Missed out on this week’s PR News? Get your handy round-up of the essential highlights of PR and media stories, features and events content over the last seven days on Gorkana News.

People News

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UKTV, the UK’s largest multichannel broadcaster, has promoted its comms director, Zoë Clapp, to chief marketing and comms officer.

Joe Mitton, former adviser to the London Mayor, is joining the top team at PLMR, the London-based agency specialising in political lobbying and media relations.

Debenhams has promoted Hayley Betts to head of product PR, 15 months after she first joined in the UK department store chain as a senior PR manager.

Stuart Jackson, former comms director at mobile operator EE, has co-authored The 4G Mobile Revolution: Creation, Innovation and Transformation at EE.

Pitch Wins

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Weber Shandwick has been chosen by Virgin Atlantic as the airline’s new retained agency for UK consumer PR and social media, following a competitive pitch managed by CreativeBrief.

Confectionary company Cloetta has hired Brazen to promote its portfolio of sweet brands, which include Chewits, Goody Good Stuff and Frozn, in the UK.

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry will provide INSIGHTEC with an awareness campaign targeting both patients and medical professionals.

White Paper

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Pitching to journalists: the good, the bad and the ugly
This month’s White Paper asks journalists from across the media spectrum, as well as senior PR professionals, what makes for a well-delivered PR pitch to the press, whether it’s by email or (if you’re really brave) by phone. Download your copy here.

Events

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Media briefing with The Sun, City Page
The Sun is, perhaps, not best known for its business news. Yet, as Rhodri Phillips, business editor at the tabloid which is the UK’s largest circulation, paid-for, daily newspaper, told the audience at an exclusive Gorkana event this week, the City page has a “loyal following” of readers.

Journalist News

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BBC Newsnight’s deputy editor, Neil Breakwell, has been appointed as London bureau chief at VICE NEWS (UK) and will head its news operation from July 2016.

James Goldman has been appointed as sports editor at Metro.co.uk.

The fortnightly magazine SWIPE has launched across London. It brings the latest features, news and trends from across the internet in a print edition aimed at millennials.

Features

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Opinion: Four ways to inspire creativity in your PR campaign
“Creativity is the standard that sets people in PR apart”, says Sophie Chadwick, account director at PR and creative agency Peppermint Soda. With the majority of PRCA members citing creativity as one of the most important factors when it comes to winning new business, Chadwick offers four top tips to ensure you don’t lose your “creative mojo” when setting out on a new PR campaign.

‘The myth that Facebook isn’t a channel for B2B comms is dead’ 
Hotwire PR and market research company Vanson Bourne have launched The Changing Face of Influence report, which highlights the finding that B2B decision makers are influenced by platforms outside of what is considered ‘the norm’. It also claims the ‘myth’ that Facebook isn’t a channel for B2B comms “is dead”.

Eight ways PRs can tackle the consumer health debate
The consumer health debate is growing in momentum as the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) runs a public consultation on how food and drink products should be advertised to children. In response, Good Relations suggests eight top tips for handling the debate in the media.

Behind the Headlines with NPR founder Nathan Rous
Nathan Rous, director of NPR, talks about cutting his teeth in local media, why PR is one of the most “incredible” sectors to work in and once bearing a striking resemblance to former Olympic long-distance runner Zola Budd.