Five things we learnt: Meet the Editor with Simon Hamer

Monday 22nd June

Last Thursday, Pagefield was lucky to host Simon Hamer at our offices in the latest instalment in our Meet the Editor series.

Simon is the Business Editor of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He also edits BBC World Service’s Business Daily and oversees all of the BBC’s online business content.

He gave some excellent insight into Today – arguably the most agenda-setting news programme in the UK – sharing his experience and knowledge of business communications and broadcast journalism with a group of Pagefield’s clients and friends.

Below we’ve laid out five things which stood out in the session.

 

Business news – a bit like exercise and vegetables

Like all things good for you, people know they should keep up to date with business news, but many still prefer to take an interest in stories with a more consumer or human interest focus. Fortunately, this is changing, and listening numbers for Today’s business news at 6.15am are growing. Simon explained that this could be attributed to a number of things – from people simply getting up earlier for work through to the BBC and its business unit actively being more business friendly than it was ten years ago. Regardless of the reasons driving listeners’ interest, this growth presents an opportunity for businesses to broadcast their corporate message.

One message landed beats three lost on the airwaves

Nail the three core messages and you’ve done your job: a familiar piece of advice from communications experts. Simon challenged this though, and suggested that for the purposes of radio, one well communicated message trumps three. Perhaps this is a nuance of broadcast – time is limited and people listen passively. Add to this the competition for attention span, which is more intense than it has ever been. Simon warned that trying to articulate multiple messages will ultimately increase the chances of none landing at all. Research has also found that the final point is always the most indelible – so make sure it is the most important and impactful. Focusing on one coherent message will of course help this, but simplicity will also give you the best chance of generating social media attention too.

Don’t ‘run ideas up the flagpole’, take a ‘helicopter view’ or present your ‘strategic staircase’

Business jargon is a popular subject of derision and a well-known impediment to communications. Simon emphasised how much it can frustrate the interviewer and turn off the listener. It is therefore no surprise that two of Today’s presenters – John Humphreys and Simon Jack – are infamously intolerant of jargon and firm advocates of straight-talking English.

It’s not just a numbers game

We all know that statistics and figures are a great way of bringing an issue to life and supporting the communication of a message – especially when it comes to business. Surprisingly though, numbers are a big turn off for listeners. Simon explained that this is often forgotten by CEOs and their communications teams who – armed to the teeth with percentages and pound signs – lose their audience within minutes. It’s often best to explain your message in a more accessible manner, whilst keeping a handful of compelling figures up your sleeve if needed.

Context is key

Simon explained that understanding the context in which the audience perceives you and your industry is essential. Once you understand the context, you can pitch your message according to it. Many listeners will have made up their mind about you or your business by the time you are on-air, so trying to convince them they’re wrong whilst sitting stubbornly on the other side of the argument isn’t likely to work. Accepting where your audience is on the matter and pitching your message with this in mind is likely to illicit a more positive response from listeners.

 

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