The event was hosted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and brought together representatives from theatre, video, publishing, design, museums and galleries as well as TV, film, and music.
SajeedaMerali, CEO, PPA commented: “It was great to see the creative industries come together at such a high-profile event. Consumer magazine and business media editors from brands including Grazia, Marie Claire, Radio Times, Glamour, Vogue, WIRED, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, Stylist, Hello! and Campaign were there to represent a sector that remains integral to audiences seeking entertainment, inspiration, and education; all playing a key part in generating value for the economy and we hope this continues to be recognised at the highest levels.”
Pictured: Gaby Bastyra, Andrea Thompson (Marie Claire), Hattie Brett (Grazia), Saj Merali (PPA), Tamsyn Spires (Hello!), Lauren Holleyoake (Grazia), Carl Myers (Faversham House), Hannah Bray (PPA), Aisling Hilsdon (PPA), Jo Tomlin (PPA), Marc Potter, David Prasher, Amanda Barnes (Faversham House), Claire Sanderson (Women’s & Men’s Health), Steve Prentice (Bauer), Eilidh Wilson (PPA), Nicky Holt (Bauer), Nicola Bates (Bauer), Tom Loxley (Radio Times), Rachael Prasher (Haymarket), Victoria Grainger, Tilly McAuliffe (Think), Sophie Dudgeon (Hello!).
Hosted by Helen Morris, Co-CEO of Bauer’s UK Publishing business, and Simon Myciunka, CEO of Bauer’s UK Audio business, the visit was an opportunity for the Secretary of State to see Bauer’s editorial and broadcasting teams in action as well as discuss the importance of maintaining a thriving publishing sector in the UK.
With the visit taking place in the same week as World Press Freedom Day, it was an opportunity to discuss the vital role that journalists play, as well as how they can collaborate with the Government to tackle some of the issues the industry is facing, including the rise of fake news.
The Secretary of State was also able to gain some insight into how the covers for magazines including Grazia and Empire are designed, as well as meet with the teams behind Bauer Academy, the market leading training provider in the UK for Arts, Media, and Publishing apprenticeships.
Lucy Frazer said: “The media plays a vital role in safeguarding our democracy, so I was delighted to visit Bauer’s new state-of-the-art HQ and see firsthand how its dedicated team is keeping millions of people across the country informed and entertained every week. With its trusted audio news output and wide range of magazine genres, Bauer Media makes a vital contribution to media freedom.”
Helen Morris and Simon Myciunka added: “Our purpose at Bauer Media is to enrich everyday lives, by informing, entertaining, and inspiring our audiences – and we really enjoyed giving Lucy and her team a little insight this week into how we make that happen.
“We remain committed to driving innovation, as well as fostering positive change within our communities and this visit underscores the importance of partnerships between government and industry in advancing the media landscape for the benefit of all.”
Cookies are small bits of user data that are designed to improve user experience. Every time a user visits a website, you are often presented with a cookie banner. Users will either get targeted ads (if cookies are accepted) or generic ads (if cookies are rejected).
With the aim of reducing “cookie fatigue”, a clause in the Bill will allow for the Secretary of State to have the powers to “centralise” these cookie controls, done through one’s browser – such as Google Chrome or Safari. This will mean users will not have to accept or reject cookies on each site, but rather they will accept it one time on their browser.
The impact on publishers
Such cookie controls could override the existing cookie consent relationships between users and publishers. It could be that many internet users would not consent to cookies from their browser, but are more likely to consent to the webpage of a publisher which they trust. Additionally, this action will have adverse effects on businesses that rely on data from cookies to verify the performance of digital adverts – a significant part of their business models.
During the parliamentary debate, Lord Clemet-Jones, Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Science, Innovation and Technology) said, “The PPA has made an extremely good case. [Centralised cookie controls] would amplify existing barriers to competition in the digital market. There are provisions in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill that would give powers to the Competition and Markets Authority to address any problems, such as enforced data sharing from platforms to publishers, but centralising cookie consent would completely undermine the objectives of that legislation. It is clear that [the Data Protection and Digital Information] Bill should be amended to withdraw the provisions giving the Secretary of State the power to introduce these centralised cookie controls”.
Our Public Affairs team has followed up with relevant political stakeholders to make the case for amendments to remove the provisions for centralising cookie consent. If you have any questions, please contact them: Eilidh.wilson@ppa.co.uk or Natasha.anku@ppa.co.uk.
Lord Holmes of Richmond (the sponsor of the Artificial Intelligence Regulation Private Members’ Bill), opened the debate, which asked ministers what steps they are taking to protect intellectual property rights concerning AI since discontinuing plans to develop an AI copyright code of practice.
The Minister for AI, Viscount Camrose, said the Government is working with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to develop a way forward on copyright and AI.
In March, ahead of a debate on Lord Holmes’ AI Bill, the PPA met with the peer, alongside various stakeholders and discussed how the Bill speaks to the specialist publishing sector. In this most recent debate, Lord Holmes spoke to how regulation is mandatory to ensure the integrity of the creative sector is maintained, stating it contributes billions to the UK economy.
Baroness Stowell of Beeston (also the chair for the Digital and Communications Committee) raised concerns after having written to the Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, regarding the department’s response to the committee’s report on generative AI and large language models. The letter said the committee is “not persuaded that Government is investing enough creativity, resources, and political heft to address the problem [of copyright]”. The report also said that “issues with copyright are manifesting right now and problematic business models are becoming entrenched and normalised”.
The PPA has been in contact with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to identify the ways that Department of Science, Innovation and Technology is planning on developing the best way forward on copyright and AI for our sector.
Lord Holmes’ Bill will be entering the next stage where it will be debated in the House of Commons. Since this is a private members’ Bill, this is an unusual step.
If you have any questions or would like to find out more, contact our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Eilidh.wilson@ppa.co.uk.
This stage hosted strategic insights from industry figureheads and thought leaders looking at the biggest challenges facing our sector.
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Sajeeda Merali, PPA CEO opening address
“Trust is the commodity that stands this industry apart” “Publishing brands are a kitemark for the consumers we serve” “The need to differentiate our content is critical”
The future of media
Alan Rusbridger, Editor, Prospect Joshi Herrmann, Founder, Mill Media Co Moderated by: Nina Wright, Chair, Harmsworth Media
This session explored the challenges of journalism, trust, and accountability, and why Mill Media Co offers hope to the industry.
“Teaching six-year-olds how to distinguish fake news is an essential tool of being a citizen” – Alan Rusbridger
Churnalism: “The decline in media quality is due to journalists having to write too many stories in not enough time… a radical reduction in volume will work, as long as the content is highly differentiated” – Joshi Herrmann
Alan Rusbridger on AI: “You’d be stupid not to try it. But be transparent about how you use it”.
“If we want to engage with younger people, we need to understand that we’re competing with Netflix and TikTok, and we need to be better” – Joshi Herrmann
Can the ‘forever promise’ transform your business?
Robbie Kellman Baxter shared her expertise and experience of consulting global giants including Netflix, The Wall Street Journal, and Microsoft on their subscriptions and membership strategies.
“Membership economy is like a painting palette. It’s not just their journey with your product, it’s about what they are trying to accomplish”
“When I go into an organisation, I try to get a feel for whether they love their product the most or whether they love their customers the most”
“Launching is about gathering. Knowing whose problem you’re solving and solving it on an ongoing basis”
“The burden of having a big ship that has been travelling for a long time is that it is very hard to turn. When you are in a lead phase you need to look through your telescope way ahead of your journey to prepare to turn the ship”
What B2B and B2C can learn from each other
Amanda Barnes, Chief Executive, Faversham House Brian Morrissey, Founder, The Rebooting Sean Cornwell, Chief Executive Officer, Immediate Media
Brian Morrissey discussed the emerging trends, technology, and consumer insights shaping our industry. The CEOs then shared their perspective on the rise of specialist interests, the competitive events landscape, the biggest industry threats, and managing talent pipelines in an rapidly-evolving market.
“We’re entering the age of experts. Individuals are beating institutions” – Brian Morrissey
“Your CRM is now more important than your CMS” – Brian Morrissey
“User experience has to be phenomenal. Especially if you’re charging for content” – Sean Cornwell
“We should be allowing people to discover unknowns. People need to be able to wander” – Amanda Barnes
“Scale is brilliant, but it can result in complacency. You can miss sub-communities” – Sean Cornwell
Sean Cornwell on AI: “We use it in everyday workflow, it’s table stakes. But we are also testing new, AI powered user propositions”
“We use generative AI as a search tool within our own archives” – Amanda Barnes
Media matters: politician question time
Christine Jardine, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West & Cabinet Office Spokesperson Damian Collins, MP for Folkestone and Hythe Rachel Blake, Labour Candidate MP for Cities of London & Westminster Moderated by: Andrea Thompson, Editor-in-Chief, Marie Claire UK
An interesting discussion between representatives from the three main political parties.
Christine Jardine on AI: “It’s not a case of undermining copyright, it’s about making sure that it’s always fit for a purpose and up to date”
“We need to create the same competition provisions that they have in countries like Australia so that there is fair compensation between big platforms and publishers” – Damian Collins
“We have to make sure we don’t allow AI to produce generic copies of published content” – Damian Collins
“We do need a tax regime which encourages people to stay in this country rather than going elsewhere” – Christine Jardine
“Sometimes I don’t think we actually appreciate the amount that the economy gains from a successful arts and creative industry sector. Onward investment in [creative] industries is just as important as that initial injection of funds to set them up. We have to regard creative industries as an industry, not just a luxury” – Christine Jardine
“Platforms are making the equivalent of editorial decisions about what people see. They need to be accountable” – Damian Collins
“We have a league table obsession that has undervalued the value of creative arts” – Christine Jardine
“Pathways out of education into the industry are critical” – Damian Collins
Tackling AI’s gender bias
Eleanor Krivicic, VP and Assistant General Counsel, International Shutterstock Hannah Williams, Managing Director, Digital Content, Immediate Media Kendal Parmar, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Untapped AI Moderated by: Lisa Smosarski, Editorial Director & Board Director, The Stylist Group
In this session, editors, tech pioneers, and entrepreneurs shared examples of the gender biases present in AI, explored the mechanics of how this happens, and discussed how to stop tech from perpetuating and exacerbating stereotypes and discrimination.
“When we think about the bias of AI, you need to first look at the inputs. How did we get here?” – Eleanor Krivicic
“The root to equity in power is who you have, and encourage to have, a seat at the table” – Hannah Williams
“These issues don’t start or end with AI” – Hannah Williams
Adapt and thrive: CEO strategies to lead through change
Katie Vanneck-Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Hearst UK Philip Swinden, Managing Director, Haymarket Moderated by: Gideon Spanier, UK Editor-in-Chief, Campaign, Haymarket
This session tackled a number of business issues as Katie Vanneck-Smith and Philip Swinden chatted about if subscriptions have reached their limit, what is next? How to make a media business truly sustainable, a realistic view of the opportunity vs threat of AI, and much more.
“We’ve had to adapt our mindset at pace. Thinking about print and digital is unhelpful because it’s really all about our customer” – Katie Vanneck-Smith
“We’ve reached peak subs around individuals. Our focus is now on organisational subs. Recurring revenue here can be as high as 99%” – Philip Swinden
“Clients are buying content experiences with guaranteed outcomes” – Philip Swinden
“Our job is to make ads a premium part of our products” – Katie Vanneck-Smith
“We describe our known universe as organisations that engage with our products. 96% of that universe is unconverted [into subscribers]” – Philip Swinden
“If change happens to people, it never lands. We have to give our teams the chance to be part of that change” – Katie Vanneck-Smith
“The intellectual property of our brands is our biggest asset. It doesn’t matter whether it’s publishing or not. [For example], a podcast is a type of magazine. Magazines are platform agnostic. It’s how you package things that matter” – Katie Vanneck-Smith
What happened to fun at work?
Clive Hyland, Head of Neuroscience, The Happiness Index Jessica Barclay, Head of People, Haymarket Media Group Maliha Shoaib, Reporter, Vogue Business Moderated by: Bruce Daisley, Sunday Times Bestselling Author of Fortitude & Creator of “Eat Sleep Work Repeat” Podcast
With constant time pressures, the relentless pace of digital transformation, the expectation to achieve more with less resource, and the rapid development of AI many teams are feeling the pressure. According to The Happiness Index, a ‘fun’ workplace leads teams to be more creative, more dedicated, and more likely to deliver outstanding results.
“The science is absolutely clear – happy people are more productive” – Clive Hyland
“Gen Z has grown up in an era of constant crisis creating huge dissolution and lack of agency in fixing situations not of their own making” – Maliha Shoaib
“You don’t have to wait to go home to be human – you should feel safe to bring your authentic self to work” – Clive Hyland
“The best thing a people team can do is empower managers to create fun, inclusive, and connected teams and communities” – Jessica Barclay
“There is a crucial need to listen to younger generations” – Clive Hyland
The Post Office scandal and the power of storytelling
Bryan Glick, Editor-in-Chief, Computer Weekly, TechTarget Jo Hamilton, Former sub-postmistress, Post Office Natasha Bondy, Creative Director, Little Gem Media Moderated by: Tom Loxley, Editorial Director, Radio Times
Computer Weekly’s coverage of the Horizon software scandal shone a light on one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history, and inspired the drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. Within a week of the show airing, more than a million people had signed a petition, and the government announced a new law.
This session was a fascinating and moving close to the day. The discussion between some of the people behind the story showcased the power of storytelling to galvanise the public and move those in power to take action.
“We [at Computer Weekly] ran 400 stories about the Post Office Horizon scandal before the TV show aired” – Bryan Glick
“If a number just doubles, it’s obviously a software problem” – Bryan Glick
“We all have that fear of being accused of something we didn’t do. This story has clear goodies and baddies. And lots of surprises” – Natasha Bondy
“Yes, they should face prosecution”– Jo Hamilton
“For my mother who didn’t live to see justice, thank you” – anonymous audience member
A big thank you to our student press team for collating these key takeaways: Sophie Nicholson, Leeds Beckett; Nana Okosi, City, University of London; and Devangi Sharma, City, University of London.
VIP members will receive every print and digital issue of Good Housekeeping; the chance to test products at the Good Housekeeping Institute; entry into Good Housekeeping Live with access to the exclusive private members’ lounge; Book Club membership; full use of the Good Housekeeping app with a year’s subscription to another Hearst UK magazine, as well as digital access to the Daily Mail and The i newspapers; plus, VIP treats and rewards with leading brands like Champneys.
Liz Moseley, MD Good Housekeeping & Good Housekeeping Institute, commented: “Good Housekeeping VIP is about rewarding the women in the midst of everything that matters – from what we eat to how we live. They’re the planners and the doers. The life hackers, bargain hunters and secret recipe holders. The ones who’ve been there, done that, bought, washed and ironed the t-shirt.We’vepartnered with iconic brands and events to build a rewards package that treats our audience like the VIPs they really are – from bagging front row seats for an audience with the real Lady of ‘Downton Abbey’ at Highclere Castle, to the chance to win to tickets to ‘Goodwoof’ – Goodwood’s festival of dogs!”
Moseley added: “For us, as a brand, our memberships proposition is also about building deeper relationships with existing and new customers through premium content and experiences that women of all generations want to pay for. In a complex world, unrivalled trust and a sense of belonging are crucial components in deepening that engagement. Some 100 years after the launch of the Good Housekeeping Institute, the trust in our brand has never been stronger and is a huge part of why we believe Good Housekeeping is a truly intergenerational magazine brand.”
The VIP membership costs £149 for the year, whilst Good Housekeeping also offers a purely Digital Membership at £19.99 and a Classic Membership – print and digital combined – for £54.99 across 12 months.
The Good Housekeeping VIP membership proposition, in full, includes:
For more information on Good Housekeeping VIP, and all other GH membership packages, please go to: www.ghmembers.co.uk.
A stylish guide to modern living, the magazine offers practical tips on how to have your best night’s sleep yet, advice on how to rent artwork for your home, and a guide on how to renovate like a professional.
The Spring edition of Grazia CASA gives readers an exclusive look at Tommy and Dee Hilfiger’s Caribbean home and a tour of critically acclaimed chef Ruthie Roger’s home, plus conversations with some of the most fashionable collectors in fashion and design.
Hattie Brett, Editor in Chief, Grazia comments: “We saw from the incredible reception to our last issue of Grazia Casa, that our style-obsessed audience love interiors. So we’re thrilled to now make Grazia Casa an annual fixture in the brand’s calendar. Casa will inspire our audience with a look inside key tastemaker’s houses, such as our cover star Ruth Rogers, chef and founder of the iconic River Café. But it will also help them make the most of their spaces, with DIY tips from women who’ve navigated the renting scene in style and shopping edits that we know our audience buy into.”
“We’re proud to launch another print product into the market, and we are building and growing our commercial relationships within this sector, with increased interest in this issue of Casa. We have also increased our digital footprint into interiors, with style inspiration, and shopping featuring online to accompany Casa.”
Grazia CASA will be on sale for 8 weeks from Tuesday, 23 April at all major retailers.
The PPA Awards champion businesses and individuals from every corner of the specialist media sector. The 27 categories recognise innovation and outstanding work – from highly respected editors, world-class writers, marketing experts, and commercial stars, to the designs, digital products, creativity, and events that bring our brands to life.
The shortlist will be announced later this month, and the winners revealed at City Central at the HAC on 26 June 2024.
You can see who was on the 2024 judging panel here. For more details about the PPA Awards, and to book tickets, click here.
Camping & Caravanning’s award winning monthly magazine is filled with travel features, reviews and advice to help members get the most out of their favourite pastime.
Digital Frontier
Digital Frontier is a tech-focused media and events company that steps beyond the daily news cycle to produce deeply reported stories on the future of business, finance and culture.
Investors in Healthcare
Investors in Healthcare is the official journal of theEuropean Healthcare Investors Association, the largest association of private capital providers investing in healthcare companies in Europe. A digital first resource delivering sector focussed news, data, and analysis. Investors in Healthcare cover M&A deals, capital raising, and investment rounds in the healthcare and life science sector of Europe and the Middle East. They also publish news stories and research on the latest developments in the market and run interviews with some of the key players shaping the future of the industry.
Business Leader
Business Leader are on a mission to help established businesses across the UK unlock their full potential. A destination for business insight, tools, community, and mentoring, Business Leader provide a place for leaders to learn, network, and grow. They have a commitment to inspire breakthroughs and bridge the support gap for companies, via their magazine, podcasts, newsletters, events and communities.
Associate members:
Simon Kucher
Simon Kucher focus on unlocking better growth for their clients, increasing long-term sales, value, and profit. They achieve this by optimising every lever of their commercial strategy – product, price, innovation, marketing, and sales.
Merit
Merit invest in the best tech skills and expertise to develop data solutions using transformative technology including AI, robotics, ML, and big data processing. This ethos sits at the heart of Merit, giving their clients access to disruptive innovation, helping them realise the full potential of future-focused, tech-driven solutions.
HH&S
HH&S provides marketing solutions and subscription fulfillment to publishers.
The Viveri Group
The Viveri Group is a full-service B2B company, offering a suite of interactive services to enable businesses to engage and monetise their audiences using digital billing capabilitie
Workbooks CRM
Workbooks core CRM services extend beyond sales, marketing and customer services to include powerful marketing automation, event management, order management and fulfilment, invoicing and supplier management functionalities.
Air Business is renowned for providing publishers and media businesses with high-quality solutions for their logistics and technology challenges.
This year Air Business is expanding its global event logistics services and launching a new eCommerce shipping platform, Consero, to further serve the diverse requirements of the industry.
Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer, Air Business commented: “We are excited to renew our partnership with the PPA for another year and we look forward to continued collaboration with publishers and media businesses throughout 2024. We hope that our expanded services, particularly in event logistics and eCommerce technology, will provide a springboard for our clients to achieve their growth targets.”
Sajeeda Merali, Chief Executive Officer, PPA added: “Air Business has been consistently supportive of our sector’s activities and initiatives for many years, and I’m delighted to see our partnership continue.”
