Women in Journalism Podcast

S2: Basia Cummings - "The skill of a good editor and journalist is to imagine the reader and hold them in your mind"

Tue, 05 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For episode 2 we were joined by Basia Cummings, Deputy Editor of the Observer. Basia is an award-winning journalist, who has sensitively investigated topics from the ethics and dangers of freelance war journalism to the presence of Russian mercenaries in Ukraine and parts of Africa. At Tortoise, the slow news organisation that has now taken ownership of The Observer, she also launched multiple award-winning podcasts, including the Daily Sensemaker, Sweet Bobby, Pig Iron and the Slow Newscast.

In our discussion (recorded in April), she shared some of the challenges and opportunities that come with reviving a legacy publication, what makes an investigation worth the investment and how parenthood has influenced her career. Take a listen to understand how Basia was drawn to stories behind the headlines throughout her career.

Produced and hosted by Ottilie Mitchell and Marine Saint.

Women in Journalism website: https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/ Instagram: @womeninjournalism_uk

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Subscribe to the Observer here, and listen to Tortoise Investigates here.

Music: John Abbot, City Phases, courtesy of Epidemic Sound

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S2: Nosheen Iqbal - "I’m spurred on by the voices that aren’t heard"

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

The Women in Journalism podcast is back for a second season. This time, we’re highlighting industry leaders: women who aren’t just making the news, but shaping how stories are told for years to come.

For our debut episode, we were joined by Nosheen Iqbal, host of The Guardian’s Today in Focus podcast.

Nosheen made her name as a culture writer and has worked across several major British magazines and papers, including in leading roles at The Guardian such as features commissioning editor of G2 and women’s editor.

From interviewing Kanye West to reporting on race and politics, she shared how she found stories that mattered – and navigated the backlash that sometimes comes with them.

Take a listen to how the host of the hit daily news podcast built her career.

Produced and hosted by Marine Saint and Ottilie Mitchell.

Women in Journalism website: https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/ Instagram: @womeninjournalism_uk

Join our newsletter and follow us on Linkedin

Listen to Nosheen on Today in Focus.

Music: John Abbot, City Phases, courtesy of Epidemic Sound

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Corp - "The easy option is to follow the news agenda"

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 14:50:00 GMT

We’re finishing off season one with a very special episode, featuring our very own chair Rachel Corp. Along with leading our network, Rachel is chief executive of ITN, overseeing one of the UK’s largest independent production companies.

Whether you want to know what it takes to lead a newsroom or what makes a story cut through the news agenda, Rachel shared her advice from years steering political investigations, covering conflict zones and ensuring a media business is all about its audience. Take a listen to our conversation with the former ITV News, 5 News and ITV London editor.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sílvia Amaro - "Wherever you are in your career, stay in motion."

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:25:45 GMT

This week we welcome back a friend of the podcast, Sílvia Amaro. Sílvia is the current anchor of Europe Early edition at CNBC. Previously, she was a digital reporter for CNBC across Europe, specializing in European markets and politics, winning CFA UK’s broadcast journalist of the year in 2021.

In our conversation Sílvia shares the importance of staying active in your career, the choreography of putting together a live show, and why her 4am starts are the best gig she’s landed yet.

You can watch Sílvia host CNBC’s Europe Early Edition here:

https://www.cnbc.com/silvia-amaro/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophia Smith Galer - "We need radical transparency from journalists online."

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:54:00 GMT

For our fourth episode we’re joined by the digital journalist, content creator and author Sophia Smith Galer. Along with her impressively varied reporting career at the BBC and Vice, Sophia founded her social media consultancy Viralect and has an upcoming book on linguicide.

A true expert in all things social media journalism, Sophia discusses the current challenges facing news brands across platforms. With our hosts Freya Shaw and Marine Saint, we also learn about the creation and launch of her brand new video scripting app Sophiana.

You’ll hear Sophia urging journalists today to future-proof themselves with a multimedia skill set – tune in to hear how journalism should be catching up with the digital sphere.

For more, head to the Women in Journalism website: https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/

Produced and edited by Marine Saint and Freya Shaw

Music: John Abbot, City Phases, courtesy of Epidemic Sound

You can learn more about Sophiana and Sophia’s upcoming book here:

https://www.viralect.com/

https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/updates/introducing-sophiana-by-sophia-smith-galer

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/sophiana-script-video-maker/id6742998989

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alice Young - “The future of radio is hearing different voices”

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 14:55:00 GMT

For episode three we’re joined by radio news presenter Alice Young. Winning awards for her work on the air, Alice can be heard across Global, presenting breakfast news on Heart radio and sometimes presenting broadcasts on LBC News.

With our hosts Freya Shaw and Marine Saint, we hear how Alice found her voice on the air, the routes from local to national radio and how sports reporting is increasingly inclusive for women.

For more, head to the Women in Journalism website: https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/

Produced and edited by Marine Saint and Freya Shaw

Music: John Abbot, City Phases, courtesy of Epidemic Sound

Be sure to tune into Alice presenting news on Heart and LBC News here :

https://www.globalplayer.com/live/heart/london/

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Megha Rajagopalan - "Every generation has to find a way to reinvent the model."

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 14:57:00 GMT

Joining us for our second episode is Megha Rajagopalan, international investigative reporter at the New York Times. Megha is a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist focusing primarily on human rights, labour and conflict. Her extensive reporting has taken her to China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Before the NYT, Megha was a trainee then political correspondent at Reuters, and China bureau chief at Buzzfeed.

With our hosts Freya Shaw and Marine Saint, we hear the challenges Megha overcame in her investigations, the value of gaining your sources’ trust and how beat reporting is the best way into the field.

For more, head to the Women in Journalism website: https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/

Produced and edited by Marine Saint and Freya Shaw

Music: John Abbot, City Phases, courtesy of Epidemic Sound

You can read the stories Megha discusses here:

How US Dollars Are Helping The Philippines' Bloody Drug War

The Brutality of Sugar: Debt, Child Marriage and Hysterectomies

Pulitzer winning series - Inside China's internment camps

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Sophy Ridge - "My advice to women is to be pushy."

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Our first guest is the amazing Sophy Ridge from Sky News! Sophy was the first woman to present a Sunday morning political show, and she is the current face of Politics Hub at Sky. In March 2025, she was awarded the Network Presenter of the Year award at the Royal Television Awards.

We also have our very first guest host, CNBC’s Sílvia Amaro. The two will discuss how to break into the industry of broadcast journalism, what it takes to be a successful female journalist in the 21st century, and what makes a good interview.

For more, head to the Women in Journalism website: https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/

Produced and edited by Marine Saint and Freya Shaw

Music: John Abbot, City Phases, courtesy of Epidemic Sound

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TRAILER: Women in Journalism Podcast

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 23:13:20 GMT

The Women in Journalism is delighted to announce the launch of our brand new podcast, which is part of our INSPIRE series. Across each episode, you'll hear from a different woman who's making waves in journalism. All beats and mediums are on the table: TV, print, social media, investigations, and more.

Up first is our trailer episode, which gives a hint into the episodes to come, as well as introducing our podcast creators and hosts, Marine Saint and Freya Shaw.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.