Podcast appearances and mentions of alex aiken

What did 2024 teach us about communicating better? In this special 'Year in Review' episode, David Pembroke takes us through the stories, lessons, and ideas that made this year unforgettable. From LinkedIn storytelling tips with Stanley Henry to tackling climate anxiety with Ruth Dewsbury, this episode revisits the moments that made us think and grow. You'll hear how behavioural science is transforming public health. What the Olympics can teach us about connection, and why Alex Aiken's 'five Vs' framework might just change the way you approach your next big message. Packed with practical advice and case studies, this episode is a journey through the best of GovComms in 2024. It's insightful, relatable, and a must-listen for anyone passionate about making communication meaningful. Tune in to reflect, learn, and get ready for an even brighter 2025!Discussed in this episode:Storytelling and reframing mindsetsBuilding resilience and growthBehavioral nudges in public healthAddressing climate anxiety in communicationsAI challenges in government messagingModern communication frameworksShow notes:GovComms Ep #161 | Stanley HenryGovComms Ep #156 | Mardi StewartGovComms Ep #165 | Sharon RosenrauchGovComms Ep #151 | Ruth DewsburyGovComms Ep #160 | Dr. Nathan Borgford-ParnellGovComms Ep #157 | Strath GordonGovComms Ep #159 | Jennifer MuirGovComms Ep #150 | Alex AikenGovComms Podcast | Blog Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GovComms Podcast is back with brand new episodes.Our first episode of the season welcomes back Alex Aiken, the Executive Director for Government Communications in the UK, who was our very first guest when the podcast debuted in 2015 as the 'InTransition Podcast'. The landscape of government communication has evolved since then, and this episode dives into the latest developments.Host David Pembroke and Alex Aiken explore the collaborative efforts between the UK Government Communication Service (GCS) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Alex sheds light on the OECD's role in auditing and evaluating the UK's government communication practices, sharing insights into the process.“One of the things that the OECD asked us to do was submit UK Government Communications to a what they call a country scan. What they really mean is an audit of UK Government Communications and the report we published next month early in February. Now that takes a degree of courage.” – Alex AikenThe episode also delves into the UK Government's communication response to the war in Ukraine.“When it was inevitable that the Russians were set to invade then we set up what we call the Government Information Cell. This was to bring together all the specialists that you need to deliver modern high volume communications into one place so we could have a fast, coordinated, and effective UK Government Communications response.” – Alex AikenIn a world where disinformation is rampant and synthetic media is an emerging threat, Alex emphasises the importance of compelling storytelling.“I think that the absolutely central point is unless you can tell your story brilliantly, you will fall victim to disinformation. On the 24th of February 2022, I listened to Boris Johnson thinking through the challenges we faced... 'Putin must fail.' That is our policy. Putin must fail." And that in a sense is a story that we told then and a story we're telling now"​ – Alex AikenFurthermore, Alex discusses the potential of artificial intelligence, and how the UK government seeks to use it as a ‘force for good'.“The London Summit recently had a whole range of countries around the world looking at the threats but also the opportunities. As the Government Communication Service, we are seeking to bring together all the plans, the strategies, the knowledge that we have and create a large language model where we can plug all that in" – Alex AikenTune in to gain insights into the UK Government's strategic communication frameworks, such as OASIS and PITCH, and much more.Discussed in this episode:The evolving role of government communication.Impact of technology and the challenge of mis- and disinformation.OECD's involvement in government communication.UK Government's strategic frameworks: OASIS and PITCH.The importance of international collaboration.Show notes:Guide to campaign planning: OASIS | Government Communication ServiceLaunch of PITCH: a strategic communication tool | Government Communication Service Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast.This week, we're chatting to Alex Aiken, long-time executive director of the UK Government's Communication Service.Alex has worked with six Prime Ministers when they've had to make their most crucial decisions.  He worked in government communications during Brexit, during the COVID crisis, when the queen died and when Russia invaded Ukraine.In short, he's been in the room during many of the most difficult periods of the UK government since the Second World War.He was appointed in December 2012 and has overseen a huge change in UK Government Communications. Currently, part of Alex's role is to counter the disinformation spread by foreign governments about the UK and its allies.Whatever your politics, it's acknowledged globally that UK Government Communications is a global leader in ensuring the effectiveness of its communications to the UK public.Before we start, if you haven't already, look at our new event PR Masterclass: The Agency Growth Forum. At this one event, 22 experts will give 11 Masterclasses on essential elements of managing a modern, profitable and successful PR firm. Finally, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.Here are some of the highlights of what Alex and PRmoment founder Ben Smith discussed:2 mins What does a good disinformation campaign currently look like?3 mins How digital and social media have added extraordinary scale to Russia's disinformation campaigns.4 mins Is there much evidence that people are becoming more circumspect to Russia's disinformation campaigns?4.30 mins Alex talks us through the principles of countering disinformation: strong and independent media, educated citizens and good public information.“AI, bots and digital media mean we've got disinformation campaigns on steroids- it's easier, cheaper and quicker to do now than it's ever been.”9 mins “(For the European Union, The UK, The US and the G7), it's only by working together to identify disinformation, by attributing it…and by working on the stories we want to tell that we will be able to combat it.”“To some extent, the UK can withstand disinformation, but smaller countries (those with newer democracies and a less independent media) are more at risk.”10 mins Alex shares his concerns about the attack of disinformation on democracies. He refers to the book Munitions of the Mind: A History of Propaganda from the Ancient World to the Present Era by author Philip M. Taylor, which suggests that the sophisticated digital propaganda of today poses a serious threat to democracy.“For centuries, information has been a powerful component of military doctrine.”“Information is a very powerful tool. Sometimes the public relations profession underestimates the power and value of its own currency of information…of truth told well.”12 mins Does Alex agree with this quote from the Freedom House Report on “Beijing's Global Media Influence 2022:“The Chinese government, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, is accelerating a massive campaign to influence media outlets and news consumers around the world.”15 mins How much of Alex's current role is to try and coordinate Western government's response to Chinese, Russian and North

Welcome to the first episode of a new season of the Govcomms podcast, "From the Vault." In these episodes, we travel back in time to the best conversations we had on the podcast with leaders, experts, and innovators in communications from around the world.This time, we will be revisiting our conversation from 2015 with Alex Aiken, the Executive Director of Communications for the United Kingdom (UK) Government.In this interview, Alex explains to host David Pembroke his approach to modernising government communications in the UK, the changing expectations of citizens, and the need to move from analogue to digital communication. They also delve into how digital communication has improved the delivery of government services, the challenges of government communicators and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the PRmoment Podcast.This week we're chatting to Alex Aiken, long-time executive director, of the UK Government's Communication Service.We're going to talk to Alex about his career in government communications, the personalities of the Prime Ministers he's worked with and the changes he made during his time heading up the Government Communications Service.Before we start, just to tell you about PRmoment's new Patron Scheme. If you are a regular consumer of our content, including this podcast, and you're getting value from it, if you fancy making a contribution to help fund PRmoment - now you can.We have three different Patron Tiers—The Daney Parker Tier, The Chadlington Tier and Edward Bernays Tier.And do check out the home page of PRmoment for our latest webinars, including PR Analytics, LinkedIn as a B2B Marketing Channel and The intersection of Data, Insight and PR Planning.Finally, thanks to our PRmoment Podcast sponsors, The PRCA.This interview was recorded before the resignation of Boris Johnson as the UK's Prime Minister.Alex welcome to the show: 2 mins Alex talks us through his new job!3 mins Alex reflects on his 9 years heading up the UK's Government Communications Service, a period which covered The Referendum, Brexit, COVID and Putin's war in Ukraine“What I wanted to do is create an exceptional standard of government communication”5 mins Alex compares the 3 Prime Ministers he's worked with  - David Cameron, Theresa May and then Boris Johnson. How would you compare their leadership styles?6 mins Alex discusses the leadership styles of Cameron, May and Johnson.“The demands on PMs is so much greater in 2022 than when I started”7 mins How Prime Ministers have had to adapt their leadership styles over the last 10 years.“The UK Government is a £700 bn beast that operates 24/7”8 mins Does the work of GCS's change depending on who is the leader of the government? Or is the approach fairly standard?9 mins Due to the volume of communications channels - has the complexity of government communications become too complex?11 mins As a government communicator does Alex worry about the impact of the current “party” scandals on the public's trust in government?13 mins Alex about his passion for effective government communications and how “effective public service communications can change, improve, enhance and save lives”14 mins“The issue, whether your private sector or public sector, is evaluation”16 mins How can governments fight disinformation? Alex recommends the RESIST toolkit for further reading. 20 mins Alex talks about the risk of the UK coming under a cyber security attack from a foreign government.20.30 mins Alex discusses the behavioural science strategy behind the UK's COVID communications.22.30 mins Will Alex's work on the UK government's evaluation framework be his legacy from his 

The entire world has been changed by the Coronavirus pandemic and as communicators, we've seen boards come forward and ask for interventions and advice in ways that have never happened before.   Whilst there's been a lot of work undertaken both by the Chartered Institute Public Relations and by other professional bodies to ensure that communications is seen as a strategic management discipline; now more than ever, we have an opportunity to ensure that the professionalism of communications is understood as a vital part of the success for all organisations, large, small, independently owned, nationally operated, government, private, public, and everything in between.   In this episode, host Sarah Pinch and guests Alex Aiken, Executive Director for Government Communications and James Powell, Head of Group Communications at Irwin Mitchell explore what it means to be a strategic communicator, to be a professional, and how communicators are elevating and repositioning themselves.   For more information: - OASIS model: https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/guidance/marketing/delivering-government-campaigns/guide-to-campaign-planning-oasis/ - Getting Chartered: https://cipr.co.uk/CIPR/Learn_Develop/Chartership_.aspx   Don't forget you can log 5 CPD points for listening to this podcast.

In Episode #3, I interview Alex Aiken,Executive Director of Communications with the UK Government. In JSB’s live coaching column, I map out my blueprint to managing a PR crisis online. Check out the blog post associated with this episode for links to the items mentioned in this episode: publicsectormarketingpros.com/podcasts/d…ic-sector/ I’d love to know what you think about this episode. Please get in touch by sending me a tweet: twitter.com/tweetsbyJSB.

In this episode, I discuss Digital Transformation within the UK Government’s Communications function. I interview, Alex Aiken, Executive Director of Communications in the UK Government; give shoutout to three digital communications wins for the UK Government and discuss why I think digital transformation is painful for the public sector. Check out the blog post associated with this episode for links to the items mentioned in this episode: http://bit.ly/2JnGxYI I’d love to know what you think about this episode. Please get in touch by sending me a tweet: http://twitter.com/tweetsbyJSB. 
 If you have a minute to spare, please leave an honest review and rating on iTunes - I would really appreciate it: http://apple.co/2DsoPNF 
 Subscribe to listen and learn on the go! You can find 'JSB Talks Digital' on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Libsyn, Spotify or Soundcloud. Find out more here: http://bit.ly/2BjLSs3

Event recording from 28/02/2018 Since 2015 NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence has developed a successful and long-lasting partnership with the King's Centre for Strategic Communications(KCSC) at King's College London. Based on this rewarding experience, the KCSC and the NATO StratCom COE have been developing new ways to put their cooperation into practice. The book “Fake News: A Roadmap’ is one of them. In this project, a group young talented students from the Strategic Communications Masters at King’s College London were encouraged to try and bring some clarity to the ongoing discussion on fake news. Introductory remarks by Dr Neville Bolt, Director of the KCSC and Jānis Sārts, Director of the NATO StratComms COE. Discussion with Jente Althuis and Leonie Haiden (editors of the book "Fake News: A Roadmap"), moderated by Alex Aiken, Executive Director, UK Government Communications. The book's authors are Iona Allan, Jente Althuis, Alexander Averin, Giulia Conci, Sarah Dooley, Erin Duffy, Douglas Gray, Leonie Haiden, Mitchell Ilbury, Natalia Kantovich, Chelsea McManus, Celeste Michaud, Emma Moore, Kierat Ranautta-Sambhi, and Siri Strand. Subscribe to the KCSC newsletter to get a free copy of the book 'Fake News: A Roadmap': http://kcsc.link/signup Learn more about the MA Strategic Communications here - https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/strategic-communications-ma-pg-cert-pg-dip.aspx Learn more about the NATO StratCom COE: https://www.stratcomcoe.org/ Event recording produced by Ivan Seifert.

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Talking Comms Podcast.   We hear from several Comms2Point0 UnAward winners and a bit about why the UnAwards matter. As promised, we’ve got the second half of Alex Aiken’s fascinating presentation from LGComms Academy. And we round off the year with a group discussion about what the main comms-related challenges have been in during 2017.   (Apologies for some of the sound quality. I hope you can make out the audio during the group discussion).   For a full list of the UnAwards winners, go to www.comms2point0unawards.co.uk   Remember to follow us on Twitter @talkingcommspod and email us at talkingcommspod@gmail.com

Following a successful trip to the UK recently, we thought for InTransition this week we'd dig up one of our favourites for you and revisit episode 100 with Alex Aiken, Executive Director of Government Communications for the UK government. He has been responsible for creating the Government Communication Service and developing many of the UK's very successful cross-government campaigns and offers 5 tips on strengthening the value of communications. He speaks with David Pembroke about: Public trust in government communications The lessons of Brexit and economic change Governments need to listen to be nimble Sharing research across government departments Five ways to strengthen the value of communications Proving your value to your political masters The new professional skills required for communications Find contentgroup on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Read more about content on our blog. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following a successful trip to the UK recently, we thought for InTransition this week we'd dig up one of our favourites for you and revisit episode 100 with Alex Aiken, Executive Director of Government Communications for the UK government. He has been responsible for creating the Government Communication Service and developing many of the UK’s very successful cross-government campaigns and offers 5 tips on strengthening the value of communications. He speaks with David Pembroke about: Public trust in government communications The lessons of Brexit and economic change Governments need to listen to be nimble Sharing research across government departments Five ways to strengthen the value of communications Proving your value to your political masters The new professional skills required for communications Find contentgroup on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Read more about content on our blog.

Welcome to the pilot episode of The Talking Comms Podcast! It is a Public Sector Communications Academy special, recorded in Leeds, 17-19 October. (Huge thanks to LGcommunications for letting us record there!) You'll hear discussions and interviews around the comms reaction to the Grenfell Tower fire, from our friends at Granicus, from government comms titan Alex Aiken, and we throw some random questions at Cat Spalton, Comms Manager at Wycombe District Council. Let us know your feedback please via talkingcommspod@gmail.com or @talkingcommspod on Twitter.

2017 marks the centenary of the Government Communications Service. To mark the occasion I recently interviewed Alex Aiken, Executive Director for Government Communications on his top three historical campaigns for the UK government communications in the last 100 years. In a wide-ranging discussion Alex and I discussed the context in which the government communication service was founded in 1917 by John Buchan, who interestingly was also the author of the novel 39 Steps. Alex and I discuss the role of the communications innovator Stephen Tallents and his work to move communications from a broadcast discipline to one of dialogue. Alex believes that at the core of government communications is the need to tell the truth credibly. He goes on to talk about how communications now plays a central role in the business of government and is a powerful tool for the government of the day, alongside legislation, regulation and taxation. He believes communications is now recognised as one of the leading professions within government because it delivers for business and government departments. In identiufying his top three historical campaigns he compared the Empire Marketing Board campaign with today's Trade with Britain campaign. He also identified the Keep Calm and Carry On campaign from the war years as one of his favourites. Finally the ongoing public health campaigns that play an important educational role in keeping Britain healthy also make his top 3.

It's our 100th episode of InTransition, and our very first guest returns for a special chat. Alex Aiken is the Executive Director of Government Communications for the UK government. He has been responsible for creating the Government Communication Service and developing many of the UK's very successful cross-government campaigns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's our 100th episode of InTransition, and our very first guest returns for a special chat. Alex Aiken is the Executive Director of Government Communications for the UK government. He has been responsible for creating the Government Communication Service and developing many of the UK's very successful cross-government campaigns.

A decade ago a landmark study was published showing that treating Kenyan children for worm infections could increase their attendance at school, as well as bringing health benefits. Since then, many development agencies across Africa have taken the idea on board, as it seems like a cheap, effective and simple way to boost attendance. However,researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have been taking a closer look at the original data, and found that the benefits of de-worming may have been overstated, as Alex Aiken explained to Kat Arney. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

A decade ago a landmark study was published showing that treating Kenyan children for worm infections could increase their attendance at school, as well as bringing health benefits. Since then, many development agencies across Africa have taken the idea on board, as it seems like a cheap, effective and simple way to boost attendance. However,researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have been taking a closer look at the original data, and found that the benefits of de-worming may have been overstated, as Alex Aiken explained to Kat Arney. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

We bring in a big name for our first episode, the most senior communications professional in the UK Civil Service, Alex Aiken. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We bring in a big name for our first episode, the most senior communications professional in the UK Civil Service, Alex Aiken.

Russell Goldsmith is joined by Department of Business, Innovations & Skills' Betony Kelly and Elayne Phillips, Head of Strategic Analytics and Evaluation in the Communications Group at Defra to discuss Social Media in the Government communications. The show covered a wide range of topics including how social media is used when it comes to sharing Government related content and building relationships between various Government departments and their online target audiences, differences between public and private sector social media comms, measurement, Open Policy making, and also featured an exclusive comment from Alex Aiken, the executive Director for Government Communications. To continue the discussion on twitter, please use #csuitepodcast