This month we' ve met with Joe Hawkins, a broadcast journalist at Global. He is one of a team of 20 working predominantly on LBC News - which offers a rolling news output - and across news bulletins on other Global stations like Heart, Capital and Classic FM.
Joe is a journalist, producer of the weekday evening programme on LBC News (from from 7pm and presented by James Hanson) and host of the weekend overnight news coverage.
A typical day at LBC News
On a typical day, Joe arrives in the newsroom after lunch, ahead of an afternoon editorial meeting in which the whole team discusses the stories which have been covered so far and to decide which will be running into the evening. Once this is done, it's time to book guests, write scripts and piece audio together ahead of going live.
LBC News programmes are divided into 20-minute blocs or sweeps, featuring the four big stories of the moment plus a few other lighter ones. This structure repeats across the 24-hour output so listeners can tune in for a short period to get their news, drop off and come back later for an updated version.
Joe enjoys the variety of the job, which he's been doing for 5 months now. Presenting overnight is something he likes because the pace is slower than at other times of the week, allowing him to dive into the big stories, dedicating more time to analysis and explainers.
Getting into broadcast journalism
Joe says he fell into radio when he moved to London after completing a History and Politics degree. It all started when he walked past a music radio station in Shoreditch, in which he stayed at for two years. After that, he worked as a newsreader and, just before his current role, he was a breakfast producer and reporter at Times Radio.
What sort of guests does LBC News want
During the talk, he spoke about the guests he wants to get on the radio. It's not all about fancy titles, he says, but more about having something interesting to say about a big story. For example, when covering the rise in national insurance contributions for employers, he may prefer to interview a business owner rather than a former government advisor.
The perfect LBC News guest
What does the ideal spokesperson sound like? They have to be a good talker and bring something to the story through their experience. Ideally, they' ll have a link to the biggest news of the day, as those are the ones that keep people listening, but they can also be experts in other topics. He's very much open to pitches and speaks of a ‘buzz' whenever he finds a new excellent speaker.
Joe admits to not having a little black book, but he keeps contacts on his phone, adding labels such as ‘Trump' or ‘Nato' to their names so he can find experts quickly. He also emphasises the need to keep in touch with people through the years, giving the example of local councillors he used to speak to years ago who have gone on to become MPs.
When asked about celebrity spokespeople attached to PR campaigns, Joe explains that they can bring value and raise the profile of a story. Someone well known may perk up a listener's ears. Which is the test he sets himself when working, asking: ‘would this get my attention if I was listening while driving?' .
Radio logistics
In terms of logistics, guests joining LBC News don' t need to be in the studio and can easily connect through Zoom or FaceTime with good audio quality. Phones are used as a back-up if all else fails, and video is encouraged for those pre-recorded interviews with high-profile guests.
One of the other absolute thrills of the job is getting anything exclusive, Joe says. Being able to add ‘exclusive' to a script bumps a story up the running order and makes him look good with his bosses. It can be anything from data reports to trends observed by a well-known organisation.
Joe adds that ‘and finally' slots are probably the most natural place for PR stories, but this isn' t always the case. Any good research with a news angle or a link to a big story in the news at the time can make it to the programme.
When it comes to those lighter slots, Joe is looking for quirky stories that would make listeners turn the volume up. A recent example was research to be commissioned by the government to see if the sun can be dimmed.
In the case of National Days / Awareness Months, Joe says it's a good idea to flag them in advance so they can be put into diaries. While they may not make the top of the rundown, there's still an appetite for them.
PR stories compete with breaking news stories
We also discussed the coverage of ongoing conflicts like the wars in Ukraine in Gaza. Joe says keep submitting stories and pitching interviews. They may not lead bulletins at times, but they are still getting coverage - even with UK-based guests. He admits to having a special interest in international affairs and often likes to cover them on his weekend show.
The difference between LBC and LBC News
The relationship between LBC News and its sister station LBC is friendly as they serve the audience in different ways. The former focuses on breaking news and crossing live to events such as press conferences, while the latter is more opinionated, takes callers and includes more features.
There are, of course, rivalries with other broadcasters, with producers admitting being happy when they break news before the likes of Sky News or they see other broadcasters picking up their exclusive content.
What about digital?
The way in which people consume the news is ever changing, and Joe acknowledges the push for digital. LBC News uses X almost as a push notification service, publishing news lines along with a link to listen live.
We finished our talk on a positive note, though. Joe is optimistic and believes there will always be a place for radio, perhaps even more than TV news. He thinks that the fact that it provides intimate company for the listener and can be accessed pretty much anywhere makes it such a special medium.
