Media Masters

Iain Martin is a columnist for The Times, and Editor of Reaction, a website dedicated to political, economic and cultural analysis. In this in-depth interview, he discusses his journalism career including making Editor of The Scotsman aged thirty, then Editor of Scotland on Sunday, and Deputy Editor of The Sunday Telegraph. He talks through his portfolio career as columnist, blogger, and business owner; says no-one should get too ‘noble’ about journalism as it’s ‘politicians people remember’; argues it’s crucial for the survival of the newspaper industry that Facebook and Google are properly classed as publishers; and maintains that Trump and Brexit have increased public recognition that good quality journalism is essential for a healthy democracy - and should be properly paid for.

Richard Bradley is Editor-in-Chief of Worth, the lifestyle and wealth management magazine for ‘ultra-high-net-worth’ individuals. In this in-depth interview, he reveals what he’s learnt in a career profiling the super-wealthy; the growing culture of large-scale philanthropy in the light of the ‘Giving Pledge’ campaign; how President Trump has vastly fewer fans in the global elite than he claims; their efforts to utilise technology, data insight, and prestigious brand partnerships to retain the print magazine’s profitability - thus sustaining Worth as a global editorial platform, powering their iconic annual ‘Power 100’ list.

Gavin Hewitt is Chief Correspondent at BBC News. In this in-depth interview, he speaks candidly on Brexit and Trump, having observed both first hand as the BBC’s Europe Editor and then embedded in Trump’s campaign; enthuses about moving from reporting to commentating, welcoming a new-found ‘freedom’ to express his personal views; dealing with trolls while fulfilling his ‘obligation’ to engage in online debate; and argues we still haven’t realised the depth to which the technology-driven ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ will change every aspect of our lives.

Justine Roberts is co-founder and CEO of Mumsnet. In this in-depth interview, she reveals how a disastrous family holiday led to her founding a platform which now has 10 million users and 120 million monthly visits; why a funding round scuppered by the dot-com crash gave them the chance to grow ‘something real’ - a genuine grassroots community, built from the ground up; reveals the shocking severity of troll attacks, including the sending of an armed SWAT team to her house; tackles critics claiming that Mumsnet forums are ‘nasty’; and suggests that Trump would be an ideal webchat guest - in spite of community objections.

Anita Jacoby is a veteran journalist, TV and film producer, former Managing Director of ITV Australia, and board member of the Australian Communications and Media Authority. During her 30 year career, Anita has produced some of the country’s most successful news programmes including 'Good Morning Australia' and '60 Minutes', and is the recipient of six awards from the Australian Film Institute. In this in-depth interview, she discusses the current media landscape ‘Down Under’, and her role as regulator; walks through her career to date, talks candidly about gender diversity in the Australian media, condemning its ‘blokey’ culture; and what her new ‘eclectic portfolio career’ actually entails.

Maeve McClenaghan is a reporter at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a London-based, not-for-profit organisation that works to uncover stories in the public interest and hold power to account. In this candid interview, Maeve talks about the thrills and frustrations of working to expose injustice; how attitudes towards journalism differ in the U.S.; the emotional impact of probing wrongdoing; how more journalism can mean less objectivity; and why investigative journalism defies political boundaries.

Jenny Afia is a senior media and privacy lawyer, and Partner at Schillings. In this in-depth interview, she discusses balancing an open society with the individual’s right to privacy; the legal mechanics of dealing with trolls and malicious online harassment; superinjunctions and the general direction of privacy law; explains the need for proactivity and compromise when managing the media; and argues against greater press regulation, despite her “contempt” for the paparazzi and the misery they cause her celebrity clients.

Darcy Antonellis is a well-known Hollywood executive, and CEO of Vubiquity - a global technology company which brings movies and TV to viewers on any device. In this in-depth interview, she discusses the future of the entertainment business and why she thinks virtual reality will transform our lives; shares career lessons learned during senior leadership positions at CBS and Warner Brothers, including pioneering the world’s first anti-piracy solution; praises workplace diversity as ‘just good business’; and argues the best leaders always prefer ambition over acumen.

Dolly Alderton is a journalist, podcaster, director and former Story Producer for Made in Chelsea. In this in-depth interview, Dolly talks about her portfolio career, and freelancers’ need to have “13 good ideas before breakfast” to succeed; reveals behind the scenes of story producing a BAFTA-winning ‘reality’ series; her infamous dating column and the importance or striking a balance between oversharing online and keeping one’s personal life private; praises paywalls as a method of reducing trolling and ‘protecting’ young female journalists …and why Tatler thinks she’s more important than Nelson Mandela.