Top media consultants in action at Newsrewired: Mattia Peretti (top left), Lucy Kueng (top right), Isabelle Roughol (bottom left), Sameer Padania (bottom right)
Credit: Mousetrap MediaMany journalists decided to harvest all they have learned from their time in newsrooms and offer their knowledge to the wider world through consultancy work.
This means that if your newsroom is grappling with a challenge, there is most likely a media consultant out there who can provide expert guidance and advice.
Who do you turn to? Who can you trust? We went through our little black books and asked our community for recommendations.
Below is a list of consultants with considerable experience in the news industry, categorised by a broad area of expertise, some stand-out places they have worked and the top skills on offer.
Sorry if we missed you: this is not a definitive list and we welcome more suggestions to build this resource up.
Journalism and content creation (19)
Thomas Baekdal (Denmark) | Baekdal.com (current) | newsroom strategy, audience strategy, content creation, data journalism, revenue
Paolo Basonin (UK) | BusiNext Media, Iceworm Media, Wall Street Journal | video and audio content, interactive and social media, SEO, data visualisation
Sanne Breimer (The Netherlands) | Sembra Media, Thomson Reuters Foundation | solutions journalism, social media storytelling, inclusive journalism, mental health
Tamara Cherry (Canada) | CP24, CTV News Channel, CTV National, Toronto Sun | trauma-informed journalism, public relations with survivors, crime reporting
Megan Finnerty (US) | Arizona PBS, Vox, Gannett, The Arizona Republic | community outreach, community journalism, interactive storytelling
Mark Frankel (UK) | Full Fact (current), BBC News | digital transformation, online verification, social media
Andy Griffiths (UK) | Go Devon! Newsletter (current), Green Star Media | newsletters, content marketing, business development
Laura Hertzfeld (US) | WBUR, Yahoo, Online News Association | innovative storytelling, AR, VR, collaborative projects
Nick Huber (UK) | BBC News, Guardian, Thomson Reuters | content strategy, writing and editing, training
Anita Makri (UK) | SciDev.net, Association of British Science Writers, Guardian and National Geographic (freelance) | environmental, health and human rights reporting
David Mascord (UK) Bournemouth University, Southampton Solent University, Reed Business Information | media law, business journalism, training
Veena McCoole (UK) | Newsguard | thought leadership content, CEO ghostwriting, case studies
Dan Oshinsky (US) | The New Yorker, BuzzFeed | newsletters, subscription conversion
Tim Robinson (UK) National World plc | print and online publishing innovation, transformational projects, editorial training, visual storytelling
Dhruti Shah (UK) | BBC News | digital storytelling, online verification and forensic investigation, trauma-informed journalism, crisis reporting, workflow creation
Adam Tinworth (UK) | City, University of London (current) | audience engagement, SEO, social media, content strategy
Rieneke Van Santen (The Netherlands) | Deutsche Welle | film and documentaries, exiled media, press freedom
Duncan Williamson (UK) BBC News, BBC Studios | 24/7 news, investigations, broadcast journalism
Nieves Zuniga (Spain) | The World Bank Group, Council of Europe, Revista Haz | governance and anti-corruption reporting, research and policy
Management and leadership (18)
Richard Addy (UK) | Mind, BBC | audience and business impact, data and strategic insights
Rachael Akidi Okwir (Kenya) | BBC News | African media, training and capacity building, digital transformation and innovation
Fergus Bell (UK) | Associated Press, Fathm (current) | organisational strategy, tech adoption, climate journalism
Madalina Ciobanu (UK) | Sembra Media, European Journalism Centre, Journalism.co.uk | project management, independent and community media
Jeremy Clifford (UK) | Archant | career development, newsroom leadership, digital transformation, change management, business development
Espen Egil Hansen (Norway) | Fyrr (current), JP/Politiken Hus, INMA, Schibsted | change management, business transformation, team creation
Lucy Kueng (Switzerland) | NZZ Media Group (current), Reuters Institute (current) | digital transformation and disruption, culture change, tactical prioritisation
Gareth Lewis (US) | The News Movement (current), The Wall Street Journal | organisational change, team creation, strategic goal setting
Lisa MacLeod (UK) | FT Strategies (current), Tiso Blackstar, WAN-IFRA | digital consulting and management, editorial product management, reader revenue products and paywalls, digital publishing, content monetisation, subscription funnels
Mattia Peretti (UK) | ICFJ, Internews, JournalismAI/Polis, European Journalism Centre | organisational strategy, change management, learning experience design, project management
Isabelle Roughol (UK) | The New Humanitarian, Guardian, LinkedIn News | dnewsroom culture, media innovation, recruitment and retention
Ramaa Sharma (UK) | BBC News | digital transformation, changing newsrooms, board management, Web 3 and blockchain, diversity and inclusion
Daria Solovieva (US) | Icebreaker Media, etf.com, Fortune (freelance), Karma, Bloomberg | early-stage newsroom growth, recruitment and training, AI adoption
Hannah Storm (UK) | Headlines Network (current), Ethical Journalism Network, International News Safety Institute, Thomson Reuters | physical safety and mental health, empathetic leadership, crisis management
Tom Trewinnard (UK) | Fathm (current), Syli (current), Meedan | brand consulting, management, leadership development
Konrad Weber (Switzerland) | Swiss Public Radio and Television | business models, digital transformation and change projects.
Anita Zielina (Austria) | Better Leaders Lab (current), News Product Alliance, CUNY, Reynolds Journalism Institute | organisational development, newsroom strategy and culture, sustainability
Data and audiences (21)
Khalil Cassimally (Mauritius) | The Conversation (current), Fathm, News Product Alliance | user needs, project management, change management
Sarah Day Owen Wiskirchen (US) | USA TODAY, Minerva Media, Raleigh Convergence | community journalism, newsletters, events, social media
Ann Louise Deslandes (Mexico) | Center for Gender & Refugee Studies | research design, community-based research, audience research, report writing
Abigail Edge (UK) | FT Strategies (current), Fathm, Google News Lab, BBC News | audience development, new storytelling formats
Catherine Edwards (UK) | Journalism.co.uk, The Local Europe, European Journalism Centre | European news, mission driven journalism, audience growth
Brundan Haran (UK) | FT Strategies (current) | data-driven insights, business decisions, cross-functional teams and stakeholder management
Suyin Haynes (UK) | gal-dem, Time Magazine | social impact, campaigns, reporting on identity and underrepresented communities
Ellen Heinrichs (Germany) | Bonn Institute (current), Deutsche Welle, Constructive Institute | European media, audience-centred journalism, constructive journalism
Jodie Jackson (UK) | News Literacy Lab (current) | solutions journalism, mental health, media literacy
Lars Jensen (Denmark) | Berlingske Media (current), Turisme.nu, Willmore | user needs, audience development, newsroom culture
Adriana Lacy (US) | Online News Association, Facebook, Axios, Los Angeles Times, New York Times | digital audience growth, web tech and product development
Anita Li (Canada) | The Green Line (current), The Discourse, Fusion Media Network | community-driven journalism, news products, media entrepreneurialism
Emma Löfgren (Sweden) | The Local Europe, The Fix Media | Solutions journalism, audience-building, membership models, editorial branding
Glyn Mottershead (UK) | The Guardian, Southern Daily Echo, Cardiff University | data journalism and data visualisation
Liz Kelly Nelson (US) | Vox, Gannett, The Desert Sun | Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences, independent content creators, diversified revenue streams
Nic Newman (UK) | Reuters Institute (current), BBC News | digital, audience and product strategies, cross-functional team creation
Laura Oliver (UK) | Reuters Institute, openDemocracy, Conde Nast, Guardian, Journalism.co.uk | content planning, online community building, offline distribution
Corinne Podger (Australia) | BBC Media Action, Thomson Reuters Foundation, WAN-IFRA | aligning editorial and business strategies, engaging audiences, monetising solutions journalism
Stuart Rowson (UK) | BBC, BBC Children's, BBC Sport | engagement with kids and young children, brand awareness, on-demand and live-stream video
Ed Walker (UK) | Blog Preston, Reach plc | digital transformation, hyperlocal news websites, audience development
Ariel Zirulnick (US) | Southern California Public Radio, Membership Puzzle Project, News Product Alliance, LION Publishers | community journalism, audience insights, product strategies
Revenue (17)
Stéphanie Barsch (Germany) | Meta, BILD, Axel Springer | paywall implementation, cross-functional team creation, digital transformation, editorial strategy
Lucas Batt (UK) | The Bristol Cable, Arena for Journalism in Europe | memberships, community building and engagement, independent media sustainability
James Breiner (US) | Universidad de Navarra, Baltimore Business Journal, Business First of Columbus | entrepreneurial journalism, recruitment and training, launching digital newsrooms
Michael Brunt (UK) | The Times and The Sunday Times, The Economist | customer journeys, product monetisation, news subscriptions
Phil Clark (UK) | British Medical Association, UBM, AOP | business model change, audience research and data analytics, content and marketing strategy, B2B editorial training
Blair Hickman (US) | Vox, The Marshall Project, ProPublica, Solutions Journalism Network, PBS | audience-first content strategies, reader revenue development, digital fundraising programs
Alan Hunter (UK) | The Times & The Sunday Times | subscription growth, marketing strategy, audience development, data and analytics, digital storytelling, management and leadership
Stephen Jones (UK) | PA Media, The Irish Times | commercial strategy, data and analytics, digital transformation
Astrid Jørgensen (Denmark) | Politiken, Monitormedier, Bonnier, Ekstra Bladet | subscription growth, digital transformation, business models in challenged markets
David Lush (UK) | International Media Support, Insight Namibia Magazine | media development in conflict, crisis and political transition
Eliz Mizon (UK) | The Bristol Cable (current), Charitable Journalism Project | public campaigns, crowdfunding, subscription growth, local and independent news
Sameer Padania (UK) | Public Interest News Foundation, International Media Support, Journalism Funders Forum, Media4democracy | independent and public interest journalism, philanthropy and government support
Allison Rockey (US) | Vox.com, Blue State Digital | creating new editorial departments, memberships and grant-funded journalism
Alan Soon (Singapore) | Splice Media (current), Yahoo, CNBC | startup growth, monetisation
Adam Thomas (Germany) | Evenly Distributed, European Journalism Centre, Storyful | non-profit funding, pricing strategy, membership strategy, impact investment
Leonie von Elverfeldt (Kenya) | Pulse, BILD | reader revenue set-up and growth, social media marketing, partnerships and rebranding, digital subscriptions
Carla Zanoni (US) | CUNY, Ted Conferences, First Draft | monetising conferences and live events, digital communities, subscriptions and memberships
Diversity (8)
Sonya Barlow (UK) | BBC, YouTube content creator, Muck Rack | diversity equity and inclusion, learning and development programs, talent development, HR consultation
Jon Holmes (UK) Q.Digital (current), Sky Sports News, Sports Media LGBT+ (current) | LGBT+ inclusion and advocacy, sports journalism
Emily Horton (UK) | Dow Jones | diversity equity and inclusion, communications and public relations, brand affinity
Jeffrey Ingold (UK) | Netflix, Stonewall | LGBTQ+ inclusion and advocacy, hostile and crisis simulations
Luba Kassova (UK) | Cancer Research UK, BBC News | diversity equity and inclusion, audience strategy, research and writing
Shirish Kulkarni (UK) Media Cymru, Monow Media (current) | representation and inclusion, community, audience strategy, AI
Eleanor Mills (UK) | Noon (current) Women In Journalism, The Times and The Sunday Times | ageism and gender bias training, storytelling, personal branding
Nick Ransom (UK) | BBC Studios, IWC Media | neurodiversity inclusion and advocacy, documentary production
Technology (14)
Jim Albrecht (US) | Google, Samsung, AOL | product development, user experience
Martin Ashplant (UK) | PA Media (current), Future, FT Strategies | product development, content and SEO strategy, business transformation, agile and customer-centric thinking
Ariane Bernard (US) | The New York Times, Taboola, Le Parisien | subscriptions, delivery platforms and utilities, CMS and analytics products, media user experience
Ludovic Blecher (France) | Google, Nieman Foundation, Libération | news products, first-party and third-party funding strategies, impact measurement, partnerships
David Caswell (UK) | BBC News Labs | generative AI, computational and automated journalism, newsroom workflows
Madhav Chinnappa (UK) | Google, BBC | generative AI, commercial revenue, digital innovation, sustainability
Beth Colson (UK) | BJTC, Seen | new workflows, editorial change, social video production
Kevin Donnellan (UK) Spotify, Meta, Fathm, Reuters, Storyful | generative AI, social media strategy and video, project management
Joseph Hook (Spain) | PA Media, The Sunday Times | AI, product management, data analysis, local and national news, sports journalism
Christophe Israël (Switzerland) | Fathm, Bridged Media | AI integration and workflows, digital transformation, tech roles and tools
Justin Kosslyn (US) | Google, TED Conferences | cross-discipline team creation, tech strategy
Fabienne Meijer (The Netherlands) | media innovation tools and techniques, human centred design
Laurens Vreekamp (The Netherlands) | Fathm (current), Google, KRO | AI, design thinking
Andrew Webb (UK) | Connectopia (current), inews.co.uk, DMG Media, Immediate Media | tech and innovation discovery, project planning
Careers (3)
Luisa Baldini (UK) | BBC News, Channel 5 | confidence and female leadership development
Emily Drewry (US) | The Information, Forbes, Nasdaq | independent writers, personal branding, content distribution strategies
David Thomas (UK) | BBC | self-employment, managing redundancy, organisation and time management
After more networking and connection? Join us on 27 November 2024 at our digital journalism conference Newsrewired in London. Check out the full agenda and grab your ticket today
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