Tom Mangold has worked in media for 70+ years – what would you ask him?

Abby & Tom Mangold

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!

The press doorstep – can you handle it?

The press doorstep - can you handle it?

Only watch this if you KNOW how to handle a doorstep*

The infamous doorstep only ends when the journalist leaves with something.

A no comment, a closed door, or in this case a response.

Managing a doorstep takes some well thought through choreography.

*Full disclosure, this one features my Dad, Tom Mangold, in action on BBC Panorama in 1997 so I may be biased.

Tom Mangold on Media Training

Tom Mangold

Many television viewers were surprised at the honesty and frankness of my interviewees in the recent BBC 4 ‘Jeremy Thorpe Scandal’ which ran as a complimentary programme to BBC Drama’s three-parter on the same subject.

What viewers may not have appreciated is that those interviews were conducted at a time well before the black arts of media training and crisis management had overwhelmed the television news and current affairs business. I say black arts because teaching people how to deal with the television interview can have a benign or malign effect. Continue reading “Tom Mangold on Media Training”