The Grayling Media Podcast

Is truth losing its appeal?Building on our inaugural 2024 report, Grayling’s 2025 edition – Truth, Trust and Tribes in a New Media Age – delves deeper into how power, politics, and Britain’s evolving relationship with truth are reshaping today’s media landscape.Grayling's UK CEO Heather Blundell joins Sam McAlister – former Newsnight producer behind the Prince Andrew interview and author of Scoops – for a sharp discussion on power, media, and Britain’s shifting relationship with truth.Together, they unpack the UK’s crisis of truth, where only a third of people say they believe in objective facts, and explore how trust, technology, and tribalism are redefining how we seek and share news.In partnership with More in Common, we surveyed 2,000 people across Britain to uncover new insights into how audiences find trustworthy information, interpret truth, and engage with media.👉 Read the full report here.

Heather Blundell (CEO, Grayling UK) and James Clothier (Head of Crisis, Grayling UK) joined Phillip Grindell to discuss how reputation management has become essential protection.Key insights: Most crisis failures stem from human behaviour under pressure, not poor messaging. Female executives face different reputation attacks requiring specific strategies. Social media breaks stories before traditional media responds. Video responses are replacing written statements as authenticity matters more than polish.Heather revealed that proactive reputation management creates a competitive advantage, not just damage limitation. The conversation covers timing challenges, the importance of an external perspective, and why lawyers often make statements worse by stripping out emotion. They discuss how social media has transformed crisis response - young people get news from Snapchat, stories break on Twitter first, and video content is becoming essential.The practical advice focuses on being honest, letting the light in, and demonstrating genuine change rather than just promising to "learn lessons."Heather Blundell’s Biography: Heather is the award-winning UK CEO of Grayling, a global PR firm,  responsible for 200 employees across nine offices. She has spent more than 16 years as a trusted adviser to some of the world's largest companies and prominent CEOs, guiding them through periods of significant change, disruption, and complex reputation and crisis issues.Heather is also a regular media commentator in the national media. James ClothierJames is Head of Crisis at Grayling UK, responsible for leading the crisis and reputation practice, alongside the firm's corporate division. Before joining Grayling, James spent two decades in senior editorial positions at The Sun and the Daily Mail.Phillip Grindell Biography:Philip Grindell MSc CSyPPhilip is the founder & CEO of Defuse®Philip has become one of the UK’s most trusted leaders & advisors when it comes to fixated persons & threats to prominent people. Philip served as a senior Scotland Yard Detective for the Metropolitan Police for almost 30 years in specialist roles, including time spent seconded to British Intelligence on counter-terrorist investigations. Philip set & ran the Parliamentary Liaison & Investigation Team (PLaIT). The team responsible for the protection of politicians in the UK Parliament.Philip has a MSc in Security Management and is a Chartered Security Professionalhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/specialists-in-protecting-prominent-people-and-brands-from-targeted-threats/Subscribe to 'Defuse News', for their weekly update of the week's events on their website.

In this episode of the Grayling Media podcast, we explore one of the most pressing and complex issues facing Britain today: the impact of smartphones and social media on younger generations — particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha.Host Tanya Joseph is joined by Anna McShane, Director and Founder of The New Britain Project, and Neil Kleiner, Managing Director of social-first agency Movement, to unpack new research findings, shifting public attitudes, and the evolving responsibilities of governments, brands, and parents alike.Together, they discuss:- Key insights from the New Britain Project's latest report on online safety- How brands are adapting to ethical and empowering content creation- The role of regulation vs. personal and parental responsibility.Whether you're a policymaker, parent, educator, marketer, or simply someone navigating the digital age, this conversation offers valuable insights on shaping a safer, healthier onlineworld. 🔗 Access the full report here: https://www.newbritain.org.uk/social-media🎧 Listen and subscribe for more expert perspectives.

🎧NEW EPISODE: Listen to Grayling's sharp analysis of the Spring Statement with a brilliant line-up of political and economic experts. Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor of The Times, and Grayling's Senior Advisers, John Lehal and Tanya Joseph, debate the impact and significance of the statement, and what it means for the country - including the challenges aheadamidst continued economic uncertainty. Catch it here!

Did you know that at the current rate, women won’t reach pay parity with men until 2158? Or that 40% of countries have seen gender equality stagnate or even reverse since 2018? The truth is, we’re far from achieving true gender equality, and in some ways, we're moving backwards.Join Lucie Cave, Chief Creative Officer at Bauer Media and Entertainment Editor at ITV, Rebecca Holman, Digital Director at Grazia, and Heather Blundell, UK CEO of Grayling, as they discuss the growing backlash against DE&I initiatives, the urgent need for businesses to rethink their approach to diversity, and why having the right voices in the room isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s key to long-term business success.LinksLinkedInXInstagramGrayling UK Website

Kicking off 2025, Grayling has unveiled its 2025 trendsreport: Creating Advantage in an Uncertain World, featuring insights from business leaders.In the first Vantage Point podcast of the year, Lucy Siegle, leading environmental journalist and Harry Wallop, award-winning consumer journalist join Heather Blundell, Grayling UK CEO to discuss key themes from the report. They dive into the shifting media landscape, share top tips for building an authentic brand, explore how consumers will shape business decisions, and reveal their hopes and priorities for the year ahead.Download the full report here.

As we approach the end of 2024, join Grayling's UK CEO, Heather Blundell for a wide-ranging review of the news and media moments of the year, with Alex Goss, Head of News at The Sun.From shocking scandals to heart-warming stories and the moments that have captured the world, Alex crowns his winners and sinners of 2024, taking in the agenda-setting probe into shamed BBC newsreader Huw Edwards, Trump’s assassination attempt, and the challenges faced by the Royal Household. 

In the latest episode of the Vantage Point podcast, Arne Mosselman, founder of generative AI consultancy Ainigma and Chief Innovation Officer at Grayling, Nathan Kemp discuss the promise and pitfalls of Generative AI in Communications with Grayling's senior counsel, Scott Langham. The trio consider how AI is reshaping creative processes and content consumption, the opportunities for unleashing AI’s potential beyond the tech world and how to navigate concerns aroundauthenticity and responsible use. The discussion also takes in a strategic framework for AI implementation, myth-busting, and some bold predictions for the future of AI in the communications industry.

In Nicky Morgan’s final episode of 2024 as host of the Vantage Point political podcast by Grayling, she speaks once more with Bill Simmons, Managing Director of Dutko Government Relations, on the day President Trump was re-elected. Assessing the mood of the nation in the immediate aftermath of the result, Nicky and Bill talk through the key topics which led to a Republican victory, Trump’s priorities on the international stage, and where the Democrats go from here.

In the latest episode of Vantage Point, Tanya Joseph, member of Grayling's Strategic Advisory Board, speaks with Annisha Taylor, Head of DE&I at the BBC, and André Spence, social entrepreneur and founder of Global Purpose Enterprise.Both share their journeys and insights on diversity, equity, inclusion, with Annisha talking about her inspiring career at the BBC and the pivotal role DE&I plays in shaping an inclusive culture and André sharing the story behind Global Purpose Enterprise and how it's empowering young Black talent through events and mentorship.They also explore the unseen realities of DE&I work and the most authentic ways brands can celebrate Black History Month without falling into tokenism.

In Nicky Morgan’s latest episode as host of the Vantage Point political podcast by Grayling, she sits down with journalist and broadcaster Anne Robinson. Known worldwide for her acerbic wit, Anne famously hosted The Weakest Link in the UK and the US and was the first ever woman to regularly edit a national newspaper, the Daily Mirror. Looking back on Anne’s career to date, the discussion takes in a bumper election year, the shifting nature of political coverage and memories of covering three Thatcher elections.

In Nicky Morgan’s latest episode as host of the Vantage Point political podcast by Grayling, she speaks with Bill Simmons, Managing Director of Dutko Government Relations. With the first televised Presidential debate looming, Bill and Nicky consider whether Donald Trump has been wrongfooted by Kamala Harris’ nomination, dissect all-important campaign fundraising and weigh up the significance or otherwise of Vice-Presidential nominees.

In Nicky Morgan’s latest episode as host of the Vantage Point political podcast by Grayling, she speaks with Gary Gibbon, Political Editor of Channel 4 News. As the dust settles on the UK general election, Gary and Nicky reflect on differing party strategies and non-stop opinion polls, consider the absence of long-form interviews and ask whether a Labour “loveless landslide” could turn into a “loveless honeymoon”.

In Nicky Morgan’s latest episode as host of the Vantage Point political podcast by Grayling, she speaks with Nathalie Brack, Professor of political science at the Cevipol, Université libre de Bruxelles and Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, and Jessica Brobald, Managing Director of Grayling Brussels. On the day after the first round of the French parliamentary elections, the panel discuss theimpact of the EU elections and the rise of the far-right, the key players holding the top jobs and the significant issues the EU Commission and Parliament will focus on.

In Nicky Morgan’s latest episode as host of the VantagePoint political podcast by Grayling, she speaks with Tanya Joseph, recently appointed member of the Grayling Senior Advisory Board and former senior Labour advisor. Tanyaand Nicky discuss what to expect from the Labour manifesto, the pressure of the polls and the heat of an election campaign. Tanya also provides insights intothe recent South African election, and where that leaves the nation politically.

In Nicky Morgan’s latest episode as host of the VantagePoint political podcast by Grayling, she speaks with Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, Senior Fellow for South and Central Asian Defence, Strategy and Diplomacy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London. Rahul and Nicky discuss the logistical feats involved in the Indian election, the main characters involved, and the implications of a potential Modi/BJP win both domestically and around the world.

In Nicky's next episode as the host of the Vantage Point political podcast by Grayling, she speaks with Rachel Wolf, a Founding Partner at Public First, leading the agency's policy work. Before taking on this role, Rachel was a Michael Gove and Number 10 adviser, co-author of the Conservative’s landslide-winning 2019 manifesto, a regular columnist in Conservative Home and the Telegraph. And today, she and Nicky speak about the uniquely British political phenomenon of the manifesto—if they’re still relevant, how they can work well or not so well and what goes into creating them.

Today, we’re so happy to have my friend, former colleague, and someone whose interests are many, and usually pursued to a level of mastery—Allison Burton-Parker. Allison is a globe-roaming wine educator and writer living between the Loire Valley, London and New Zealand. She is a former luxury advertising executive—which is when we first met in New York City. ABP, as she’s affectionately called within our NYC friend group, surrendered to her love ofwine a decade ago and never looked back. She holds the WSET Diploma in Wines, is the Education Director for the Academie du Vin in London and co-founder of the Loire Wine Academy. Her interest and expertise in wine reaches far beyond merely drinking and enjoying it which we’ll unpack a bit in this episode.

In Nicky's next episode as the host of the Vantage Point political podcast by Grayling, she speaks with Luke Tryl, a polling and policy expert who is now a director at More in Common, which carries out regular public opinion research and publishes regular research reports on a range of challenges facing the UK today. More relevantly for this episode, Luke was Special Adviser to Nicky at the Department for Education and shares some amusing stories in this episode from their times on the campaign trail.  

In Nicky's next episode as the host of the Vantage Point political podcast by Grayling, she speaks with Wooyun Jo, a researcher at Loughborough University specialising in Asian security and a member of the South Korean Presidential Peaceful Unification Advisory Council. Nicky and Wooyun unpack the results of the Taiwan general election which took place on the 13th of January. It is the first of ten major democratic elections taking place globally in 2024—and one keenly watched by the US and China in particular. And now, here’s Nicky.