Each episode of the InPublishing Podcast features an in-depth interview with a leading figure in the publishing world. The podcast is published on an occasional basis – you can subscribe via your preferred podcast app, or listen to the episodes below.
We would like to thank our current podcasts sponsor Air Business, an expert provider of distribution and subscription management services for the publishing industry.
Season 2
Episode 21: Christopher Phin
Ciar Byrne talks to Christopher Phin, head of podcasts at DC Thomson, about how this “incredibly intimate medium” allows publishers to “hyperserve” their community and why podcasts are brilliant for brand building and delivering highly engaged audiences. Chris gives us four main strategic reasons why publishers should get into podcasting along with practical advice on launching podcasts and keeping them going. He also tells us which five podcasts he’s particularly enjoying at the moment and what’s so good about them.
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 20: Peter Johns
Ciar Byrne talks to Peter Johns, MD of WW Magazines (publishers of Waterways World and SelfBuild & Design), about how his training as an economist has underpinned his approach to publishing and his mantra of “test continually and measure everything”, the gradual circulation shift from newstrade to subs for his titles, the thinking behind their recent website relaunch, how Covid has turned revenue trends upside down and how, certainly in the specialist market, content will always be king.
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 19: Mark Allen
Ciar Byrne talks to Mark Allen, chairman of Mark Allen Group, about the three budget plans the group prepared at the start of the pandemic (“the good, the bad and the ugly”), why “cash is king” at the moment, the joys of a diverse portfolio, how to successfully integrate new acquisitions, his ambitions for the group (“we’re only half way up the mountain”), how the publishing industry “vastly under prices magazines” and how he’s personally spent much of lockdown writing a novel, the title of which was decided by polling one hundred people, and much more…
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 18: Tim Robinson
Ciar Byrne talks to Tim Robinson, group content development director at JPIMedia, about his early days on the Bucks Herald and what the story of a downed US WW2 bomber taught him about the nature of local journalism, how his central content team is all about freeing journalists from the shackles of designing pages, the success of their data journalism team and the sterling work of their investigations unit, and, why, despite the challenges, he’s optimistic about the future of the regional press, because… “we are needed”.
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 17: Andrea Thompson
Ciar Byrne talks to Andrea Thompson, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, about why she chose a career in journalism, how going digital-only has transformed the title, why we all need to do more to increase diversity in media companies and much more…
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 16: Richard Butterworth
Ciar Byrne talks to Richard Butterworth, commercial director at Chemical Watch, about the B2B publisher’s successful transition from a subscriptions model to a high value membership model and the accompanying switch from being ‘product-led’ to ‘customer-value-led’. Richard describes the journey, the key milestones along the way and the lessons they learnt.
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 15: Nicky Cox
Ciar Byrne talks to Nicky Cox MBE, editor-in-chief of First News, about her long standing commitment to providing children with a trustworthy source of news and to giving them a platform to discuss issues that are important to them, like climate-change. Children make up, she says, 27% of the world's people but 100% of the future, yet often struggle to be heard. Nicky talks about the 2006 launch of First News and how the title has evolved and grown since then into a multi-platform offering and teaching resource for schools.
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 14: Sam Hailes
Ciar Byrne talks to Sam Hailes, editor of Premier Christianity magazine, about his early break at the magazine following some wise career advice from his journalism course, why he enjoys publishing a “broad church” magazine unafraid to challenge Christians, the balancing act of writing for both US and UK evangelicals, the need for journalists to focus on the positive not just the negative, his recent run-in with Google and the increasingly successful multi-platform strategy of his brand, and much more…
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 13: Matt Kelly
Ciar Byrne talks to Matt Kelly, chief content officer at Archant, about his career break at the Bootle Times, his early years in production journalism, working with Piers Morgan at the Mirror, his current role at Archant and what its recent acquisition by Rcapital Partners means for the business. The conversation touches on the New European, the Project Neon initiative with Google and why he thinks the regional press has suffered from a self-esteem issue in the past, but also why he is so passionate about securing a commercial future for it, and much more…
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.
Episode 12: Ian Murray
Ciar Byrne talks to Ian Murray, Executive Director of the Society of Editors, about why his school teacher thought he would be just right for journalism, what he’s most proud of from his long career in the regional press and the challenge of taking over from Bob Satchwell at the SoE, fake news, the funding challenge, press freedom and why we should all be wary of the law of unintended consequences when it comes to over-hasty legislation, and much more… (This interview was recorded on 31st July.)
Thank you to Acorn Web Offset for sponsoring this episode. Acorn is a specialist A5 and A4 magazine printer.