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The Headliner

Every week, media experts from Eulogy, an independent and award-winning communications agency, dissect the biggest stories to help brands understand and influence the agenda.
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Now displaying: Page 8
Jan 13, 2017

President Barack Obama bid a teary farewell to his fans and followers in a moving speech last night and thanked them for their passionate support, which, as German paper Handelsblatt said, catapulted a little-known senator from Illinois into the world's most powerful leader. "You made me a better president; you made me a better man," he told supporters. The two-term president doesn't leave behind a blinding record of success but a sense of melancholy. His call to change the world and make it better wasn't followed because the world refuses to better itself.

 

Getting worse is a familiar theme to the NHS. Whoever said physician, heal thyself had clearly never had to figure out Britain’s health service’s budget. This week the Red Cross described the organisation as a humanitarian crisis. Doctors warned the Prime Minister that it’s at breaking point, with patients waiting hours on trolleys and ambulance queues outside A&E units. Going on the offense, Labour leader Jeremy Corby, focused all six of his Prime Minister questions on chaos in Accident and Emergency. In an obvious dig at Theresa May’s vision for Britain, he sniped: “we've got the ‘shared society’ all right - more people sharing hospital corridors on trolleys". Yet the Prime Minister dug in her heels at the weekly duel, claiming the Red Cross's warning of a "humanitarian crisis" was "irresponsible and overblown".

 

From the train wreck of Britain’s National Health Service to a health issue affecting air planes – airborne obesity, as calls for an airline fat tax have raised their head again this week. Last hitting headlines back in 2012, with pricey air fare ‘extras’ soaring people are once again debating whether airlines should charge travellers, and not just baggage, by weight.

 

Back on the ground, the FBI is tightening its investigative grip on Volkswagen. The Feds have questioned several employees as expert witnesses to learn which top executives knew of the emissions-cheating software, and when. Like a duck in a storm, the car giant is handling the emergency by appearing calm on the surface, and paddling for dear life underneath. One of our crisis experts, James, joins us to point out that there’s actually  some good news and growth for the owner of Audi, Bentley and Volkswagen in the eye of this storm.

 

If only this week’s Donald Trump news was as small and insignificant as an FBI-tainted storm. Like Volkswagen’s emissions scandal, however, lies are at the centre of this new scandal. This is about the explosive allegations that have circulated through government, intelligence services including the CIA and media about the President-elect’s relationship with Russia.

 

The furore is about unsubstantiated claims that have circulated in intelligence reports between the CIA, the president and the president-elect. They include allegations that the Kremlin has been assisting Trump for a least five years, and that the Russian security service, the FSB, “compromised Trump through his activities in Moscow sufficiently to be able to blackmail him”. Days away from his inauguration, Trump calls the story a “fake news witch hunt.”

 

Amusing and terrifying as the new imbroglio is, at The Headliner we’re more interested in the dangerous precedent set by reporting of the scandal. By publicising the existence of an unconfirmed intelligence report – purportedly from a private British firm - CNN placed the fuse. Every other publisher refused to light it, however, except for Buzzfeed, which made the report public. Buzzfeed’s editor-in-chief, Ben Smith said in an internal memo to staff: “Publishing this document was not an easy or simple call, and people of good will may disagree with our choice. But publishing this dossier reflects how we see the job of reporters in 2017.”

 

So, Buzzfeed expects its journalists to report as follows, in the words of Brad Heath of USA Today: “Here’s a thing that might or might not be true, without supporting evidence; decide for yourself if it’s legit.” If this is the new normal for reporting, public figures, brands and their PRs and lawyers will be on high alert in the year ahead.

 

Oh, and we talk about 'Thundersnow'. Want to know what the heck that is? Listen in as our panel of Chloe, James and Scot pick apart the biggest stories of the week. If you want to hear more of our expert views, come visit us at http://www.eulogy.co.uk/views/

Jan 9, 2017

This week on The Headliner...

President-elect Trump says that he doesn't believe the US intelligence community's assessment that the hack of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) was the work of the Russians. This, despite evidence from other countries, including British intelligence, which shows that Putin had ok’d a US hack in 2015 in order to strike during the 2016 election campaigns. Mr. Trump now plans to cut CIA jobs, and restructure the America’s top spy service. Part of the Trump transition team, former CIA director James Woolsey quit before The Donald’s comments. Outgoing Vice President of the USA, Joe Biden, meanwhile simply told the incoming President to “grow up.”

With those two major political super powers changing the face of democracy, in the UK two powerful titans of industry are also wrestling for control of public opinion. the British media. Max Mosely, who successfully sued billionaire, Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers Ltd for a 2008 exposé, is calling for punishing reforms to the UK media under Article 40, which seeks to impose state regulation on the Press. The so-called “sleazy millionaire with a grudge against the Press” has almost “single-handedly funded ” Impress, the only press regulator approved by the government, with £3.8 million. Predictably, there has been a media outcry, and no wonder; press freedom, which guards against political corruption, is a fundamental right of a free people.

Do Brits care about such liberties, or are we too busy talking about how we should dress for shopping? It’s the latter, judging by the volume of social conversation – and press coverage – about two women who went shopping in their pyjamas. It's hardly a burka ban, but people have still gotten hot under their presumably starched collars about the two Romany travelers dressing down for snack shopping from retailer Tesco.  

Those attending the world’s biggest technology show, CES Las Vegas, were given an even better reason to never get out of ‘the sack’, let alone change out of their bed wear to go to the shops. Techies at the Sleep Number 360 (catchy name) have invented a bed that can warm your feet, adjust in real time to your biometrics, light up when you leave the bed, and automatically sense when you're snoring. It also records your sleep quality via an app and can help you smarten up your bedtime routine. Like some of the best memories, some of the products on view should very much stay in Vegas. The $200 Kératase Hair Coach hairbrush has sensors to monitor how you brush your hair and how roughly, whether it's wet or dry, and a microphone to listen out for dry hair tangles. It then feeds all that data into an app that checks local weather and wind speed.

For the full report listen in as our panel of Chloe, Ollie and Jax pick apart the biggest stories of the week. If you want to hear more of our expert views, come visit us at http://www.eulogy.co.uk/views/

 

 

Dec 23, 2016

This week on The Headliner...

 

As tragedy struck in Berlin this week, the news agenda was understandably dominated by Monday’s suspected terrorist attack at the Breitscheidplatz Christmas market. The exact motives behind the attack remain unclear while the perpetrator remains at-large, but what has been remarkably apparent is the triumphalism with which politicians on the far-right react with to such tragic events. Nigel Farage’s comments referring to attacks like these as “the Merkel legacy” show a dangerous but effective tendency to fit complex events into simple political narratives, which mainstream politicians either lack the inclination or skill to refute.

 

However this most turbulent of years still holds the potential for welcome surprises, not just unwanted shocks. Katie Hopkins’ uncharacteristic apology to a Muslim family she had slandered earlier this year - and the news that the Mail Online are due to pay them £150,000 in libel fines - may have been buried in the middle of the night, but that didn’t stop eagle-eyed tweeters from sharing her embarrassing climb down far and wide the next morning. Could this mark a change in heart for Britain’s most venomous columnist? For the woman who once described migrants as “cockroaches... built to survive a nuclear bomb”, The Headliner panellists sincerely doubt it. Outside of legal action like this, it’s encouraging to see businesses and brands begin to take a role in challenging odious media narratives. Campaigns such as Stop Funding Hate are increasingly showing outlets that brands are well within their rights to pull advertising money if they disagree with editorial stances, and if publications don’t learn adapt to this they could soon face severe financial challenges.

 

If you were surprised by the EU referendum result, it may be due to the “echo chamber” phenomenon. The news we consume on social media is heavily influenced by the people we are friends with, and tailored by algorithms which select stories based on our preferences. As a result, the news we consume often reinforces our existing views. Perhaps the secret to broadening our own horizons lies in the various apps created specifically to counteract this, opening up our newsfeeds to difficult opinions.

 

It has been a great week for Star Wars fans like The Headliner’s very own Chloe, as the eagerly anticipated Rogue One has been released to a record-breaking box office performance. While it’s clear the public love Jediism, a religious movement based on the depiction of the Jedi, the Charity Commission for England certainly aren’t “at one with the force”, having denied the Temple of the Jedi Order’s request for official religious recognition.

 

As the final podcast of 2016, our panel reflect on what’s been an eventful year. While likely to be remembered for Brexit, Trump and the departures of much loved artists and celebrities, we should also remember some of the lighter moments. This was after all the year that the British public almost voted to name the UK’s new polar research ship ‘Boaty McBoatface’.

Listen in as our panel of Chloe, Ollie and Rich pick apart the biggest stories of the week. If you want to hear more of our expert views, come visit us at http://www.eulogy.co.uk/views/

 

Dec 16, 2016

This week on The Headliner...

Theresa May’s message is getting more confusing by the day. She claims she doesn’t want celebrity, yet took part in a Sunday Times puff piece with very little to say. Then, she claimed to be on the side of Britain’s financially struggling JAMs (‘Just about managing’), but did so whilst wearing a £1,000 pair of trousers. As a politician unable to exert any real force of change on the world, is she the ghost of Christmas present? Or should I say, presents - after all, her eye wateringly expensive trousers have since sold out, so some poor souls are going to be unwrapping what presenter Ollie calls "wipe-clean flares" on the 25th. May’s counterpart in Venezuela also says one thing but is doing another – the president has vowed, Robin Hood-style, to rob from a rich toy retailer to give away presents to poor children. But all is not what it seems.

 

For our ghost of Christmas past, search giant Google released its sobering review of a truly annus horriblis in search. It makes depressing viewing at times, not least because of this week’s disturbing revelations about Russia’s state-sponsored hacking influencing the US election. However, Google gives its review a characteristically positive slant, by searching for and finding that which gives us hope. Though verging on the syrupy, it’s a much-needed injection of optimism, and a reminder that in nihilistic times, many of us simply want to love our fellow folk.

 

However, if it’s doom you want, then Mark Carney has a big bowl of for you to feast on. The Governor of the Bank of England is this week doubling as our ghost of Christmas future. He says that robots are set to take 15 million British jobs in the next decade. Thankfully for our presenters Ollie, Chloe and Scot - and your humble The Headliner podcast – it seems that creative sector jobs are safe for now.

Have a Merry Xmas everyone. We’ll be back in the New Year with more irrepressible, irritating and irresistible headliners.

 If you want to hear more of our expert views, come visit us at http://www.eulogy.co.uk/views/  

Dec 9, 2016

This week, our media analysts Chloe, Emily and Scot discuss the US President Elect, Donald Trump, as he prepares to lead the world's biggest superpower by picking a twitter fight with Saturday Night Live, and actor Alec Baldwin. Trump's sloganeering might have helped him land the plum job - but will it be his undoing? He promised to 'drain the swamp' (i.e. rid the Whitehouse of Wall St. elite), a sloganised promise that was chanted at his rallies. However, he looks set to appoint the most financially elite cabinet of all time. That said, should professional communicators come down from their high horses and learn something from Trump's perfection of the art of sloganeering? After all, there's something so catchy about imperative voice, three word, chant-able messages.  

The message from embattled German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, is clear - she's prepared to do an embarrassing u-turn on her immigration stance in a desperate bid to clinch a fourth term in office. Sinking even lower, she has shockingly just banned the burka in Germany. Where we should be building bridges, it's worrying to see a German politician building metaphorical wall - an eerie reminder of Germany's dark past. Merkel has enjoyed 90% approval ratings, which have since dipped around 10%. They're still high - much higher than South Korea's president (4%). With her popularity sliding, however, perhaps it's time for Merkel to retire.

A "bored stiff" 89 year old British man has found fame globally as a result of his job search. Older folks embarking on new careers in their 70s and 80s is no longer surprising - we live in era of so-called 'amortality' and agelessness, where 70 year olds are often as productive as 20 year olds. What is surprising about Joe Bartley's heartwarming story however, is how virally it spread. We think that its popularity is in step with the times - people are hungry for uplifting human stories in these politically dark and nihilistic times. 

If you want to hear more of our expert views, come visit us at http://www.eulogy.co.uk/views/

 
Dec 5, 2016

This week, our media analysts Ollie, Adam and Scot discuss the Brexit leak - can we "have our cake and eat it", as Number 10 put it? The Government hasn't really had an eye for detail with Brexit so far - nor has it weeded out idiotic security practices. 

From a leak to a political over-up: there's a new victim of Russia's state-sponsored doping programme - but also a benefactor, with a Team GB athlete being upgraded from silver to gold. With doping scandals mounting, are brands still willing to risk sponsoring top athletes in scandalous sports? 

For one sports brand, athletes haven't caused any problems - but is Director of Public Affairs might just have alienated its most influential customer base. Sport lifestyle apparel and footwear maker, New Balance, has relied on trendy Millennials to boost the appeal and value of its products, but by siding with the Trump administration, its most influential shoppers have started burning their expensive sneakers in protest. 

With the crumbling leadership of traditional pillars of society - the captains of industry, sports stars and political leaders - an unlikely new hero of wholesomeness has emerged: a gangsta rapper. We chart the unstoppable rise of DJ Khaled from Miami DJ to music mogul. His positive message is resonating with Millennials and Centennials, all thanks to total mastery of digital marketing platform, Snapchat, where he has built an audience of more than 6 million devotees.  

Every week, media experts from Eulogy, an independent and award-winning communications agency, dissect the biggest stories to help brands understand and influence the agenda. 

If you want to hear more of our expert views, come visit us at http://www.eulogy.co.uk/views/

 
Nov 25, 2016

Every week, media experts from Eulogy, an independent and award-winning communications agency, dissect the biggest stories to help brands understand and influence the agenda. 

This week, it's our (UK) Autumn Statement special. Chloe, Ollie and Scot discuss whether the Chancellor, Philip Hammond is a puppet or a prisoner, and whether he can help Britain's ailing economy.

This week The Independent vividly described the UK as Sonny Liston, grimly sitting in the corner after the Muhammed Ali-like assault of Brexit vote's knock on the economy, following the release of new figures from Credit Suisse's global wealth report. We discuss how the remainer and leaver media tackle the story. 

And finally, we have some good news for Jane Austen lovers. 

Read our view on the Autumn Statement here

And if you want to hear more of our expert views, click this-a-way: http://www.eulogy.co.uk/views/

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