UK – 13 September 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at news titles including Food and Travel, T3, Woman and BusinessCloud.  

Business & Finance

  • Kayleigh Hutchins has been appointed editor at Electrical Contracting News.
  • Mo Aldalou has been appointed multimedia journalist at BusinessCloud. Mo was previously a senior digital staff writer at Insider Media.

Lifestyle

  • Stephanie Dobrijevic has been appointed editorial assistant at Food and Travel. Stephanie was previously research assistant at the title.
  • Spencer Hart has been promoted to product and style editor at T3. Spencer was previously the mobile tech editor at the title.
  • Paula Moore has been appointed group fashion director across Time Inc UK’s weekly titles including Woman, Woman’s Own, Woman’s Weekly, Now, Chat and Pick Me Up.

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets.  

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.’

UK – 12 September 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at news titles including Stylist, Harper’s Bazaar, MDM and Alphr.  

News & Current Affairs

  • Monica Horridge has been appointed associate editor across Alphr and expertreviews. She was previously managing editor across the titles.

Business & Finance

  • Phil Martin has been appointed digital editor at MDM, the publisher of International Fire Protection, International Fire Fighter, Asia Pacific Fire and Gulf Fire magazines. Phil is retiring  from his 34-year career in the UK Fire and Rescue Service where he served in a wide range of roles at all ranks including Chief Fire Officer.
  • Karen Fletcher has been appointed editor at Modern Building Services, replacing Ken Sharpe who retired in August.

Lifestyle

  • Arabella Greenhill has been appointed fashion director at Stylist. Arabella is a former fashion director at InStyle.
  • Charlotte Davey has been promoted to junior fashion and jewellery editor across Harper’s Bazaar and Town & Country. Charlotte was formerly senior fashion assistant at the title.
  • Peter Byrne has been appointed web editor at HomeStyle. Peter will take up the role alongside his existing position as web editor at LandLove.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets.  

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.

Facing cameras

What now for Bell Pottinger?

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One of the world’s biggest PR agencies is seemingly in freefall, so what should Bell Pottinger do now?

Last week was catastrophic for Bell Pottinger – its CEO quit, the PRCA expelled and banned it, its second biggest shareholder gave back its stake, key clients left, its Asian unit formed a new entity, the Middle East business is seeking to do the same and now it’s on the brink of administration.

Lord Bell, an original founder who is no longer with the firm, gave an awkward Newsnight interview in which we said the agency was unlikely to survive the scandal.

What would any other international organisation do when faced with such reputational damage and these pandemic crises?

They’d hire Bell Pottinger.

The brand is known for diving in to rescue those under fire, whether it’s Oscar Pistorius, Rolf Harris or the US government. In 2011, top Bell Pottinger lobbyists were filmed discussing their abilities to influence government and public opinion.

If there’s one agency that could make a difference, dig its heels in and help Bell Pottinger, it’s Bell Pottinger. But at the moment they don’t seem to be making the most of the skills they have to hand.

It isn’t clear if the staff are strategically planning their future careers over planning to save the company they’re with. That said, what organisation does utilise their best assets for their own means?

In-house PR is often guilty of not promoting its work internally or proving how valuable it is to the other parts of the business that may not appreciate what PR can really do. And agencies? Which agency can truly say they’re promoting themselves and managing their reputation with the resources they sell to clients?

As an industry, there’s lots to learn from the Bell Pottinger scandal but chiefly we should learn to look after ourselves. PR starts at home, and it’s about time we utilised what we have.

UK – 11 September 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at news titles including the Daily Mirror, Sunday Times Style, Ideal Home, Woman and Now magazine.  

News & Current Affairs

  • Martin Bagot has been promoted to health and science correspondent at the Daily Mirror.
  • Alan Martin has been promoted to deputy editor at Alphr. Alan was previously the news editor at the website.
  • Thomas McMullan has been promoted to features editor at Alphr. Thomas was previously a senior staff writer at the website.

Business & Finance

  • Laura Whitcombe has returned from maternity leave to her role as product editor at This is Money.
  • Pepi Sapal has been appointed B2B reporter, Business & Brands at TRBusiness.

Lifestyle

  • Catherine Westwood has been appointed editor in chief across Woman, Woman’s Own, Woman’s Weekly and Now magazines.
  • Steph Durrant has been appointed senior features editor at Ideal Home and Style at Home. Steph was previously content editor across Time Inc. UK’s Home Content team.
  • Anisha Parbhakar-Brown has been appointed fashion assistant at the Sunday Times Style. Anisha was previously a fashion intern at Red Magazine.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets.  

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 8 September 2017

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

1. Bell Pottinger
The troubled PR giant is having a terrible week. James Henderson, CEO, resigned on Sunday. The PRCA banned the company from having membership for five years on Monday. Chime, Bell Pottinger’s second biggest investor with a 27% stake, gave up trying to sell its shares and instead gave them back to the company on Tuesday. Clients have reportedly cut ties, there are rumours it will go into administration early next week, and the Asian arm of the company today announced its separation to continue operating but under a new name: Klareco Communication.

The outlook is bleak. But bleak is Bell Pottinger’s speciality and it’s not over yet.

 

2. Bloggers Survey

Bloggers survey

The biggest survey to track the behaviours and attitudes of bloggers in the UK and Ireland is back. This year, the Vuelio Bloggers Survey has revealed that the blogging industry is professionalising with more individuals relying on their blogs as their main source of income and a rise in those who wish to do so in future.

Other key points include:

  • 13% don’t think disclosure of all collaboration is important
  • 75% having good relationships with PRs (though this varies depending on the category; parenting leads the way with 85% while political scrapes just 17%)
  • 58% expect to be paid for all the coverage they give a brand

Download the survey.

 

3. Vuelio Blog Awards shortlist

Vuelio Blog Awards finalists

The shortlist for this year’s Vuelio Blog Awards has been announced with 82 individual finalists across 14 categories. The list includes past winners and new entries, as the burgeoning industry continues to create original stars. There are also new categories for 2017, including Best Newcomer – the first Vuelio award to be self-nominated.

The Judges will be choosing overall winners on 18 September ahead of the Awards night on 24 November – this year to be held at the fabulous Bloomsbury Big Top. You can get your tickets here.

 

4. John Motson and Graydon Carter

Graydon Carter and John Motson

Two media legends, though in completely different fields, announced their departures this week. John Motson, the voice of BBC football commentary for 50 years, has said the current football season will be his last. Motty has commented at 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, 29 FA Cup finals and more than 200 England games.

Across the pond, Vanity Fair’s editor-in-chief Graydon Carter, is to leave the publication in December. Throughout his 25 years in charge, Graydon has steered the magazine to a host of award wins with his mix of investigative stories and celebrity interviews. He said: ‘I’ve loved every moment of my time here and I’ve pretty much accomplished everything I’ve ever wanted to do.’

 

5. Billboard branding

Innovative use of billboards is nothing new, but two giants of the technology world have this week made the most of these traditional advertising mediums. In New York and Los Angeles, Netflix has gone guerrilla with plain boards and the words ‘Netflix is a joke.’ While its own Twitter response somewhat spoilt the illusion, Netflix’s campaign for new comedy material has still managed to confuse passers-by.

Here in the UK, O2 made headlines for its creative use of ‘broken’ billboards to advertise its free screen replacement service. Though the message is more obvious than Netflix’s, it’s still managed to fool at least one person:

 

Seen something we’ve missed? Get in touch and let us know. 

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.

UK – 8 September 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at news titles including Vanity Fair, the Sunday Times, Press Association and REFINERY29.  

International

  • Graydon Carter, the editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, will leave the publication in December. Over his 25-year tenure, Graydon became one of the biggest names in magazine publishing.

News & Current Affairs

  • David Collins has been appointed Northern correspondent and crime reporter at the Sunday Times. David was previously deputy insight editor at the paper.
  • Siobhan Fenton has joined the Press Association as a reporter based in their Stormont office.
  • Kevin Beirne has been appointed deputy editor at Football.London.

Business & Finance

  • Adam Waring has been appointed editor at N-Photo replacing former editor Paul Grogan.

Lifestyle

  • Alice Casely-Hayford has been promoted to fashion director at REFINERY29. Alice was previously fashion editor at the website.
  • Dawn Alford has been appointed editor at Kensington & Chelsea Magazine and Notting Hill & Holland Park Magazine, as well as a contributor for Luxury London.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets.  

Blogger Spotlight: Charlie Watson, The Runner Beans

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Charlie Watson is the author of The Runner Beans, which was recently ranked number one in the Top 10 UK Fitness and Exercise Blogs. Charlie is a marathon runner, fitness fan and self-professed foodie. We spoke to her about keeping it real, her favourite kit and working with PRs. 

How would you describe your blog?
An honest, attainable approach to fitness and running. I share the trials and tribulations of marathon training, fear of the weights section at the gym and my uneasiness with shedding for a wedding.

My goal is to champion the journey to a healthy, more active life where honest fitness and food makes wellbeing more accessible to all – without losing sight of the real lives we lead.

Why did you start your blog?
I started my blog when I signed up for the London marathon in 2012 – originally it was to coerce friends and family into sponsoring me, then it helped keep me accountable to my fitness goals and has developed into a training journal as well as a source (I hope) for information and inspiration for runners, newbie gym goers and fitness enthusiasts alike.

Charlie Watson - The Runner Beans 2What makes your blog different from other fitness blogs?
I don’t have abs, I’m not a fast runner, I’m just an average enthusiast sharing the ups and downs of real life and training… with a side of chocolate and gin! For me, it’s all about balance. I like to train to complete challenges, like marathons, ultra swims, and an Ironman 70.3 in the future rather than strength or aesthetics.

What’s the next big fitness trend going to be?
I think Swim/Run races are going to get bigger, and I think Ultra races will increase in popularity (as they already are). I am tempted to sign up for one – I’ve heard the aid stations are way more fun than marathon aid stations!

What piece of equipment or tech is your go-to workout companion?
I love my Adidas Ultra Boost trainers and my Garmin watch to track my runs.

What’s your favourite workout class or routine?
Favourite workout class is Barre and BodyPump (aside from running, obviously!).

What was your favourite blog post to create and why?
I love sharing the marathon race recaps as I work really hard to train for them and create content during the races, but I also love the more open/honest posts such as my feelings on losing weight for the wedding.

How do you see your blog developing in the future?
I’d like to develop my YouTube channel further as well as creating more active travel content, and sharing my knowledge as I continue my Dietetics degree.

What makes your blog successful?
I think it’s my honesty, my realness and my persistence to train for my goals. I’ve been blogging for five years and am growing, developing and changing online as well as in real life. I’m average, and proof that others can achieve their goals if they work hard and believe in themselves.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I love partnering to make creative, interesting content that’s helpful and fun for my readers (and me!). I like to brainstorm ideas that match with brand campaigns on longer term partnerships to create value for both the company and my audience.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I love to travel and I am studying to become a dietitian. I love working with brands that want to work together to create awesome content!

What are your favourite blogs to read?
I love a lot of American fitness blogs such as Pumps and Iron, Run to the Finish and the Real Life RD, plus I get inspiration from beauty/fashion blogs such as Inthefrow, Lydia Millen and Hello Fashion. I also really enjoy watching YouTube videos from lifestyle, fitness, fashion and beauty bloggers.

 

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

GBBO

Bake Off ratings hit Channel 4 high

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The consolidated viewing figures for the first episode of Great British Bake Off make it one of Channel 4’s most watched programmes of all time.

Taking into account time-shifted viewing over a seven-day period, the episode drew an average of 9.5 million viewers, which was a 35.4% share of the audience. This makes it Channel 4’s seventh highest rated show ever, and the best since Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, which had 9.7 million viewers in February 2011.

The show also attracted 2.7 million 16-34 year-old viewers, making it the best performing programme among this demographic in 2017.

Channel 4’s highest rated show ever was A Woman of Substance, which drew 13.9 million viewers in 1985 – surprisingly comparable to the 13.4 million that watched Nadiya Hussain win Bake Off on BBC One in 2015.

The total figures for the first episode of Bake Off, including repeats on Channel 4, E4 and 4Seven, and views on Channel 4’s online service All 4, make the total well over 12 million.

Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s chief creative officer, said: ‘Bake Off has well and truly landed on Channel 4. I’m thrilled viewers have warmed to Paul, Prue, Noel and Sandi and are enjoying the exceptional standard of baking.’

The strong start has been bolstered by the second episode, which enjoyed overnight viewing figures of 6 million. Though this is down on week one, the 16-34 year old demographic grew and it’s still double the number Channel 4 needs in order to ‘break even’ on its £75 million purchase of the show.

UK – 7 September 2017

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Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at news titles including BBC News Online, Woman, Curva and StrategicRISK.  

News & Current Affairs

  • George Greenwood has been appointed online reporter at BBC News Online.
  • Conan Doherty has been appointed editor at SportsJOE.IE. Conan was previously features editor at the website.

Business & Finance

  • David Benyon has been appointed European editor at StrategicRISK. David was previously editor at Reactions.

Lifestyle

  • Lydia Swinscoe has been appointed fashion and beauty brand director at Woman, Woman’s Own, Woman’s Weekly and Now magazines. Lydia was previously fashion and beauty editor at Now.
  • Charlotte Henderson has been appointed UK fashion editor at Curva.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets.  

Fashion Foie Gras

Blogger Spotlight: Emily Johnston, Fashion Foie Gras

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Emily Johnston is the author behind Fashion Foie Gras (FFG), which was recently ranked third in the Top 10 UK Fashion Blogs. Covering her own personal style and fashion news, Emily also writes about her adventures abroad. Here we spoke to Emily about being yourself, her changing attitude towards Fashion Week and PRs as bridesmaids…

How would you describe your blog?
FFG has truly become a blog that has evolved from being just about fashion to covering every aspect of life, from travel to food, style to beauty.

Why did you start your blog?
I started FFG to be a part of the conversation that was starting to erupt online around fashion and lifestyle. I had no idea it could become a career. I was doing it for fun!

What are the latest fashion trends we should be aware of?
For autumn/winter I would say embrace the art of layering, playing with different fabrics and print clashing to really showcase your own unique style. Leave the trends behind. Wear what makes you happy and feels good!

How does London Fashion Week fit in with your blog?
It used to play a huge role, but these days I use the catwalk for inspiration for later features, when readers don’t have to feel frustrated by waiting to purchase. People want to see it now and have it in hand tomorrow, which has really changed my own views on covering LFW.

What’s going to be the ‘next big thing’ in fashion?
I don’t think there is a next big thing. Things aren’t ‘big’ like they used to be. Trends are a flash in a pan and they change daily. Tough for anyone to keep up, that’s why I say be true to yourself!

What makes your blog successful?
Luck. Haha. Kidding. I think the blog is successful because I have integrity and am pretty much a slave to it. I don’t cut corners, it’s hard work and there’s no cheating that. But I love every minute of it so it’s worth it. And my readers are just insanely loyal and fabulous and, at this point, we’ve more or less grown up together over the past decade.

How do you like to work with PRs?
First of all, I have to say that when I finally get married I can guarantee you that the women that make up my bridesmaids will be mostly PRs that I have met through this crazy blog life. They are amazing men and women. But, I do really appreciate when people are straight forward. If there’s a job, let’s talk about. If you want support for a new brand, let’s discuss.

What collaborations are you proud of?
There are so many and too many to spotlight just a few. My designer collaborations, however, have been the favourites. I’d love to do a dress collaboration in the future!

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I’m easy and I’m an adult (and I worked as a PR for ten years before starting the blog… so I get it).

What other blogs do you read?
Again, too many to list. London is full of so much talent!

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

photojournalism

Reuters launches photojournalism grants

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Reuters has launched a new grant programme to encourage the next generation of photojournalists to share original visual stories from around the world.

Reuters is offering up to eight grants, worth $5,000 each, to photojournalists or students for work on photo assignments and projects that will enhance their visual storytelling abilities and tell ‘original human stories’.

Pictures taken by the grant recipients will be distributed globally on Reuters platforms.

While the photojournalists do not need to be professional, the candidates must be passionate about the medium and be able to pitch a concept that they can successfully complete in order to secure the grant.

The grant winners will be advised on their assignments and projects by Yannis Behrakis, Reuters photojournalist and senior editor of special projects. Yannis will provide advice and planning assistance throughout the process.

The application period opens 10 September. Entrants need to submit a CV and a 25-50 picture portfolio of both single images and multi-image stories. They must also detail their project or idea, which is recommended to be, ‘focused on a subject in a community or location within close proximity that can be completed in a few weeks or months’.

The deadline for entries is 10 December, and the grants must be used in 2018.

More information about the competition including entry details is available on the Reuters website.

UK – 6 September 2017

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Media-Updates-New-Featured

Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at news titles including the John Motson, the MailOnline, Telegraph and Stylist.  

News & Current Affairs

  • John Motson, the legendary BBC football commentator, has announced the current football season will be his last. Motty, 72, has been with the BBC for 50 years, commentating on 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, 29 FA Cup Finals and over 200 England games.
  • Latoya Gayle has been appointed UK online junior Femail reporter at MailOnline. Latoya was previously junior content writer at Exquisite Essex.
  • Daniel Chipperfield is now weekend news editor at Gloucestershire Live. Daniel was previously chief city reporter at the Gloucester Citizen.
  • Matt Withers has been appointed digital editor at The New European, overseeing the title’s website and social media channels. He will perform the role alongside his existing position as digital specialist project manager at Archant.

Business & Finance

  • Jenny Darmody has been promoted to careers editor at Silicon Republic.
  • Ines Nastali has been appointed editor at Materials World. Ines was previously industry editor at The Marine Professional.

 

Lifestyle

  • Anita Bhagwandas has been appointed beauty director at Stylist. Anita is the former senior beauty and health editor at Marie Claire.
  • Orla Pentelow has been appointed luxury assistant at the Telegraph. Orla was previously at Vogue.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets.  

President elect CIPR

Emma Leech confirmed as CIPR’s 2018 President-Elect

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Emma Leech Found.Chart.PR FCIPR will become the President-Elect of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) next year, after standing unopposed in the 2017 CIPR Election.

Emma is the Director of Marketing and Advancement at Loughborough University, having previously held similar roles at the Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Nottingham.

A Chartered Marketer and Manager, Emma joined the CIPR in 1996 and became one of the UK’s first Accredited PR Practitioners in 2005. She was awarded Fellowship of the CIPR in 2009 and was named CIPR/IOD PR Director of the year in 2012.

Emma said: ‘I am absolutely delighted to have been nominated as the next President Elect and am looking forward to working with Board and Council colleagues in driving forward CIPR’s vision and strategy.

‘I am grateful to those who nominated me and for the many positive messages I’ve received from colleagues across the industry.’

She will succeed Sarah Hall Chart.PRm FCIPR as President of the CIPR in 2019.

Sarah is a pioneer of best practice in the PR industry and authors the popular #FuturePRoof. Sarah takes over from current CIPR President Jason MacKenzie Found.Chart.PR, FCIPR in 2018.

Digital PR

7 reasons to use digital PR

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As Google and other search engines get smarter, your marketing strategy needs to as well. Getting your content in front of the right audiences is now more difficult than ever with the saturation of web content and the growing number of businesses who have wised-up to SEO best practices.

Luckily, digital PR can help you cut through the clutter. This guest post from Ad-Rank explains how to get the most out of digital PR.

Why you need digital PR in your plan
With over 51% of people consuming their news online via social media, if you haven’t yet implemented digital PR, it’s time to start making it an essential ingredient of your marketing campaigns. Below are just some of the reasons why:

1. Digital PR is measurable

Unlike traditional PR, where readership and television viewers are based on average readers per month and potential audience, digital PR campaigns result in precise measurements.

Where it used to be difficult, today it’s a lot easier to gauge the number of viewers who actually saw a feature or engaged with it. Digital PR campaigns allow you to track everything – from who saw your content to which device they viewed it from. You can see exactly what demographic group your readers fit into and what time of day is more effective, even which links on the page got you the most interaction.

2. Build easily accessible network

Email, online communities and platforms such as Vuelio have replaced what used to be a file of business cards, making outreach and responses easy to measure. While similar to the relationships built via traditional PR campaigns, the beauty of digital relationships lies in the online interactions that can keep your content relevant.

For instance, when a news outlet publishes your online press release on their website, you can tweet a thanks to the writer on Twitter, or send an email thanking them for coverage. This strengthens your relationship and gives you a go-to for your next article.

3. Wider reach

Social media marketers have always understood the value of a share on Facebook or a retweet on Twitter, and a good digital PR campaign needs to exploit this powerful influence as well. When an interesting press release or campaign reaches users on social media, the reach of that campaign can spread like wildfire and get in front of an audience you would never reach simply using traditional mediums.

4. Fuel SEO with backlinks

A key component of digital PR is the value it brings to your business’ SEO goals. When you create an interesting campaign, bloggers and online journalists pick it up, post it on their sites and create powerful links back to the source – you.

Google has long touted the importance of a good link profile, and digital PR directly supports the building of high quality external sources linking to your website as your content is shared and cited on their sites.

5. Build brand awareness

Two aspects of digital PR – wider reach and SEO boosting – combine to also enhance brand awareness. As your campaign is shared and viewed, more and more people learn about your brand’s products or services. The value is two-fold, because as they learn about your brand, they may also research your offerings, giving you visibility in Google and helping you rank higher in search results.

6. Create bespoke content for your audience

Personalisation and customisation are essential to reaching today’s audiences, and with a digital PR campaign, you can do just that. The trick is to restructure your content based on the needs and demographics of the users who will view it from a specific source.

For instance, you can write a formal press release for use in online news publications, but create a fun infographic of the same information to share on Twitter and a sleek video to post on Facebook.

7. Maximise investment in content

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, digital PR helps you maximise your budget. Paid advertising on social media and Google are cheaper to implement and have higher potential reach than a print or television version of the same content.

Plus, the beauty of digital PR is that online content can be used in many mediums, and once created, the cost of sharing it is virtually nothing after it gains traction.

Adding digital PR to your repertoire
Effective digital PR begins with a strong strategy. With the right plan, and people ready to implement your new tactics, you can relish in your newfound digital successes and increase your online presence.

 

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UK – 5 September 2017

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Media-Updates-New-Featured

Today’s Media Updates covers moves and changes at news titles including the PoliticsHome, Grazia, Stylist and GamesRadar+.  

News & Current Affairs

  • John Ashmore is now news editor at PoliticsHome, replacing former news editor Josh May.
  • Eimear‏ Kelly has been appointed travel editor at Campus.ie.

 

Business & Finance

  • Jessica Clark has been appointed reporter at New Civil Engineer. Jessica was previously a reporter at the News Shopper Series.
  • Dominic McCafferty has been appointed editor in chief of IBIS. Paul Donald, the current editor in chief, will remain in his post until the end of the year.

 

Lifestyle

  • Lucy Morris has been appointed online fashion and beauty editor at Grazia.
  • Susan Devaney has been appointed digital writer at STYLIST.co.uk.
  • Brandon Salt has been appointed video editor at GamesRadar+.

 

The Vuelio Media Database lists thousands of journalists, bloggers, publications and media outlets.