In this week’s Focus interview, FeaturesExec speaks to freelance journalist Pete Roythorne. Pete writes on marketing communications and ICT in education, and his work has appeared in EVENTS:review, Media Week, Marketing Week and The Marketer and TES. We find out how Pete works, how PRs can be of help to him and about his most memorable work.
About your journalism:
What do you write about?
I predominantly write about marketing communications (with experiential/live communications being a particular speciality) and ICT in education. However, I have also written on digital, print media, finance, management consultancy, health and fitness, broadcast, pro audio and youth services. I also present and edit videos and write content for both PRs and digital agencies.
Where are we likely to see your work?
At present you’re most likely to find me on EVENTS:review (http://eventsreview.com) and MEETINGS:review (http://meetingsreview.com) as well as the National College for School Leadership’s Future magazine (http://future.ncsl.org.uk/).
However, I have written for Media Week, Marketing Week and The Marketer and co-produced a supplement for The Times. Until their closure in August 2006, I had a weekly column on ICT in education in the Times Educational Supplement and was a regular contributor to TES Online. I have also written for Event Magazine, Pro Sound News and Children Now amongst others, as well a range of corporate clients and contract titles.
Then there’s the ghost writing, which has seen me write for many more high profile B2B titles! My website www.peteroythorne.com has more information on this.
What’s the most memorable work you’ve done?
Presenting/filming a promotional video for the Berlin Convention Office… five-star treatment in an amazing city!
About you and PRs:
Where do you source ideas for articles?
In depth sector knowledge… and external commissions.
How can PRs be useful to you?
It’s always good to keep up to date with what’s going on in my “preferred” areas, but it needs to be relevant. Good PRs – that take the time to know you and what you want, and then deliver on time – are a journalist’s most valuable asset.
How and when do you like them to get in touch?
Email.
Do you find press conferences, trips, parties and other events useful or an interruption?
Mostly an interruption, unless it’s to some exotic location and I can take my family!
If you could make one change to the way PRs deal with you, what would it be?
Stop sending me photos over email… it’s the bane of my life. Upload them to an FTP server and send me the link. I’ll download them if I need them.
About you:
How would you pay the bills if you weren’t a journalist?
I’d love to say music, but I don’t know anyone that does actually “pay the bills” doing this… so I’d probably just not bother paying them.
If we gave you £1000, how would you spend it?
On a holiday.
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Everything turns out alright in the end; if it’s not alright, it’s not the end!
What books are on your bedside table, magazines in your bag, or blogs on your screen?
Mojo, Q, The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck, assorted half-written film scripts and the manuscript for a marketing book I’m co-writing.
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