Robert Shrimsley

People Want real Change - Sunak v Starmer: Green groups call on broadcasters to ensure climate change features in TV debates: https://lnkd.in/eqxDwp3N #elections #UK #UKelections #TVdebates #climatechange

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The Reuters Institute Digital News Report is out today, which is always a key reference for me - https://lnkd.in/ek7APDHw It suggests more people are turning away from news because they're finding it depressing, relentless and boring, highlighting the role politics and politicians are playing in dragging it down. Interest in news has almost halved since 2015 in the UK. Lots of people say they feel increasingly overwhelmed and confused by the amount of news, and tired of how much focuses on politics. Women and younger people in particular say they feel worn out by it. Trust in the news is still lower than it was at the height of the pandemic. It improved slightly in the UK over the past year, but remains 15% lower than before the Brexit referendum 8 years ago. The BBC remains the most trusted news brand in the UK. Which is timely news, because you can get an insight behind the scenes at the BBC by joining our lunchtime event on Thursday next week, where we'll host by Julia Caesar, Senior Global Broadcast Editor at the BBC, to explore how businesses can leverage the power of broadcast news. Spaces will be limited, so register here - https://lnkd.in/eU-VqSED.

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Listen to the latest Editor's Podcast from FT Adviser In an uncertain world, how can people plan for their futures, or for the next generations? Should we be more worried about our portfolios or our supply of shotgun cartridges? https://lnkd.in/eG5eX3EU

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As journalists, we face a pressing challenge: declining readership, particularly among teenagers. Research indicates a rising trend in news avoidance globally, with reasons ranging from general disinterest in serious reading, feeling overwhelmed by depressing headlines to a sense of helplessness in the face of global issues. But this trend isn't irreversible. This is an interesting article that delves into the problem that is bothering the media industry in general and journalists in particular, and suggests some workable ideas to get the readers back. It's time the media industry takes a serious note of the challenge and rework strategies to win the young readers back. https://lnkd.in/gqTUx2Hx Nic Newman Ellen Heinrichs Bonn Institute Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism #journalism #mediastudies #avoidance

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I didn't take a SINGLE PHOTO at The Podcast Show this year, so here's one of the press shots from the official Twitter feed. There was a great buzz in the air around the show this year, and from the volume of coverage and exhibitors it really felt like we're on the precipice of an AI-powered explosion in the podcast marketplace. From relatively mundane (while useful) applications to the more controversial, it looks like the human nature of podcasting as a medium is set to be challenged over the next few years in ways in which none of us could have predicted. One of the most impressive (and spooky) things I came across was ex-Acast COO, Oskar Serrander's, new AI podcast creation platform, Wondercraft. Utilising tech based on ElevenLabs' generative voice AI and Chat GPT, it promises to allow anyone to create a podcast, audiobook or ad, just by typing. During a demo, I typed in a prompt I naively thought would test the system: "create an interesting and informative podcast about the inside of a ping pong ball." Just a few seconds later, it produced a short podcast episode about the "surprising science and engineering" that makes the inside of a ping pong ball as fascinating as the physics behind black holes. Complete with a host, original music and interesting sound design, it was sonically as good as anything you would hear from the major production studios. That is to say, we're f****d (maybe). In all seriousness, I think AI has an big part to play in helping podcasts hit a new level of scale - whether through enabling cost-efficient translation into multiple languages at scale or allowing those without audio know-how to create professional sounding shows, there's a really convincing role for it. There are already some fantastic podcasts out there that utilise platforms like ElevenLabs in clever ways to enable, for example, the creation of daily topical news content delivered in time to reach the pockets of even the earliest of commuters. These creators are using AI tools to augment rather than replace humans. My two pence on the less sunshine-and-roses side of this tech: audience trust is at the heart of podcasting as a medium, so it is on all of us to ensure that this is deployed in the right way. When it becomes almost impossible to tell between a genuine podcast about a topic of interest and low-quality content spam designed to sell boner pills which can now sound like a fully bonafide ( 😎 ) episode of This American Life, that trust is only going one way. I'm really keen to hear people's thoughts on this one. #Podcasts #PodcastShow #AI #Audio #ChatGPT

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Inspired by Big Local News and the The Associated Press shared data unit in the US and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism's Bureau Local and the BBC News' Shared Data unit, Lighthouse Reports had been seeking out an opportunity to put together an investigation around a high-value data set full of opportunities to tell important, localized accountability stories.  We wanted to reveal not large scale corruption, but instead systemic inequality: to tell stories that focus not on a few high profile “bad guys” but rather on the victims of structural inequality and the policy, societal and economic failures in each country that created and perpetuates the status quo. "Brain waste” has been that opportunity for us. Read the first two parts of the series here: https://lnkd.in/g2Cf_MKn The EU Labour Force Survey unlocked potentially dozens of stories but also, as we quickly found out, could easily overwhelm our capacity, leading us producing literally hundreds of regressions that we had no capacity to evaluate. I was surprised about the lack of guidance available on how to pull together this kind of collaborative shared data project, so I have been sharing some lessons we are learning as we go. I’ll start off with what we learned about our data approach when we published Part 1 in April. It requires many, many ongoing conversations for data team members and reporting team members to speak the same language and reach a common understanding of what the data can and cannot tell us. We definitely had miscommunication and misunderstanding about what we were measuring, why and how! We learned from tried and tested social science techniques not only in terms of statistical approaches but also in terms of documentation, processing and transparency are key for both internal and external credibility. Without a track record of clear documentation, we would not have been granted access to the data by Eurostat in the first place. A variety of data perspectives is extremely important when conducting such experimental analysis. Without the insights and contributions of the data team of ElPais News and Financial Times, our findings would be less robust, ambitious and reliable. The findings are absolutely not “self-explanatory.” This relates to the first point. The more that data and traditional reporters define and shape the main investigative questions together, the less painful the process or reconciling the output of the analysis and the information that reporters need to understand the results and inform their reporting. Please check out our Github repo and methodology doc: https://lnkd.in/g9kgVwYD https://lnkd.in/guabW6qZ Next up, the lessons we learned about storytelling around data in Part 2, published in June.

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Five years on, what's happened to levelling up? A few conclusions from my latest in The Economist. 1. Gaps between regions in the UK remain stark, and have if anything worsened this parliament. 2. Interest in the topic of regional inequalities looks like it has (unfortunately) died down -- with politicians, corporates, and voters. 3. The polls and local elections suggest that the political dividends of levelling-up are unwinding for the Conservatives. Where does that leave us? Much more in the piece. https://lnkd.in/emN8fh3M

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With less than two weeks to go before the UK goes to the polls, we have compiled an interactive publication that considers what the #PPP market would like to see the government do - and how it can take advantage of private finance to deliver a new wave of infrastructure delivery. A range of views from the market have coalesced around five key areas, covering things such as a simplified model, focusing on value for money, and developing a proper programme for handback. We believe the ideas and views expressed here could form the basis of a new infrastructure investment model that tackles the issues that have impacted the reputation of partnership projects in the UK, and provide a route to unlocking significant private capital to deliver the infrastructure that the country so badly needs.

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With the countdown on for the #UK general #election on 4th July, we’re pleased to present the latest edition of 'Let's Vote', where we explore the key battleground issues, Labour's economic plans, the latest opinion polls and much more: https://lnkd.in/esnnTb7P #Politics

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A majority of managers are set to apply a sustainability label to one of their funds under the UK's sustainability disclosure regime before the end of the year, according to research by The Investment Association. Just 14 percent of managers responding to the IA survey plan to label funds from the starting gun, but a further 45 percent aim to have done so by the end of the year. The industry body found that funds using the Focus label are likely to be in the majority, although Focus fund will still be greatly outnumbered by unlabelled sustainable funds. https://lnkd.in/eyJyK4-X

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A good read as always from Tom Harper, our head of media relations Europe at APCO, highlighting the challenges news orgs face at a time of limited resources and an era of misinformation and fake news...turbocharged by AI.

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Across democratic societies and across political divides, there is consensus that independent journalism is essential for a healthy democracy. Yet unaccountable big tech firms continue at every turn to undermine the ability of publishers to invest sustainably in quality journalism.  Professional journalism requires funding and advertising is a key revenue stream for many publishers. Reports that Apple’s iOS 18 could include a ‘Web Eraser’ tool that automatically blocks adverts and selective edits content is extremely concerning. Ad blocking is a blunt instrument which could lead to consumers missing important information as well as frustrating the ability of content creators to sustainably fund such their work. Not to mention raising questions over editorial accountability, if tech giant AI tools selectively remove or garble content and context from articles.   Rather than seeking ever more creative ways to protect their own profits, while defunding content creators and journalism, big tech platforms such as Apple should be working with news publishers and others to support free markets, democratic values, and institutions. Regulators - including the new Digital Markets Unit - must use their powers to ensure those with dominant positions in a market support the creation of quality content – for the benefit of consumers and businesses alike. #news #publishing #apple #tech #democracy #ads

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Lessons here for all seeking to build direct reader revenues (and who isn't?): 💡 Make it a joint responsibility between editorial and business. Build common understanding on the why and the what, and work together on it. 🔑 Know what your audience cares about and will spur them to support you. 💰 Be systematic - track revenues and where it comes from (which stories/platforms)daily. 🌲 Build the recurring format elements that drive growth - find your 'Epics' and 'Moments'. #digitalmedia #digitalbusinessmodels #nonprofitnews

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Five years ago this week, net zero became law and Westminster barely noticed Now the legislation stands as one of the biggest legacies of 14 years of Tory government - and a huge test for future governments Here’s how Theresa May got net zero done (to coin a phrase) #netzero #climate

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EXPERTSOURCES is ‘where journalists find people with expertise.’ Use www.expertsources.co.uk if you’re : Ø  A Journalist or Media Professional looking to increase your opportunities by quickly and easily finding real experts in real time; Ø  An Expert looking for the potential of gaining media exposure to further enhance your reputation, and revenue; www.expertsources.co.uk EXPERTSOURCES – ‘Where Journalists find People with Expertise.’ #Publicity #Media #MediaProfessionals #Journalist #Journalists #MediaExposure #Revenue #PR #PublicRelations #Expert #Experts #Charity #University #Business #Journalism #Editorial #Podcast #Vlog #Magazines #TV #Radio #SocialMedia #ROI #Business #StartUp #Entrepreneur #Success #BusinessSuccess #Revenue #YourDream #Reputation #Journalism Photo by Carlos Gil on Unsplash

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Today's report from the Digital News Report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism highlights a concerning trend: 39% of people across 20 key markets are now avoiding the news, with many feeling worn out by the “relentless” barrage of information. As a parent, I understand the need to shield our children from overwhelming and sometimes frightening content. At First News we recognise this challenge. For 18 years, we've been dedicated to delivering age-appropriate, impartial news without the sensationalism. Our mission is clear: news doesn't have to be scary. In fact, providing accurate information is crucial in combating misinformation. First News covers a diverse array of topics—from science and music to the environment and sports—ensuring our content is engaging and relevant. We pride ourselves on offering a balanced perspective, encouraging thoughtful discussion without overwhelming our young readers. For children, reading First News isn't just about staying informed—it's about fostering critical thinking, empathy, and a global perspective from an early age. In a landscape where news avoidance and fake news is on the rise, First News remains committed to providing a trustworthy alternative that empowers rather than intimidates. To further our mission, we've launched a freemium model to help every child access to First News, whether at home or in school. Limited free access for all underscores our commitment to nurturing informed global citizens. First News Families Free - https://lnkd.in/eJsXQ6Wd  First News Education Free - https://lnkd.in/egRaMbs2  #News #FirstNews #MediaLiteracy #BalancedReporting #ChildrensNews #GlobalCitizenship

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