Top 150: how can agencies grow in 2026?

How to lobby as Labour implodes

How should public affairs and political comms in the UK navigate political upheaval? PRWeek’s latest podcast takes a look. This week’s episode of Beyond the Noise features Damion Potter, executive chairman, public affairs in the UK, at H/Advisors; Emily Fermor, partner at Hanbury Strategy and chair of the PRCA Public Affairs Professional Board; and Fraser Raleigh, MD, public affairs and government relations, at SEC Newgate. Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/beyond-the-noise-the-prweek-podcast/id1513615965], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0onUHcQsn5ITC1lYtW89jZ?si=c965c18c49724d2c&nd=1], or listen on your favourite platform. As Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces his first proper challenge as Labour leader since coming to office, our guests discuss how their workload has changed since the crisis began following the elections on 7 May. They talk about what clients have been looking for specifically in this period of uncertainty and how they know which politicians, spads and civil servants to target in particular. Speaking to PRWeek UK editor John Harrington, they discuss whether they think the expected leadership challengers are likely to be more or less amenable to businesses and lobbying should they come to power. How the Starmer government has differed from expectations from a public affairs perspective, and how this has changed over time, is also examined. The guests also give their perspective on how they think the political crisis might end – and whether Starmer will last the distance. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Top 150: how can agencies grow in 2026?

What does PRWeek’s UK Top 150 Consultancies project tell us about the agency world in 2026 and beyond? PRWeek’s latest podcast takes a look. Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/beyond-the-noise-the-prweek-podcast/id1513615965], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0onUHcQsn5ITC1lYtW89jZ?si=c965c18c49724d2c&nd=1], or listen on your favourite platform.  This week, PRWeek journalists Danny Rogers (editor-in-chief), John Harrington (UK editor) and Siobhan Holt (deputy editor) delve into some of the main findings from PRWeek’s flagship UK Top 150 Consultancies project, which went live this week [https://www.prweek.co.uk/top-150/2026]. They look at how agencies are increasingly having to run to stand still, especially given the pressure on margins, despite the agency sector overall being in growth. The trio discuss what agency leaders are saying about trading in 2025 and so far this year, and look at trends across different sectors, including consumer, health and tech PR. The journalists also discuss trends such as the apparent deprioritisation of media relations and the growing importance of AI, and look at changes in headcount, redundancies and more. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Manchester Evening News editor on PR, AI, and disinformation

PRWeek speaks to Sarah Lester, editor at Manchester Evening News (MEN), for the Future of the Media series.  Among other things, Lester discusses what stories work, and how that has shifted PR and media relations; the rise of fake ‘experts’; whether press releases are getting worse; the advantage of video content and social media channels for news; how MEN journalists use AI; misinformation in the media and how to stop it; the future of the media and how she feels about the publishing industry. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The Grocer’s Adam Leyland: PR think ‘beyond one story’

PRWeek speaks to Adam Leyland, editor-in-chief at The Grocer, for the Future of the Media series. Among other things, Leyland discusses PR and media relations; the grocery trade title's social media strategy; how journalists use AI; and how PR can help with the UK's HFSS (high in fat, salt, or sugar) legislation. Stay tuned for more interviews with editors, as part of the Future of the Media, which will be published on the podcast feed soon. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

BBC’s The Apprentice: why PRs make good TV stars – PRWeek podcast

The Apprentice contestant and PR specialist Lawrence Rosenberg and Andrew Bloch, the PR adviser to Lord Alan Sugar, are guests on this week’s PRWeek Beyond the Noise podcast episode. Lawrence Rosenberg discusses his background in communications and public affairs, as well as his experiences on the BBC reality show The Apprentice [https://www.prweek.co.uk/article/1945649/pr-pro-joins-apprentice-2026-line-up]. On the show, the public affairs professional was looking to impress Lord Sugar and secure his mentorship, as well as a £250,000 investment in his business plan. He reached the final five candidates of the show.  Andrew Bloch, PR adviser to Lord Alan Sugar, co-founded and led Frank PR as managing partner for 20 years before stepping back in 2020 to launch Andrew Bloch & Associates. He also works as an adviser to several firms in the PR and communications industry.  Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest communications and PR issues. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or on your favourite platform. Rosenberg talks about what influenced him to take part in The Apprentice, what comms skills he used to maximise the opportunity, and chats about what PR skills have come in useful after appearing in the show. Bloch explains how he first met Sugar, how he got involved in The Apprentice, and shares his insights from over the past 20 years. Rosenberg responds to the criticism he received for his business plan, which was to launch a PR firm using AI technology. He also explains his future plans after the show.  Bloch shares his view on Rosenberg’s business plan, and discusses how he is assisting the show’s winner, Karishma Vijay.  Other topics discussed include reality TV stars becoming influencers and the biggest comms lessons Rosenberg has taken away from the experience. Bloch offers his advice to Rosenberg on how to monopolise on the comms and PR opportunities.  Joining Rosenberg and Bloch on this episode is PRWeek UK deputy editor Siobhan Holt. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.