion Insight for product launches and PR updates. For photography & editorial inspiration my first stop would be Toni Tran at fashitects.com, Ali Gordon at aligordon.net for his style & creativity, then there’s a guy I follow who runs a site called Human Research, he likes to run his mouth and on occasions and can be controversial but I like that.

 

Carl Thompson appears on the market-leading Vuelio influencer database along side thousands of other bloggers, influencers, journalists, editors and media outlets. Learn more about Vuelio’s solutions. 

Graph

PR pros on the rise, journalists in decline

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The latest report from the Office of National Statistics on employment by occupation shows the number of journalists has declined year-on-year by nearly 11,000 across both employed and self-employed journalists, editors and professional bloggers working full and part time.

For PR professionals, the number has risen by just over 5,000, again across both employed and self-employed full and part time staff.

The number of journalists in the UK between April and June 2017 was 72,908. That breaks down further into 52,723 employed by organisations with an 80/20 split between full and part time staff; and 20,185 self-employed with a 60/40 split between full and part time.

For PRs, they are still behind the number of journalists by some margin with just 54,301 in 2017. There is also a much higher proportion of PR professionals in employment with 48,447 employed by an organisation as opposed to just 4,968 self-employed. Of those employed, there’s an 80/20 split between full and part-time staff. The same breakdown is unavailable for those that are self-employed.

Year-on-year the biggest decline is to the self-employed sector – for both journalists and PRs. Journalists shed 14,000 self-employed and PR lost 4,000 self-employed professionals. Both actually rose in terms of those employed by an organisation suggesting the trends aren’t so stark; journalism just had more self-employed to shed.

Across every industry in the country though, this trend doesn’t continue as the self-employed workforce marginally increased in number (as did the total workforce overall).

The report also reveals the male and female split:

Journalists PR Professionals
Male 39,051 17,968
Male % 54 33
Female 33,857 36,333
Female % 46 67

As this shows, the journalism industry is much more closely balanced when it comes to gender, which makes the recent WIJ report on the lack of women on front page bylines even more concerning.

The PR industry is much more female-heavy, a trend which has actually become more pronounced since 2016 – as male staff numbers have declined and female staff numbers have increased. It is unclear why men are leaving the profession and whether the industry can do more to encourage a balance.

What do you think about gender divide in our industries? Let us know in the comments below.

Want to know how to contact all the journalists, editors and bloggers working in the UK? Check out our Media Database. 

interior design blogger

Blogger Spotlight: Jen Stanbrook, Love Chic Living

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Jen Stanbrook is the Top 10 Interior Design Blogger behind Love Chic Living. Jen posts advice on how to easily transform a room, improve your living space with the help of interior design trends, or add a bit of colour. Love Chic Living is a finalist in this year’s Vuelio Blog Awards. We caught up with Jen to talk about room makeovers, working with PRs and having integrity.

How would you describe your blog?
Love Chic Living is a home and interiors blog showcasing inspirational yet achievable design for a family home. It’s evolved a lot over the last five years, responding to my readers and my own tastes too. As my skills as a blogger have developed I’ve been able to feature more diverse and interesting posts, reacting to the market and readers’ demands.

Why did you start your blog?
I started the blog as a platform for my love of home and interiors. I’d always wanted an interiors shop but a young family meant that was a little out of my reach at the time, so writing a blog about all my ideas was the next best thing. And I’m still here almost six years later doing exactly the same thing.

What’s your favourite thing to blog about?
My favourite blogging topic has to be room makeovers. They’re the most popular with readers too. They’re hard work and don’t necessarily come around very often but when they do, they make a very satisfying blog post. Brands are also now much more creative in the way they like to collaborate, and I love the way there’s always something new and fresh to work on for me and my readers.

How do you manage your photography?
It’s taken me a long time to get better at photography, but I’ve done a few courses and slowly improved my camera, lenses and setup. There’s always room for improvement of course, and I’m constantly learning how to get the best shot that shows the setting or products off to their best advantage.

What’s your favourite interior?
I’m really pleased with my recent living room makeover. Like other bloggers and stylists I’ve embraced the dark wall and tried it out in my own home. I wanted to show people how it could work and what it looks like in an ordinary home. I think readers really respond to that, I know I do.

What makes your blog successful?
Good question! Honesty, integrity and keeping it real. I hope I achieve those aspects in most of the posts I create, whilst also giving a little bit of me too. After that, it’s just relentless hard work, staying relevant and developing ideas, skills and features to keep things fresh. It’s exceptionally competitive so it’s important to do your own thing, and focus on the things you love rather than watching what others are doing.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I love working with PRs and brands on a long term basis. I like clear, honest information from PRs, creative campaigns and realistic budgets and timescales. I’m professional and straightforward to deal with and enjoy those qualities in PRs and the projects they run. I have a lot of contacts that come back to me multiple times for further projects, which is incredibly satisfying.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
My inbox is never ending! I endeavour to reply to emails quickly but it’s not always possible so don’t chase me 24 hours after your first email if you’ve not heard back from me. I read all of them, and answer most. Eventually.

What other blogs do you read?
I read all the fabulous interior blogs I can of course, including more established and newer, up and coming. I also read a few lifestyle and beauty blogs. I’d read more if I had more time!

Jen, Love Chic Living and thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists feature on the market-leading Vuelio Influencer Database. Find out how you can reach them all here. 

Women In Journalism

Men still dominate newspaper front pages

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Male journalists are still in the majority when it comes to national newspaper front pages. A study by Women in Journalism (WIJ) has found that just 25% of front page stories were written by women in June-July 2017, a measly 2% more than the average in 2012.

The Daily Mirror had the lowest count with just 10% of front page bylines featuring women while the Guardian led the way though still had an underwhelming 43%.

Some papers have actually slipped backwards from 2012, with the Express falling furthest having 50% female bylines in 2012 but just 16% in 2017. Other papers to go backwards include the Daily Mirror (down 11%) and the Sun (down 3%).

WIJ said: ‘It has long been argued that time and increasing numbers of women in the media and public life will fix our long-established ‘women problem’; that as more women reach the top of the profession, the male lens will vanish. But as the campaigners for more women on FTSE 100 boards have discovered, the pace of change is glacial; on current progress it will take 100 years to reach parity between men and women in business. Our new research suggests the same is true of journalism.’

The Guardian’s lead, among five papers to improve, could be because it is the only paper with female political editors (it has two that job share) and politics is so often the source of a paper’s lead story.

WIJ also suggests the replacement of Alan Rusbridger with Katharine Viner has had an impact on women being more visible, arguing culture change can come from the top. It does, however, counter this with the fact the number of female bylines increased (though marginally from 8% to 15%) under George Osborne’s editorship compared to Sarah Sands’.

Another explanation WIJ has for a dearth of front page female bylines is that most news desks, with the exception of the Times, Sunday times and Metro, are run by men who assign the stories in the first place. Though how news stories are assigned and the reasons why, is probably worth further exploration before using this as sound reasoning.

What is clear is that female journalists are underrepresented on news front pages, and by extension the biggest stories. More needs to be done to ensure women are being fairly represented in the media.

Access the full report here.

Find out how to reach all the front page journalists and top outlets in the UK on the Vuelio Media Database. 

Lib Dem conference summary

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The Liberal Democrat conference today came to a close, with the final Vuelio conference bulletin covering all the highlights from the fourth and final day.

The top action from today includes the party’s latest Brexit-related motion; Norman Lamb’s speech and Vince Cable’s rousing conference close.

This final speech from the party’s leader cautioned against the Lib Dems being seen as ‘UKIP in reverse’. Wrapping up four days of Lib Dem activity, he asked activists to join him in taking ‘the Liberal Democrats back to Government’.

Vuelio’s Political Services team has collated all the main stories from the major news outlets, including the Guardian, Mirror and Express, as well as top influencers on social media. They are available all in one place on our special Lib Dem conference canvas.

If you think you’ve been missing out, and you want to make sure you receive daily updates for the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences – sign up to receive our special alerts directly to your inbox.

Lib dem canvas

Photo of makeup

Is Instagram stealing bloggers?

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Instagram continues to grow at a rapid rate, with an estimated monthly user base of over 700 million people. But is the social network causing a decline in traditional bloggers? Or is it just another hosting platform?

The Vuelio Bloggers Survey reveals that year-on-year there’s been an 11% decline in fashion and beauty blogs and a 2% decline in food and drink. These numbers are significant, especially when we consider lifestyle (up 3%), parenting (up 13%) and even travel (up 3%) have all risen.

The number of bloggers using Instagram has also risen – up 5% to 79% overall. While Facebook has also risen by 6%, the other major platforms (Twitter, Pinterest and – dare I say it – Google+) have all declined.

The gender split in social media preference also points to Instagram’s effect on the ‘declining’ blog topics. Both fashion and beauty, and food and drink are dominated by female bloggers – and Instagram is the preferred social network of female users, with 14% compared to just 10% male users.

Years after NYMag claimed ‘Instagram captions are the new blogging’, the platform is scooping up a new wave of influencers who don’t need  to spend any time or effort on setting up blog, managing a website or buying hosting. All they need to do is create an account and go – allowing them to focus on creating content, which is what blogging is all about.

And the rewards can be huge, with an estimated $50K dollars for a sponsored post if you have 1M-3M followers, it can become a genuine source of significant income. It is also relatively low maintenance, though better photography and more engaging captions will inevitably lead to more success.

So should all bloggers join the Instagram revolution?
No. Of course not. Blogging is, at its root, about personal expression. If Instagram works for influencers who enjoy the easy set-up and prefer the strong visual focus, then that’s great. Though there is still an audience for longer form text and custom sites with custom content. It’s about finding what works for you.

Is Instagram wooing you away from your blog? Let us know in the comments below!

No matter where influencers work, Vuelio has you covered. Find out more about our Influencer Database.

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Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 15 September 2017

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An audio round-up of all the trending media, marketing an PR stories you shouldn’t have missed this week.

Listen to Akeshia Clarke and Jake O’Neill’s top five stories you shouldn’t have missed:

This week the stories include:

  1. Bell Pottinger going into administration – the agency giant has succumbed to the scandal in South Africa and administrator BDO is now seeking new firms for the staff and clients to go to.
  2. Facebook’s algorithm has been criticised – the social media giant’s ad software allowed people to target their ads at anti-Semitic groups including those that had listed a topic of interest as ‘Jew hater’. In more positive news, the platform has expanded its crisis information portal to help those in dangerous situations more readily source information.
  3. Regulators on influencers – a look at PRWeek’s Influencer Breakfast Briefing with the ASA and CMA. Both organisations are keen to promote best practice among influencers and brand collaborations to ensure no one is the wrong side of the law.
  4. Ofcom’s diversity report – Ofcom’s latest report ‘Diversity and equal opportunities in television 2017’ has revealed that all broadcasters need to improve diversity among their staff with a particular focus on the UK’s largest broadcaster, the BBC, who they think should be leading the way.
  5. James Murdoch’s ‘warning’ to the government – the media mogul gave a speech this week in which he suggested a Britain facing Brexit should be willing to allow big business deals, such as Fox’s takeover of Sky. He is keen to get involved in the regulation process with the CMA, which he said proved Britain wasn’t a soft touch post Brexit.

Think we’ve missed something? Get in touch with Jake O’Neill on Twitter @MediaJake.

The Dapper Chap

Blogger Spotlight: Adam Tanous, The Dapper Chapper

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The Dapper Chapper is a Top 10 Men’s Lifestyle blog written by a team led by founder Adam Tanous. The Dapper Chapper covers an eclectic mix of men’s lifestyle and fashion advice, with updates on the latest apparel, luxury cars, fitness, places to go and must haves. We spoke to Adam about his love of whisky (hint hint), pocket squares and his transition from a PR making his PR relationships excellent.

How would you describe your blog?
The Dapper Chapper is a men’s lifestyle blog with writers based across the UK. Our aim is to see every man have the confidence to explore their own individual style, no matter their taste or budget.

Why did you start you blog?
I was working as a sports PR and my reasoning was two-fold. Firstly, my weakest PR skill was press release writing, so I started The Dapper Chapper as a creative space to improve my writing. I found it far easier to write about topics I am passionate about and I quickly improved. Secondly, I wanted to be involved with, and gain access to, a lifestyle that I was genuinely interested in. I’ve always loved sports and fashion, so The Dapper Chapper was my route into the latter.

What are the latest trends in men’s lifestyle we should be aware of?
We obviously remain as cutting-edge with our content as possible but we take fashions and trends with a pinch of salt. We tend to try and focus on brands that boast timeless style and if there’s a modern twist, even better.

How does the modern man compare to men of the past?
I believe men are more aware of various aspects of their lifestyle that previously may have been overlooked, from grooming to styling. I think different industries, like grooming for example, have done a far better job of expanding into the mainstream. The fashion industry has a bigger job to do and I think things like London Fashion Week Men’s haven’t resonated with the masses yet, hence why the blogosphere is so crucial.

What’s going to be the next big trend in men’s lifestyle?
Every other day we’re emailed about a new athleisure brand and lots of them are really good. Mainstream brands are also releasing athleisure collections too which reflects the demand. On the other side, gin is very much in. I’m drinking Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength at the moment, I recommend you do to.

What one thing could you not live without?
I wouldn’t want to live without a pocket square, but I suppose I’d just about survive without one, so I’d say my Apple Mac. It was hacked a few weeks ago and it’s genuinely scary to realise how much I rely on it every day.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I used to be a PR so I found this transition very easy. I read all the time about PR horror stories but the ones I deal with regularly are first class.

What’s one of your favourite collaborations?
We’ve had some amazing collaborations, we’ve worked with The Royal Exchange, Jaguar, Clements and Church, Oris and The Jockey Club on some amazing projects that have taken us everywhere from backstage at the British GP to parties in Basel. But, if I have to pick one, I think it would be our takeover of Maserati GB’s Instagram account.

I love Maserati and was really proud of that partnership, it was blogger/brand cross-pollination at its finest. Not many people know this but I actually broke my leg 48 hours before the shoot. The team pulled together and we produced 20 images to take over the brands account for August.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
We’re very PR-friendly but if you send a generic email, it won’t be read. Also, I like Whisky, particularly from Islay.

What other blogs do you read?
Men’s lifestyle blogging is now really strong and we’re proud to be part of that. I think MenswearStyle produce good blogs with genuine takeaways and I also have a lot of time for bloggers attached to Individualism, most of whom create effortlessly cool content.

Adam Tanous and The Dapper Chapper features on the marketing-leading Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Table about broadcasters

Broadcasters criticised for lack of diversity

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The latest report from Ofcom has revealed that women, ethnic minorities and disabled people are all under-represented by broadcasters.

The report, Diversity and equal opportunities in television 2017, has led Ofcom to call for more diversity among broadcasters, with a particular focus on the BBC who should be ‘leading the way’.

Channel 4 is currently the most diverse channel with 59% female employees, 18% ethnic minority employees and 11% disabled employees. The equivalent staff breakdown at the BBC is 47% female, 13% ethnic minority and 4% disabled.

By 2020, the BBC wants its employees to comprise 50% women, 8% disabled people, 8% lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people and 15% people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds. Ofcom is currently reviewing all the responses to its draft operating licence for the BBC, and will finalise the licence in the autumn.

Ofcom also discovered that many broadcasters don’t know their staff make-up, with poor monitoring widespread.

To improve diversity across the industry, Ofcom has announced a series of measures it plans to implement. They include changing the way it monitors broadcasters, holding broadcasters to account in line with their licences and even taking action against broadcasters who fail to provide the required data. On this occasion, 57 licensees failed to respond to the request for information before the deadline, and as such the regulator has begun enforcement action.

Sharon White, Ofcom’s chief executive, said: ‘Television is central to the UK’s cultural landscape, society and creative economy, and we believe that creativity in broadcasting thrives on diversity of thinking.’

Ofcom announced three measures which all broadcasters should take as a starting point to increase diversity:

  • Broadcasters should regularly measure and monitor the make-up of their workforce
  • Ofcom expects broadcasters to set clear diversity targets so their employees more accurately reflect the society we live in
  • Diversity transformation should be led from the top. We want chief executives to be accountable for delivery against their diversity targets

Across the whole of the UK, women make up 51% of the population, ethnic minorities make up 14% and those with a disability make up 18%.

Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

Blogger Spotlight: Louise Baltruschat, Whimsical Wonderland Weddings

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Louise Baltruschat is the Top 10 Wedding Blogger behind Whimsical Wonderland Weddings. Whimsical Wonderland Weddings provides beautiful photography promoting eye-catching features, accompanied by real life stories. We caught up with Louise to talk about what makes her blog successful, the latest wedding trends and working with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
Whimsical Wonderland Weddings is a welcoming, friendly and stylish space on the internet to assist in planning a day which represents each couple totally. Our ethos is all about focusing not on trends but on allowing a couple to express themselves through their wedding.

With a focus on real weddings in the UK, which are utterly gorgeous, we only feature the best photography the wedding industry has to offer and here in the UK we really are spoilt for choice with talented photographers. We also feature weekly international features and styled shoots for an array of ideas and destinations. We love to share planning advice and ideas too, with expert contributors for real life dilemmas and solutions.

We work with our valued sponsors to connect like minded couples and wedding suppliers through our advertising packages, which are made up of banners, our Supplier Love wedding directory and editorial features as well as our new social media advert options.

Why did you start your blog?
The blog began back in 2010 when I started planning my own wedding. It was a bit of a hobby, sharing my finds and making online connections. It gradually grew into me sharing other weddings and organically built a following over the years. We did cancel our 2010 wedding just six weeks before, due to severe anxiety I was suffering with, but kept the blog going. Don’t worry though – we made it down the aisle in 2015.

Whimsical Wonderland WeddingsWhat makes your blog successful?
I think it’s a combination of many factors. A real passion, addiction and drive to work on something I loved, without making any income. It’s about evolving and developing consistently, for example the move from popularity on Twitter, onto Facebook, then Pinterest and now it’s all about Instagram. Making connections and networking with others in your industry to support and inspire one another is vital. I also think there was a lot of luck with the timing of the start of the blog, there were not as many wedding blogs back in 2010 when I began. Above all it’s about trying again and again, even when there are set backs and hard times. For example, I have two children and didn’t have maternity leave when having my youngest, it was a big decision, but the blog wouldn’t be where it is today without that level of commitment.

What’s the biggest trend in weddings at the moment?
I think authenticity. It’s not too much about the bells and whistles, details and décor. But the feel and atmosphere of a day. Couples are looking more and more at alternative options, which really sing their personality and story. That in itself really brings an authentic feel to a wedding. Not to mention incredible photography and film making to capture it all forever.

In terms of trends in style, greenery and floral backdrops have been huge. As have bohemian style dresses and natural touches. I think this will continue into 2018 too.

What’s going to be the next big thing?
This is a toughie, you never really can predict where couples will go next. There have been copper and marble elements over this year too, which has filtered down from interior and fashion trends. So often it’s worth looking at trends in other industries to see what will affect us.

I think couples, especially in the UK will increasingly be looking for outdoor ceremonies and humanist led ceremonies.

What was the best thing you’ve seen at a wedding?
Ohh I have seen so much over the past 7/8 years. I think it’s just the little moments that really speak volumes. Making time to visit loved ones that can’t be there on the day, that’s such a touching and emotional thing to do. Emotional speeches that have everyone in tears. That feeling of joy captured as a couple exit a ceremony. It’s those intangible moments that mean the most to couples and guests.

Weddings seem seasonal – how much does this affect your blog?
The busiest time for the blog is always at the beginning of the year. It’s following swathes of festive proposals and it’s that time where you say ‘right let’s get cracking with the planning’. Both in terms of couple’s wedding planning and suppliers planning for the year ahead. I love it, there is such a buzz and there is so much excitement in the year ahead.

There are predominately summer wedding features on the blog due to the number of them taking place in the summer months. But we are definitely seeing more and more Spring weddings and the trend for Autumnal weddings really has increased in recent years.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I love hearing from PRs that are inviting us to super fun events and we subsequently share our outings over on Instagram stories. We also work with PRs that represent our sponsors to share all about their latest news.

What are the best collaborations you’ve worked on?
We have worked on so many wonderful collaborations. One of my most memorable was the campaign with Lomography back in 2012. It was such a great fit with our readers, both planning couples and photographers. It created such a great buzz.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I’m really friendly and approachable but time efficient. WWW is made up of myself and my assistant Rachel, so we can’t always reply to all of our emails sadly, but we always read them and follow up on those that work for the blog.

What other blogs do you read?
I read a lot of blogs, many wedding blogs and interior/lifestyle blogs. My favourite right now is Roses and Rolltops, as we too are our renovating our home – so love all the interior inspo.

Louise Baltruschat features on the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Jo Arnold, Guy Parker, Jon Riley, Vuelio, ASA, CMA

Regulators on influencers

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The ASA and CMA discuss blogging, brands and the rules of disclosure.

PRWeek’s Influencer Breakfast Briefing focused on brand and influencer collaborations, with a fireside chat between Guy Parker, CEO of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Jon Riley, project director at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), hosted by Vuelio’s own CEO, Joanna Arnold.

Both the CMA and ASA are responsible for policing marketing ethics in the UK; the CMA chiefly focused on enforcing consumer law and working on a macro level, the ASA leading on the administration of the UK Advertising Code on a day-to-day basis.

The organisations are primarily concerned with the labelling of advertising in the media, which includes blogs and social posts. There are two aspects of influencer collaboration to be aware of – a reciprocal arrangement, what we may think of as traditional advertising where payment or something of value is exchanged, and editorial control, where the brand has controlled content.

It is when these types of content are mislabelled or not labelled at all that the regulators can rule against the brands and bloggers in line with the CAP Code.

What happens when you’re in the wrong?
Guy gave an example of a ruling from this morning – Geordie Shore’s Sophie Kasaei’s post about the product Flat Tummy Tea. The post, misleading in both name and benefits, was ordered to be removed. This is the second time the product has been called out by the ASA, and Guy explained that cases of sustained non-compliance could be reported to the Office of Fair Trading to bring criminal charges.

Guy pointed out that putting #sp for an advert wasn’t sufficient, as advertising and sponsorship are fundamentally different things. Drawing parallels with broadcasting, sponsorship of a TV programme appears like an advert before the show begins but doesn’t lead viewers to think the sponsor has editorial control over the programme content.

The same applies to blogging and digital influence – if the content has, in any way, been paid for then it must clearly be labelled as an advert.

What about gifts?
Gifts are a murkier area, where ethics and the law don’t align. Guy likened it to ‘bad journalism’, where positive content has been secured in exchange for a gift. While there’s no current law against this, content creators and brands should be ethically wary of such content as, when the gifts reach a high value, they could be deemed to have a ‘corrupting effect’.

The CMA and ASA are fighting to raise awareness of these rules. No one can create a national broadcaster from their bedroom but the next big blog could be started without the author realising it’s a media outlet that must play by the same rules as everyone else.

Both organisations see themselves as playing catch-up with technology, but by design rather than through failings. Guy explained that the codes and rulings were reactive so as not to hamper innovation and advancement in any way. The language around blogging and social media influence is all new – it’s easy to see where adverts are on television, but the digital boundaries are still be created online and the ASA hopes to mould rather than create them.

The blogging industry is ethically aware and for the large part almost there. The Vuelio Bloggers Survey revealed 87% believe disclosure is important for all collaborations. What the CMA and ASA are hoping is that this majority will continue to promote best practice and put pressure on the 13%, calling them out when they’re in the wrong.

This model of self-policing might work for now, but in the long run a standardised authority for blogging would carry more weight, providing clear rules and support for bloggers of all shapes and sizes. Bloggers want to be trusted more than their traditional journalistic counterparts, and they’re in a unique position to learn from the mistakes of their forerunners and forge a clearer, more ethically sound, future.

Navaz Batliwalla

Blogger Spotlight: Navaz Batliwalla, Disneyrollergirl

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Navaz Batliwalla is the Top 10 Fashion Blogger behind Disneyrollergirl. Launched in 2007 while Navaz was working as fashion director at CosmoGirl!, Disneyrollergirl is the go-to platform for insights on the fashion world, through the eyes of an industry insider. We spoke to Navaz about London Fashion Week, fashion trends, collaborations with brands and all the wonderful blogs she reads.

How would you describe your blog?
Disneyrollergirl hasn’t changed that much since I started it ten years ago. It’s still a place to share my informed opinion on goings-on in the fashion, beauty, media and retail industries. I also publish original fashion editorials, films and shopping pages, sometimes in collaboration with selected brands. What’s changed is the community.

I have a great community of likeminded enthusiasts across several platforms so rather than considering just the blog, Disneyrollergirl extends cross-platform to offline including, recently, a style book. I try to keep my focus on the brands that speak to me on a personal level but I’m very interested in emerging movements and product categories. Currently that includes the rise of affordable fine jewellery, non-gendered beauty, positive fashion,  re-commerce and niche fragrance.

Why did you start your blog?
I was working full time as fashion director of CosmoGIRL! in 2007 and simply fell in love with this new, immediate and opinionated way of speaking to likeminded fashion enthusiasts. I had a background working with online communities since contributing to Handbag.com as far back as 1999. In this case I liked the rawness of uploading content in real time and having a direct dialogue with readers.

What are the latest fashion trends we should be aware of?
There is a big growth in women buying luxury jewellery and watches for themselves. It’s no longer just the husbands buying for their wives. So the designers doing well are those creating simple, beautifully-made pieces that are adaptable, that can work from day through to night and can be worn as a signature piece, even if it’s understated.

How does London Fashion Week fit in with your blog?
I attend LFW mainly as part of my freelance work as a fashion writer and editorial consultant. And then I’m happy to support my favourite designers on my platforms as well as keeping my readers up to date on trends. LFW content can be industry news, it can be catwalk highlights (from my personal point of view), consumer-based news (see now, buy now or buying a beauty look straight from the show), or tech innovation such as shoppable social media. I will go to events to support PRs and meet clients but I don’t cover parties or celebs on the site.

What’s going to be the ‘next big thing’ in fashion?
Currently I feel like there’s a real sense of product and content fatigue. I think we’ve all over-consumed so people want a breather. So there’s an interest in slow, considerate fashion, buying things to keep long term, an appreciation of handmade craft or ‘circular fashion’  – i.e. having frequent clearouts via eBay, Depop, Grailed or Vestiaire Collective. Arket will be an interesting business to watch as it’s based around building a wardrobe, not chasing trends.

Content-wise, the ubiquity of social media has caused the downfall of many legacy print magazines. They adopted the same mediocre tone of voice and forfeited their point of view in the process unfortunately. Niche magazines have stepped into that ‘meaningful’ space and are disrupting the traditional magazine market. I imagine a similar thing could happen with blogs and influencers.

Consumers are getting bored of glorified salespeople who don’t seem to have any other interests and the algorithmic changes of popular social platforms has caused disillusion among users.

What makes your blog successful?
I measure success by creative fulfilment and I get that by doing work that interests me. I work to build relationships with brands and PRs that have the right fit to gain access that my readers wouldn’t get otherwise. If you focus on producing editorial that has meaning to you and your readers, rather than successive sponsored posts, then you win the long term game. It hasn’t been smooth by any means but I’m still enjoying it and I’m still here!

How do you like to work with PRs?
I’m a fan of the targeted approach. I like to get to know PRs and their brands over the long term so that there is a mutual understanding. I’m happy to give pure editorial if I’m genuinely passionate about a story. I’m also happy for PRs to send me general info/press releases etc. if it’s a brand/product/category I’ve expressed interest in. I hate being added to generic mailing lists and I instantly unsubscribe! I’m not a fan of being sent unsolicited product – that’s unnecessary and wasteful. The dream is to be asked to collaborate on a multi-platform project that’s well researched with ample  time to deliver quality content. However, I’m equally very used to last minute briefs!

What collaborations are you proud of?
I love the series of Petit Dejeuner shoots and films I have made with filmmaker and photographer Emma Miranda Moore. They celebrate new beginnings and reinvention or interesting morning routines and can be stills shoots or short films. I’m also very proud of my book, The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman, published last year by Laurence King Publishing. I worked with the PRs of my favourite heritage and luxury brands to profile the modern considerate consumer and her approach to style, work and lifestyle.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I’m very much a behind the scenes kind of person and I like the get to the root of a story. So I’m happiest sharing the story of an amazing designer, collection or start-up through words and images, rather than taking outfit pictures of myself.

What other blogs do you read?
Glossy.co and The Fashion Law for business insights; Keep It Chic, The Women’s Room Blog and That’s Not My Age for grown up style; Coco’s Tea Party, The Very Simon G and Fashion Foie Gras to keep up with my mates; The Anna Edit and The Lifestyle Edit (not strictly a blog) for life stuff; British Beauty Blogger and Into The Gloss for beauty intel and Style Bubble, What Olivia Did and Peony Lim for eye candy.

Navaz Batliwalla features on the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

From Bedrooms to Boardrooms, the evolution of blogging

Influencer outreach: From Bedrooms to Boardrooms – WEBINAR

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The biggest annual survey into the habits and behaviours of UK bloggers has been published, revealing the industry is professionalising, not all bloggers believe in disclosure and relationships with PRs vary wildly depending on the industry.

A whopping 87% of parenting bloggers have good PR relations, but with politics, that falls to just 17%. How are these PRs getting it so wrong? Or are some sectors just better at influencer outreach?

Who better to talk about working with PRs and all the Bloggers Survey results than Jo Middleton – author of the award-winning Slummy Single Mummy and parenting blogger extraordinaire.

As more and more influencers see blogging as a valid career path, PRs have no choice but to have a clear strategy for handling influencer relations. Jo will reveal how she manages her own excellent relationships with brands and agencies and discuss the future direction of this burgeoning industry.

The webinar: UK Blogger Survey 2017 – the Results, takes place on Tuesday 26 September at 11am. Jo will be joining us live to take you questions throughout the webinar and share some of the secrets of her success.

Click here to register for the webinar. Even if you can’t make the live broadcast, we’ll send you a recording after it airs.

Ofcom finds Channel 4 News in breach of code

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Ofcom has found Channel 4 News in ‘serious breach’ of the broadcasting code. The episode in question, broadcast on 22 March, wrongly identified Abu Izzadeen as the Westminster terror attacker.

As reported in the Guardian, Channel 4 News has also been criticised for a string of other major mistakes in recent years, including:

  • A 2014 news report covering the publication of the Ellison review in to possible corruption and the role of undercover policing in the Metropolitan police in the Stephen Lawrence case. Short interview clips with five supposedly random members of the public asking whether they trusted the police turned out to all be from the same organisation, with which the reporter had links.
  • A 2014 report on Russia’s assertive military and foreign policy that included an audio clip supposedly of an RAF pilot intercepting and warning a Russian military plane in British airspace. It turned out to be an intercept of a Latvian cargo plane.
  • A 2015 report into the aftermath of the Shoreham air show crash reported the names of two members of the public that had died before their deaths had been officially confirmed.

This latest error has led the media regulator to rule that Channel 4 must broadcast Ofcom’s investigation result – a rare move against a national broadcaster.

A spokesperson for Ofcom told journalists: ‘This is the fourth time in three years we have found Channel 4 in breach of its requirement to report news with due accuracy. We are particularly concerned that another serious breach has happened, given Channel 4’s previous assurances to Ofcom that improvements to its compliance processes were being made.

‘Considering the seriousness of this breach, we are requiring Channel 4 News to air a summary of our breach decision.’

The wrongful accusation was corrected on air but this was not enough to avoid the more dramatic ruling.

Channel 4 said: ‘We note that Ofcom acknowledges Channel 4 News made appropriate corrections while on air; removed the programme from other platforms and carried a full correction and apology the following day.’

Channel 4 news has accepted the ruling, a statement said: ‘Channel 4 News takes its obligations under the Ofcom Broadcasting Code extremely seriously and is committed to providing audiences with high-quality, accurate and impartial news programming. We have participated fully in Ofcom’s investigation and note the regulator’s ruling which takes into account the immediate steps taken to correct and clarify the error during the course of the programme.’

Why aren’t all bloggers disclosing collaborations?

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Vuelio’s latest Bloggers Survey suggests 13% don’t believe disclosure is important for every collaboration. The number, unchanged from 2016, is a worrying trend that could be flouting the Advertising Standards Authority’s rules.

The Survey showed only 87% believe sponsorship disclosure is important for every collaboration. Therefore, the number that don’t hold this belief translates to over a thousand individual bloggers across the UK industry.

The ASA’s rules apply to influencers, blogs and traditional media outlets equally. In terms of disclosure they include:

2.1 Marketing communications must be obviously identifiable as such.

2.3 Marketing communications must not falsely claim or imply that the marketer is acting as a consumer or for purposes outside its trade, business, craft or profession; marketing communications must make clear their commercial intent, if that is not obvious from the context.

2.4 Marketers and publishers must make clear that advertorials are marketing communications; for example, by heading them “advertisement feature”.

The ASA has ruled that both the business and the affiliate marketer are responsible in spite of the fact that the ads may have been created solely by the affiliate rather than by the business themselves.

And, as the Press Gazette points out, those who pay bloggers for coverage that is not declared may also fall foul of the Bribery Act 2010, which states it is against the law to pay someone to perform their functions improperly.

How to stay within the law for influencer marketing is an upcoming topic of a PRWeek Breakfast Briefing, which will be hosted by Joanna Arnold – CEO of Vuelio, with guests Guy Parker – CEO of the ASA and Jon Riley – project director of the Competition and Marketing Authority.

Joanna said: ‘It is important that PRs truly understand the landscape before they engage. There are plenty of pitfalls alongside the potential, particularly in this phase of development, when the rules of the game are still being written and the transactional nature of some relationships threatens to become the story itself.’

For the first time, ‘Ethical concerns around promoting brand content to my audience’ became one of the most important issues facing the surveyed bloggers. Vuelio’s blogger spotlights reveal that some PRs do put pressure on bloggers to not disclose, but equally the survey shows that some bloggers (albeit it a small minority) are clearly happy to flout the rules to achieve their goals.

This is clearly an industry-wide issue – encompassing agencies, brands and influencers – and without a standardised approach or blogging authority, it is unlikely to change anytime soon.

Debby Wong

News Corp pays the Tab

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Tab Media, the publisher behind the Tab and babe, has raised $6 million dollars in a financing round, with the majority coming from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.

The Tab was started by three students at Cambridge University in 2009 and has since become a popular media source for students across campuses in the UK and US. Known for its young staff, the Tab is aiming to grow beyond the student readership and capture the 18-25 demographic.

The Independent reports that 70% of Tab Media’s revenue – $600,000 in August – comes from sponsored stories commissioned by the likes of Spotify and Unilever, which are written to resemble news articles. The rest is from display advertising.

The new funding will support original reporting and training for young journalists. In return, the Press Gazette reports that News Corp has taken a minority stage in the group and Times deputy editor Emma Tucker has joined its board of directors.

Jack Rivlin, one of the founders of Tab Media, reportedly met Murdoch right after Glastonbury, covered in glitter while wearing borrowed shoes. He had printed out 100 of the Tab’s stories which was enough to impress the media mogul and his top team to invest on the spot.

Tab Media’s sites enjoy over 9.5 million unique users a month and they claim the Tab is now the second biggest 18-24 publisher in the UK, after Buzzfeed.

Joshi Herrmann, editor-in-chief at Tab Media (at a frankly ancient 28), said: ‘In five years, what we’re going to be doing might be a bit broader. We’ll keep passing this on, kind of recklessly throwing the keys to very young editorial people and see what they come up with.’

This model may keep the site fresh for the youth demographic where other sites struggle to retain their ‘edgy’ voice, as the audience broadens and ages. The parallels with the social media giant that started at an elite college campus, then grew among students before widening out to the general public will surely be on the minds of those behind Tab media and consciously shaping its future.