One of Europe's most extraordinary baroque palaces is just 80 kilometres south of Rīga. Rundāle Palace, often referred to as the "Versailles of Latvia", represents more than architectural grandeur, as it embodies a fascinating story of political intrigue, artistic brilliance, and unwavering determination. The palace is deeply connected to one man: …

What makes for a thrilling biography? Success in business, while simultaneously working as a British spy during the Russian Empire period in Latvia, and then during the Russian Revolution. Leading a triple life as a businessman, athlete and intelligence agent. Being named the father of Latvian football for introducing the sport to the country. And …

Jūrmala is Latvia’s premier resort town. Originally a series of fishing villages by the sea just a short distance from Rīga, it transformed from a 19th-century Baltic spa destination to the Soviet Union’s most exclusive holiday retreat. It is still a wonderful place to relax. Join me as we explore Jūrmala's past and present. Thanks for listening!…

Sir Isaiah Berlin was one of the 20th century’s most influential British philosophers and political theorists. He was born in 1909 in Rīga, Latvia, and his childhood had a lasting influence on his life and academic work. We explore Sir Isaiah’s connections to Rīga with some interesting, relatively unknown stories. Thanks for listening!…

Rīga has the highest concentration of art nouveau buildings in the world, with around 800 buildings constructed primarily between 1904-1914 during an economic boom under the British Mayor of Rīga, George Armitstead. They have survived two world wars and the Soviet occupation. Join me as we explore the history of these remarkable buildings and their…

Nestled in the heart of Latvia’s Gauja National Park, the small but historically significant town of Cēsis offers a wealth of fascinating stories spanning over eight centuries. With its medieval castle ruins, cobblestone streets, and rich cultural heritage, Cēsis blends history, architecture, legends, and living traditions. Join me as we visit and …

Latvia has a rich tradition of chocolate making. A history spanning over 150 years. We will look at and taste the products of two very different chocolatiers - Laima, which was the leading chocolate maker in the Soviet Union and still is hugely popular, and Pūre, a newer entrepreneurial company from a small town in western Latvia that produces the …

Two trips to two cities - Vilnius in Lithuania and Tartu in Estonia. In Vilnius, you'll discover a city where ancient history meets bohemian creativity, where mermaids cast spells from riverbanks, and where an entire neighbourhood declared itself an independent republic. Tartu is dominated by the oldest university in the Baltics and presents a uniq…

We look at the Typology of PR and the Excellence Theory from 30 years ago, and determine if they are still important to public relations practice.By Alan Anstead

A robust qualification system has become increasingly important in the UK public relations industry. As public relations evolves from a tactical communication role to strategic management, recognised qualifications play a crucial role in building trust, enhancing careers, and elevating the profession.…

I recently produced a Bite Size pod about public diplomacy. One way this could be done effectively was to embrace digital communications. I want to present a masterclass on how to do this, courtesy of the Japanese ambassador to the UK. It is an example that all leaders could embrace, in politics and government, business or charities.…

Spring is almost here in Latvia. On the first Sunday of March, I went to the Old Town of Rīga to mark the Latvian celebration of Meteņi. This Spring awakening festival marks the transition from winter to spring, blending timeless traditions with community revelry. Meteņi has rich historical origins, and is still recognised today in contemporary cel…

The Baltic Way was the event that helped secure the three Baltic States’ independence from Russia 35 years ago. The idea was simple - a chain of people linking the three capital cities of Vilnius in Lithuania, Riga in Latvia and Tallinn in Estonia. It was a significant act of protest, striving for freedom against an oppressor. We will look at how i…

You may have seen it. You may be doing it. The trend of lowercase typing has become a significant cultural phenomenon among younger generations, particularly Gen Z. This deliberate choice to forgo capital letters in digital communication has evolved from a simple stylistic preference into a meaningful form of expression with specific connotations.…

Public diplomacy is a nation’s strategic efforts to shape international perceptions, foster mutual understanding, and advance foreign policy goals by engaging directly with foreign publics.By Alan Anstead

This post won’t improve your PR/comms. However, it has some fascinating facts that will amaze (or bore) people in your network or down the pub! It is about how time is represented in communications work.By Alan Anstead

In a polarising world, this podcast episode will cover a sensitive and difficult topic: Russians in Latvia. Since February 2022, when Russia again attacked Ukraine, the question of the allegiance of Latvian-resident Russians has been a main political topic. Latvian laws have been tightened on residency, cross-border business and travel to and from …

We look at how to create content that works with present-day search engines, both traditional and AI-powered, using Google's Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness framework.By Alan Anstead

An organisation's Tone of Voice should be friendly, clear, and to the point. Employees should be advised to “say it in the shortest way you can”, “use language real people use”, and “sound human, not corporate”. We use Network Rail's Tone of Voice guidance to illustrate good practice.By Alan Anstead

Podcasts in the UK have become a mainstream media format. We use up-to-date research to look at the reach of podcasts in the UK, benchmarks to determine how well a podcast is performing, the equipment and software needed to podcast, length of episode and format.By Alan Anstead

The Latvian animation Flow is a ground-breaking independent film that has disrupted high-profile, big-budget international productions with its visual storytelling techniques about survival, trust and collaboration. It has already won a Golden Globe and is up for two BAFTAs and two Oscars. It is a source of pride to most Latvians. Let me tell you m…

Despite the trend toward more visual communication, writing is still a necessary skill in public relations. Clarity, simplicity, and precision in writing make for inclusive and accessible communications. In a 1946 essay on Politics and the English Language, George Orwell, the author and broadcaster, outlined six elementary rules of writing. These r…

This phrase from 1911 describes a single image that could impart complex ideas, emotions or messages more effectively than a lengthy written description. It also conveys the work of Oliviero Toscani, the Italian photographer renowned for his provocative and socially charged imagery, who revolutionised advertising and visual communication through hi…

My predictions for 2025 that touch on Public Relations, communications and media. Happy New Year!By Alan Anstead

I help my PR apprentices map their employers' corporate identities using the Birkigt, Stadler, and Funck model. It is a neat way to understand strategy, reputation, and history. I explain how it works, with examples, in this episode.By Alan Anstead

Think, Feel, Do is a well-known marketing model for designing advertising content. Is it relevant to Public Relations? Yes! We will look at what this model means and use examples of its application in PR campaigns.By Alan Anstead

As professional communicators, how can we counter misinformation and disinformation? It is our ethical duty to society to counter mis- and disinformation. We look at recent case studies.By Alan Anstead

The simple answer is that they are both sensemakers, innovative and not frightened to try a new approach. We explore the marketing and communications approach of both Asda supermarket and Jaguar car manufacturer.By Alan Anstead

The mass exodus from X (Twitter) to Bluesky has been the talk of the week among UK PR and comms people. Never one to be left behind, I joined them.By Alan Anstead

We often use a ‘one size fits all’ approach in public relations work. Yet research shows there are distinct differences between the age groups. We look at the differences between Gen X, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers in terms of the types of content they engage with and their use of social media.…

What is a journalist looking for in a news story? Understanding this can help public relations practitioners craft media pitches and press releases. In 2001, Tony Harcup and Deirdre O’Neill published their seminal research on UK news values. They updated the research in 2016. We discuss the relevance of this to public relations practice.…

We look at the history of blogging and thought leadership and discuss how these two different but similar forms of communication content can be used in Public Relations.By Alan Anstead

In the 1980s, public relations academics researched that dialogue - two-way balanced communication - was the ideal. We examine this Excellence Theory through two case studies: Boaty McBoatface from 2014 and the NHS improvement consultation in 2024.By Alan Anstead

Trust in politics and politicians is low. The media story of the first 100 days of the new UK government has been dominated by freebies, gifts and money from companies and wealthy individuals. We look at the different rules on gifts that apply to officials and to MPs and Ministers.By Alan Anstead

We give each letter of the alphabet a public relations angle. With a little humour too!By Alan Anstead

Many of us have moved to using LinkedIn as our prime social media platform for work. How can you gain a good reach and engagement with your LinkedIn posts? How can you play the algorithm game? That's what we explore in this episode.By Alan Anstead

The concept of sensemaking involves collecting data and scrutinising it for trends and patterns that point to better solutions, “the hidden leadership and communication superpower”. We discuss this leadership and public relations skill.By Alan Anstead

We examine data and anecdotal evidence from the last few years to determine whether Public Relations in the UK still has a diversity and inclusion problem.By Alan Anstead

We need to communicate strategically by thinking about the purpose of the communication, then the audience, and finally the appropriate channels to use.By Alan Anstead

For the first time, OFCOM’s annual research shows that online platforms have overtaken TV channels as the most popular sources of news in the UK. We look at what changes are happening in news consumption in the UK.By Alan Anstead

I quite like my phone. But I hate using it for phone calls. It is a good device for taking photos, recording videos, and recording parts of podcasts by sticking my Shure mic in for an interview. I also use it to listen to music and podcasts. Phone calls? What a disturbance! We look at changing trends in using phones.…

Stakeholders, audiences and publics. Three terms we use in PR to describe who we are communicating with. Nowadays, they are used interchangeably. Is there a difference?By Alan Anstead

A song by the Clash in 1982. Many organisations are also considering this question regarding using the X social media platform, formerly Twitter. The amplification of far-right disinformation on the platform, seemingly endorsed by the owner of X, following recent riots in England and Northern Ireland by thugs, has brought that question to a senior …

ESG, the shorthand for Environmental, Social and Governance, is 20 years old this year. Names will come and go. ESG, as an acronym and concept, may have lost some of its original sparkle. However, the underlying ideas behind ESG remain strong.By Alan Anstead

Think about how you search for and find information online. Are you traditional and use a search engine like Google? Or are you an early adopter who goes straight to a large language model, like ChatGPT? Or maybe you will see what YouTube or TikTok produces in response to your search prompt on their platforms. Trends in how we find information are …

To slightly resurrect the media 'silly season, here is my take: how to make a dull but essential video so engaging that it goes viral. Something like the safety announcement that airlines have to play to passengers before the aircraft takes off.By Alan Anstead

Spellcheck and autocorrect can be useful if you are typing on a small screen or in a hurry. However, they tend to ‘correct’ people’s names that are not common, white British names. It’s time to correct autocorrect and improve professionalism in PR/communications by taking a bit more care when writing or pronouncing someone’s name. Their identity.…

We look at why the Lobbying Act 2014 needs to be improved to improve trust in politics and the government. We discuss the example of how the tobacco industry killed off the Tobacco and Vapes Bill through legal threats, lobbying and a charm offensive with Conservative MPs.By Alan Anstead

We take a look at crisis communications and see that relationship rebuilding is more important than maintaining reputation. We consider that the victims in a crisis need empathy. Words and actions. We also look at how to handle a mis- or disinformation crisis.By Alan Anstead

We look at sustainability communications, with three opportunities for PR/communications people.By Alan Anstead