Our Dad, Tom Mangold, gives a unique explainer on why today’s media and journalism needs to adjust.
Tom Mangold: “If a bear sh*ts in the woods…”
The best thing about a great interview
The journalist does their homework. For a great interview, the interviewee must do theirs.
This is why every spokesperson should do their prep.
Truth in the media… and where to find it
Abby Mangold speaking with Journalist Tom Mangold about truth in the media and where to find it.
Can we trust anyone in the media in 2025?
Why this veteran journalist says Media Training is ESSENTIAL
Being interviewed isn’t as easy as it sounds. And media training always helps.
Here’s a candid explainer on one approach to media training with Tom Mangold.
This is Tom Mangold
Tom Mangold is an award-winning journalist and author.
Reporter on circa 120 episodes of BBC Panorama.
He’s 90 and STILL working
He cycles every day
At his heart, this man is a journalist. And he’s also our Dad.
Earlier this year I asked people what they’d like to ask him. It felt like the right time to put HIM in the hot seat for a change.
So, we sat down and discussed – media, truth, interviews, social platforms, crisis.
To kick things off, here’s his take on his craft.
So you’re new to speaking to the media… this one’s for you!
So you’re new to speaking to the media…this one’s for you!
Lessons from Media Training and all the newbies out there.
Where our love of music and media training collides
Thank you to all those speaking out about AI in the creative industries with the hashtag #MakeItFair campaign.
Your diverse views are transforming technical stuff into human speak, clearly explaining what this technology is and why it matters to artists and fans alike.
When we first started working with music industry leaders a few years ago, the position on AI was still evolving and the language to make it understandable to everyone was something we discussed at length in media training.
Since then IFPI has joined with others, including PPL, to speak about the threat to creative livelihoods and Warner Music Group is among the world’s largest music companies backing a campaign that opposes the UK government’s AI copyright exception proposal.
Musician Paul McCartney and Gina Neff, Professor of Responsible AI at Queen Mary University – just some of the names recently making their case across multiple front pages and broadcast bulletins.
As a music fan I care deeply about this issue.
As a media trainer, I am hugely impressed by those taking the time and thought to tell this story.
Media training bloopers!
A couple of bloopers…
This one is for all the wonderful people we train who worry about making mistakes when presenting or being interviewed.
It happens to all of us!
A splendid reception for media training at Central Co-op!
We decided to make the most of the splendid reception at the office of our client, Central Co-op.
We had a great day working with the team, putting them through their paces and supporting them to talk about the incredible work of this 180-year-old community-based co-operative business.
Pretty proud of this one
We’ve been working with this retail client for 5 years.
We’ve gone through the good times and the tougher ones.
We’ve supported each other to grow as organisations.
So we were chuffed when they told us:
“Abby and Jess consistently provide clear thinking and boil down complex matters, into concise guidance.
As media trainers they are industry experts, give honest and fair feedback in a safe environment.
They are the critical friends you want on speed dial.”
Spoiler alert. Crises are nothing like disaster movies
Spoiler alert. Crises are nothing like disaster movies.
Disasters (unlike the Rock) don’t fall out of the sky.
99% emerge from issues which have been bubbling for some time. People are aware and assume someone else will fix it or it will ‘just go away’.
Surprise – there are no silver bullets (or the Rock suddenly appearing to save the day). Solutions come step-by-step, from the A – Z of preparation and a tonne of hard work in ‘peacetime’.
Real heroes don’t look like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. Well, some might but universally heroes are the people doing their jobs well, who know their organisation and have the empathy and communication skills needed to act in difficult situations.
Full transparency I’m a huge disaster movies fan (nothing to do with the Rock)
Photo Credit: IGN
Busy days for Team Mangold Consultancy
Busy days for Team Mangold Consultancy.
Jess Mangold and Justin Clark were in leafy North London with our client the historic Alexandra Palace and Park, delivering a workshop to evolve their use of social media to better serve their visitors.
Abby Mangold headed to sunny Westminster talking with the UK Government Communication Service, finding out more about how they are using “Assist”, the dynamic AI tool transforming government communications.
Worth noting that their Crisis Communications Planning Guide and STOP Template are a fantastic resource for anyone interested in managing crises.
They say never work with animals, kids and family
They say never work with animals, kids and family.
Well I broke all those rules when I interviewed my Dad, Tom Mangold, with a cameo by Zak!
Thanks to everyone who suggested questions to ask this ‘veteran broadcaster’!
Jess Mangold and I are busy editing together the highlights, more to come very soon…
Someone just told me media training is easy
My thoughts after it was suggested to me recently that running media training is easy.
What did dodgy washing machines & Matt Allwright teach me?
Walking onto the set of BBC Watchdog in Television Centre in 1997 was daunting.
As a Junior Clerk my job was simple – do whatever anyone asks and do it well.
It was always fast paced and often last minute – as you would expect when producing a live, weekly, consumer affairs programme for BBC1.
As I moved up the ranks to Researcher, Assistant Producer and finally Producer/Director there were a handful of people who took the time to teach me the skills I continue using today.
Matt Allwright is the best scriptwriter I’ve ever worked with.
- Where I used 20 words, he could say it in 10.
- Where I struggled with structuring a 5 minute film, he knew the narrative before I’d put pen to paper.
- Where I battled to make broken washing machines look sexy – he always had a clever, and often funny, treatment.
Producing programmes for a BBC1 audience meant making every word count and finding an engaging way to keep viewers interested.
I use those same skills every day, helping clients communicate in a crisis which ironically, is often triggered by a call from BBC Watchdog.
And I think it’s fair to say that Matt Allwright and I continue to learn from each other to this day.
Tom Mangold has worked in media for 70+ years – what would you ask him?
This is my Dad, Tom Mangold.
- He’s an award-winning journalist and author.
- Reporter on circa 120 episodes on BBC Panorama.
- He’s 90 and STILL working.
- He cycles every day.
- He continues to inspire me and our work at Mangold Consultancy.
If you asked him, he’d tell you I stole everything I know from him. I will neither confirm nor deny this.
I’m going to film interview content with Dad and share it online.
We tend to talk about:
- the state of journalism and television
- crisis communications
- media interviews
- “news” on Social Media
- rubbish spokespeople
Watch this space for unique insight from someone who has worked in the media industry for more than 70 years!
Tips to boost business confidence
2025 is going to be tough.
So business confidence really matters.
Here are some of my thoughts as a business owner following a challenging report from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
I’m happy to talk to you for free if you need it, just get in touch.
A dream come true – training music industry experts
Dua Lipa, Fred Again, Coldplay, Gorillaz…
Being asked to run media and presentation training for Warner Music Group is one of the most incredible starts to the year Jess Mangold and I could have asked for.
Some of our happiest times together have been rooted in our shared passion for music.
So, 2 days of training down-to-earth, music industry experts was frankly a dream come true.
Thank you to Adam Merrett and the whole team for having us.
The bravery of those who speak out against appalling behaviour
For the last couple of months I’ve been supporting a close friend as she worked with Sejal Karia and the team at ITV News to reveal the appalling behaviour of Gino D’Acampo.
Some of her friends and family told her not to take part, that it might ruin her career, that it was too risky. If I’m honest that was my initial reaction too.
But as we talked and reflected on the disgusting comment he made to her as she was trying to do her job in the early 10s, I realised that I needed to support my friend with whatever decision she made.
We need to stand with the people who are brave enough to call out these ‘celebrities/talent’ who think they can get away with behaving anyway they want.
And we need journalists and producers working tirelessly for months to gather the evidence to tell these stories, despite the constant threat of legal action if they publish anything.
Thank you to all the people brave enough to call out these perpetrators.
Reference image from ITV News report “ITV News uncovers multiple claims of sexually inappropriate behaviour by Gino D’Acampo“ February 2025
What keeps you awake at night?
It is never easy asking people this question when you meet for the first time.
But tasked with writing the crisis communications guidelines for new clients, we have to take the plunge, so we know early on where they could be exposed from a reputational perspective.
4 years on from asking one client this question, we are their retained crisis communications agency, available 24/7 responding to calls, and working with the whole team to test and reinforce their crisis communications protocols.
Tough questions = good results.
Photo by cottonbro studio at Pexels