How to get on Ian King Live, a guide

It’s not only the end of an era in Germany.

Ian King Live on Sky News this morning broadcast the final edition overseen by Scott Beasley, senior producer for the last three years, who is leaving to take charge of Sophy Ridge on Sunday on the same channel.

Sky News has yet to name a successor for Beasley, who has overseen getting on for 700 editions of the programme, including a hectic spell from March to September last year when it went out twice daily.

In the meantime, a few pointers on how to get your client on the only daily programme devoted to business on mainstream television.

In the first instance, PRs are advised to email iankinglive@sky.uk – a dedicated email address that will be accessed by members of the production team – with story ideas and guest pitches.

IKL has the broadest of remits, covering business, economics and markets news, with nothing off-limits.

The team are just as keen to hear from companies in the business-to-business sector as they are from consumer-facing businesses – provided they have something newsworthy or of interest to discuss.

While interviews with the chief executives of major quoted companies are a staple of the programme, one hallmark of Beasley’s time as senior producer has been a greater willingness to cover start-ups, or businesses owned by private equity or venture capital So PRs acting for clients outside the quoted companies arena, particularly those in the tech space, should not be deterred.

With the typical daily running order carrying six or seven items, not including the daily markets report and newspaper review, that can add up to a weekly requirement of up to 42 guests outside the regular line-up of markets commentators and paper reviewers. The programme is a hungry beast.

B-roll footage is always very welcome in helping illustrate a story or better bring it to life.

But the key prerequisite is, in King’s words, “the ability to discuss a topic clearly, engagingly and, preferably, succinctly”.

You have been told.