Melanie Wold

*** NEW VIDEO *** ‘TeaTalk - A Tea Drinker’s Guide to Rhetoric’. Device of the Day #27 FALSE CHOICE - ‘One lump or two?’ The false choice is when we reduce complex issues down to simple binary terms, appealing to our preference for simplicity. This rhetorical strategy is all around us in everyday choices—‘Still or sparkling water?’, directionally—‘Forward or backward?’, and politically—‘Sunak or Starmer?’. It’s a compelling way to present the options available but there are always further possibilities… Do you use the false choice? Has it ever been used on you? How do you respond? As always, I’d love to hear what you think. I hope you’re enjoying this series. If so, please do like, comment or share… 😊👍🫖

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I asked Chat GPT about some frustrating anti-ecological and anti-economic justice constraints the neoliberal WTO and EU are imposing on the UK: Q: Are the following compatible with WTO and UK's EU withdrawal agreement rules on state aid? Or incompatible? GB Energy (Milliband's policy); tax breaks for green energy, co-operatives and credit unions; directly subsidising green energy, co-operatives and credit unions; special economic zones (similar to China). A: Let's break down the different policies you mentioned, examining their compatibility with WTO rules on state aid and the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, particularly the provisions on level playing field under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which includes state aid and competition regulations. Let's break down the different policies you mentioned, examining their compatibility with WTO rules on state aid and the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, particularly the provisions on level playing field under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which includes state aid and competition regulations. Let's break down the different policies you mentioned, examining their compatibility with WTO rules on state aid and the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, particularly the provisions on level playing field under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which includes state aid and competition regulations. 1. GB Energy (Miliband's policy) Policy Overview: This policy envisions a publicly owned energy company focused on green energy to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. WTO Compatibility: WTO rules do not prohibit the establishment of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as long as they operate on commercial terms and do not distort trade by granting hidden subsidies. If the energy company operates competitively without receiving unfair advantages (such as below-market financing or other hidden subsidies), it would generally be compatible with WTO rules. UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement Compatibility: Under the TCA, the UK has agreed to ensure that state aid does not distort competition between the UK and the EU. A publicly owned energy company would need to ensure it complies with State Aid rules, avoiding direct or indirect subsidies that could distort competition. If the company is well-regulated and does not benefit from state support beyond market terms, it could be compatible with the TCA. However, if it receives significant government backing, it may be subject to scrutiny.

Belatedly sharing the news that I won my legal case on Horse Hill oil last week. It's a HUGE victory which doesn't just affect Horse Hill (the planning permission for 20 years of oil production there is quashed - ha!) but has wider ramifications. Now all fossil fuel production projects subject to Environmental Impact Assessment (that's all but the smallest) will have to assess their full climate impact - including the emissions that would be caused by burning the fuel produced. This is going to make it make it harder for such projects to be approved. And it affects some already approved projects that are subject to their own legal challenges, including the planned coal mine in Cumbria, the giant Rosebank oil and gas field in the North Sea, the Jackdaw gas field and the onshore oil project at Biscathorpe in Lincolnshire. Guardian report by Isabella Kaminski here: https://lnkd.in/ej9g-ncD

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A short insight report Chatham House posted about their #SustainabilityAccelerator #UnConference. It's made me think LOADS: Written by David Gunn - short read, big ideas: including how sustainability narratives are now more nuanced and diverse (good thing? bad thing? Scope to create, or more space for dissemblement and divergence?) staying with the trouble from systems thinking to systems decision making how embedded uncertainty impacts decision making whether we need to sidestep the reliance on data-driven maximalism adaptation and the place of emotion... https://lnkd.in/eCNG4mNd

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In this new CIOL Voices blog, Gwenydd Jones, MCIL and Chartered Linguist, offers her thoughts on how sticking to three vital constants – excellence, marketing, diversification – leads to success as a freelancer in times of change: https://lnkd.in/eAQSAFCy #CIOLVoices #Translation #Translators #Freelancer #Freelancing #Success

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NOVEMBER - PR TIPS FOR THE MONTH AHEAD... How on earth did we get to November so quickly? Winter is on the horizon. Here we are grappling with the outcome of the Budget and by next week there will be another media frenzy around the American election - billed by some commentators as the most important in American history - (look up Project 2025). Anyone who wants to comment on these two major events will still be of interest to the media for some days, possibly weeks to come. Yet November is a month when there is much to talk about on your social media, in your blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, or even if you are dealing with the media - and maybe you can send out a proactive press release if you are doing something new. We still have to 'do' business, we have to live our lives and we have to keep on showing up. Here are a few things which might work for you, your expertise, your business or your brand. *Bonfire Night - is this a big thing for you? Personally or professionally? Does your business, for example, offer food or drinks at local events around firework displays? Do you work with animals and you want to warn people about fireworks? I've seen a ton of those posts already. *Christmas is coming - the festive feel will start to ramp up and perhaps now is the time to talk about that if it's relevant to your business. Do you sell Christmas themed products? One Wiltshire company which is a master in this is Whitehall Garden Centre in Lacock. Just have a look at their content right now to see what I mean - coupled with the fact they've also done a leaflet drop to those on their 'list' which landed just this week. *Movember - a charity 'moment' to raise funds and awareness around men's health issues. Many men take part in this for various reasons and talking about it empowers and helps others. *International Men's Day - this takes place on November 19 and is the male equivalent of International Women's Day which takes place in March. For the men who always moan about the latter, now is the time to step up and shout out about issues faced by men to raise awareness and support. *National Adoption Month - there are many awareness months in November and I've just chosen one which may be relevant to a small number of people who have adopted children or were adopted themselves. Are you comfortable sharing stories around this? Will it help others? *Diabetes Awareness Month - this is a condition which affects people in most families these days, particularly type 2 diabetes. If you help support people with diabetes, you have it and you are happy to talk about it - then now is the time to start sharing information, educating and empowering others around this subject. *How about these more quirky days? - Scented Candle Day which is TODAY; Tongue Twister day (Nov 8); World Kindness Day (Nov 13)...the list goes on. I hope you can find some story 'hooks' there to consider for the rest of this month. Have a great weekend.

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Suffolk is 'special'. Cracking thought piece by Stephen Britt. In spite of the false dichotomy being posited by some activists and apologists on both sides of the debate between the national need for new #energy #security #infrastructure on the one hand and, on the other, the disproportionate share of that being hosted in #Suffolk and by specific #communities in particular, these tensions can, I believe, be addressed by a more coordinated and strategic approach from the #British #Government. Steve suggests a 'minister for Suffolk'. Perhaps this could sit within the Department for Energy Security & #Netzero to help expedite the current fragmented and often duplicatory schemes to BOTH build #community consent and buy-in and reduce the time it takes such projects to be realised? Jack Abbott Jess Asato MP Patrick Spencer Jennifer Riddell-Carpenter Adrian Ramsay Andrew Mellen Caroline Topping Nick Timothy What do you think? Worth starting a focussed debate on this? #pylons #solarpower #windfarms

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The most difficult questions your media spokespeople will face? I work with a lot of organisations tackling huge, complex issues such as climate change, the energy transition, domestic abuse, and it's often the most (seemingly) simple questions that floor spokespeople the most. What is net zero? What is the energy transition? Define domestic abuse? Knowing the right technique to deploy to move this from a question that they patiently and painstakingly answer (interrupting their flow and swallowing up valuable air time) to one that becomes the most powerful springboard they use to get your message across and take control is key. Make sure your spokespeople are trained not just in the techniques for handling the really difficult questions they fear, but the deceptively 'simple' ones too. What 'simple' questions have, or might, your spokespeople struggle with?

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Have you ever read a draft email or some other piece of writing over and over, only to discover (typically about 20 seconds after hitting ‘send’ or ‘print’) that it still contains a glaringly obvious typo? This week’s Top Tip might help: https://bit.ly/3QIO71L #SmallBusiness #Copywriting #Consultants #Marketing #WordsMatter

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Back to business? Still have time for some light reading? ’In the Blink of an Eye’ is the debut novel of a female British AI researcher and senior strategist, Jo Callaghan. Crime light … techno-thriller … demonstrating the benefits and limitations of AI with a humorous twist. The book features a detective team engaging an AI to boost their human fact finding and analytical resources. Slightly sci-fi, but at the current pace of evolution we’re almost there. AI is real, and had already made a huge difference in so many areas. Industrial … financial … research … trade … automation … marcom … before it suddenly became everybody’s toy and tool. Working with Phyron AI I may be a bit biased but I did enjoy reading the book. To make that bias even worse, I asked my ever present AI buddy Perplexity to review it, too. She summarized: ”The novel seems to present a balanced view, showcasing both the strengths and limitations of AI in detective work while emphasizing the continued importance of human qualities in law enforcement.” I couldn’t have said it any better myself. #humanintelligence #artificialintelligence #aidialog

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Did you know online news is now as popular as TV for the first time in the UK? 💻 According to Ofcom, more than half of UK adults (52%) now use platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to access news, up from 47% in 2023. However, older audiences still place greater trust in TV and radio for accuracy and impartiality, with 85% of over-55s relying on TV as their main news source. As a PR consultant, understanding how news is consumed is critical to making work more impactful for clients. These insights are even more important as we: 👉🏾Adapt our strategies to leverage digital platforms while maintaining the trustworthiness of traditional media. 👉🏾Create a blend of coverage opportunities across digital and traditional outlets to maximise reach and ensure credibility. 👉🏾Ensure all content we newsjack or align with is fact-checked and verified, especially with rising concerns over misinformation and deepfakes. Personally, I listen to the radio in the morning, check the news throughout the day via social media alerts, and watch the news on TV in the evening—I rarely use YouTube for current events unless I’m watching Sky News Live. How do you consume your news? And for the PR pros, how are you adapting your strategy to these shifts in news consumption?

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Just say no In what is a good illustration of the terrible rates today's freelance journalists can expect, I've just been offered £200 from a major UK tabloid for exclusive rights (which means I can't sell it anywhere else) for a real life case study. I'd have to interview them and write the article. They also wanted a 'large selection of photos' thrown in. All in all, probably three days' work and that's before you get to the editor's queries/edits. When I tried to negotiate they offered me an extra 50 quid. To put it into context, if you were freelancing in the 1980s & 90s you'd be looking at around £1,000 and that's not accounting for inflation. On which note, if you're looking for a good writer with loads of experience to do website copy, press releases, White Papers, op eds, advertorials, branded copy, editing, sub editing etc and you're paying more than 🥜 please do get in touch. #copywriting #copywriterforhire #advertorials #brandedcontent #freelancing #journalism #writing #opentowork

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Ageism is not just a problem for the PR industry. Recruiters give older candidates the cold shoulder across the board – as anyone hunting for a job past the age of 50 will tell you … And yet older workers can bring so many benefits 👇 ✅ Experience ✅ Social skills ✅ Patience ✅ Productivity ✅ Creativity ✅ Problem-solving smarts ✅ Willingness to speak their mind ✅ Desire to help others On top of all that, mixed-age teams perform better on every metric. Bottom line: In a world of increased longevity and tight labour markets, the future lies in building a multigenerational workforce. What can your organisation do to recruit and retain older staff? This article offers two suggestions: ➡️ Make recruitment blind by removing clues to age ➡️ Create more flexible career paths Any other ideas? https://buff.ly/4cJAhVn

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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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Regardless of tomorrow's general election outcome, the winning party must address the UK's widening skills gap. And recruitment agencies need to do the same if they want to thrive, not just survive. Here's what your agency can do: → Produce regular reports on skill trends you're noticing in your key industries → Share these insights with clients to guide their hiring strategies → Create a blog focusing on skills gap issues and solutions → Develop whitepapers and reports that showcase your agency's expertise → Use these materials in business development outreach to establish credibility → Partner, where possible, with online learning platforms and local educational institutions → Guide candidates on relevant courses and certifications to upskill → Train your recruiters to identify and articulate transferable skills → Develop tools to evaluate adaptability and learning potential → Educate clients on the value of hiring for potential over perfect matches → Pitch success stories to industry publications and local news → Highlight case studies (with permission) of how you've helped clients overcome skills gaps → Encourage satisfied clients to speak to the media about your innovative approaches → Offer your agency's data and insights to journalists for trend pieces → Contribute guest articles on skills gap solutions to relevant outlets → Use social media to share quick tips and insights on addressing skill shortages → Organise webinars or in-person events on emerging skills and industries → Invite local media to cover these events, positioning your agency as a thought leader By implementing these strategies, you can become an indispensable partner in addressing the skills gap. Effective media coverage will amplify your message, attract forward-thinking clients, and establish your agency as a leader in the evolving post-election job market. And if you need any help, that's what BlueSky PR is here for. I'd be happy to chat.

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Searching for a communications agency who understands your brand's voice? At Catch the Sun, we specialise in tailoring content to match your unique tone and messaging, while speaking directly to your customers or readers. If you think we can help your brand, get in touch today for a free 15-minute discovery call to chat about your content needs. ✍️🌞 #branding #brandvoice #toneofvoice #content #communications #catchthesun #copywriting #editing #proofreading #aroundtheworld #aroundtheclock

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