James Harding

About 7 million is the straw poll readership of the most favoured UK magazine. So… if your business was featured in such a magazine, what could it do for your business reputation and revenue from a free publication? But, how do you get a journalist to write up on your business? We at ExpertSources, www.expertsources.co.uk can help by getting you registered for over 7,700 regional, national and international journalists and professional media members to see your profile, and to be privy to contacting you directly! You would win by increasing your reputation, your revenue, but you would be helping journalists simultaneously by providing them with extra media opportunities with your expertise, to enable them to finish their work on or even before deadline. Media folk, join here FREE OF CHARGE https://lnkd.in/gWTuBX5 to find real experts easily and quickly. And Experts, if you can talk factually on any topic in any sector through your experience, career or education, and you could really do with a boost in revving up your business revenue by potentially gaining valuable media publicity, join here https://lnkd.in/dbnVv_m for a HUGELY REDUCED FEE. #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 Seb Reivers on Unsplash

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Many reasons have been put forward for why Rishi Sunak decided to call an early General Election for July 4th, including speculation as to whether this was a calculated attempt to take advantage of a perceived lack of readiness by the SNP and particularly Reform, with both Parties seemingly not prepared for a poll when the decision was being made in May. To date, the second part of the gambit at least appears to have spectacularly gone awry, as Reform continues to surge in the polls largely at the Conservative’s expense. Intriguingly another theory is now starting to do the rounds amongst some Conservative insiders who say that the campaign and Party itself have been desperately short of funds for some time and this was a serious consideration in ‘going early’, so as to avoid running out of money. Anecdotally this theory appears to stand up with reports of increasingly desperate pleas to donors in recent weeks including a huge volume of round robin emails to Party members seeking funds. Regardless of the reason, so far, the decision to go early seems to have been unwise to say the least, with the polls having shifted an average of 4% against the Conservatives since the start of the campaign and the gap between the two major parties remaining constant. Still, there are just under three weeks to go.

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A significant new report released today on the skills shortage impacting the manufacturing sector. Based on a recent survey of manufacturers, with qualitative insights gained by The Manufacturer to add additional context, this report is a deep dive into what is, perhaps, the biggest challenge hindering manufacturing organisations today 👇 #UKmfg #shoutaboutukmfg Joe Bush Molly Cooper Tom St John

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When you have five minutes, read this blog post about how to use embargoes and NDAs to give your PR an extra gear. Some very interesting tips #PRtips #NewsEmbargoes #NDA

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Great to see a very healthy set of accounts from V&A Dundee after several strategic changes and the blockbuster success of the Tartan exhibition. Chair Tim Allan CBE sets out the customer-centric ethos of the museum in continually listening and responding to feedback from visitors. Changes to the shop, restaurant and exhibitions strategy has paid dividends. He says: "Commercially, we're learning all the time. We're listening to feedback and learning what people want.”

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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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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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Today’s King’s Speech has 40 Bills setting out the legislative agenda for the new Labour Government. 🌹 💡The WA Communications team have analysed the detail across key sectors of the economy. Includes detailed insight from our Strategic Advisors - senior Labour adviser Jennifer Gerber and former Permanent Secretary Philip Rutnam - read more below 👇 What do you think?

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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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News Values What is a journalist looking for in a news story? Understanding these factors can help public relations practitioners craft media pitches and press releases. In 2001, Tony Harcup and Deirdre O’Neil published their seminal research on UK news values (an update on Galtung and Ruge's influential 1965 taxonomy of news values). In order of priority, these were: 1, The power elite: Stories concerning influential individuals, organisations or institutions 2. Celebrity: Stories about people who are already famous 3. Entertainment: Stories that people find humorous 4. Surprise: Stories that have an element that surprises people 5. Bad news: Stories with negative overtones, such as conflict or tragedy 6. Good news: Stories with positive overtones, such as rescues and cures 7. Magnitude: Stories perceived as significant because of the number of people involved or the impact 8. Relevance: Stories perceived to be relevant to the audience 9. Follow-up: Stories about subjects that have already been in the news, either very recently or on an anniversary 10. Newspaper agenda: Stories that fit the news organisation's agenda. Since the research was undertaken, social media has become a prime news channel for many people. We often prefer audio-visual news content, especially short videos. The algorithms that run social media and news aggregators like Apple News operate as echo chambers, feeding us topics we have liked before or we pre-select. Exclusive stories are possibly more important nowadays, as competition is fierce when so many media outlets exist. I am sure that for some of the big stories of the last few years, you could name the media which broke that news. Shareability is a newer trend; stories are designed for people to share on social media. There is also the negative trend of clickbait - misleading headlines that attract our attention. In 2016, Harcup and O’Neil again researched UK news values and produced a contemporary, ranked list. These are: 1. Exclusivity: stories generated first by a named news outlet 2. Bad news 3. Conflict: stories about controversies, arguments, strikes, warfare 4. Surprise 5. Audio-visuals: stories with arresting images, video or audio 6. Shareability: stories likely to be engaged with on social media 7. Entertainment 8. Drama: stories about an unfolding event, such as accidents or court cases 9. Follow-up 10. Relevance 11. Magnitude 12. Celebrity 13. Good news 14. News organisation's agenda. What is news? Have news values changed dramatically or just evolved since the original 2001 Harcup and O’Neill research? The ranking order has slightly changed, and additional factors have been added. Only ‘the power elite’ is off the revised list. Overall, Harcup and O’Neill’s original news values have stood the test of time, not just in the study of journalism but in having relevance to public relations practice. [Image: Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash]

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A few days ago, I published the post below here on LinkedIn and on other social networks about my blog being in Vuelio's listing of the Top 10 UK PR blogs 2024. Some nice reactions here (thanks!) and there. On LinkedIn, though, within a few hours, I'd received email pitches and DMs from people wanting me to publish guest posts, with the promise that they'd promote the posts and "amplify my SEO presence," to quote one. All in exchange for "just a few carefully selected links," to quote another. It’s clear that LinkedIn is fast becoming a breeding ground for inauthentic, spammy, approaches. But the real question is: How do we maintain trust and authenticity in a space that’s increasingly being exploited?

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We should follow the UK's example and also consolidate all municipal pension funds into ONE, like the national civil servants have the @GEPF_SA. It will be better controlled and with the economy of scale be fitter for purpose https://lnkd.in/diMbadng

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Do we feel the country needs an election sooner rather than later? With a general election looming in the autumn (or summer?), I'm picking up a lot of anecdotal evidence that nervousness about future fiscal and regulatory environments that a new parliament might bring is inhibiting implementing growth strategies. for many companies. An interesting article here backs that up with some research https://lnkd.in/e5ECdAC5 Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT) public affairs lead Grace Thompson suggests that a general election year “is always going to bring an added feeling of uncertainty to the business community”. “Not only are there often last-minute changes to policies and unexpected aspects revealed in manifestos, there is also obviously the big question: ‘Who will actually be in the next government?’ Do we feel the country needs an election sooner rather than later? #campaigns #generalelection2024 #Greens #Labour #LibDems #PlaidCymru #SNP

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