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.

Steve has been involved for almost 30 years with TV, book, and video game growth, working with big names such as Viacom, Disney, and GSV Ventures—a venture capitalist firm that invests in EdTech. Now, as the CEO of Sesame Workshop, he's leading the world-famous nonprofit educational organisation to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, aiming to provide impactful early learning.Steve shares what he's learned from Big Bird, and how the quintessentially American show ‘Sesame Street' implements progressive ideas to teach children and raise their social and academic literacy—like greater tolerance and appreciation of different races, gender identities, and those with disabilities—and how the brand is evolving to reach more diverse cultures and countries around the world at a local level. He sees the future of ‘Sesame Street' streaming on YouTube in collaboration with children's YouTube stars, focusing more on emotional well-being.

For nearly 18 years, Katie has guided Guinness World Records through innovative initiatives that maintain its relevance and international esteem. She started as a software engineer and led teams in  IT, marketing, to becoming SVP of Content and Product in 2018. In her most recent appointment in 2022, she has led the company's expansion into digital content services that enable the iconic book of world records to reach new audiences and remain ‘fresh'.Katie talks about how the origin of Guinness World Records started as an idea by the Guinness Brewery becoming a “pioneer” of content marketing. Katie explains the process and the key parameters for adjudicating records and argues that when media brands evolve to stay relevant, they still have a duty to reflect the good and bad of society—reporting the stories of inspiring determination as well as unsafe stunts that have gone horribly wrong.

With over twenty years working across print, digital and broadcast media, Marc is one of the most prominent entertainment journalists in the industry. He's served as a writer and editor for leading publications, including the New York Daily News, Us Weekly, and New York magazine, and was an on-air correspondent at E! News. In 2018, he became senior culture & events editor at Variety and hosts the ‘Just for Variety' podcast, featuring conversations with the biggest names in Hollywood.From his struggles as an openly gay journalist during the AIDS epidemic in the early 90s, to the ongoing writers' strike – and how it will evolve – Marc shares his stories and insights from the front row.

Sara is a leading writer and editor with expertise in science and disruptive technologies; her work appears in publications such as Scientific American, The New York Times, and National Geographic News. Sara is the author of the novel The Almond in the Apricot and children's book, Leila's Day at the Pool. Sara details the threat that chatbots pose to journalism and the media, through scraping information from other sources without distinguishing between credible and uncredible sources, possibly spreading misinformation and feeding into the public's distrust. Sara argues that although AI is presented as an impending storm that we do not have control over, humans are in control of their deployment and can choose a future where they work with these technologies instead of being replaced by them.

Sophie started off as an actor, and founded her own casting agency in 2015, working predominantly with high-end TV, film and theatre productions. She has collaborated to source talent for The Witcher and Wednesday among others, and advocates for casting more diverse talent into leading acting roles to encourage broader representation in Hollywood.Sophie reflects on the impact of social media on acting, both the way it has transformed the industry since the #MeToo movement, making it a safer and more inclusive place to work; and how social media followings can affect casting decisions based on the impact it has on promoting the show or film. She also explores how finding actors who perfectly embody a character is not the goal—they need to be able to push the boundaries of the role.

Lawrence is a sought after public speaker, university lecturer, and bestselling author of several books, including "The Physics of Star Trek," and "A Universe from Nothing", which explain complex scientific ideas clearly to the general public. He's also the host of “The Origins” podcast, which explores human experiences through science and culture.Lawrence posits that our fear of A.I actually stems from a larger fear—the fear of the unknown. He argues that science is actually about celebrating the secrets of the universe rather than needing to explain everything, but we need to become more skeptical as a society.

In 2012 inspired by her son's diagnosis, Emily founded Duchenne UK, a charity dedicated to finding a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Coming from a background in TV news, Emily shares how their successes in raising millions of pounds to support research were in part due to her understanding of the media from within and having connections to high-profile journalists. She discusses some of the progress, such as groundbreaking drug treatments and the development of exoskeletal suits to assist the afflicted, and shares about the impediments they face, from battling slow bureaucracy for drug approvals to the ticking clock Duchenne puts on to all those suffering from the condition.

Martin spent over a decade working for some of the biggest names in German media, including the Financial Times, Gruner + Jahr, and Capital Magazin. In 2021, frustrated with “wasting time sifting through the overwhelming ‘wild west' news feed” and the escalating problem of misinformation – he founded the app Informed.Starting as a newsletter, he saw the potential to move beyond the convenient curation of news for the reader and realized that important journalism was being lost, and the opportunity of holding power to account was being eclipsed by a news feed of vanilla content. Now a successful app, Martin deliberately employs a human curation team – giving access to paywalled content for no extra charge.

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.

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.

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.

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”.

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.

Gizmodo was the first independent tech blog, which launched in 2002, reporting on technology, science and internet culture. With over 40 million actively engaged monthly readers the site is growing, with a new section focusing on the technology and business of spaceflight and exploration.David shares how his career began working at his university's newspaper to becoming editor at The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, before joining Gizmodo as editor-in-chief in 2021. He offers insights into the advancements of VR technology and the role of AI in the modern workforce—and how it will change the way we live.

Outernet is an all-inclusive entertainment district in London, reimagining the musically iconic Denmark Street – where acts such as David Bowie and the Sex Pistols kicked off their careers – bringing together music, art, film, gaming and retail. Using advanced screen technology, Outernet offers a new way for creatives and leading brands to produce and experience content, partnering with the likes of Ridley Scott and the Royal College of Art.Philip began his career learning the technical aspects of broadcasting, becoming Senior Vice President of Global Digital Media for MTV Networks in 2007, and then Executive Vice President and Managing Director of its parent company Viacom a year later. He explores how his extensive knowledge of tech led to his team launching the first music video on a mobile phone – and explains what the metaverse really is for the uninitiated. 

With more than 10 million monthly readers, Jalopnik is the automotive industry's most influential publication – with news and analysis not only covering cars, but also planes, boats, trains and even spaceships.A lifelong car enthusiast, Bob has dedicated his journalism career to his love of automobiles. Starting out as a reporter at Gizmodo, he then spent 7 years at Road & Track magazine, ultimately being promoted to Deputy Editor, before leaving to take over the helm of Jalopnik in 2022. He credits Tesla's influence on the rise of electric vehicles for personal use – predicting a complete takeover in the next three decades – and the critical need for Tesla's buy out.

Since taking over as editor in 2018, Hugo has driven Openly's mission to become the world's most trusted destination for impartial LGBT+ news. Reaching Reuters' one billion clients daily, the platform aims to uncover breaking stories and investigates the queer narratives inside major global events, typically untold by mainstream media, made possible through shifting from spot news to social media reporting.Hugo is also the author of ‘The Diaries of Mr Lucas', and explores how he uncovered this fascinating account of queer life in London before the partial decriminalisation of gay sex in 1967, and what led to Mr Lucas giving him his indiscreet journals for publication—revealing an affair with a member of the Kray twins gang.

After three decades with the BBC reporting from South Asia and Afghanistan, David's expertise was called upon by the former Afghan President as an advisor; he now consults for the Foreign Office and trains mid-career diplomats. Amongst many other accolades, his 1998 reporting from behind the lines of the Kosovo Liberation Army earned him ‘Journalist of the Year' from the Royal Television Society.David reveals one of the least reported consequences of 9/11 — the surge in PTSD amongst journalists covering the attacks — and details his campaign for news organisations to provide better mental health support. He shares how a “freelance adventure” in Poland spamming LBC's news desk led to him becoming their official correspondent, and gives his top tips for uncovering a breaking story.

Jenna Goudreau is the vice president and managing editor at CNBC Digital.Since joining the broadcaster in 2016, Jenna relaunched their personal finance site ‘Grow', reaching 6.5 million people in 5 years, and is the founding editor of the award-winning money news website ‘Make It', which tackles financial illiteracy and helps people navigate their big financial firsts: from landing a dream job to starting a business.Jenna shares the risks caused by the lack of financial education – schools prioritising trigonometry and algebra over investments and tax returns. She describes her go-to interview question and the qualities she looks for when recruiting new team members – explaining what early career journalists can do to stand out to their boss.

Jon Wardle is the director of the National Film and Television School.Founded in 1971, the Buckinghamshire-based institution teaches over 750 students and has recently opened new campuses in Glasgow, Leeds, and Cardiff.The exponential growth of streaming services has hugely increased the demand for UK creative talent. To meet this, the school offers nearly 40 specialist courses – including traditional subjects such as cinematography and screenwriting, as well as “less glamorous” yet highly impactful courses, like production management and accounting.The gaming industry is bigger than ever, generating higher profits than all of Hollywood combined. The school is at the cutting edge of gaming technology, and its game design MA has become one of the most popular courses – with game engine software transforming film and TV production after being used for major shows such as ‘The Mandalorian'.

Meredith Artley is the former Editor-in-Chief and Senior Vice President of CNN Digital.During her tenure at CNN, Meredith oversaw content creation, programming, and publishing across their digital properties, leading a global team of over 350 reporters, producers, and editors—and left after 12 years with CNN enjoying the world's largest digital audience, reaching over 160 million.Meredith reflects on her career journey—from digitising The New York Times in the ‘90s, significantly growing the online reach of the LA Times, to putting diversity at the heart of CNN's leadership. She is now on sabbatical in Hawaii, planning her next move.

Amanda Groom is founder and CEO of ‘The Bridge'. The TV, film and animation company aims to “bridge” the gap between East and West, enabling mutually beneficial co-productions across multiple genres, collaborating with major broadcasters such as Sky and Channel 4.When ‘Parasite' won the Oscar for best picture in 2020, it opened the West's eyes to the wealth of creative opportunities in the East. Amanda takes us behind the scenes of her recent success, ‘Ms Ma, Nemesis,' an asian take on Agatha Christie's ‘Miss Marple,' and gets us excited for the first Spanish-Korean co-production—bringing a fresh perspective from the world's previously unheard voices.

Athena Brensberger is an astronomer and science communicator.Presenter of ‘Suppressed Science' on Curiosity Stream, she founded the educational platform ‘Astroathens' in 2016, with a mission to showcase her passion for science and astronomy to the general public. She's already partnered with NASA, The Science Channel and Spaceport America among others.In a wide-ranging discussion, she shares the challenge of unlocking complex scientific ideas for diverse audiences—where life on Earth really began, designing biological systems not compatible with ours, and how plants are our unlikely ally in the search for alien intelligence.One Line: Inspiring the curious to explore the big questions—the great beginnings of the universe, planet Earth… and life itself.

Robin Ritch is President and Publisher of Deseret News.From advising startups to transforming the longest-running news organization in the American West, Robin has grown Deseret News, founded in 1850 by the Mormon Church, from a local paper into a national media powerhouse, with over 10 million readers across their platforms. As Utah's oldest continuously operating business, their name derives from the geographic area of Deseret, and just like the settlers that named the area, it is a pioneer in its own right.Robin shares their commitment to tackling fake news by “being a standard-bearer of journalistic integrity and principled reporting” and discusses their mission to “elevate understanding, challenge assumptions and illuminate context” about the Mormon Church, while remaining editorially independent. Having identified a clear gap in the national news market, and looking to provide a balance to the typically right or left-wing political dialogue, Robin lead the paper towards a centrist political approach, based on values that are important to their readers: family, faith and community. Robin also examines how the paper famously came out against Trump, and continues to oppose him on moral grounds.

Sophy Roberts is an award-winning author and travel writer.After an unusual start writing about different sides of the pornography industry, she cut her teeth as editor-at-large on the UK edition of Condé Nast Traveller, before joining the magazine's American team as a special correspondent.Sophy shares why the best source for stories is through chance meetings with strangers, albeit on a train or in a Mongolian tent, which formed the backdrop of her Sunday Times Book of the Year (2020), ‘The Lost Pianos of Siberia,' which documents her quest for the classical instrument against the extreme Russian landscape. Recalling her work with Jessica Mitford on one of the most notable exposés in American literature, she compares UK and US newsrooms from a freelancer's perspective.

Edward Felsenthal is the editor-in-chief and CEO of Time magazine.Under his leadership, the iconic American publication has enjoyed its greatest revenue and audience growth ever – now reaching 100 million readers globally – and its successful expansion into TV, video and film production.Including leading the health team at The Wall Street Journal, which won two Pulitzer prizes, Edward shares their plans to celebrate Time's forthcoming centenary. He takes us behind the scenes of the editorial and selection process for ‘Person of the Year,' which is always impactful – and sometimes controversial; and discusses their commitment to campaigning on climate change and fixing the global trust crisis.

Jon Mew is CEO of the Internet Advertising Bureau UK.The organisation represents and regulates the £23bn digital advertising industry, counting Google, Meta and Twitter among its members, with a mission to “promote transparency and build a sustainable future for online marketing.”Jon shares how the industry is toughening its response to fraudsters – standing up for greater consumer protection, but arguing they could do more with the government's help. He also shares how they are tackling online influencers who endorse products without revealing that they are paid, and in what ways restricting promotion of products high in fat, salt and sugar affects small business owners.

Jim Edwards is former editor-in-chief for news at Insider, and author of ‘Say Thank You for Everything' – the best-selling guide which aims to revolutionise newsroom management.Jim started Business Insider UK in 2014 with just one laptop in an empty office. He helped grow the readership from zero to 250 million readers, placing it amongst the most successful news websites in the world. His “bullshit-free guide” provides management advice based on the 19-point email he sent to a colleague, summarising everything he learned supervising people at Insider, which famously went viral. Based on his expertise, it aims to tackle the issue of poorly-run newsrooms, ensuring media management teams are up to the huge challenges to come.

Steve Wilson-Beales is Head of SEO & Editorial Product at Global.One of the world's leading media & entertainment groups, Global reaches over 50m consumers each week across media and outdoor advertising. Steve drives search strategy for its most high-ranking brands – Classic FM, Capital, PopBuzz and LBC – and is at the heart of the radio industry's pivot to digital. He is the brain behind driving awareness to the Global brands via what has become an increasingly crowded search landscape.

Bel Trew is International Correspondent at The Independent.Based in Beirut, Bel has been covering conflicts across the Middle East for a decade and has recently returned from an extended secondment in Ukraine. A series of her reportage ‘On The Ground' uncovers the horrors that Russia has inflicted on Ukrainians – including clear evidence of torture and enforced disappearance. Bel relates the stark reality of war reporting, sharing harrowing details of what she saw shooting them and how she made it to stay safe. Drawing on her own experience, she brings up the subject of journalists risking their lives and suffering from PTSD – a common but ignored result of reporting from war zones.

Kiran Nazish is founding director of The Coalition For Women In Journalism.Launched in 2017, it is the first worldwide support network for female journalists ‘at high risk of violence and harassment,' with targeted support for those reporting from the frontline. Kiran started her journalism career in her native Pakistan and was inspired to set up the New York-based organisation because of the danger she had faced as a female reporter based in war-torn Middle East. The Coalition offers comprehensive support for the journalists at risk of PTSD and is spearheading an initiative to help newsroom managers reduce it happening in the first place.

Angelos Frangopoulos is CEO of GB News.The channel marked one of the most controversial media launches in recent memory when last year it became Britain's first new rolling TV news broadcaster in over three decades. Angelos reflects on the “teaching moments” from those rocky first few months, and how he wants to build on the new-found stability to grow the channel's audience. He faces down those who sought to ‘cancel' the channel before it was even launched by organising an advertising boycott, and shares with pride the evidence that those attempts failed – including the creation of 200 new journalist jobs. He also sets out plans to make GB News “distinctive” including “serving all communities across the UK”, unlike the other “London-centric” broadcasters.

John Whittingdale OBE MP is former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. A Member of Parliament for over 30 years, he also previously chaired the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee during its most famous moment – when a pie was tossed in the face of media mogul Rupert Murdoch at the end of a session. The Sun dubbed John ‘Maggie's Toy Boy' when in 1988, aged just 28, he became then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's political secretary. In this in-depth interview, John discusses how people are surprised when they hear of the “vast range of responsibilities” he had when leading the DCMS – including overseeing the work of The National Lottery, leading on policy relating to blockchain and the digital economy, and promoting the UK on a global stage; praises the BBC as “the finest broadcaster in the world” and acknowledges that it may “surprise some people” to hear his strong support – making the case again for the continuation of the licence fee settlement; and shares the challenges involved in balancing protecting the vulnerable from “harmful content online” yet preserving the core democratic principle of free speech – a conundrum which gave rise to the predictably divisive Online Safety Bill.

Hillary Frey is editor-in-chief at Slate. Founded in 1996 by software giant Microsoft, the online magazine brings thoughtful, long-form journalism on culture, politics and current affairs to a global audience. Previously, Hillary worked for the likes of NBC News, Politico and HuffPost, and was editor-in-chief at Yahoo! News. In this in-depth interview, she reflects on how her very first regular writing gig in the late 1990s was for Slate – and how returning nearly three decades later in the editor's chair is a “funny story and an exciting opportunity”; shares how the company is always searching for ways to “experiment and innovate” in order to retain and grow its subscriber base, in an era when “too many consumers” expect to get high-quality journalism for free; and discusses the tension between covering the most popular stories – such as whether Donald Trump's putative comeback will be a success – while also ensuring they offer their readers a wide variety of topics.

Carl Zimmer is an award-winning science writer and New York Times columnist. A three-time winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science's journalism award, in 2021 Carl was a member of the team at The New York Times which won The Pulitzer Prize in Public Service for their coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this in-depth interview, Carl discusses the topic of his latest book – ‘Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive' – shedding light on why it is “very difficult and may be impossible” to know precisely what life and death actually are; shares some of the problems that are caused by humans “wrongly making themselves the centre of any definition of life”, instead of realising that “the vast majority of life is not like us”; and reflects on just how much the pandemic dominated his work for two years, and how people trusting the accuracy of Covid-19 coverage is quite literally a matter of life and death.

Scott Armstrong is the former editor-in-chief of Arabian Business magazine, and founder of ‘mentl' – a platform which provides a holistic approach to mental health issues in the workplace. With more than 30 years of experience as a journalist, editor and strategic communications consultant, his storied career has taken him from the UK to the Bahamas, through Oman to the United Arab Emirates. In this in-depth interview, Scott reflects on his years as an editor and how “instinct, leadership and management skills” are key to success – despite editors rarely receiving management training when promoted, which results in them lacking the necessary skills to lead effectively; argues that in local journalism, there is always a local angle to be found even within global news events – recalling his time working on The Evening Chronicle in Newcastle (UK), when they were able to find local residents who had been first-hand witnesses to the 9/11 attack in Manhattan; and reveals what inspired him to set up his new firm ‘mentl' – a medium that finds solutions for protecting employees' mental health – which is “the right thing to do” and is “best for both them and the business”.

Sophie Ferron is CEO of Media Ranch, an award-winning, Canadian production and distribution company, specialising in unscripted TV formats – including factual, reality/docu-reality and lifestyle. After two decades of working across production, broadcasting, distribution and business development, she launched her own venture in 2008. In this in-depth interview, Sophie recalls how working with media giant Endemol, the company behind ‘Big Brother' and ‘The Real World', inspired her to focus on unscripted programmes and drove her to expand the concept globally; explains why a reality show needs to leave room for cultural differences, while keeping its overall structure to achieve international success; and shares how her desire to promote the Canadian TV production industry abroad is now bearing real fruit.

Gavin Allen is executive editor-in-chief of Huawei. He joined in 2021, after nearly two decades at the BBC, taking in senior editorial roles at BBC News, including flagship programmes like ‘Question Time'. In this in-depth interview, Gavin tackles the groundless conspiracy theories levelled at the company, the real-world consequences, and the strategy for handling an unjustified reputational attack; shares lessons learnt from launching ‘Transform' - Huawei's thought leadership magazine covering brand development across all sectors; and takes us behind the scenes of how he has shaped the role of editor-in-chief in one of the biggest tech companies in the world, taking into account its experience in the media.

Andy Varley is founder and CEO of Insanity Group. The international talent management firm employs more than 80 people across offices in London and LA - representing the likes of artistes Tom Grennan, Atomic Kitten, and presenters including Jordan North. In this in-depth interview, he recalls how winning Young Entrepreneur of the Year aged 17 gave him the confidence to grow and expand the company to represent broadcasters and content creators as well as DJs; shares how the pandemic prompted a pivot to creating subscription-based models for many of their content creators - allowing talent to work digitally rather than through in-person events; and discusses how the media industry is undergoing a revolution, and will never be the same for artists, agents or record companies.

Harry Mount is an author, journalist, and editor of The Oldie magazine. The monthly British title describes itself as a “light-hearted alternative to a press obsessed with youth and celebrity.” A former New York correspondent for The Daily Telegraph who remains a regular contributor to The Spectator, Daily Mail, and Evening Standard, he became editor of The Oldie in 2014, following the untimely death of his predecessor Alexander Chancellor. In this in-depth interview, Harry reflects on the magazine's upcoming 30th anniversary, and how it's “stood the test of time”, always staying true to its original aim of being “jokey, funny, cynical, and aimed predominantly at old people”; shares his surprise at how enthusiastically his readership has embraced the move to digital, with the website, app and podcast all popular; and discusses his close-up experience of working with two “Fleet Street legends”, Charles Moore and Paul Dacre - praising the former's “meticulous” work and the latter for his “sixth sense” when selecting stories which matter to readers.

Isaac Saul is founder and editor-in-chief at Tangle News. Starting last year on Substack, the popular newsletter “brings all views of the news under one roof” and has already drawn in 40,000 daily readers and 6,000 paying subscribers. A former political reporter hailing from Pennsylvania, Isaac was named by Yahoo News as “one of the 16 people who shaped the 2016 election,” and in 2020 Forbes called him “one of the next 1,000 upstart entrepreneurs redefining the American dream.” In this in-depth interview, Isaac reflects on how starting his career at The Huffington Post was a “baptism of fire,” teaching him that “well-reasoned arguments will often be lost on readers who are already strongly wedded to the opposing view;” discusses the importance of “courting a diverse political readership,” rather than catering to only a narrow subset of the politically engaged; and shares his exciting plans for further growth - including expanding beyond the US into other countries, and even applying Tangle's template to other topics beyond politics - such as sport and culture.

Toby Harnden is an award-winning author and veteran foreign correspondent. In 2012 he won the Orwell Prize for his book ‘Dead Men Risen' - an account of beleaguered British soldiers fighting desperately to prevent the Taliban from seizing Afghanistan's Helmand province. As foreign correspondent, he reported from 33 countries for The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and The Sunday Times, including postings in Belfast, Baghdad and Washington DC. In this in-depth interview, Toby shares the inspiration and journey behind his new book ‘First Casualty' - which is the prime account of CIA Team Alpha in their own words - the first Americans to be dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11; reflects on how a decade serving in the Royal Navy inspired him to become a foreign correspondent, and better equipped him to report on “real stuff, real people - war, blood, and guts;” and discusses why much of his work is dedicated to covering PTSD - including presenting a BBC Panorama special, with the shock revelation that more British soldiers and veterans took their own lives last year than were killed in action.

Gideon Lichfield is global editorial director at WIRED. First published in 1993, with an initial focus solely on consumer tech, it has evolved over three decades to become a respected global media brand; reporting on - and influencing - global thought on “how emerging technology impacts culture, the economy, and our society.” With 52 million readers across print and online, and a further 30 million followers on social media, they have recently celebrated a 20% increase in paid subscribers. In this in-depth interview, Gideon shares how he is shaping WIRED's global vision - widening their scope from reporting on technological change to becoming “the authority on tomorrow;” discusses how the “dizzying speed of cultural change” has inspired a greater focus on healthcare, civic society and the climate crisis; and reflects on his recent one-on-one interview with President Volodymir Zelensky, about how Ukraine's innovation in tech and social media has strengthened the country's defence against the Russian invasion.

Rebecca Whittington is the online safety editor for Reach plc, publisher of over 130 national and regional titles in the UK; including the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express and the Manchester Evening News. She joined Reach in 2021, in a newly-created role - the first of its kind - to tackle the growing problem of journalists coming under attack online. In this in-depth interview, Rebecca outlines the sheer scale of abuse which their journalists face, and the debilitating toll on their mental health; argues that only a multi-stakeholder approach will be effective - involving government, tech platforms and employers; and offers practical advice for those who find themselves under attack.

Tim Kring is a television writer and producer. He created the hit sci-fi drama ‘Heroes', which became a global sensation - running for four seasons and winning him both a BAFTA and an Emmy nomination. Tim got his big break on ‘Knight Rider' in 1985, and since then he's worked on some of TV's biggest shows like ‘Chicago Hope' and the Jason Bourne spin-off show ‘Treadstone', going on to become series creator for many flagship programmes, such as ‘Crossing Jordan' and ‘Touch'. In this in-depth interview, Tim candidly reflects on his long and varied career, and tells us what Hollywood is really like from the inside - warts and all; takes us behind-the-scenes on how TV shows are made - from the initial idea, to seeing the results on screen - including the casting, production and politics challenges along the way; and reveals how he wasn't prepared for just how profoundly his hit show ‘Heroes' would change his world view.

Chris Kay is chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi. Founded in 1970, the iconic advertising agency employs over 6,500 people and has offices in 76 countries. An advertising industry veteran, prior to joining Saatchi he had senior roles at Manchester City Football Club, LA agency 72andSunny, and also worked for Fallon at the time when they were producing some of their most memorable work - including the ‘balls' campaign for Sony, and the Cadbury's Dairy Milk advert featuring the gorilla's famous drum solo. In this in-depth interview, Chris reflects on a career journey that started in the unlikely place of a management science degree which, “despite being dull,” set him on the right path because brief encounters with advertising throughout the course sparked his passion; discusses the challenges ahead for the advertising industry, which must evolve to seismic changes such as the decline of traditional TV and the impact of the current cost-of-living crisis; and shares his determination to play his part in “rekindling Britain's status as the world's creativity and entertainment hub.” 

Zillah Byng-Thorne is chief executive of Future plc. Founded in 1985, the leading publisher produces some of the UK's most popular magazines, including Country Life, FourFourTwo, Marie Claire and The Week. Joining Future in 2014, Zillah has presided over a spectacular turnaround in the company's fortunes - publishing 160 titles, and expanding the brand's portfolio to include video games and digital magazines; and in 2020, they ventured into e-commerce, purchasing insurance company GoCompare.com for £590m. Under Zillah's watch, their share price has soared, and the company is now valued at £4bn. In this in-depth interview, she shares her career journey - starting out as an accountant in working-class Glasgow before a dramatic pivot saw her set her sights on leading a large company, starting with a masters in behavioural change to build her leadership skills; shares the secrets behind Future's strategy, resulting in 80% growth and £600m+ revenue despite the pandemic; and passionately argues that Future “has a moral responsibility, as much as a business responsibility, to maintain the quality and accuracy of its content.”

Erin McCarthy is editor-in-chief of Mental Floss. Founded in a university dorm room in 2001, the intellectual trivia brand for “curious people” blurs the lines between entertainment and education, and its “smart, quirky content” has reached over 1 billion people across multiple platforms including print, online, YouTube and podcasting. Joining in 2012, Erin hosts many of their most popular YouTube shows, and edited their book ‘The Curious Reader;' as well as creating, producing, and hosting the ‘History Vs.' podcast - which discusses “how historical figures faced off against their greatest foes.” In this in-depth interview, Erin discusses the growth of their YouTube channel which now has more than 1 million subscribers - covering a mammoth range of topics, from archaeology to mashed potato; explains why podcast episodes are her favourite part of the job - offering her the chance to provide in-depth analysis of a fascinating topic; and given the niche and eclectic nature of their work, delves into the detailed process fact-checking to make sure they get everything right - consulting with an array of independent fact-checkers, cross-referencing all their content before sharing it with the world.

James Bloodworth is an author and political journalist. A former editor of the blog Left Foot Forward, James' work has appeared in The Guardian, The Spectator, the New Statesman and The Wall Street Journal. Author of ‘The Myth of Meritocracy' and ‘Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low Wage Britain', his work was long-listed for the 2019 Orwell Prize. In this in-depth interview, James discusses his experience going undercover in the low wage economy for his book ‘Hired' - and why a number of his discoveries, including Amazon workers urinating in coke bottles, made international news; reflects on his political journey, from Trotskyism and ultimately moving to the progressive centre-left - recently reserving his most strident criticism for his former far-left colleagues; and shares the plans for his next book which tracks how people become “radicalised into the manosphere” - arguing the growth of toxic masculinity and how our shared complacency ignores a very real threat.