Royal Content

Things were easier when I worked for The Independent. Royal stories were, famously, not what we “did”. It meant that if a Duchess had a baby or a Prince drove a new car, it went unreported. But times, and newspapers, have changed.

This year the biggest domestic story is HM the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and — whether or not war and austerity were also on the agenda, which they are — we all desperately need something heart-warming and positive to write about. 

The dilemma for journalists and PRs alike is how much is the right amount of coverage; the amount of newsprint that is already starting to appear is daunting. And, of course, we need to be sure that the product, person or place being pitched really is a Jubilee story or just something with a sticker added or a quote tweaked to make it relevant. Or tangentially relevant.

I think the savvy approach might be to keep it sharply focused. Bear in mind, too, that all editors will be wanting lots of non-royal content for immediately after the first weekend in June, when they’ll be exhausted and in need of fresh ideas. So by all means

send me the commemorative biscuit tin, but don’t forget we’ll be sick of the sight of Union Jacks very soon…