ADAM BATSTONE
MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS
Adam Batstone is an experienced journalist and communications consultant who can help you tell your story clearly and concisely.
COMMUNICATION
STRATEGY
Identify the objectives, insights, strategy and tactics to help you connect with your target audience
Media
training
Face the media with confidence and understanding of how to make the most of the opportunity
podcast production
Podcasts are an effective and affordable way of making your voice heard
Copy
writing
Clear and accurate copy is a vital part of any professional communication strategy
event
hosting
Adam is an experienced event host and presenter who regularly chairs panels and podcasts
bbc
sell-in
A short training session to improve understanding of the BBC's commissioning and production process
SERVICES
Experience
Making Podcasts
While at MHP Adam created the On Message podcast series which he hosted, wrote and produced in collaboration with former BBC radio producer Nick Carter. At the BBC Adam had worked on some of the first podcasts produced for the BBC News website including Have Your Say and Click Online.
Several clients sought his advice and help to start the process of making a podcast.
Adam and Nick are working with the British Beer & Pub Association to create their monthly Beer & Pubcast which is a B2B podcast aimed at brewers, pub-companies and the licensed trade.
Adam and Nick ensure you have thought about everything from themes and branding to guests and distribution channels. In addition to being a fantastic means of talking about your organisation or business, podcasts are also tremendous fun to make. They give anyone who may have to present to an external audience or conduct broadcast interviews a valuable and safe opportunity to improve their skills as an effective speaker.
Media training
A lot of people offer media training - many of whom are former journalists. Adam has a distinctive approach which comes from his experience as a journalist working in print, digital, radio and TV news - but also shaped by his work as a communications and public relations consultant. Media training should be informed by knowledge of what journalists want - but also by what the interviewee can and should expect to get out of the opportunity. While it may be called media training, these sessions are also equally helpful for anyone who faces the prospect of addressing or answering questions from any external audience.
While at MHP Communications, Adam ran the agency's media training service helping multiple clients from the offhsore law firm Harneys dealing with the threat of adverse publicity to helping academics at Royal Holloway College to present their research in a way that would make it most appealing to a broader audience.
event hosting
During his 20 year career at the BBC, Adam developed a detailed understanding of broadcast production and effective presentation. He is a confident and engaging speaker who will ensure an event runs smoothly and that audiences and participants enjoy the experience. At MHP Adam regularly hosted panel events and round table discussions on a wide variety of topics.
Adam is the main organiser of MHP's annual 30 To Watch: Young Journalist Awards. This has ensured he is closely connected to the new generation of Britain's best media talent, but is also well versed in the process of organising a major national competition and awards event.
Adam has hosted several media panels and Q&A sessions, not least on behalf of Vodafone who asked Adam to compere a panel discussion around the growth of on demand media which featured guest speakers from YouTube, Netflix, Twitter and Vevo.
TESTIMONIALS
Brick Court Chambers marked its centenary in 2021 with a series of podcasts featuring some of Britain’s leading barristers and judges. These expertly produced and edited podcasts included contributions from Sir Sydney Kentridge and Lord Jonathan Sumption.
"Adam’s technical and practical advice and his skills as a host presenter have been invaluable and instrumental in the success of Hudson Sandler’s Fair & Square podcast."
Fair & Square Podcast: Shining a Light on Britain’s Night-time Economy - Hudson Sandler LLP
University College London (UCL)
"Adam was brilliant to work with on our Generation One Climate podcast series, from scripting through to editing he was very flexible and generous with his time and suggestions. He was able to get the most of our hosts and guests and ensure that the episode content was educational and entertaining – not always an easy feat with climate change topics. It was great to work with Adam on this project and he’s a vital part of our Generation One podcast team."
Podcasts and Videos | Climate Change - UCL – University College London
“Adam has been central to the launch of the 3VB podcast series. His knowledge and guidance have been invaluable in our first foray into the podcast arena. He has a calm, professional approach and he really takes the time to understand content and purpose of each episode, to explain his methods and to put the speakers completely at ease. I would not hesitate to recommend him.”
"‘NEC Spotlight’ Podcast series. I was completely new to podcasting, however Adam was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, and provided invaluable advice and guidance on how to set up and run an high-quality and informative podcast episode. I asked Adam to be our podcast interviewer, which was the right decision, as he always ensures our guest speakers are informed and comfortable ahead of the recording"
Helping academics and senior leaders at Royal Holloway University to prepare for media interviews, with a focus on how academics can frame their narrative for a broad audience and avoid the perils of jargon language.
Royal Holloway, University of London
Strategic media advisor to the UK’s biggest road authority. Working closely with senior leaders to tackle challenging issues and support communications relating to high profile transport issues.
Interviews with senior leaders at Laing O’Rourke to highlight the construction company’s expertise in relation to the health and education sector. The audio interviews were arranged, conducted, produced and edited in rapid time as an entirely self-contained and professional service.
MEDIA
TRAINING
Few people will ever face the ordeal of a hostile media interview. Unlike most media training, my intention is to help organisations and individuals to make the most of media - or any external facing - engagement. My background as a journalist and a communications adviser means I can see the process from both perspectives. I know what the journalist is likely to want and I know how the interviewee can make the most of the opportunity.
This session will help you to prepare so you feel confident in what can be a stressful situation. It will make you a better public speaker and help you tell your story in a more memorable way.
copy
writing
Creating a good impression of your business, organisation or yourself relies as much on your written work as other aspects of presentation.
I have a pedantic approach to accuracy in written English and the ability to take complex text and turn it into readable and interesting copy. I can help you with any aspect of your written communications from press releases, blogs and letters to internal communications and speech writing. I enjoy using language and will support you to stop writing being a chore and make it a simple exercise which will enhance your business credibility.
event
hosting
Adam is a confident, entertaining and experienced event host. He knows how to ensure the audience is kept fully engaged and all panelists are encouraged to contribute. While at MHP Communications Adam regularly hosted events both on behalf of clients and for MHP.
In addition to chairing panels and awards events, Adam is an experienced podcast presenter who brings humour and a wide range of experience to any event.
BBC Sell-in
Knowing how to approach the BBC to get coverage can feel like a pretty daunting task. Because of its scale and complexity, a call to the switchboard is not going to get you very far.
In this short session, primarily aimed at in-house or agency communications teams, Adam will explain how to maximise the chances of making your voice heard. The BBC is one of the world's most well known and respected media brands and knowing how, when and to whom you should pitch an idea or a guest is an important part of any PR professional's job.
The session explains the BBC News production process, the relationship between Newsgathering and programme teams, the difference between news and other programmes and the importance of engaging with the BBC's digital and regional teams.
communication strategy
Effective communication relies on taking a systematic approach which identifies objectives, audiences and strategy before implementing specific tactics. Adam combines his understanding of the media with his experience of working with a wide variety of commercial clients to help create a method that underpins communications strategy. This approach is suited to both internal and external communication challenges. Adam is an associate at Park Street Partners which provides expert counsel on all communications issues.
podcast
production
Podcasts are not new, Adam helped to produce some of the BBC's first podcasts more than 15 years ago, but they have become much more popular, principally because phones lend themselves brilliantly to listening to audio on demand. One in six people in the UK regularly listen to podcasts. They are an affordable and flexible alternative to corporate videos and glossy brochures. Adam works with former BBC radio producer Nick Carter to help get clients started making great podcasts.
