CorpComms Magazine

About CorpComms

CorpComms Magazine is the only monthly magazine targeted at the in-house communicator. Written in a lively and engaging manner, the magazine offers advice and informative articles on a range of topical subjects, such as social and digital media, internal communications, sponsorship and CSR.

Regular features include interviews with leading in-house communicators, experts offering their 'top ten tips' on a variety of topics, and a focus on recent corporate rebrandings. New initiatives include personal views written by in-house communicators and an analysis of developments in the world of media.

The magazine uses a team of experienced and well-respected journalists to write its articles. CorpComms avoids 'advertorial' copy and by-lined copy from agencies or companies selling services, thus retaining an independent editorial stance.

Launched in 2005 as a bi-monthly publication by Cross Border Group, CorpComms was the subject of a management buyout by long standing editor Helen Dunne in July. The magazine is now published by her new company, Hardy Media.

Contributors

Ben Bland is a freelance journalist based in the Far East. He was formerly stock market reporter for the Daily Telegraph.

Favourite colour: Blue
Favourite food: Rice
Favourite city: Hanoi
Favourite book: The Dice Man
Favourite film: Memento

‘The favourite part of being a journalist for Far East-based freelancer Ben Bland is working for myself, travelling the world and trying to dig up stories’.

‘The most fun piece I've ever written was one on the chaotic Bombay Stock Exchange, where the caretakers still sleep rough on the floor overnight but everything runs smoothly despite the apparent mayhem.’

Biggest whinge about PRs:
‘I can't stand the junior PRs who call when I'm on deadline and proceed to read word-for-word off a script like an inept double-glazing salesman.'’

‘My favourite corporate freebie was a box at Arsenal ... hopefully better to come.’

Advice to PRs pitching a story:
‘Before you get in touch, ask yourself honestly if you would really bother to read the story you are pitching. If not, don't bother calling.’

Worst journalistic error:
‘Miscalculating a company's market capitalisation and only narrowly avoiding a major dispute with the firm involved.’

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Kathryn Tully is a freelance journalist based in New York.

Favourite colour: Blue
Favourite food: Cheese and sushi – although not usually together.
Favourite city: New York City
Favourite book: Middlemarch
Favourite film: When Harry Met Sally. I've seen it at least ten times and it still makes me laugh.

‘The favourite part of being a journalist for New York-based freelancer Kathryn Tully is covering different topics and meeting a diverse bunch of people.’

‘My favourite corporate freebie was a trip to Newport, Rhode Island for the International Tennis Hall of Fame tennis championships.’

‘The most fun piece I've ever covered was this year when I worked on a travel piece in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Of course, I was forced to sample Pina Coladas in a number of different beach bars, just to check the quality was consistent.’

Biggest whinge about PRs:
‘Not calling or emailing back.’

Advice to PRs pitching a story:
‘I cover lots of different subjects sporadically, rather than one beat constantly, so a press release every month about fashion photography or wine collecting is great. One every day is not quite so.’

Worst journalistic error:
‘I don't think I've ever done anything where I've thought, Please drop me in the Thames with some nice concrete shoes, but there have been a few stupid things. I once had a nightmare using a US spell checker on a UK article. Apart from anything else, Paul Gascgoine ended up as Paul Gasoline.’

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Charlotte Beugge is a journalist on the Daily Mail

Favourite colour: Blue
Favourite food: Anything someone else has cooked as long as I don't have to do the washing up.
Favourite city: London, of course.
Favourite book: Currently it's Where's Iggle Piggle's Blanket? The Selfish Crocodile is another top choice.
Favourite film: The glorious Technicolor classic Black
Narcissus. Closely followed by black & white weepy Lost Horizon.

Favourite part of being a journalist?
‘I've been one for nearly 20 years, so really, I can't compare it with anything else. I was a small child when I started, of course.’

‘The most fun story I've ever covered was hardly a barrel of laughs but the 1990s surge of building society conversions was exhilarating and sometimes exhausting.’

Biggest whinge about PRs:
‘They are all too thin, too nice and too young.’

Advice to PRs pitching a story:
‘Please don't read me the press release. Just send it and I'll try to read it myself. Though I may need some help with any long words!‘

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Nina Montagu-Smith is a freelance journalist. She regularly contributes to the Daily Telegraph.

Favourite colour: White
Favourite food: Does rose wine count as food?
Favourite city: Edinburgh
Favourite book: Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks
Favourite film: Strictly Ballroom

Worst journalistic error?
‘A series of minor but very irritating mistakes which led a reader to write in to the Daily Telegraph to insist that I be removed to the sports desk before I brought the paper into further disrepute’

Favourite part of being a journalist?
‘The flexibility, which allows me to earn a living and raise small children at the same time’

Most fun story I've ever covered?
‘During a mystery shopping exercise of high-street bank ISA accounts, one of the teller staff I was quizzing had a copy of my previous mystery shopping piece in his file in front of him, along with a big picture of me - presumably sent out as a warning to staff to be on the alert for journalists - and he never realised! It was heart-stopping and great fun.’

Biggest whinge about PRs
‘When they don't know the basics about clients off the top of their head. It's that phrase, I'll come back to you, when all you've asked for is the correct spelling of the chief executive's name.’

Best corporate freebie
‘A working week in the Far East, visiting Hong Kong and Tokyo. I got two features and a bloody good time out of it.’

Advice to PRs pitching a story
‘Make certain it is it relevant to the publication and audience I am writing for.’

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Caroline Poynton is a freelance journalist.

Favourite colour? Red
Favourite food? Sushi or steak pie & chips
Favourite city? Can I have two? London and San Francisco
Favourite book? On the Road, Jack Kerouac
Favourite film? Depends on my mood. Right now, it'd be my favourite western, High Noon.

Worst journalistic error?
‘I requested an interview with somebody who had been recommended to me for a feature. The name was unusual but I just assumed the interviewee was male. Of course, on calling up, a female answered and it took an embarrassingly long time for me to cotton on to the fact that SHE was in fact the interviewee. It didn't help that the call was to the US and the line was poor, but I was so slow. I kept saying things like I have an interview booked with him? Is he not available then? Have I got the wrong number?' Even worse, I'd had quite a long e-mail conversation with her prior to the interview, so I really did sound like a complete clot. For her part, she was quite clearly unimpressed.’

Favourite part of being a journalist?
‘The lunches, the networking and press parties, and the general excuse to eat, drink and be merry. Oh and the writing of course...’

Most fun story I've ever covered?
‘Probably covering a four-day technology event in Las Vegas – I never knew IT professionals had it in them!’

Biggest whinge about PRs
‘The endless calls and messages about quite obviously irrelevant press releases.’

Best corporate freebie
‘A place on a sailing ship at Cowes Week, racing around the Isle of Wight.’

Advice to PRs pitching a story
‘Do your research first. Find out what magazine I write for and pitch me something that makes sense for that title. Sounds simple, but I'm amazed at some of the off-the-wall ideas I get.’

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Clare Harrison is the deputy international editor of IR Magazine.

Favourite colour? Yellow
Favourite food? Thai
Favourite city? Buenos Aires
Favourite book? Wild Swans by Jung Chang
Favourite film? City of God

Worst journalistic error?
‘Ascribing a quote to the wrong person; I've only done it once but it was very embarrassing.’

Favourite part of being a journalist?
‘Being in the office when something huge is unravelling, like the collapse of Lehman, for example.’

Most fun story I've ever covered?
‘A swearing in the workplace article for CorpComms Magazine. I was testing out the robustness of firewalls at investment banks and so emailed swear words to my friends working in the City - all in the name of research you understand.’

Biggest whinge about PRs
‘When they attempt to put an implausibly iridescent gloss on everything. Marketing speak tends to make me zone out.’

Best corporate freebie
‘Trip to see England play World Cup rugby in Paris, I don't really understand rugby but I remember enjoying myself nevertheless.’

Advice to PRs pitching a story:
‘Take me out to lunch.’

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Rosie Murray-West is a journalist on the Daily Telegraph

Favourite colour: Burgundy
Favourite food: Sushi
Favourite city: San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico
Favourite book: At the moment, Dress up Peekaboo, published by Dorling Kindersley (because it keeps my daughter happy for a whole half hour)
Favourite film: Atonement was pretty amazing

Worst journalistic error?
‘I referred to some poor man as Randy when his name was Roger. His friends have been calling him Randy ever since (not helped by the fact the article was printed on Valentine's Day)’

Favourite part of being a journalist?
‘Writing instead of working for a living’

Most fun story I've ever covered?
‘The Plumber and his excursions into Spread Betting’

Biggest whinge about PRs
‘I'm not going to whinge, actually. They are just doing their job’

Best corporate freebie
‘It has to be the weekend champagne tasting with Moet et Chandon’

Advice to PRs pitching a story
‘Find something fun about it before you ring me’