Laura Northedge – Woman’s Hour (fiction):
- Laura Northedge covers fiction for Woman’s Hour
- What they’re looking for – if they’re well known and haven’t been on in recent years
- If the author has a really interesting back-story or if they are an amazing speaker that you
could sell them in for as that, then do mention that. - They will keep authors/author’s notes on file for two years.
- They’re interested in quirky, original subjects – things they might not know about
- Interested in new authors and new work too
- What makes them pay attention to a pitch – strong editorial top line – this would work for
W.H because ___ - Lead times – depends but more than about 4 months is too far ahead. Between 1 month and
- 3 is a good time. Two weeks is doable if it’s a great story
- They will always try and read the title if they are covering so producer needs time to read
- Keen for coffees
- Emails preferred – emails that come during the programme can get lost – so pitch in the
afternoon - Slightly different times to pithing to a newspaper etc. due to studio producing and making
the programme
Annette Wells – Woman’s Hour (non-fiction):
- Looks after Non-Fiction – autobiographies, celebs, actors, sports-people, scientists. Keen for interesting backstories if the guest isn’t that famous
- Historical content does well. women’s issues – health, feminism, family – they are open to
broad-ranging topics - Woman’s Hour have a big social presence and they like guests who can drive topical
conversation online/on socials - Are they doing more books – depends on the name, if the topic works for them etc.
- They’re keen for guests to come into the studio. With international authors, they’re keen to
speak to them when they’re in the UK on tour. - A short paragraph with five top lines/headlines/stories from the book, that will grab them
more than a long pitch. Put the dates at the top.
6-8 weeks lead time works well. Two weeks they can also make work so worth emailing if
you need to. - Keen for coffee and catalogues
- Do chase – emails get lost etc.
Alison Finch – Radio 4 Planning Team:
Works in a central planning capacity – other programmes include Front Row, Scottish book
programme taking over from Open Book (on air from November), Loose Ends, Saturday Live,
STW, Thinking Aloud, Free Thinking, The Verb, World Service
- The Media Show are now doing author interviews
- Covers fiction and non-fiction
- Alison manages the internal clash programme – they will drop authors that don’t fit into the
programme that they - News programmes – the Today prog – will sometimes poach authors and if they’re booked
onto an existing programme, they will get dropped - Another programme will give the scope and space that Today won’t
- The things that makes Alison pay attention – that the publicist listens to the programme that
they’re pitching to. Suggest the programme – be considered and suggest why your topic will
work for the programme - Radio 4 is doing fewer books these days and the slots for getting people on air are becoming
fewer. - The books programme coming from Scotland will need authors from the studio in Glasgow
Don’t pitch in 15 books over coffee unless you can show where they fit and show you’ve
thought about it - They’ll usually prioritise authors who can be I the studio
- Really likes catalogues and proofs – particularly proofs for novels
- Send proofs to the office, not Alison’s home address
- Likes seeing material as far in advance as we can send but programmes need 5-6 run-up
time. They need time to read the book and they will if they’re serious about the guest - Saturday Live guests have to be in (Cardiff)
- Loose Ends is mostly taking part in Salford so the author has to be available to do that
If you’re emailing producers individually, do cc Alison in as she can think about alternative
programmes - Happy to be chased
Alison’s role is to gate-keep for all of the programmes - Dominic Howell is producer of the new programme replacing Open Book – keen to meet
publicists and they will also be doing a book a club. This is in Glasgow. - Picture books – very difficult to do on Radio 4. Woman’s Hour in the past have used a picture
book in the past to talk about other things. Front Row will do picture books at Christmas
time - They’re really interested in diverse voices
Would need to be a decent gap between authors - Radio 4 don’t tend to cover paperback publications. The new Scottish books programme
might - It it’s a brilliant and compelling debut, do point this out – there has to be very good reason
to cover