��Caffeine and enthusiasm��: how one Lobby journalist stays on top of the news ? ��tips

��tips

MA Broadcast Journalism students hear from top politicians and journalists, survey specialists, government advisors and more during Political Headlines module.

By Eve Lacroix (Senior Communications Officer), Published Wednesday, 30^th April 2025

“I deal with a lack of sleep with caffeine and enthusiasm,” said Sam Coates, Sky News Deputy Political Editor, speaking to a cohort of MA Broadcast Journalism students at City St George’s, ��tips.

The talk came as part of the Political Headlines module, a special week of talks on campus wherein students hear firsthand from top political journalists about how they forged a career, what it’s like to break the news, and how to build a relationship of trust with politicians.

Other journalist speakers included:

Chris Mason, Political Editor at the BBC and a City St George’s alumnus, who explained how the BBC is engaging its audience across mediums
Lewis Goodall, former policy editor at BBC Newsnight and now host of the podcast The News Agents, who illustrated why newer mediums like social media and podcasting are gaining in popularity
Hugh Pym, BBC Health Editor, who spoke about specialising as a reporter, and how to protect patient confidentiality when reporting on health stories
Kate McCann, former Deputy Political Editor at Sky News and now a Times Radio presenter, who spoke about the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions
Matt Frei, Channel 4 News Europe Editor and presenter, who discussed the overlap between domestic British politics and foreign policy
Iain Dale, LBC presenter, who answered questions about producing daily programmes based on political interviews
Laura Kuenssberg, BBC Political Editor, who explained how she prepares to interview party leaders and key cabinet ministers.

Sam Coates is a Lobby journalist, which means he is a member of the select UK Parliamentary Press Gallery who are based in Parliament and have the closest access to politicians. Offering advice to City St George’s students, he said:

As journalists, we’re competing with other news organisations but also with politicians.
Don’t think about internal or external competitors, just focus on doing good work. Work on finding out new things first, and telling them well.
The little voice of doubt in the back of your mind is also the thing that will make you a good journalist as it makes you work harder. Doubt is part of the process.
Being a journalist is the best job. I don’t regret it for a second. It’s competitive. It’s a long old slog. Don’t try to climb up the ladder too quick. Learn at your pace.

The journalist-politician relationship is a tense one. Politicians feed journalists stories through official press releases or leaks. At the same time, many journalists are trying to find out what politicians are trying to conceal, or if they truly agree with their party line.

The journalists-in-training also heard from politicians, special advisers and pollsters about how government works and how political sentiment is measured. Fellow speakers included:

Sir Andrew Mitchell, former Secretary of State International Aid Department and Deputy Foreign Secretary, who spoke about the mutually beneficial relationship of Lobby journalists and senior ministers
John Woodcock, a former spin doctor and Labour MP, now a non-aligned peer in the House of Lords, who spoke about the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs)
Chris Law MP, National Party (SNP) and MP for Dundee for the past 10 years, also speaking about PMQs
Chris Hopkins, Director of Savanta, one of the biggest political polling companies, on the importance of polling and data.

The module is run by Professor Barney Jones, a political journalist whose career spans the award-winning political programme Breakfast with Frost, The Andrew Marr Show, BBC Breakfast, Newsnight and more.

The high calibre of speakers is testament to the excellent reputation of the postgraduate journalism programmes at City St George’s, which consistently rank top in the country.

��Caffeine and enthusiasm��: how one Lobby journalist stays on top of the news

An image of the panel of early-career journalists who are recent City St George’s alumni. Sun beams into horse-shoe shaped lecture room and the four journalists sit at chairs. Behind them zooming in on a big screen in Kate McCann. Standing to the right is Prof Barney Jones. Books are lined up on the first row of desks.
An image of Hugh Pym (health editor at the BBC) sitting at a chair in a horseshoe shaped room to journalism students. To one side is Prof Barney Jones, and to the other books are lined up on the desk. Behind them is a big screen with Hugh taking part in an interview.
An image of Esme Wren, Editor of Channel 4 News, sitting on a chair and speaking to students. Beside her, Prof Barney Jones stands and leans his arms against a chair. Behind them shown on a screen are various newspaper with the headlines of the day – which are around fines for water bosses covering up sewage spills, and the Online Safety Act protecting children.
An image of Sam Coates, Deputy political editor for Sky News, speaks to an audience of students sitting on blue chairs in a horseshoe shaped room. The walls behind them are light brown wood panels. A large screen shows an image of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wearing a Covid-19 mask in front of a vaccination centre. Prof Barney Jones leans against a wall in the background.