Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Media Masters

Born in Australia, Jen traveled to New York City to work at Razorfish, becoming VP of Client Engagement, Managing Partner and then Executive Vice President and North East Region Lead. She moved to fellow Publicis Groupe agency Digitas UK at the start of 2023. She has worked with some of the biggest brands including Unilever, Citi, United Nations and Marriott, specializing in the latest from TikTok, to MadTech, AI, gaming, and social commerce.Jen talks about her personal journey in leadership – learning that it’s okay to admit when you’re wrong and how nurturing teamwork improves progress — and shares her ambitions to create a societal impact through ‘unicorn’ agency, Digitas, by immersing itself in emerging technologies and partnering with companies like NexTech Girls, to expand access and promote practical education for women and girls in the tech industry.

Working as a programme editor at both the BBC and Channel 4 News specialising in politics and international affairs, Charlie covered major stories such as the terrorist attacks on New York and London, and is an award-winning filmmaker. In 2006, Charlie joined the London School of Economics and Political Science, and became founding director of Polis, the university’s’ international journalism institute.Charlie discusses his current role, leading JournalismAI and the issues that generative AI still presents: from the inequality of biasing English or European-languages to the gaps in its learning, inability fact-check with enough precision, and other major problems that need to be solved before it’s possible for AI to replicate human writing or publish breaking news. Charlie also explores how AI will be beneficial for journalists—saving time, effort, and boosting journalism by transferring written pieces into different creative mediums.

Inzamam kicked off his career on regional BBC radio in 2016 before making his way into TV, covering breaking news, politics, and human interest stories. He has reported on major events such as the Manchester Arena bombing and the Grenfell Tower fire and won two awards for his pandemic coverage.

Inzamam shares his experience transitioning from radio to TV in the dynamic world of journalism, shedding light on the challenges he faced due to racism – and how this is improving – and providing valuable advice to those hoping to break into TV news. He delves into some of the breaking news stories he has covered, giving his insights on navigating the fast-paced media landscape while reporting on stories in a reliable and trustworthy manner. He also highlights the need to report on more positive and inspiring stories, particularly from the North of England.

Ashkan Karbasfrooshan is founder and CEO of WatchMojo. One of the most popular brands on YouTube with 40 million subscribers, their 25,000 videos have been viewed 17 billion times, and last year surpassed 100 billion minutes of watch time. Founded in 2006, the company has 50 full-time employees with offices in Montreal, New York City, Los Angeles and London. In this in-depth interview, Ashkan shares the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey - from starting the company at 27, facing financial and courtroom difficulties, eventually becoming profitable by “running out of ways to fail” and then winning Ernst & Young ‘Entrepreneur of the Year;’ discusses his relationship of “mutual dependence” with YouTube, working through copyright issues by encouraging a change in policies at the platform to protect WatchMojo’s content; and shares his ambitions to become “the most admired media company in the world” - and how he plans to get there.

José Díaz-Balart is anchor of Noticias Telemundo and NBC’s Nightly News Saturday. The only TV journalist to broadcast regularly in two languages, he has interviewed every US president since Ronald Reagan, and is an Emmy, Peabody and Alfred duPont award winner. In this in-depth interview, José welcomes the growing number of Latino voices on-air and celebrates networks’ growing commitment to diversity and representation on-screen; discusses a journalism career spanning four decades, and his inspiration to challenge the under-representation of US Latinos - with 60 million people, it ‘would be the eighth largest GDP on earth;’ and delves into his new digital series ‘American Dreaming,’ which shines a light on the human story behind immigrants’ journeys and the plight of ‘mixed-status’ families.

Juliet Kinsman is sustainability editor at Condé Nast Traveller. Founded in 1997, the luxury magazine has headquarters in New York and a monthly readership of over 5 million. Joining the UK team last year with this first-time title, Juliet has been a leading voice for the travel media for more than two decades as a successful author, writing columns for The Telegraph and as resident expert on BBC Radio London. As founding editor of Mr & Mrs Smith she was instrumental in creating a disruptive editorial brand, transitioning published hotel guidebooks into an award-winning online authority. In this in-depth interview, Juliet shares her hopes to inspire real change through “honest writing” about the travel industry – that sustainability is not “anti-flight,” but helping tourists become aware of the socio-economic impact they’re having on the environment, local economy and indigenous people; details the depth of the cataclysmic impact the pandemic has had, and the importance of educating and encouraging consumers to make better decisions; and reflects on why she remains hopeful for the industry’s future, arguing that travellers can play their part in helping the sector recover with a “postpone don’t cancel” attitude.

Joy Macknight is editor of The Banker. Founded in 1926, published by the Financial Times, the monthly magazine is the go-to industry source. After a long career in financial journalism, she joined in 2015 and was promoted to editor five years later - the first woman to hold the job in 95 years. In this in-depth interview, Joy discusses the significant economic challenge the pandemic has brought - and just how difficult the next few years could be; shares how the industry is dealing with a generational shift in millennials’ expectations - with the future of retail banking “hyper-personalised and digital-first;” and argues the sector needs to accelerate progress made on growing female leadership - suggesting practical ideas to help make it happen.

Andrew Wallenstein is president and chief media analyst of the Variety Intelligence Platform. Founded last year, the product provides insight and data to Hollywood executives, helping guide their decision-making and strategy. Andrew previously spent nine years as Variety’s co-editor-in-chief, and prior to this held senior positions at Ad Age and the Hollywood Reporter, and contributed on-air at NPR and PBS. In this in-depth interview, Andrew shares the outcome of their plan to pivot and reposition the Variety brand, which had “fallen behind the times;” discusses the sheer scale of devastation the pandemic has had on Hollywood, and difficulties in the forthcoming recovery; and welcomes the surge in demand for streaming services, but argues that the growing number of platforms is not sustainable - predicting an imminent consolidation with fewer, more dominant providers.

Josh Ellis is editor-in-chief of SUCCESS magazine. Founded in 1897, the title inspires its readers with ideas, strategies and profiles of successful people. Joining the team in 2012 after a long career in sports journalism, including writing for the Dallas Cowboys, he runs the magazine from their Texas HQ, which boasts a total reach of 8 million readers. In this in-depth interview, Josh discusses the evolution of the very meaning of ‘success’ across three centuries of publishing; argues the pandemic has “made the world feel more turbulent than ever,” necessitating time away from social media to improve mental health; and outlines their efforts to champion diversity to become a true “mirror of society” - and move away from outdated ‘alpha male’ leadership.

Angela Henshall is senior producer of 50:50 The Equality Project. Founded in 2017, the scheme is the BBC’s most significant initiative to date to increase women’s voices in the media. With 70 organisations also signed up worldwide, they have already doubled female representation on-air in just three years. She is also deputy editor of BBC.com, and before this held senior positions at the Wall Street Journal, AFP and Dow Jones. In this in-depth interview, Angela shares with pride the project’s successes, with many shows already achieving a full gender balance - including BBC Breakfast, the Andrew Marr Show and The One Show; discusses the nuts and bolts of how participating organisations report their results, with programme makers acknowledging that the very act of counting and submitting returns helps them recognise their blind spots; and describes their expansion in both scope and scale - with global corporations such as Unilever now taking part, and plans to tackle under-representation regarding ethnicity and disability too.

Clifton Leaf is editor-in-chief of FORTUNE. Founded in 1929 with headquarters in New York, the iconic business publication has a total worldwide reach of 20 million. Appointed in 2017, after a career spent at Time Inc, Dow Jones, and several other magazine companies, in 2005 he received the Gerald Loeb Award for distinguished business journalism. His critically-acclaimed book ‘Why We’re Losing the War on Cancer - And How To Win It’ is a searing indictment of the limited progress made in fighting the disease, and a call-to-arms to step up the battle. In this in-depth interview, Clifton discusses the changes in strategy made under new owner, Thai blockchain billionaire Chatchaval Jiaravanon, with a renewed commitment to “provocative storytelling” and “no longer playing it safe;” argues that the Covid pandemic has brought opportunities amidst the pain, and makes the case for optimism as the world economy emerges from lockdown; and shares their ambitious plan to leverage their impactful lists - including the iconic FORTUNE 500 - to inspire change, and focus on the leadership successes of women & people of colour.

Judd Legum is founder and editor-in-chief of Popular Information. Launched in 2018, the hugely influential newsletter covers democracy, politics and power “for people who give a damn.” Beginning his career as a lawyer, he moved into journalism in 2005 and founded the news website ThinkProgress, becoming research director for Hillary Clinton two years later. In this in-depth interview, Judd discusses his decision to remove their paywall during the pandemic to widen access and increase their impact; shares his front row seat on Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the 2008 democratic nomination - and his thoughts on why she lost; and recalls recent successes, including shaming restaurant chain Olive Garden into paying their staff when absent due to illness.

Brandon Borrman is vice president of global communications at Twitter. One of the most powerful PR professionals worldwide, Brandon joined Twitter in 2018, and leads a team of 60 people - helping shape the platform’s evolution, and leading their media relations strategy. In this in-depth interview, Brandon takes us behind the scenes on the decision to suspend President Trump’s account; describes the challenge of tackling the toxicity and bullying on the platform, balanced with continuing to allow anonymous accounts; and shares his mission to fundamentally change how Silicon Valley engages with the media internationally - by encouraging greater openness and transparency.

Known for being one of the most influential people in the music industry with the “best ears”, Robin has been awarded 150 gold and platinum discs and has produced 44 number one hits alongside prominent musicians including Elton John, Sting, Sade, Everything but the Girl, and Boy George. Blind since the age of 16, he’s been an outspoken advocate for facilitating the inclusion of disabled people in all aspects of society and life.

Robin shares his experiences and insights on working in the music industry as a person with a disability, emphasising that it’s not the lack of sight that gifts his ears, but listening without the distraction of the other senses that gives him an edge. He discusses the internalised shame surrounding disability, with 8 out of 10 people not disclosing theirs, and his belief that interdependency not independency is vital to normalising disability and creating a more inclusive society.

John Paton is chairman of the Independent and Evening Standard, and a non-executive director at the Home Office. With a long career as an executive and investor, he has led media companies across the US, Canada and Europe, overseen $7bn in financial transactions, and has previously served on the board of prominent organisations such as the Guardian Media Group. In this in-depth interview, John outlines their ambitious plans for global growth - having abandoned the Independent’s paper edition, the now-digital operation is “hugely profitable” and “targeting $100m in revenue;” describes their strategy to overcome the enormous challenge the Evening Standard has faced with an “empty London;” and takes us behind the scenes of his working relationship with two high-profile and enigmatic figures - Lord Evgeny Lebedev, and the home secretary Priti Patel. 

Paul Tweed is an international media lawyer. One of the world’s foremost reputation managers, he has never lost a libel case, and has an impressive roster of clients including Liam Neeson, The Duchess of York, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Harrison Ford and Johnny Depp. In this in-depth interview, Paul takes us behind-the-scenes of some of his most high-profile cases, including an early win for Britney Spears, for whom he was the first in the business to obtain a media apology; argues that the law must be strengthened to protect us from online giants, who “believe they are so powerful that the rules do not apply;” and expresses his strong support for “protecting investigative journalism at all costs,” noting his long history representing both reporters and MPs, he explains why we’re still yet to see the full threat posed by fake news and the impact this will have on the media.  

Tom Rogers is a media and technology industry leader who has revolutionised TV business news and TV itself. Best known for his time as the first-ever president of NBC Cable, he created CNBC and MSNBC and then spent eleven years as President of TiVo - transforming TV consumption globally and bringing Amazon & Netflix to our screens. In 2006, he received an Emmy for outstanding contribution to the development of television, and was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame. In this in-depth interview, Tom reflects on the incredible journey launching iconic news brands, CNBC and MSNBC - amidst the industry’s conventional wisdom that CNN’s dominance could never be challenged; describes the serious threat cable is under with the competition posed by increasingly popular streaming platforms calling its very survival into question; and shares his predictions for broadcasting’s future - and how the entertainment landscape is set to be dominated by esports and gaming. 

Andy Coulson is a strategic media advisor to CEOs and global leaders. In a meteoric career which included editing the News of the World and serving as Prime Minister David Cameron’s director of communications, it all came crashing down in 2014 when he was convicted of conspiring to intercept communications and sent to prison. Andy apologised for making significant mistakes as editor but denied - and still denies - breaking the law. In this in-depth interview, Andy reflects on the lessons learned from his time in jail and how “reverting back to his journalistic instincts” boosted his resilience and fortitude; shares the ambition behind his podcast ‘Crisis What Crisis,’ which features a diverse array of high-profile guests - and aims to give listeners practical “landing lights” to help overcome their own difficulties; and criticises the government for aspects of their handling of pandemic communication - arguing that their “disease of don’t know ... may have, at times, needlessly eroded public confidence.”

Tim Harford OBE is an economist, writer and broadcaster. A Financial Times senior columnist, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s ‘More or Less,’ TedX speaker and honorary fellow of the Royal Statistical Society, he was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to improving economic understanding. His best-selling book ‘The Undercover Economist’ enlightened millions of readers about the economic principles powering everyday life. In this in-depth interview, Tim discusses his mission to encourage people to have a positive and “healthy scepticism” towards statistics and data, as the best way to tackle fake news and widespread misinformation; shares his motivation for writing his latest book where he tempts his readers to share his love of statistics; and argues that the UK government needs to “get its priorities right on research” - with more money currently being spent on measuring sport than on crime… 

Julia Angwin is co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Markup. Founded in 2019, the nonprofit newsroom has pioneered open-source data journalism to hold Big Tech to account and assess its impact on society. A winner (and two-time finalist) of the Pulitzer Prize, Julia previously held senior positions at ProPublica and The Wall Street Journal, and is author of the best-selling book ‘Dragnet Nation,’ a searing exposé of America’s “surveillance economy.” In this in-depth interview, Julia shares the reasons behind their newsroom’s determination to tackle fake news, and give their readers the tools to decipher between truth and propaganda; expresses her concern that social giants’ decisions are taken behind a “veil of secrecy” and The Markup’s mission to “stem the power grab from these largely unregulated platforms;” and describes how witnessing the recent riots at the US Capitol has redoubled her passion, determination and commitment to journalism itself... as “necessary for democracy.”

Errin Haines is founder and editor-at-large of The 19th*. Founded a year ago and based in Austin, Texas, the nonprofit, non-partisan newsroom covers the intersection of women, politics and policy. Named after the US Constitution’s 19th Amendment, their mission is to encourage the participation and representation of marginalised people in democracy. Her career has taken in senior positions at the Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times and she is also a regular on-air contributor for MSNBC; and was recently appointed Ferris Professor at Princeton University, teaching a class on the role of race in the 2020 election. In this in-depth interview, Errin delves into her newsroom’s commitment to changing the narrative around underrepresented groups - and how their reporting avoids “cheap shots, cheerleading, partisanship and clickbait;” describes America’s recent “national reckoning” with insurmountable racial tensions and identity politics continually “shaping who and where we are as a country;” and shares her experience as a Black female reporter writing about President Trump’s racist rhetoric, and her hopes that Kamala Harris, the US’s first female, Black and south Asian to take the role, is the giant leap that American democracy needs. 

Jamie East is a broadcaster, journalist and podcaster. Known for his witty commentary on showbiz and entertainment, he started ‘Holy Moly’ in 2002, which went on to become one of Britain’s largest and most influential gossip sites. He has presented Channel 5’s ‘Big Brother’s Bit On The Side’ and ‘Thronecast’ for Sky Atlantic - and has recently launched his new daily podcast ‘The Smart 7’ which summaries the news in seven minutes. In this in-depth interview, Jamie argues that traditional celebrity culture is “dying” as celebrities no longer need to cooperate with journalists, due to Gen Z’s preference for social media and its influencers; shares his reasons for resigning from talkRADIO in protest at a fellow presenter ripping up his face mask live on air; and reflects on his entrepreneurial highs and lows - with ‘Holy Moly’ failing to fulfil its potential after he sold 50% of it to Endemol, and the huge success of ‘The Smart 7’ which has recently celebrated its two millionth download.

Melanie Leach is CEO of South Shore Productions, and has spent decades creating iconic programmes for the BBC, ITV, Netflix, and beyond. Her production credits include the Emmy award-winning ‘Educating’ series for Channel 4, ‘The Real Marigold Hotel’ for the BBC - and ‘Hotel Inspector,’ now Channel 5’s longest-running show. Launched in 2019, and backed financially by ITV Studios, South Shore creates documentary, popular factual and entertainment programmes for stations and streaming platforms globally. In this in-depth interview, Melanie takes us behind-the-scenes of the whole process in creating a TV show - from the initial idea, through production, and ultimately to broadcast; shares both frustration and optimism at the opportunities created by new streaming platforms, tempered with the almost insurmountable production difficulties created by Covid-19; and discusses her ongoing quest to create and deliver “the next TV show game-changer” equalling the impact of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire.’ 

Stephen Sackur is the presenter of BBC HARDTalk - the most popular news interview programme in the world, with 70 million viewers. Before this, he was an award-winning BBC foreign correspondent covering landmark global events such as 9/11, the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the civil war in Sri Lanka. In this in-depth interview, he takes us behind the scenes on the “crackling tension” in the HARDTalk studio; reflects on some of his career highlights, from the first ever on-screen interview with Hugo Chávez, to getting Dr Anthony Fauci’s take on America’s handling of the pandemic; and defends the “dying art” of the long-form interview, which remains “hugely important and very compelling.”   

From campaigning for Aboriginal rights in Australia in the 1960s to attempting to arrest Robert Mugabe in 2001, Peter made a name for himself over a six-decade-long career as an international human rights and social justice activist, challenging preconceptions around transphobia, homophobia, and xenophobia around the world.

Peter reflects on how activism has changed from his early efforts in the 60s to now, harnessing social media as a tool for mobilizing a wider – previously unreachable – audience, and the unfortunate “bullhorns” it creates, which threaten that progress. He also shares how by challenging the status quo, he’s opened himself up to a near-daily barrage of violent threats — all of which must be taken seriously — and how he no longer believes in laws that would ban hateful speech.

Rick Wilson is a political strategist, media consultant, New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of The Lincoln Project. Described as “one of the best political analysts of our times” and “the father of the attack ad,” he has an award-winning column in The Daily Beast, and also writes for The Washington Post and The Spectator. In this in-depth interview, Rick shares how The Lincoln Project was born and takes us behind the scenes of some of their most provocative and attention-grabbing campaigns; slams Fox News as an “alternative version of reality” and a “sewage pipe of misinformation and conspiracy;” and reflects on the downfall of his former boss Rudy Giuliani, as a stark example of “unspeakable tragedy -  someone who hasn’t fallen from grace, but fallen from legacy.” 

Alvin Hall is a broadcaster, author and financial educator. Beginning his career on Wall Street, a chance encounter with a BBC producer led to an unexpected career detour - becoming one of the UK’s most prominent business TV presenters, hosting BBC flagship programmes and landing the beeb’s first-ever interview with Jay-Z. A successful author, his best-seller ‘You and Your Money: It’s More than Just the Numbers’ has helped millions take control of their finances. In this in-depth interview, Alvin takes us behind the scenes of his hit podcast ‘Driving the Green Book,’ his first-person reportage following the original journey from Detroit to New Orleans, and his examination of America’s Jim Crow laws and long-standing history of racism; shares how growing up in poverty in Florida and then making a fortune on Wall Street drove his passion for teaching financial literacy - to guide others on avoiding poverty and start building wealth; and reflects on memorable on-screen moments - including the famous out-take of him standing in a field doing a piece to camera, sporting his iconic bow tie... only to be repeatedly attacked by a flock of ostriches. 

Alessandra Galloni is global managing editor at Reuters. Established in 1851, the organisation comprises 2,500 journalists, working in 16 languages across 200 locations in over 100 countries. Her bestselling 2013 book, “From the End of the Earth to Rome,” profiles Pope Francis and his unexpected election as pontiff. Beginning her career at The Wall Street Journal, she spent over a decade as correspondent, economics writer and editor in multiple locations including New York, London, Paris and Rome, before joining Reuters in 2013. In this in-depth interview, she paints a picture of a newsroom “bombarded by a huge attempt at misinformation” from governments (including China, Russia and the US) who have “seriously underplayed the severity of the disease;” outlines the challenges tackling the false claims of the Trump administration - and advocates that the occasional killing of a story is “the ultimate act of journalistic bravery;” and reflects on some of the more unusual moments of her career - the first to get an on-the-record quote from a mafia boss, and the only one so far to have expensed a latex bodysuit.

Kyle Pope is editor and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review - an essential publication for journalists, and respected watchdog of the press. Starting out as an editor at The Wall Street Journal, Kyle then moved to The New York Observer as editor-in-chief, joining CJR in 2016. In this in-depth interview, he recalls his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee, where he argued that Congress had “failed to stand up for press freedom” whilst “under attack” from President Trump; shares his perspective on the role Covid-19 has played in reinforcing the need for a local press - as “granular information became a matter of life or death;” and questions whether it’s possible for a Biden White House to normalise relations with the media, noting the damage caused by Trump may well be “irrecoverable.”

Laura Wilshaw is editor of ITV News at Ten. She previously held senior positions at Euronews, 5 News, NBC and Sky News, and her team was recently shortlisted for a BAFTA. In this in-depth interview, she reflects on this year’s “incredible news cycle” and the multifaceted editorial & logistical challenges brought on by the pandemic; ponders on the ethics of balancing human empathy with the responsibility to report fairly when covering sensitive (yet divisive) issues such as the UK’s migrant crisis; and shares her passion for increasing the representation of women in newsrooms - recognising how her mentoring of other women who aspire to work in television news is bolstered by her own “non-traditional route” (and late entry) into the industry.

Jonathan Munro is the BBC’s Head of Newsgathering, leading the day-to-day activity and deployments of all journalists working across the network’s 60 international bureaux. Prior to this he spent 26 years at ITN joining as an editorial trainee, and ultimately becoming their Correspondent reporting on stories in the US, Russia and Africa. In this in-depth interview, Jonathan describes the challenges of covering a year of “a lot of shade and not much light” - including Covid-19, Brexit and the Presidential election; discusses incoming D-G Tim Davie’s new social media impartiality guidelines, and their efforts to improve on-screen diversity; and shares lessons learnt following the BBC’s controversial coverage of the aborted police investigation into Sir Cliff Richard. 

Professor Sir David Omand was the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, and formerly director of GCHQ. Spending much of his career leading the UK’s national counter-terrorism strategy, he was directly responsible to the prime minister for homeland security. His book ‘How Spies Think: 10 Lessons in Intelligence’ is described as a “call to arms for more rational decision-making” and shares the spooks’ problem-solving skills. In this in-depth interview, Sir David argues the government has “failed to protect its citizens” against Covid-19 - after several warnings that a global pandemic was likely - and warns we now have “years of great disturbance” ahead; blames “disinformation, conspiracy theorists and social giants” for encouraging division and “creating a fundamentally fragmented society;” and recalls the pressure of making judgements then delivering difficult news to the PM - including giving the order to “ready the fleet” after warning Margaret Thatcher that Argentina was about to invade the Falkland Islands, and his ringside seat whilst Tony Blair dealt with 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq. 

Nicholas Coleridge is chairman of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Beginning his career as a journalist at Tatler, he moved to the Evening Standard as a columnist, and was appointed editor of Harpers & Queen (now Harper’s Bazaar) at age 29. Joining Conde Nast in 1989 he spent 26 years at the top, overseeing some of the world’s leading brands such as GQ and Vogue, operating in 32 markets and reaching over 400 million. An author of fourteen books, his renowned memoir ‘The Glossy Years’ recounts his experiences as a socialite, attending parties with Princess Diana; and his adventures as a journalist, including a brief spell in a Sri Lankan prison. In this in-depth conversation, he describes the incredible challenge the pandemic has brought to the museum sector - noting the V&A has lost 75% of its visitors, he discusses the long-term viability of maintaining the nation’s cultural heritage; reflects on the exciting day-to-day of the media industry and his experience launching the staple magazines Vanity Fair, Wired and Glamour; and fondly explains why he will forever be “an optimist for print.” 

John Battelle is co-founder and CEO of Recount Media. Founded in 2018, they have developed “a new approach to politics” that “won’t waste your time,” by collating current affairs content to create videos that reflect the modern consumers’ shorter attention span. His eclectic career has encompassed two professorships and co-founding Wired magazine. He also wrote the best-selling book, ‘The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture,’ regarded as the definitive take on the subject. In this in-depth interview, John reflects on a long career in the media industry, seeing it lose almost half of its journalists and suggests what must be done to tackle its decline; argues that big tech are stifling smaller companies’ ability to innovate by withholding data from developers and creators; and in the lead up to an election marred by fake news and disinformation, shares his frustrations that “free speech doesn’t mean free reach” - and how the election result may need a ‘recount’ in more ways than one... 

Scott Omelianuk is the newly appointed editor-in-chief of ‘Inc.’ Founded in 1979, the award-winning magazine focuses on inspiring entrepreneurs and has a monthly reach of 25m. In an eclectic journalism career, taking in positions at both GQ and Esquire, Scott has also been a film producer, and presented several TV shows across fashion and design. In this in-depth interview, the self-described “under-achieving entrepreneur” explains how a series of failed ventures has given him an admiration for business people and a determination to help inspire and equip them to succeed; shares concern over the “win at all costs” attitude of today’s social giants, and how their huge footprint forces smaller brands to compete for resource and money; argues how the US government letting businesses down amidst the pandemic (and recent social unrest), puts responsibility on companies to lead the way and use their power to “do the right thing.” 

As one of the foremost experts on the science of sound, Julian’s five TED talks have been viewed over 150 million times, with “How to Speak so That People Want to Listen” ranking in the top ten all-time most popular. He founded The Sound Agency in 2003, focusing on helping brands through ‘soundscaping’, which “uses sound to connect with customers on a deeper emotional level”.

Julian discusses the growing evidence of how sound affects people psychologically, emphasising the benefits of schools teaching “conscious listening” as a crucial skill for professional settings and, more importantly, within our relationships – as often, feeling valued is tied to being heard. He advocates intentionally seeking out and listening to opposing views to stop the cycle of polarisation and echo chambers perpetuated by the media, combating the rise of conspiracy theories – as “listening is the sound of democracy”.

Eric Schurenberg is CEO of Mansueto Ventures, publishers of iconic business magazines ‘Inc.’ and ‘Fast Company.’ Founded in 2005, and with a team of over one hundred, their mission is to inspire and inform the business leaders of the future. Over two decades, Eric’s career has spanned both business and finance, beginning on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs, before moving into journalism with stints at BNET and CBS MoneyWatch. In this in-depth interview, Eric argues there is still “real magic” and potential in the printed page, despite the growth of digital; talks passionately about diversifying the boards of corporate America, and the genuine company and employee benefit of opening up opportunities and welcoming differing perspectives; and shares his fears that if the US “closes its borders” post-election, this would “deny employers much-needed talent” and lead to “economic suicide.”

Robert Wolf is an entrepreneur, investor and board member of the Obama Foundation. Known to many as ‘the Dem on Fox,’ he is a regular contributor on Fox News and Fox Business, challenging Republicans and arguing the Democrats’ position. Starting out as a “brash punky-type kid,” in a meteoric career on Wall Street he spent a decade at Salomon Brothers, before 18 years at UBS saw him rise through the ranks, ending up as Chairman and CEO of UBS Americas. In 2009, President Obama appointed him as economic advisor, tasked with focussing on job creation, economic recovery and US exports. In this in-depth interview - and with the Presidential election just weeks away - he discusses the prospects of a Biden victory, the commotion of the campaign so far and addresses fears that Trump will not leave the White House without a fight; reflects on his efforts to guide President Obama through the precarious economic circumstances following the global recession of 2008; and shares anecdotes of time spent with the Obama and Biden families - golfing with the President, his long friendship with VP Biden - and considers whether former First Lady Michelle Obama would (or should) run for election.

Craig Newmark is the founder of Craigslist. Established in 1995, it’s one of the world’s most popular websites, active in 700 cities across 70 countries. Stepping away from day-to-day management of the site in 2000 to become a full-time philanthropist, Craig is a passionate campaigner for a free and fair press - supporting journalism, and combatting disinformation. In this in-depth interview, he recalls the journey of Craigslist from an obscure email distribution platform built in his bedroom into the $3bn global behemoth it is today; likens his philanthropic mission to stand up for a free media to that of a “combat engineer, fighting to preserve western democracy” from its “biggest enemy” which he calls “information warfare;” and shares his deeply-held belief that the media is “the immune system of democracy” - arguing that much of it is “failing the American people at the time they most need it.”

Toby Young is a writer, social commentator - and one of the most provocative voices in Britain. In his thirty years in journalism, he founded The Modern Review with Julie Burchill in 1991, has spent over two decades at The Spectator, and is associate editor at Quillette magazine. His memoir of time spent at Vanity Fair in New York, ‘How To Lose Friends and Alienate People’ was turned into a Hollywood film. In this in-depth interview, Toby argues that the government-enforced lockdown has failed to balance public health with science and the sustainability of the economy, and his motivation to campaign against these “disproportionate measures;” contends that so-called ‘cancel culture’ is a “resurgence of Puritanism,” and recalls his own ‘cancellation’ when he “lost five jobs to the Twitter mob;” his experience encouraged him to set up the Free Speech Union to support those who are, in his opinion, fellow victims of the rising precariousness of free speech.

Naomi Kerbel is head of television, radio scheduling and special projects at Bloomberg, and creator of the acclaimed podcast ‘Show Me The Way.’ Beginning her career as an actress, she then moved into business as an associate at Goldman Sachs, when a chance encounter with Jeremy Vine put her on the path to journalism. Soon after, she rose through the ranks at CNBC before moving to Sky News as business editor. Her passion for diversity and inclusion inspired her podcast, which provides a platform for successful women to share their stories and challenges. In this in-depth interview, Naomi discusses the Black Lives Matter movement and her hopes that this will reshape the workplace; argues that personal branding “is crucial,” with a particular focus on “leveraging your life through your wardrobe;” and explains how Bloomberg is meeting the challenges of unverified clickbait and an increasingly pressured media marketplace.

Eliot Higgins is the founder and chief executive of Bellingcat, the investigative journalism ‘collective’ responsible for “uncovering wrongdoing all around the world”.  Founded in 2014 with HQ in the Netherlands, they have 18 employees and more than 30 contributors around the world. Pioneers of open-source journalism, their forensic research of publicly available data and ‘citizen-journalist analysis’ uses techniques such as ‘geo-location’ to pinpoint exact locations through satellite imagery to corroborate or disprove claims. Their work uncovering cases of child abuse in Ukraine was nominated for the 2020 European Press Prize for Innovation. In this in-depth interview, Eliot describes how they identified the Russian rocket-launcher which brought down Malaysian Airlines flight MH17; explains how they uncovered the identities of the Russian agents involved in the Salisbury novichok poisoning; and discusses the threats they face - online and physical - from those trying to frustrate their work, including governments and secret services.

Christophe Deloire is Secretary-General of Reporters Sans Frontières, known internationally as Reporters Without Borders. Founded in Paris in 1985, it’s the world’s biggest NGO “specialising in the defence of media freedom” and has over 150 correspondents covering ten international bureaux, and a €6m budget. Since 2002 their annual ‘World Press Freedom Index’ has measured the level of media freedom in 180 countries.  Before taking the reins in 2016, Christophe ran the Journalists’ Training Centre in Paris, and spent nine years as an investigative reporter for 'Le Point.' He is also a documentary maker and author of several bestsellers. In this in-depth interview, Christophe reveals the extraordinary fact that nearly half of the world’s population still lacks access to free information; argues these are the most perilous times for journalists in terms of their physical safety, coming under targeted attack as never before; and discusses the night they turned off the Eiffel Tower’s lights to pay tribute to murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Peter Wanless is chief executive of the NSPCC, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Before taking the reins in 2013 he was CEO of the Big Lottery Fund, and prior to that held a number of senior civil service jobs across Whitehall, working directly with senior ministers including Michael Portillo, David Blunkett and John Major. In this in-depth interview, he argues children are the “hidden victims” of the pandemic, noting a 37% rise in calls to Childline from children under 11; describes the challenges the NSPCC faces as charity fundraising comes under unprecedented pressure, and as a former senior civil servant discusses the opportunities and risks that the government’s planned shake-up will bring. 

One of the best-known TV journalists in the UK, Mark Austin presents ‘The News Hour’ on Sky News. Beginning his career at the Bournemouth Daily Echo in 1976, he joined ITN in 1986 and presented ITV News at 10 for well over a decade, which was twice awarded the Royal Television Society ‘Programme of the Year’. He left ITV News in 2017 after just shy of three decades, and joined Sky News, initially reporting from the U.S. before returning to the studio. In this in-depth interview, Mark recounts his adventures on the front line, reporting on events such as 9/11, both Iraq invasions, genocide in Bosnia, and winning a BAFTA for his recent coverage of the Hong Kong protests; reflects on the 2003 death of his ITN colleague Terry Lloyd, killed by US forces’ friendly fire in Iraq; and talks about the international friendships he’s made along the way including, notably, Nelson Mandela.

Neil Brown is president of The Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Founded in 1975, based in Florida and with a team of over 50 people, the Institute aims to “improve journalism and strengthen democracy around the world”.  Joining as president in 2017 after 24 years at the Tampa Bay Times (seven of which as editor) while under his leadership the title won dozens of awards, including six Pulitzers. In this in-depth interview, Neil argues that media organisations shedding journalists is placing journalism itself in peril, and undermining democracy; charts the progress of PolitiFacts, their fact-checking tool which rates politicians’ claims on their ‘Truth-O-Meter’; and describes the key role fact-checking and media ethics will play during the forthcoming US Presidential election - where the sitting President seemingly “has little regard” for either.

Describing himself as an “accidental journalist”, John joined the FT in 1989. In the three decades since, he was Moscow correspondent in 1994 following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and led six editorial teams around the world – including Asia and Europe. As Innovation Editor since 2016, he widened the publication's technology coverage, even creating an innovation of his own: Sifted, which reports on the vibrant European tech startup scene as an antidote to Silicon Valley culture.

Sifted focuses on the human element of entrepreneurialism which is driving innovation from the front, and shows the tough reality of running a startup. John shares his concerns with the rapid advancement of deepfakes and AI, which make telling the difference between truth and lies almost impossible – but how he ultimately sees this as an opportunity for consumers.

Decca Aitkenhead is chief interviewer at the Sunday Times. Beginning her career at The Independent in 1995, she then spent 21 years at The Guardian, winning ‘Interviewer of the Year’ at the British Press Awards in 2009. In 2018 she joined the Sunday Times where she has profiled the very biggest names including Hillary Clinton, JK Rowling, Oprah Winfrey and most recently made headlines talking to Tony Blair. She has also written her memoir ‘All At Sea’ which reflects on the tragic death of her husband and coming to terms with her grief. In this in-depth interview, Decca reveals some of the methods behind her successful technique, reflects on her explosive 2008 interview with then chancellor Alistair Darling where he inadvertently revealed “the country was facing the worst recession in 60 years”, and discusses how she has been able to write about the devastating events in her personal life with such honesty.

Hadas Gold is CNN’s media, tech and politics correspondent based in London. Beginning her career as a web producer at Politico in 2012, then media reporter, she joined CNN in 2017, moving to the UK the following year. Since then she reported extensively on Brexit and now coronavirus. In this in-depth interview, Hadas discusses the current east/west tensions in tech and its impact on the future of the internet, shares her concern for reporters accused of fake news in countries without the 'protection of the first amendment', and reflects on her experience in Argentina with the Pultizer fellowship in 2011, where she spent time with the cartoneros who dig for recyclables in Buenos Aires, learning to handle sensitive situations and convey both emotion and politics when telling their story.

Alex Bilmes is editor-in-chief of Esquire UK. Beginning his career in 1994 as a reporter for the Richmond and Twickenham Times (under chairman David Dimbleby), he joined Esquire as editor in 2011, via senior positions at British GQ and Vogue. In this in-depth interview, Alex reveals his repositioning strategy – increasing the cover price, publishing bi-monthly and preferring ‘everyday heroes’ above celebrities on the cover, discusses his love of print journalism and figuring out how it can adapt to the shifting consumer habits, and shares anecdotes from his interviews with the likes of Jay-Z and Angelina Jolie.