Just Answer the Question

Public life would be an awful lot easier if you never had to answer questions from pesky journalists.

Or would it?

This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel look at Andy Burnham's decision to not take questions as he launched his vision for Britain, should he become the next Prime Minister.

Pumping out your message on your own terms might sound like the PR dream - but the rapidly changing nature of comms in the age of AI means if you try and bypass traditional media, your message might sink without trace.

On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, will they or won't they? Harry is due to visit the UK with Meghan and his children next week. The King had offered them a royal estate to stay at. But suddenly there's briefing and counter briefing and the whole trip is up in the air. If they do come, there are PR pitfalls for both sides at every turn.

Unlike Taylor Swift, whose PR seems pretty bulletproof. She's expected to get married this weekend - and she (and/or her PRs) are playing a blinder. Speculation and fan theory is running wild about the details and the venue. But as David and Farzana explain, there's a special kind of skill to this sort of rumour-mongering. Let's call it 'breadcrumbing'.

Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

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