Media Masters

Max Siegelbaum is co-executive director of Documented, an innovative non-profit news site solely dedicated to covering the plight of New York’s immigrant community, and the policies which affect them. Last year, they won an Online Journalism Award and LION Award for their use of WhatsApp as a news distribution platform to their most vulnerable readers, and also for their coverage of how the Coronavirus pandemic made life unthinkably harder for those seeking a new life in the Empire State. In this in-depth interview, Max recalls the early stages of the venture, gaining the trust and support of an ever-increasing readership, but also experiencing the struggles of having to “fight for a space” in the industry; discusses the lack of awareness of how tough the life of an immigrant can be, and how arduous a task it is to be represented in a city as fast-paced as New York; and reflects on how Donald Trump’s presidency created an “extreme and almost immeasurable impact” for immigrants - in which the ‘othering’ of rec

Sandro Monetti is an entertainment journalist and Hollywood media pundit. A Brit who moved to Los Angeles two decades ago, he has interviewed the world’s biggest stars, including George Clooney, Will Smith, Madonna and Paul McCartney; and in 2020 released his memoir ‘Confessions of a Hollywood Insider.’ In this in-depth interview, Sandro discusses “what kind of Hollywood will emerge from the pandemic” as it comes to terms with the devastation Covid has caused; a noted expert on the history of Hollywood, he talks about how La La Land’s past will shape its future; and shares some eyebrow-raising stories about A-listers behind-the-scenes over the years.

Clint Stinchcomb is president and chief executive of Curiosity Stream. Founded in 2015, with 20 million subscribers in 176 countries, it was the first streaming service to focus on non-fiction content; encompassing genres such as nature, history, science and travel. A TV industry veteran, he previously developed and ran channels for the Discovery Network; and co-founded PokerCentral, the world’s first 24/7 global online poker game. In this in-depth interview, Clint shares his “pure factual entertainment” strategy - creating a “distinctive, focussed service” and not “diluting the offer” into non-factual genres; details the differing viewing habits around the world and how they keep their content relevant to a global audience; and reflects on a long career in TV, including creating new on-demand TV channels at Discovery - which pioneered the modern broadcast era.

Paul McNamee is editor of The Big Issue. For over three decades, the magazine has provided dignity and income for homeless people - by “working, not begging.” Paul has built a career championing voices that are seldom heard by the mainstream media, and has been awarded magazine editor of the year three times. In this in-depth interview, Paul discusses the “utter devastation” that Covid has bought - with 18 months of deserted streets decimating their sellers’ income - and forcing the publication to innovate through subscriptions, fundraisers, selling through traditional retailers and the launch of their podcast ‘The Big Miss You;’ shares his belief that homelessness could be solved with genuine government and societal commitment; and reflects on why, in spite of competition from global A-listers, their most popular cover star was a cat - who went on to star in bestselling book and film ‘A Street Cat Named Bob.’

Professor Anand Menon is a leading political scientist and director of UK in a Changing Europe. The think tank was formed in 2015, amidst the polarised atmosphere of the Brexit referendum, and sets out to provide “high-quality and impartial research based on facts rather than opinions.” In this in-depth interview, Anand discusses his efforts to embrace new platforms like TikTok to connect with younger and seldom heard audiences; argues that Covid has reinforced support for Brexit through the success of the UK’s vaccine rollout; and shares the key takeaways from his famous TED Talk ‘How to Fix Britain,’ explaining how the referendum “held a mirror up to society.”

Georgie Holt is managing director for the UK, Ireland and ROW regions for Acast, one of the largest podcast companies in the world, with over 300 million listeners each month. She joined after two decades working in senior roles at some of the world’s biggest news and magazine brands - including the Evening Standard, Mail on Sunday, Cosmopolitan, and Stylist. In this in-depth interview, Georgie sheds light on how the podcast industry has weathered the pandemic - with the “opportunity to connect and feel part of a community” resulting in overall listenership increasing; takes us behind-the-scenes on the whole journey of launching a podcast - from shaping the idea, to launch, marketing and ‘extending’ the brand further into live events, merch and books; and shares her passion for tackling misogyny in advertising, with her campaign at Stylist aiming to “inspire a more truthful and respectful visual landscape for women.”

Anthony Matchett is chief executive of Napster Group. He acquired the platform - renowned for illegally sharing music in the 1990s - for £50m last year; and then merged it with MelodyVR, his virtual reality music company. In this in-depth interview, Anthony lays bare the depth of the devastation the pandemic has bought to live music, and his passionate belief that virtual reality will play a key part in its recovery; highlights the plight of how musicians are struggling financially, noting the irony that Napster - a platform with roots in bootlegging - is now the world leader in compensating artists fairly; and discusses the “immersive experience” of attending live events through virtual reality - building on the record online audience of this year’s Wireless Festival.

Suzi Watford is EVP Consumer, Dow Jones; and Chief Marketing & Membership Officer for The Wall Street Journal. In a career spanning two decades, she started out in her native UK overseeing sales at The Times and The Sunday Times, and in 2014 moved to New York to drive new revenue at Dow Jones - and has doubled their paying subscribers to over four million. In this in-depth interview, Suzi discusses their major new campaign ‘Trust Your Decisions’ which encourages people to take control of their lives post-pandemic; shares their efforts to appeal to a younger audience and “change the face of business,” an ambitious challenge as she readily admits the Journal may be “associated with their parents;” and explains how she steps up to the challenge of “provoking and challenging all of us to think differently about our business and push beyond the current definition of what is possible.”

Gillian Tett is an award-winning journalist, and chair of the Financial Times’ US editorial board. As editor-at-large, she writes weekly columns covering a range of economic issues, and in 2019 co-founded ‘FT Moral Money,’ a twice-weekly newsletter which has since become one of their most widely-read and impactful initiatives. In 2019, she won ‘Journalist of the Year’ at the British Press Awards for her prison interview with fraudster Bernie Madoff. An acclaimed author, she covered the global crash of 2008; and her latest book ‘Anthro-Vision’ utilises her extensive education in anthropology to “assess the post-covid age, and make sense of a world undergoing severe disruption.” In this in-depth interview, Gillian reflects on her time reporting during Trump’s presidency - how “constant de-stabilisation and confrontation” made it difficult to spot what she calls “social silences;” reflects on four decades in journalism, and the positive impact she’s witnessed as the industry becomes less male-dominated; and argu

Jim VandeHei is a media entrepreneur and founder/CEO of Axios. With a career spent at The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, he co-founded Politico in 2006, and left a decade later due to issues with the co-founder. Jim began Axios in 2016, which came to public prominence after Jonathan Swan’s iconic interview with President Trump, and now boasts over 4 million monthly visitors, 2 million newsletter subscriptions. In this in-depth interview, Jim discusses Axios’ unique proposition as “The Economist mated with Twitter,” and how their “smart brevity” approach makes “high-end info consumption more efficient, enjoyable and essential” with ambitious plans to expand local coverage to 50 cities; shares the whole story of Politico’s journey from start to finish - including a candid, warts-and-all discussion of the execution of their “all-politics, all the time” mission; and gives a Washington insider’s analysis on Biden’s first six months - and Trump’s likely next move.

Christine Hayes is group editor-in-chief of BBC Good Food and olive magazine. The “cook’s choice” for over three decades, they recently won ‘Media Brand of the Year’ at the PPA awards, praised by the judges for their “promotion of diversity and building their subscription business during lockdown” with nearly 9 million daily page views. In this in-depth interview, Christine discusses the opportunities and issues presented by the pandemic, with interest in home cooking growing exponentially, and her team rising to the challenge to deliver under lockdown - creating, testing and photographing the recipes themselves in their own homes; discusses the changes in people’s eating habits - and those that will remain post-pandemic; and shares their corporate drive to boost inclusion, by introducing new contributors and “giving a platform to voices that aren’t heard in food.”

Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a historian and expert on authoritarianism, propaganda, abuse of power and threats to democracy. A prolific media commentator, Ruth brings a historical perspective to current events across major media outlets on TV, print and online. A regular CNN contributor, and one of the few academics to accurately predict the insurrection of January 6th 2021, she joined New York University in 2000, and her work is supported by Fulbright, Guggenheim and other fellowships. In this in-depth interview, Ruth discusses her best-selling book, ‘Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present,’ which examines the methods that authoritarian leaders past and present use to stay in power - “corruption, violence, propaganda and outright machismo,” and why (with a few exceptions) this leadership style usually results in failure; shares her blistering analysis of former President Trump as a “dictator in the classic vein” with both “hoarder” and “victim” traits and a “manic desire to control everyone and everything;” and

Miles Copeland is an icon in the music business, known primarily for managing The Police, Sting, Jools Holland and The Bangles, and as founder of I.R.S records, launching the careers of The Go-Go’s, R.E.M., Fine Young Cannibals and The Alarm. In this in-depth interview, Miles reveals how the music industry really works behind-the-scenes, detailing some of the extraordinary things the job of a music manager involves; with a childhood spent in Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria, he reflects on his deep affection for the Middle East, which resulted in him introducing Arabic music to the US, and even advising the Pentagon on how to win over Arab hearts and minds after the Gulf War; and discusses his just-released memoir ‘Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: My Life in the Music Business,’ which shares practical, real-life advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on recovering from the inevitable setbacks along the way - including how Miles himself built his whole career from the ashes of near bankruptcy.

Professor Jay Rosen has taught journalism at New York University since 1986. Widely regarded as a global authority on the relationship between media and politics, in 2003 he started PressThink, an influential thought-leadership platform which addresses the big-picture challenges faced by the media. In this in-depth interview, Jay argues the Trump administration still “casts a shadow” over US politics - stating “we live in a two-party system… one of the two is anti-democratic, and the other is not sure that’s a problem;” attacks Fox News for the “corrosive” role it plays in America - by “deliberately and cynically” provoking “rage or loyalty;” and condemns the “ungovernable” Facebook - which is now “a danger to democracy around the world.”

Joshua Foer is co-founder of Atlas Obscura. Founded in 2009, the online guide to the world’s “wonders and curiosities” has a reach of 6m monthly visitors, is one of the most popular travel websites in the world and boasts a submission-based catalogue of more than 22,000 places, 11,000 stories told and over 1,000 global experiences. In this in-depth interview, Joshua discusses how Atlas Obscura began, its growth into an online phenomenon, the upcoming launch of their app, and how they have tackled the impact of the pandemic; talks about his non-profit ‘Sefaria,’ a living library of Jewish texts - and his hopes to “bring the platform to life” and connect the wider Jewish community; and reflects on how he accidentally became a global expert on the science of memory - a journalist assignment in 2005 to attend the US memory championships, ended up in him taking part in the competition itself and winning -  and going on give a popular TED talk and best-selling book ‘Moonwalking with Einstein.’

Warren Webster is chief executive of Atlas Obscura. Founded in 2009, the online guide to the world’s “wonders and curiosities” has a reach of 6m monthly visitors, is one of the most popular travel websites in the world and boasts a submission-based catalogue of more than 22,000 places, 11,000 stories told and over 1,000 global experiences. Joining in 2020, he previously held senior leadership roles at Coveteur, goop and Patch - and in 2010 was named one of the ‘Most Powerful People in Media’ by Arianna Huffington. In this in-depth interview, he shares an exciting new chapter for the business, following Airbnb’s recent $20m investment; argues the global pandemic has somewhat counter-intuitively given them their strongest financial and audience success so far; and reveals their exciting plans to grow the scope of the company - with a new app and a book ‘Gastro Obscura.’

Lorna Willis is chief executive of Archant. Founded in 1845, they are publisher of 140 local, regional and national media brands; with a monthly reach of 5 million in print, and 9m online with 37m unique page views.  She joined a decade ago as digital sales director after a career spent at the Financial Times and The Guardian, and became chief executive in 2021. In this in-depth interview, Lorna reflects on a decade of “disruptive methodology,” modernising the company and tackling its old-fashioned “hierarchical nature” - recalling that in the early days she was sent home for not wearing a suit; describes how many know Archant as a newspaper publisher, but don’t realise the “huge consultancy side” of the firm, providing marketing and audience insight services for over 37,000 commercial customers; and shares her optimism for the future of regional news - with Covid-19 fostering a “renewed level of appreciation” for the value of local journalism.

Douglas Murray is a provocateur, prolific debater, best-selling author, political commentator, and associate editor of The Spectator.  In this in-depth interview, Douglas decries the “asymmetry of wokeness” - a shift from “reportable, objective truth” to so-called “personal truth” - meaning “feelings trump facts” and a growing propensity to shun voices of disagreement; argues we are witnessing a “great mass derangement” in society - a weaponised “rise of victimhood” and decline of the “British attitude” to tackling problems; and celebrates the “success” of Brexit - and the “democratic opportunities” it has created.

Yaakov Katz is editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. Founded in 1932, with a reach of over 12 million, it is regarded as one of the world’s leading Israeli-English voices. Appointed in 2016, and previously the paper’s reporter and defence analyst, he is also a prolific author - his latest book is titled ‘Shadow Strike: Inside Israel’s Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power.’  In this in-depth interview, Yaakov discusses the “vital role” of the Post for readers both in Israel & around the world, and the importance of the trust placed in them as “a reliable source of information;” argues that Israel must “win the narrative war” and renews his commitment to holding all parties to account, including the Israeli government & security services; and shares his optimism that despite the current hostilities, peace will one day come to the region.

William Cash is an award-winning publisher, journalist and author, and is currently editor-in-chief of both the Catholic Herald and Mace magazine. Twice winner of ‘Editor of the Year,’ he spent ten years in Los Angeles as a correspondent for The Daily Telegraph and then The Times, and upon returning to the UK founded a number of publications - including the ‘Westminster Index’ and ‘Spear’s’ - a business and culture magazine aimed at high-net-worth individuals. In this in-depth interview, William fondly recalls a lively decade of adventures reporting from Hollywood; reflects on the Catholic Herald’s long history - founded in 1888 and sold only within churches, now reaching a global audience and considered Britain’s most influential religious title; and shares ambitions for his new cross-party political magazine ‘Mace’ - with a focus on the business of politics itself, and an attempt to reduce political division.