Category: Industry Voices

What made you want to work in the publishing industry?

I have always been obsessed with sport and especially football, and while a career as a professional player was never an option, writing about football seemed like the next best option. I loved newspapers and magazines from a young age and it was always my aim to work in the industry. I have worked at a few places over the years but being the editor of FourFourTwo is the ultimate job – a magazine I started reading right at the very beginning back in 1994. 

Chart your career from the start to where you are now.

My career in journalism started back in 2006 at a local newspaper – the Windsor and Slough Observer – where I was a junior news reporter. After just over a year I moved to the sports press agency Hayters, before going to be news editor at The Football League Paper. After two years there I moved to the Daily Mail/MailOnline where I worked on the sports desk for both the paper and the website. I was at the Mail for six years and held various positions, including news editor and night editor. I then moved to Sportsbeat press agency where I ran a lot of editorial projects including running news services for the ICC at the Cricket World Cups in 2017 and 2019. Then in December, 2019 I became editor of FourFourTwo magazine. 

As Editor of a football magazine, how has your approach to each issue changed since the cancellation of sport matches, in regards to the content of each issue?

On the whole we do not rely on live football to produce the magazine. That said, this summer was due to be the Euros and we were planning on a number of issues building up to the tournament, focusing interviews and features on players and teams. The issue that we are working on at the moment was due to be the last issue before the Euros, with our tournament supplement – one of the most popular issues of FourFourTwo ahead of every tournament. If we can take any positives from this time it is that the Euros were called off fairly early, so we were able to rip up our plans and start again. We have had to be creative and approach things in a different way, but most importantly produce a magazine every month that people want to read and are interested in. And hopefully a magazine that gives the reader a bit of escapism in these difficult times. 

How can a football magazine engage and bring together the football community at this time? Have you seen an increase in engagement?

We have used our social media channels to try and bring people together. We have created ‘watchalong’ events on Saturdays at 3pm. So in the absence of any live football taking place at that time, we pick a match that is available on YouTube in full, and we let people know what the game is and encourage them to start watching at the same time, we then tweet through the game ‘as live’ and engage with our followers. We then give them articles on the website to read around that game once it has finished. It provides a bit of escapism for people and gives people some sort of football to enjoy when there is no actual sport taking place. 

How have you adapted to pulling together a monthly magazine virtually? Will you carry on any good practice that you have adopted once this is over?

The whole team has responded really well to working from home and we have not encountered too many difficulties. We all work from work laptops anyway and so we have all the software we need to produce the magazine. We have regular meetings via Google Hangout and are always in touch with each other over Slack. Everyone has got stuck in and contributed ideas and shown a ‘can do’ attitude which I am sure will continue going forward if and when we are able to return to the office and ‘normal’ – whatever that will end up being. 

What's on your Radar?

We have just relaunched our website to make it more user friendly. We are working on a number of new website features, including more fan content as well as widening the number of features we do. We produce very popular quizzes online and one idea we have is to expand those into virtual pub quizzes to be played during and beyond lockdown.

In terms of the magazine, there are a few things I would like to do and ideas I have for certain issues, which I was working on before the lockdown. Hopefully we can revisit those things in the future, but I don’t want to say too much now!

What tips do you have for working from home?

I have seen various articles and videos about this in the last few weeks, and I have seen people say ‘make sure you are working in a room different to your bedroom or where you like to relax’, but that is not always a realistic option for many people. My advice would be things that everyone is able to do like keep in regular contact with your colleagues. Chat over video calls or email and if you are struggling or having a bad day, then tell someone. We are all in this together and it is tough and new for everyone, so it is ok not to be on top form every day. Another tip would be to stick to work hours as it's easy with no commuting to start and finish earlier or later than normal. Be disciplined and start when you would normally and finish on time as well. 

What magazine would you choose to stockpile?

I’ve gone through phases of stockpiling magazines, from Shoot when I was young and getting into football to Melody Maker and NME when I was a teenager and obsessed with the music press. More recently, and before I got this job, it was FourFourTwo. I subscribed to the magazine before I worked here and so have issues going back years, which is quite handy now we are working from home if I ever need to look back at an old issue. But to answer the question and not give one that I edit, I would say the music magazine Q.

What made you want to work in the publishing industry?

You know that opening line in Goodfellas where the Ray Liotta character says “as far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster”? Just substitute journalist for gangster and that was me. I have no idea where it came from. I grew up in a very tough part of North Belfast, right at the heart of The Troubles, and my dad worked in a shirt factory and my mum was at home bringing up me and my elder brother. I didn’t know any journalists or how you would ever become a journalist, and I don’t remember there being any magazines or books in the house. But it was in me from a very early age, and I still find it quite incredible that somehow it all actually came to pass.

Chart your career from the start to where you are now.

How long have we got?! This year is my 40th year in the game so to speak, so I can only really give you the 7-inch version. It started in 1980 with me freelancing for local magazines back when I was still living in Belfast, then the first big step was being accepted onto the City University journalism course in London, then a brief spell on local papers and what used to be the Melody Maker, and then in 1986 I was appointed Editor of Smash Hits at the ripe old age of 26. This was just three years after me getting off the boat from Belfast and I still don’t really know how I got the job. And I didn’t really know it at the time, but this was the big break, and everything I have done since then stems from that. Smash Hits was published by a fabulous company called emap, and I was to stay there for the next 21 years, doing a whole host of different jobs on various titles and projects all over the world. I left there in 2007 and did a few new projects for a bit, then joined the PPA as CEO at the start of 2010. It’s been a wonderful 10 years, and I am still going to stay very much connected in a new part-time role, but I think after 40 years all-in it’s probably time for a bit of a break!

What has been the highlight of your career?

Launching Empire and heat and having the ultimate privilege of running the PPA are right up there, but I probably have to say Smash Hits. I go all over the world talking at conferences and sitting on panels, and it’s the one thing that people still want me to talk about. It still seems to be so fondly remembered by an entire generation, which is very rare in any walk of life. I feel very lucky to have been there at the absolute height of its pomp, and all before turning 30!

And more specifically, what has been the highlight of your time as PPA CEO?

Bringing the whole industry together more than it had ever been is probably what I am proudest of over the last 10 years. That has manifested itself in a number of different ways, but the most obvious highlight example of that is The PPA Festival. When I arrived we had quite an old-school conference every year, and to see that transform into what we have now with nearly 100 speakers across five different stages is quite something. Like everything else of course, I have simply headed it up and the real work has been done by the team. And Team PPA have been the other real highlight of my time here.

*You have launched a number of magazines over the course of your career. What factors determine the decision to launch a magazine? *

It was always a mix of pure creative instinct and some serious market research. So with Empire we already had Q magazine, and it didn’t seem too big a leap to imagine that there might be an audience ready for a movie version of Q. With FHM it was more that we had a group of men working together who all wanted to read a different type of men’s magazine from any of those that already existed at that time. I always loved working on new stuff and I was very lucky to work at a company that wanted me to do just that.

In the earlier days of your career, the internet and social media age were yet to explode into what they are now. How did you promote new issues and new launches?

We would do a lot of TV advertising, especially for the big weekly launches. I seem to remember that the cost of launching heat was around £15 million, but of course back then the return in copy sales and advertising could justify such an eye-watering amount of money. I had worked on quite a few hits by this point and decided that instead of my salary I should by rights be entitled to a share of the profits. To which I was told that this was absolutely fine so long as I was prepared to put in a share of the risk. I think the figure of 10% – so in heat’s case £1.5 million from me – was mentioned, at which point I quickly piped down and went back to the life of the wage slave.

What was the favourite cover of your career and why?

I’m going to go with the Spike Lee cover of Empire from around 1990/91. I remember that lovely feeling you get as an Editor when the magazine is really starting to hit its stride, all the elements are coming together, and you know you’re on a bit of a roll. It’s also one of the last times when Empire would be able to put a maverick independent director on the cover, as rightly it started to move more towards the big franchises as both the magazine itself and the whole Hollywood machine started to get bigger and bigger.

What advice would you give your younger self, starting out as Editor of Smash Hits?

Everything will turn out just fine. Honest!

What is the most interesting change you have seen take place in the magazine industry since you started your career?

The fantastic opportunities that we now have to talk to our audience in so many different ways. And they to us. Even on Empire, which is just 30 years ago now, we basically had a mere 12 opportunities a year to talk to the readers. And, apart from the letters page and the occasional phone call, we never really heard back from them. Now we have this incredible 24/7 two-way digital dialogue, plus podcasts, festivals, awards, social channels, the full monty. I’m sure it must be exhausting at times for the team, but what an amazing opportunity.

How do you think the magazine industry will change following coronavirus?

I imagine that a few titles will find it hard to withstand. One or two may flourish through their unique positioning and innovation. And the vast majority will come through it like the rest of us, bruised and battered, and with a new appreciation for the most important things in life.

What magazine would you choose to stockpile?

Deep down at heart I’m still that kid from Belfast who dreams of being a journalist and who still loves to read magazines more than anything else in the world. The ultimate magazine for journalists who love to read great writing is The New Yorker, so that’s my choice. I’ve probably just offended our entire membership, so on that bombshell I shall leave you! It’s been absolutely wonderful, and I thank you all.

What made you want to work in the publishing industry?

I wasn’t drawn specifically to publishing, but I have always preferred print to digital when it comes to design. Digital is great for rapidly changing information but there is something special about holding a physical copy of something–whether it’s a book or a magazine–that online can’t compete with. I found myself being pulled towards the print side of design quite early on, perhaps because there is a bigger sense of something being “complete” when it’s been printed and can’t be changed anymore. In a way, it’s like a snapshot of time. I also feel like print forces you to really think about the point of what you’re trying to show, because your canvas is a lot more limited. And so, I find that working for a print magazine suits me really well.

Chart your career from the start to where you are now.

I studied graphic information design at the University of Westminster, which is where I figured out that data visualisation was what interested me. I enjoyed graphic design itself but always felt a bit lost and unable to truly connect with it, but working with data felt different – it was like I’d found the missing piece in a jigsaw. After graduating I spent a while building my portfolio while working as it was lacking in data visualisation, and then a friend sent me a link to a data visualiser internship at The Economist. I applied thinking that there was no way I would get an interview, but somehow managed to actually get the role! After my internship ended, I worked freelance for a couple of years (mostly still at The Economist) and was offered a permanent position there as a visual data journalist (VDJ) in April last year.

What does your job as visual data journalist at The Economist entail day-to-day?

For most of us (we have six VDJs who work on print graphics and two who build our interactive charts), it varies day-to-day as we are strongly tied to a weekly print schedule. Before we go to print each week a lot of our time is spent creating the maps and charts you see in the magazine. We also produce charts for our Espresso app and Daily Charts for online. Once Thursday comes around we have a bit more freedom to catch up on work we haven’t had time to focus on, such as charts for the special reports that we publish, or making an early start on something more complex for the following week. Or if we have a quieter week–which isn’t often at the moment–we can find some time to do some work-related learning.

What is the process from collecting the data set to turning it into something visually digestible for readers?

It depends on the scale of the graphic. For example, our Graphic Detail print page requires a lot of work from a data journalist (who usually writes the accompanying text) just to get the data cleaned and ready to visualise. This can sometimes take weeks. Then a VDJ will spend some time (usually 1-2 days) exploring the data and looking at the best ways to visualise it. It’s very much a collaboration between visual and non-visual data journalists. For our “regular” charts, usually someone from our Research department will source the data for us and we will either use our in-house charting tool or R (a programming language used to analyse and visualise data) to visualise it, before styling it in Illustrator. Then there is a bit of back-and-forth with the relevant journalists and editors deciding on the details, before the chart is finalised. For a typical print chart, at least seven or eight people in various roles will look at it before it’s published. And that usually irons out the things that don’t really work or make it harder to understand.

What are the important things to consider when you are presenting data in charts to readers?

I think our main aim is to make sure that all of our charts are clear and easy to understand. We spend a lot of time thinking about things such as the type of chart, scales, labelling and colours to try and achieve clarity. Never assume that the reader will know what your chart shows, or that they will be familiar with how to read charts at all. It’s also important to only use data which adds information to a story. We don’t like using charts just for the sake of it – it has to have a purpose and visually explain a point that is being made otherwise it’s essentially “junk” taking up space, and that can actually be a distraction in a story rather than an asset. We can usually filter those out pretty quickly because we’re regularly fighting for space on the pages, so charts that aren’t informative enough are going to get the chop if there isn’t enough space.

Generally, which types of data posts have the highest engagement?

People like data relating to social issues and they love a good ranking, where they can find themselves in the data and compare where they live to elsewhere. We also find that maps do quite well, for similar reasons. The typical subjects that get attention–sex, drugs and money–also get a lot of engagement, especially on social media where the audience demographics are a little different to our typical print readers. Having said that, we will only publish something that we think is worth publishing. Engagement is great but not at the expense of the quality of our journalism.

How has the type of data you are dealing with changed since the coronavirus outbreak?

We obviously have a lot of coronavirus data at the moment. We publish several charts each week that are about it, and we’re constantly trying to find the most up-to-date and accurate data to inform our readers, as well as the best ways to visualise it. As it’s very new to us, it also means learning about ways in which the data are collected and reported by each country and organisation so that we can use it in a way that’s not misleading. Keeping track of a rapidly changing global dataset, plus exploring other data that gives an insight into what’s happening takes a lot of people and a lot of our time as a relatively small data journalism department.

What data-related thing has been on your radar?

I’m always on the lookout for interesting transport data. I love the thought that every person has their own personal “footprint” on the planet in terms of their movement around places, and I think that’s why I like finding data that plays into that. I’m also trying to learn R as it’s a great way to visualise more complex data and gives you room to experiment easily with visualisations. We use our own charting tool for a lot of our standard print charts but R is a lot more flexible in terms of how you can visualise data, and we are increasingly using it in our work.

What tips do you have for working from home?

As soon as you have work to do, do it (within working hours). Everything takes longer when you’re working from home and you need to factor in that you are very unlikely to get a response to anything immediately. So not procrastinating and getting something done means setting that process in motion earlier. And don’t be afraid to follow up on a message if you haven’t had a response – your colleagues will be inundated with communication from various channels and may well have forgotten or not seen it. Lastly, I would encourage including all relevant people in emails and meetings. When you don’t see or speak to colleagues face-to-face it’s very easy to get left out and not know what’s happening. It’s really important to communicate effectively and to everyone because that’s the only tool you have to get things done. And where someone might be prompted to mention a particular idea or problem to you when they see you in the office, it’s not as likely that they will remember outside that setting.

What magazine would you choose to stockpile?

Without trying to be a walking cliche, it would have to be The Economist. I didn’t have too much knowledge about the magazine before I started working here, but I’ve since fallen in love with it and feel a sense of pride when I see someone on the train with a copy. Knowing what goes into producing it every week and the minds that are behind everything from the words, to the charts and the layouts gives it a new meaning for me. I have my favourite sections of course–Britain, International and our own Graphic Detail–but it’s all worth reading and gives you the space to form your own opinions. When I was a teenager I definitely stockpiled Kerrang! and bought it every week without fail, although I have sadly moved on.

What made you want to work in the publishing industry

I have a tremendous respect for journalists; it’s been an honour and a pleasure to work with many of them. The media plays a vital role in modern society and I am proud to do my small part to make sure that quality journalism thrives. Magazine journalism, in particular, can bring important issues to light in real, relatable human terms, spurring groundswells of change. Of course, magazine brands also provide much needed escapism – it’s such a pleasure to lose oneself in the pages of a whimsical fashion spread!

I am unsurprisingly a massive media consumer, so it seemed only natural to work in the industry. I’ve got several newspaper, weekly news magazine and trade magazine subscriptions and even before I joined the company I read quite a few of the Hearst titles each month. I still get excited when the new issues hit newsstands.

Chart your career from the start to where you are now.

I started my career in PR at an agency in New York City where I came to understand the media landscape quickly and soon found that I was often acting as a one-woman marketing department for many of my clients, thinking about digital and social media content and strategy for them. So, it was natural to transition into marketing, first in a digital role, then as a generalist at VEVO and later leading the team at The Associated Press, before joining Hearst.

I think the red thread that has joined all of my work experience together has been that I really like to work at companies that are producing best-in-class content; it’s always easier to market what you believe in.

How have you adapted Hearst’s B2B marketing strategy as the coronavirus crisis has developed?

For Hearst, the current climate means that our mission – to help people get more out life – is more relevant than ever. Our audiences’ and our clients’ lives have all changed dramatically in the past weeks and we know that Hearst audiences continue to rely on us for positive, helpful, life-affirming and life-improving content. We know what they are searching for, what they are engaging with, what they are buying and how to support them as we all weather this difficult time, which means that Hearst is an especially valuable to partner now for our B2B clients.

We’ve adapted our business marketing strategy to focus on much more regular and valuable communication with clients, giving them up-to-date insights to fuel their business decisions as well as sending them some of the most positive stories across all of our brands in the hopes that our content can influence their personal lives in a positive way, too.

*Highlight two or three pieces of positive content that Hearst brands have created in recent weeks that have been featured in the new Positivity Post newsletter. *

There are so many good ones! A few of my personal favourites from the Positivity Post recently include:

The top 7 virtual tours: see the world without having to leave the house

Store Cupboard Staples: 27 Recipes a Nutritionist Would Make with All Your Basics

TV shows that *won't* be affected by coronavirus

What kind of content are you finding is getting the highest engagement?

We’ve seen a lift in engagement across the board. Traffic across Hearst UK for March is up 11% year-on-year and has seen a 12% increase month-on-month. Some of our brands like Esquire, Runner’s World, Women’s Health, Delish and Prima have recorded their highest ever audience numbers.

Positivity is more important to our audiences now more than ever and as you might expect we are seeing really high rates of engagement with our content that is most relevant to them as they now stay home. Running content is up +24%, wellbeing content is up +42%, family stories are up 72% and homes and interiors coverage is up +29%.

What industry-related thing has been on your radar?

The world seems upside down at the moment so it’s a bit hard to predict what the future might hold but my focus, and what I’m always thinking about, is how to bring Hearst, as a B2B brand, to life in a way that is meaningful for our clients.

Too often publishers can be reduced to numbers and while those numbers are important, we are always looking for ways for our clients to feel the magic of Hearst brands on a personal level. It’s really interesting to work for a company with such a wide range of brands and one opportunity for us has been to get our diverse client base engaged with more of our brands, including the ones they might not naturally gravitate to.

For example, I’m sure there are a few young media planners who may not have spent much time with Good Housekeeping, so they may not realise the wealth of informative, helpful and unique content GH produces. They may also not realise the immensity and importance of the GH audience, which has trusted the brand for decades.

Another priority is making sure the market understands the full suite of solutions Hearst offers. Over 100 years ago Hearst started as a print publisher, but today we are so much more. We are a premium content and experiences business with a range of diversified marketing services, including events, brand licensing, accreditation and content marketing, which are all underpinned by a massive digital network with a valuable data offering.

What top tips do you have for working from home?

Scheduling! After feeling a bit unmoored at first, I decided to plan out my day, hour by hour, from 7am to 9pm. It sounds a little intense, but I think it really helps to structure the days and it means that I make sure to take time away from my laptop screen. I also have daily video check-ins with my team, just to say hello and keep the feeling of camaraderie going.

What magazine would you stockpile?

Can I pick two? Harper’s Bazaar to introduce me to so many of the beautiful, interesting things in the world and Good Housekeeping to help me enjoy the comforts of my home as much as possible.

What made you want to work in the publishing industry?

I love reading. I initially wanted to work in book publishing, accidentally ended up in magazine publishing, and have found myself staying here ever since. I love the brands, I love the people that work on magazine brands and I still love reading.

Chart your career from the start to where you are now.

I started my career as marketing exec at an academic book publisher called Academic Press based in Academic House in Camden. From there I went to work at Faber and Faber where I worked on book launches for so many amazing writers, from Alan Bennett to Ted Hughes to Kazuo Ishiguro. Then, in a slightly tangential move, I went from the world of literary fiction to the equally fascinating magazine world as Marketing Manager at Emap. I initially worked on iconic teen mags like More! and Just Seventeen, and then moved into the celebrity world of heat and Closer – back in the heady days of selling nearly a million copies a week! I then took a more academic move, heading up the Bauer research team before becoming publishing director of Empire, MOJO, Q, Kerrang! and Yours. I love that I now work in exactly the same offices in Academic House where I started my career – I’ve somehow come full circle.

On a general level, how do you decide what subject area you are going to conduct insight studies into?

Everything we do in commercial research is designed to provide our sales teams with great insights to share with our advertisers. As Bauer Media has a network of brands serving diverse audiences across multiple platforms – from magazines to radio to digital to events – we try to create insight studies that are going to be useful in many different ways. We plan our research projects around:

a. Key categories that are relevant to our advertisers such as entertainment, music, retail, motoring, Christmas, health & fitness

b. Trends that are affecting our audiences such as how consumers are adapting in times of changing technology or how trust is increasingly important in a time of fake news

c. Key audiences including Gen Z or the maturity market, and their relationship with Bauer Media brands

How do you collect and collate your insight studies?

We use a variety of sources – sometimes we will start with desk research to see what is already in existence and then work out how we can add something new or specific to it. Other times, we might add analysis from TGI, Touchpoints or similar. Mostly, to gain unique Bauer insights, we regularly use our panel of Bauer consumers called ‘The Bauer Insiders’. The Insiders are a community of people who have opted in to receive regular surveys which provide invaluable insight into all aspects of their lives. The Insiders consume a wide range of Bauer Media’s brands across digital, radio, print, TV & events and we can contact them any time to ask really specific questions, from streaming behaviour to COVID-19.

Bauer recently released some COVID-19 insights – how many people did you survey?

We sent a survey to our Bauer Insiders and weighted the response to be nationally representative (weighted on gender, age, social grade & region). We had a sample size of 1621. The idea was sparked by the volume of requests we were receiving for research into the impact of COVID-19 on magazine & radio consumption. My incredible team rolled up their sleeves, decided to run an Insiders survey and managed to turn the results around within a day. This meant that the results we had reported were the most timely information that anyone had at that point.

Did the insights surprise you? For example that positivity outweighs pessimism and magazine sales are up

The first wave of research was carried out Thursday 19th March-Sunday 22nd March 2020, the week after Bauer Media employees all started working from home. Clearly not everyone was at that stage though, and I was surprised at how many people were still going to work. It reminded us again that we live in a London bubble and that the virus hadn’t reached everyone in the country in the same way at that point. I wasn’t surprised that media consumption had changed significantly, with people saying that they were listening to more radio, reading more magazines, or using their smart speakers more, as it was easy to understand why patterns of behaviour were shifting. It was great to see people resiliently adapting to the changes and getting on with things. I’m not sure they were completely truthful about their toilet paper purchasing though!

Can you provide any deeper insights into how magazine sales have been affected during this time across Bauer Media Group?

We’ve just asked the Insiders a bit more detail on their magazine consumption and have received the findings today. 11% of our respondents said that they have increased their magazine reading in April – when we took the measure in March, 6% said they were reading magazines so that has increased significantly. We also have some deeper insights into which types of magazine content they are most interested in. Unsurprisingly, people are looking for film, TV & music recommendations, puzzles & quizzes, and easy recipes that you can make using ingredients from the cupboard. There is also a need for more positive news stories and advice on how to make the most of being at home. Clearly magazines are well-placed to meet these content needs and we are seeing this have a significant impact on magazine subscriptions. In fact, in the last month Bauer has seen an increase of over 70% in the number of new subscriptions purchased online vs this time last year and in the last week alone this performance has more than doubled, with an increase of over 160%.

What industry-related thing has been on your radar?

We did some research a couple of years ago on how people were reacting to the increased pace of change – technological, social, economic, political – and who they trust in times of accelerated change. Once we get back to some semblance of normality, I want to repeat this work to get a new read on the potential longer-term impact of this latest period of astonishing change. I’m sure it will surface some fascinating insights that will be so useful and interesting to our advertisers.

What magazine would you choose to stockpile?

Empire, MOJO and Yours!

What was it that made you want to work in the publishing industry?

Back in the 90’s – I was really into my youth lifestyle magazines and grew up with iconic brands such as Sky, The Face, ID and music stations like Kiss FM – so I had genuine love of media back then. I also co-founded a student radio station in 1997 (which is still running now!) whilst at university so it was my passion of media that led me to this industry.

Chart your career from the start to where you are now.

My first media publishing job was on the graduate programme at EMAP Advertising working on brands such as Kiss FM, FHM, Empire and Mixmag. I got out of the media industry for a year then got back in through TalkSport where I spent six or seven years and was responsible for launching a new digital magazine (pre-iPad days) where I was advertising director. I saw an opportunity that this was where it was all going so I thought about launching a business that would help magazines migrate to digital. The iPad was then launched and I teamed up with some university friends and decided to launch a company that allowed media brands to create applications.

What made you want to set up Better than Paper and provide this service to publishers and brands?

We were inspired by a piece of tech called Flipboard – a dynamic magazine that updated constantly. The premise was that huge amounts of content was surfacing around the web so we wanted to create a really slick platform that could aggregate and curate that content at scale and allow brands to create customer magazines. It was essentially about rapid creation of magazines by harnessing the power of the web. We worked with banks, insurance companies and then moved into the publishing sector. We aim to support publishers who are in the process of a digital transformation and help out businesses that are looking to cut costs and repackage their content into digital format. Effectively we are democratising publishing technology to make it affordable and accessible to all types of publishers. It was all about levelling the playing the field and giving publishers the chance to experiment with their own format. The technology is affordable so you can go out and experiment, fail quickly and learn quickly.

How can Better than Paper provide support to media publishers during this time?

A lot of publishers are struggling to get their newspapers out there. The print cost is huge and the distribution has been disrupted. Better than Paper can launch a digital newspaper site within a day: this includes personalisation, social integration and the design. We can launch digital magazine apps within 1-2 days as well.  We want to help publishers in any way we can to ensure their continuation of services so they should come and talk to us and we can figure out a solution. In times of crisis, digital does provide a cost-effective solution and an opportunity to connect with customers in their homes and build out digital communities.

What advice would you give media publishers looking to make the most of their digital platforms during this time?

I would say to traditional publishers who are looking into an abyss, where ad spend has been put on hold, look at other ways of monetising like subscription models and donation models, launch digital hubs to create communities engaged (in place of live events) with populated content or create long-term ad packages.

What opportunities could these unprecedented times present publishers?

With the nation staying at home and being restricted, the need to stay connected, informed and entertained has never been greater. Now is the time for the media and magazines to think of themselves as a marketplace where readers can be informed, and advertisers can transact with their readers. Any media proposition that facilitates this mutually beneficial process will do well in this challenging environment. Magazines are now marketplaces where customers and businesses can transact together.

What top tips do you have for working from home?

Every home is different with a unique set of dynamics and challenges. I have three young children to home school and run a business, so you need to manage their time as well as your own. Don’t set unrealistic expectations and try to achieve balance and structure.

What magazine would you stockpile?

Condé Nast Traveller is great for a bit of escapism and armchair travelling and WIRED

What was it that made you want to work in the publishing industry?

I initially learnt my Corporate Responsibility skills in the financial services sector. Before that, I worked in media and when this job came up at TI Media (then Time Inc. UK) for a Corporate Responsibility Manager, I thought that was a great way to use both sets of skills.

Chart your career from the start to where you are now.

I started out on Weekend magazine as features assistant and then took on a PA role at The Mail on Sunday and from there I moved to the Daily Mail. I worked at an independent television company, firstly in their development team and secondly as a production coordinator. After I had my son, I saw a role advertised for a Corporate Responsibility assistant at a financial services firm, and thought it sounded interesting. It was essentially just me and my director, and we sort of made it up as we went along, as it was right at the beginning of corporate responsibility activity. I was there for 12 years and by the time I left, Corporate Responsibility had become integral to the firm’s strategy and the team had grown to 10 people. I moved to a heritage charity for a short time before I got the role as Corporate Responsibility Manager at TI Media in 2013.

What exactly does Corporate Responsibility mean?

A broad definition of Corporate Responsibility is how companies manage their business purpose to produce a positive impact on society. This can involve community relationships, charitable support, managing environmental impact and implementing responsible business and governance practices. As well as being the right thing to do, it’s an important tool to engage staff, investors and shareholders, and is important in building and maintaining a good business reputation.

How has Corporate Responsibility evolved overtime?

It has become more of a ‘must have’ as part of business strategy and in the last couple of years, has increasingly had to address very important environmental issues. At TI Media we focus on four different pillars: Community, Charity, Responsible Business and Sustainability. It is also important that Corporate Responsibility ties in with our overall business and HR strategy so that it has real meaning and impact to all stakeholders.

Why do you think big publishers need Corporate Responsibility teams?

The three issues that I think are big for the publishing sector now are trust in our content, sustainability around our processes and diversity in our workforces. Corporate Responsibility strategies can help address these areas. It’s essential that everything we produce in print or online is accurate, fair and socially responsible, therefore following publishing and media sector guidelines is essential. With environmental and sustainability issues, we need to mitigate our environmental impact as much as possible, and this area is just going to become more urgent as we try to address the climate emergency. Publishing and Media are lagging behind other sectors in addressing diversity and social mobility. I believe that well thought out community programmes and initiatives can be part of the solution.

What is the initiative that you are most proud of at TI Media?

Forming the sustainability group is one of the most impactful initiatives I have been involved in. The group pulls in expertise from all areas of the business to address many of the environmental challenges we face as a business. We have just been instrumental in getting all subscription copies into paper wrap. The group has allowed people who wouldn’t normally work together to collaborate, and that teamwork has really paid off. We have four core members and we pull in other people when we need them. We need to continually question what we do around environmental issues – it’s a quick moving area. Paper is the solution for now, but that may change in the future. Solving one problem can often create another.

What are you focusing on now as Corporate Responsibility Manager during this COVID-19 outbreak?

Like everyone else, I am reinventing my role in this new reality. However, I think that CR professionals can, to a certain extent, cut through some of the communication noise we are facing and find ways to support the mental health and wellbeing of our colleagues. I am re-thinking staff engagement and looking for solutions to feelings of isolation and powerlessness.

How does this outbreak affect the four pillars in Corporate Responsibility that you focus on at TI: Community, Charity, Responsible Business and Sustainability?

I have obviously had to put community initiatives and charity support events I was planning on hold. However, I am already thinking of ways to encourage local community support as everyone is now at home and many people eager to help those who are self-isolating. I am also trying to think creatively about how we can support The Brain Tumour Charity, our current charity partner, as they, along with many other charities, will be facing a tough time. We can’t forget about sustainability, but that may take a back seat for a few weeks, while we focus on everyone working out how to function remotely, and I have just read a very interesting article about how responsible businesses at this time must offer creative value that is not self-promoting, i.e. not capitalising on the emergency. However, saying that, many business just face the struggle to survive – it’s really awful for them.

What top tips do you have while working from home?

Don’t obsessively check the news – make sure you only access it at regular intervals – otherwise you can get overwhelmed by all the messaging.

If you don’t have to self-isolate, make sure you get some fresh air – go for a walk.

Stay in touch with colleagues by using all the social media and tech solutions there are. You can still feel like a team, even remotely.

Remember to brush your hair, or make sure you look OK before doing a video call – I got caught out with that when I realised my hair was standing up on end!

What magazine would you stockpile?

Any of our homes titles – I love them.

*What is the digital reading tax and how does it affect publishers? *

Ever since VAT was introduced in the UK in the 1970s, magazines, newspaper, books and journals have been zero-rated for VAT recognising their great societal value. We’ve been in a mad position that as technology has developed, publishers innovated, and reading habits changed, the digital editions of those same publications (and their digital native equivalents) have been subject to standard rate VAT.

What was the aim of the #AxeTheReadingTax campaign?

We had a pretty straight forward aim, to deliver equal tax treatment to our members content, no matter what platform it was delivered on – print or digital. Readers enjoying great content don’t distinguish between ink or pixels, and nor should the taxman! I’ve been working on the campaign since I joined the PPA in 2014 and I’m delighted we’ve got here in the end! Of course, digital content comes in many formats and we have been working with the Treasury to ensure these new rules don’t discriminate against different forms of content delivery or different types of published content and work to promote innovation in paid content models too.

Chart the journey of the #AxeTheReadingTax campaign from the start to now.

In part, the reason the tax had applied in the UK was because of the European VAT Directive, which governs rules on how Member States in the EU apply VAT to ensure fair competition in the single market. We successfully worked with counterparts across the EU to deliver a change to those rules back in 2018 and from there our attention moved to the UK Treasury, who had a new freedom to match print and digital rates at zero. We started pushing hard ahead of the 2018 Budget with a campaign backed with letters in national newspapers and across the media. Notably, the Cairncross Review into the long term sustainability of journalism backed our call in 2019, with the Government promising some action in their formal response earlier this year. Thankfully, this action was taken in the Budget last week, and from December 1 digital publications will be zero-rated.

Why has it taken many years of lobbying for the government to finally #AxeTheReadingTax?

Asking the Treasury for money is never an easy task! We had to build a body of evidence to support our case, create a compelling narrative, and then find the political opportunity. When those element comes together, and the industry acts with a single, clear voice about our ask, we can deliver things that may have seemed impossible just a few years ago.

What immediate effects will publishers now see from the zero-rating of digital publications?

From December 1 this year, publishers and e-retailers will no longer have to apply 20% VAT to digital editions. This means a less complex system, so no more apportioning for bundles subs! IT can deliver better value to consumers and money to publishers to invest in journalism and new products. Plus, the space to innovate for create new models of reader revenue in the digital landscape, for example micropayments.

What does this announcement mean for those seeking to engage with HMRC following the News UK tribunal ruling?

This case rested on some very specific points about the nature of the News UK digital editions. HMRC has applied to appeal the case to the Court of Appeal. It is likely a final decision in this case could still take some time. Publishers should take advice on whether they might have a claim, in the event the judgement is upheld, and should consider lodging a protective claim if they believe they do. We recently ran a seminar with Deloitte to discuss this in greater detail and advice publishers on potential action. Anyone seeking more information should contact my colleague Amy Owens.

What made you want to work in the publishing industry?

My professional background has involved working for creative and advertising agencies and I moved to content publishing when I joined The River Group because it seemed like an exciting step to take. When I first moved to London I was always reading Time Out and Shortlist and I always noticed the native editorials and how they could be as impactful to a consumer as any high budget above the line campaign, and was soon inspired to move into that line of work.

Chart your career from the start to now.

I worked for a couple of agencies on their digital side and specialised in areas like e-mail marketing. When I moved to The River Group, I picked up their digital publications around 2014 when digital magazines were becoming very popular. They were quite hard to make then compared to now, so I had to project manage alongside developers to help create them. Things then started to streamline, and I moved into video and audio. Around early 2018 I brought up how I could introduce podcasting as a service at The River Group and soon after we launched Healthy for Men podcast.

What does your role entail as Digital Manager of The River Group?

Previously it was more about apps, the publications, blogs and e-mail marketing. A few years down the line I have now moved into video and audio production as well as audio and video strategy for clients. It’s not a typical role for a digital manager but I already had experience in those areas which filled that gap. It’s starting to become more common practice for companies to employ digital producers rather than digital project managers within this line of work. Being able to be more agile amongst the team has always been valuable to my career and some of the most talented people in this line of work I’ve met have never settled with one skill set.

What is important to consider when you start to plan a digital strategy for a brand?

From a content perspective I would focus on how the user is digesting the content. If I am posting about a podcast, I am very aware that I am amplifying an audio medium on a visual digital platform, so I need to make sure that I grab attention by making sure there is a video or animation accompanying the audio so it’s as striking as any post around it. Making sure you speak in the language of the medium you use to market it on is vital. It is about these touchpoints to start with that will ultimately engage people down the line.

What is the new Content Talks podcast about by The River Group?

It is a series that covers the world of content from brand halos to membership bodies. We speak to successful senior leaders from companies about how they measure their content and how business creative models deliver customer engagement and what they find works best and stands out for them. We also speak to industry people about what its like to work in-house rather than with agencies and how they work personally and internally. It covers marketing managers to CEO’s and hopefully will provide something that people can aspire to as well.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Producing Healthy for Men podcast has been great as it has been nominated for a number of awards including a nomination at the British Podcast Awards for Best Branded Content category which as awards go, you could compare it to the BAFTAs of the podcast world. More recently, we won Best Branded Podcast at the Publisher Podcast Awards, which I’m extremely proud of.

Why do you think Healthy for Men podcast has been so successful?

The judges from the Publisher Podcast Awards said “A very professional podcast built on strong journalistic skills. There’s a great integrated approach across the magazine, and innovative use of the podcast content elsewhere.” The content we produce for the podcast covers multiple channels alongside the magazine (referring back to what I said regarding multiple touchpoints) and our podcast host, Tom Rowley, is very passionate about all the topics we cover, which really resonates with the overall authenticity of our podcast.

What would be in your Room 101?

Bad audio. Coming primarily from an audio engineering background, my ears are overly critical.

What podcast would be your long train journey listen?

Distraction Pieces podcast with Scroobius Pip. It was one of the first podcasts I got into from the first episode and it taught me a lot about how longform interviews can really open up a conversation between two strangers. To this day, Scroobius Pip has one of the best roster of guests I’ve seen from any podcast and it probably has a lot to do with my interest in working with podcasts.

What made you want to work in the publishing industry?

I did Chemistry at university and I didn’t want to stay in science. I lived In Malawi and while I was there I worked for a magazine called Genuine Female and when I got back I applied for both a law conversion course and a post-grad journalism course. I got into both but my heart leapt for journalism.

Chart your career from the start to where you are now.

I did a 9-month newspaper journalism course at Cardiff and from there I went to the Bristol Evening Post where I spent 6 months knocking on doors, reporting on local news. I had also applied to a trainee scheme at the Daily Mirror and they offered me a contract where I spent four years at the as a tabloid reporter, working for various people like Piers Morgan. I then went to the Daily Mail for two years where they made me a medical reporter. I applied to be Health Editor at The Guardian and I spent the next 18 years there. I edited the health pages, the parent’s pages, the women’s pages. I was assistant features editor, deputy features editor and features editor and I edited G1 which was the hardest job I have ever had beyond measure with the stress of getting the paper out every day. I then moved to the web and had a job share as Network Editor, running The Guardian website. I went to Sydney and ran The Guardian’s Australian operation and following that, I came back to England and was Assistant Editor for a year before I came to New Scientist.

What difference has struck you most when editing a small weekly specialist mag compared to a big national daily newspaper? How have you had to adapt your approach?

When I left The Guardian I thought, how hard could it actually be to get a magazine out every week, but the answer is very hard when each magazine has to fly off the newsstand. I misunderstood the difference in the pressures. In a large organisation, while the journalists are commercially minded, here it is just as much my responsibility to sell the magazine as it is to make sure all the journalism is brilliant, and all the journalists are well. Me and the other leadership members of the team are all running a company together. It’s a different set of pressures.

What is the first thing you think about when you begin a new issue?

The parts we plan ahead are the features. We do three or four features which is the premium content and converts people to subscribers online. A really good cover story might lead to 100 people subscribing. Then there is a second stream which is news which is all done in the last few days before the weekly goes to press. With the cover, we are mostly thinking quite a way out to make sure that one of those features is a cover story. Right now, we are in the very unusual position of having the same cover story in a month on the coronavirus. I don’t think we have ever done two covers on the same subject in such a short time. The biggest story in the world right now is a science story so this is right in our wheelhouse.

Have you seen an increase in traffic on your site as the coronavirus story has developed?

There has been a big spike in traffic and I am sure that every news organisation in the world has seen that too.

Since you began as Editor, the climate change movement has evolved into something powerful and widespread – how has New Scientist editorial content shifted/responded to this since you started?

There are more ways into the story now and more angles to take but it has always been a massive staple of what we do so that hasn’t altered. Inevitably if your focus is on science, climate change is a field that we have ploughed heavily for a long time.

Have you seen wider reader engagement as people become more environmentally aware?

Our subscriptions are growing steadily, and we have an ambition to double our subscribers by 2025 and last year we exceeded all our expectations and grew our circulation after years of decline. If climate change wasn’t a big plank of what we did, I don’t think our subscribers would be as loyal as they are.

New Scientist have a five-year plan to grow your subscription base – how are you working to achieve this?

We were brought in 2017 by a group of private investors and when I came in there was no digital team. There was one woman who did everything for the website. Now we have six people in the digital team. We have hired a Digital Editor, Social Media Editor, Video Editor, we have a video intern and we are hiring a second Video Editor. We have also appointed a senior member of staff as a Podcast Editor. The reason for having a digital team isn’t just because of the internet but also because if you have a global brand and you aren’t exploiting its global reach digitally, you are hiding a light under a bushel. We inherited a lot of followers on social media (around seven million) but it is important to have live editing. We have just launched a podcast – New Scientist used to have a podcast 15 years ago but at the time a decision was made that there was no money in it long term. We are launching three strands this quarter. There is New Scientist Weekly which started five weeks ago and we are up to 14,000 downloads per episode from nothing. We are also starting a strand of big interviews with people like Christiana Figueres to Philip Pullman and we are doing a higher end six-part season which will be about massive concept stuff. Last year we grew our organic search traffic by 181 per cent and all of that leads to more people seeing our stuff and more engagement. We have had a big push on diversity and have started a diversity internship where we did totally blind applications picking people simply on the merit of their journalism. A big part of our business is also live events with New Scientist Live. Last year we got 40,000 punters through the door and it attracts a really diverse audience which is slightly different from our magazine audience.

Latest ABC figures showed the first circulation rise for New Scientist in 12 years – what do you think is the main reason for this?

We’ve got a team that work closely together, all focusing on really simple targets. We have KPI’s and all know what our plan and intention is – to grow traffic and subscribers. We want to have a happy team because a happy team produces great journalism. Beneath that there is lots of good practise that adds together to create a better picture. Events both big and small are also a big part of the businesses success.

What would be your long train journey magazine read?

I review sci-fi TV for the magazine so on the train I watch sci-fi on Netflix or Now TV or Amazon Prime. At the moment I am binge watching Altered Carbon Netflix and also watching season 4 of the Expanse. So I don’t have room in my life for reading magazines. I have always been a New Yorker fan but I am already proofreading every page of our magazine before it goes.

Well what sci-fi series would you recommend?

I really enjoyed Season 1 of Altered Carbon and I loved a show called For All Mankind