The Power 1000 - London's most influential people 2013: Thinkfluentials, News junkies

Our appetite for news and information is insatiable in the online age, presenting huge opportunities and threats for journalists, broadcasters and publishers — and the spinners and marketers who represent big-name brands and reputations. Smart, agile thinkers are needed to cope in this communications revolution
Accused: BBC Today programme presenter John Humphrys
20 September 2013

John Humphrys
Radio 4, presenter
The doyen of Radio 4’s Today has turned 70 but is at the top of his game and was fêted for his measured, deadly grilling of the Beeb’s own director-general George Entwistle, which led to his resignation within hours. Humphrys is still the interviewer politicians fear the most. Showed his versatility with a self-effacing and charming interview with fellow septuagenarian Sir Mick Jagger to mark the Stones’ Glastonbury appearance.

Alan Rusbridger
The Guardian, editor-in-chief
★ Twitter star ★
His expensive foray into America has been vindicated with a major scoop as whistleblower Edward Snowden exposed US intelligence services’ online snooping. The Guardian still loses pots of money, so don’t be surprised if the print edition keeps shrinking as Rusbridger goes digital. Wrote book about playing the piano in his spare time — and loves to tweet about music to his 100,000 followers.

Paul Dacre
Daily Mail, editor-in-chief
After more than two decades in the chair, no national newspaper editor has more clout. When Dacre demands that internet giants must be made to tackle online porn or Second World War veterans should get medals, the Government listens — and responds. Turns 65 later this year yet retains all his relish for the job.

Viscount Rothermere
Daily Mail & General Trust, chairman
Rothermere has ensured DMGT has moved far beyond its print roots with the world’s biggest online newspaper, Mail Online, which has north of 120 million visitors a month, plus a big business information arm. Has been increasing his hold on the company by buying up voting shares from other members of his family.

James Harding
BBC, director of news
Highly regarded editor of The Times who left after five years when Rupert Murdoch made it clear he wanted him out. Now Harding has gone to work for the opposition, running the biggest newsroom in the UK. Cerebral and collegiate but with no broadcasting experience, he has to restore morale after the Jimmy Savile disaster.

Tony Gallagher
The Daily Telegraph, editor
★ Twitter star ★
Hands-on smart operator who has kept up the paper’s reputation for scoops and investigations of financial wrongdoing after the exposé of MPs’ expenses. Gallagher is a keen user of Twitter, not only tweeting the next morning’s front page but also lobbing the occasional barb at rivals.

John Witherow
The Times, editor
One of Rupert Murdoch’s most trusted lieutenants edited the Sunday Times for almost two decades before he was handed The Times editorship at the start of the year. Known for his love of investigative scoops, Witherow has been careful not to shake things up too fast as the independent directors of The Times have clashed with Murdoch about maintaining the paper’s editorial independence.

Tom Bergin
Reuters, correspondent
NEW ENTRY
This financial news reporter is the scourge of Starbucks and Google. His revelation that the coffee giant paid virtually no corporation tax in the past 15 years in Britain caused an outcry and prompted Starbucks to give an extra £10 million to the taxman. Then he put Google on the rack by probing the search giant’s London sales operation, which led to MPs calling a hearing on the issue.

David Dinsmore
The Sun, editor
NEW ENTRY
Cycling-mad Scot has been promoted internally as a clean pair of hands to restore morale at The Sun, which has been buffeted by allegations of illegal payments. Has already injected wit and panache, renaming the paper as “The Son” for the splash about the birth of the royal baby. His challenge is to make the internet paywall and reader benefits scheme Sun+ work.

Robert Peston
BBC, business editor
★ Twitter star ★
Made his name when revealing Northern Rock was going bust and he remains the man the City trusts because he knows every chairman and chief executive at the biggest FTSE firms. The former Sunday Telegraph City editor is also a prolific author and blogger and has been doing good work by leading Speakers For Schools, an initiative to get inspirational figures to speak in state schools.

Mike Darcey
News UK, chief executive
NEW ENTRY
Tough ex-Sky chief operating officer who is now running all of Rupert Murdoch’s publishing interests, with The Sun, The Times, The Sunday Times and book publisher HarperCollins all under new editorial leadership. Putting The Sun behind a paywall with Premier League football highlights and moving all the companies under one roof in the Baby Shard is keeping Darcey busy.

Fraser Nelson
The Spectator, editor
★ Twitter star ★
Gets on well with David Cameron and George Osborne but is far from a die-hard Tory loyalist and has a sceptical attitude about the pace of change under the coalition Government. Loves to use statistics and his financial news background as hard evidence to prove his point. A keen Tweeter and blogger too.

Evgeny Lebedev
Evening Standard and The Independent, proprietor
He continues to surprise and innovate, adding a new London television station to his stable of newspapers. He has presided over the remarkable turnaround of the Evening Standard from a loss-making, low-circulation newspaper to a Colossus, dominating London. Patron of the Standard’s Dispossessed campaign and fund, he galvanised London’s actors and writers to take part in Get London Reading day at Trafalgar Square in July. Also writes from troublespots around the world and this summer had advice and wisdom for Jeremy Paxman on beards.

Geordie Greig
Mail on Sunday, editor
Fondly remembered as Evening Standard editor, he moved last year to lead Britain’s second biggest-selling Sunday paper. As a former literary editor of the Sunday Times and editor of Tatler, he brings strong contacts and a track record of campaigning journalism. He also wrote a book this year, Breakfast with Lucian.

Jon Snow
Channel 4 News, presenter
The grand old man of Channel 4 News is enjoying a renaissance. Snow, a former war correspondent, is known for going on the road to anchor live from big news events and can still give an old-fashioned grilling in the studio.

Nick Robinson
BBC, political editor
★ Twitter star ★
Something of a news terrier who is respected for his fair-minded judgment despite his youth as a Tory supporter. Tipped for a presenting role at Today after the 2015 general election. Had to grovel after using Twitter to complain about a noisy cockerel outside his Suffolk holiday home.

Matthew d’Ancona
Evening Standard and Sunday Telegraph, columnist
Known for his impeccable contacts among Tory high command, d’Ancona has written a hotly anticipated book, In It Together, detailing what’s going on inside the coalition. The former Spectator editor is a prolific wordsmith who is also a novelist and keen Tweeter.

Nicholas Coleridge
Condé Nast International, president
The most dapper and witty glossy magazine boss in London has been at the helm of Condé Nast for two decades, presiding over an empire that includes Vogue, GQ, Tatler, Vanity Fair and Wired. Has been benefiting from the luxury boom that has seen the super-rich flock to the capital. Coleridge, a best-selling novelist in his spare time, is seeking out new revenues from events and contract publishing.

Sir Simon Jenkins
Evening Standard and Guardian, columnist
A former Evening Standard editor who makes City Hall take notice when he holds forth on everything from architectural blights on the London skyline to concerts in the royal parks. He is also chairman of the National Trust.

Matthew Parris
The Times, columnist
Former Tory MP who is known for his humanity and lightness of touch even as he handles everything from weighty matters of state to hill-walking in Derbyshire. “Vote ‘no’ and you will blush to remember it,” declared the gay columnist in a memorable piece ahead of the Commons’ vote on same-sex marriage. A notable opponent of statutory press regulation too.

Paul Waugh
Politics Home, editor
NEW ENTRY
★ Twitter star ★
Former Evening Standard journalist has been a multi-media dynamo, breaking scoops online and in The House magazine. Among the biggest stories was the interview with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in which he criticised payday lenders.

Adam Boulton
Sky News, presenter
The heavyweight and longest-serving of the Westminster TV media pack who is increasingly behind the desk in the studio, rather than outside No 10, but still has top contacts. Married to ex-Blairite right-hand woman Anji Hunter.

Pippa Middleton
Columnist
It says much about the state of modern journalism that Prince William’s sister-in-law is so in demand as a columnist for Vanity Fair and Waitrose Kitchen among others. Her book for Penguin about party entertaining enjoyed less than stellar sales but pert Pippa is destined to remain a tabloid favourite in perpetuity.

Nick Ferrari
LBC, presenter
The king of London morning talk radio has an everyman touch, thanks to his past as a red-top journalist. Sample discussion topic: “Should it be legal to poison foxes? I say yes, yes, yes.” Pulled off a coup by landing Call Clegg, the weekly phone-in show with deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, which has proved to be agenda-setting.

Riz Lateef
BBC London presenter
The highly-regarded presenter of BBC’s flagship London TV news programme has a wealth of knowledge about the capital, having been in post for the last two Mayoral elections. She’s a tough but fair inquisitor and sometimes appears on consumer affairs show Watchdog. Jokes on her Twitter profile that “chocolate helps”.

Jason Cowley
New Statesman, editor
NEW ENTRY
Sports fan who has livened up the Left-wing journal by making it less worthy and introducing better use of design and photography. Regular guest editors including Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei and Jemima Khan have brought added zest — along with a website that punches above its weight.

Charles Moore
The Daily Telegraph, columnist
One of the wisest writers in newspapers whose monumental biography of Margaret Thatcher was published within days of her death, after he had laboured over it for the best part of 15 years. A former editor of The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator, he has remained loyal to both titles.

Julian Assange
Wikileaks, founder
NEW ENTRY
Assange is a controversial figure who caused mayhem with his exposé of US diplomatic cables and has spent a year in the Ecuadorean embassy in London avoiding extradition to Sweden over sex allegations. Remains an influential, unpredictable figure who has built close ties with Edward Snowden, the US National Security Agency whistleblower.

Legal threat: Julian Assange said he may sue Nick Clegg
AFP PHOTO / CARL COURT

Stephanie Flanders
BBC, economics editor
With brains and beauty, Flanders is the most compelling economics broadcaster on telly. Educated at Oxford, where she was a contemporary of Ed Miliband and Ed Balls, she has worked for the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Clinton White House. She knows her stuff when she is explaining the latest news from the City on BBC1’s Ten O’Clock News.

Andrew Rawnsley
The Observer, columnist
One of the heavy hitters of Sunday newspaper journalism has been writing about the internecine struggles within Labour and the Conservatives for two decades. He was close to the Blairites and gives the impression he doesn’t much rate either the Cameroons or Milibandites. Has written a string of political books too.

Tom Bradby
ITV, political editor
NEW ENTRY
Known as much for his royal contacts as his political savvy, he is a good tip to be Prince William’s favourite news broadcaster. A top-rank journalist who manages to pen thrillers in his spare time — Shadow Dancer became an award-winning film.

Amelia Gentleman
The Guardian, journalist
A top social affairs reporter whose award-winning investigations into poverty, the welfare state and the impact of Government cuts are required reading in Downing Street — not least because her husband is Tory MP Jo Johnson, brother of Boris.

Lord Finkelstein
The Times, columnist
NEW ENTRY
★ Twitter star ★
Danny Finkelstein is one of the best-connected political commentators after a spell working as a Tory party wonk when he used to share an office with George Osborne. Has just been made a Conservative working peer but plans to keep his Times columns on politics and football.

Eddie Mair
Radio 4, presenter
NEW ENTRY
A much admired interviewer whose dry, Scottish tones are familiar to Radio 4’s listeners. It was his deadly TV grilling of Boris Johnson that capped his reputation as he described the London Mayor as “a nasty piece of work”. Mair is tipped for a bigger news role at the BBC — on radio and TV.

Ben de Pear
Channel 4 News, editor
NEW ENTRY
Long-serving, down-to-earth foreign news editor who stepped up as editor a year ago and has come up with a run of scoops — from the truth about “Plebgate”, involving MP Andrew Mitchell, to broadcasting a secret tape of Rupert Murdoch addressing Sun staff. Has left BBC2 rival Newsnight in the shade.

Jon Sopel
BBC News, presenter
NEW ENTRY
Experienced, self-effacing newsman who covered the past three US Presidential elections and is bringing that experience to bear behind the desk as an anchor for BBC World News. Has also chaired a string of Evening Standard debates.

Jeremy Paxman
Newsnight, presenter
Veteran newsman gives the impression he might like a fresh challenge after presenting the show since 1989 but has been a reassuring constant during the Jimmy Savile scandal, when Newsnight came under fire over what it got wrong (and what it failed to broadcast). Presenter of University Challenge and a noted author who is penning a book on the First World War to coincide with next year’s 100th anniversary.

Ian Katz
Newsnight, editor
NEW ENTRY
Was widely seen as the next editor of The Guardian — so he surprised many by quitting as deputy editor to take on the task of turning around Newsnight, which is in desperate need of new leadership after it made false allegations about Alistair McAlpine. Katz is well-connected (his other half, Justine Roberts, founded Mumsnet) but he has never worked in TV before and the show suffered defections before his arrival.

Martha Kearney
Radio 4, presenter
The calm, authoritative inquisitor behind The World At One who is a rare female voice in an industry still too dominated by men. Also presents BBC’s Review Show. Earned her spurs as a phone operator at LBC in her youth.

Lucy Manning
ITV, UK editor
NEW ENTRY
★ Twitter star ★
A feisty, go-getting reporter who won acclaim with her hard-hitting reporting on the Jimmy Savile scandal as she interviewed some of the victims and door-stepped the BBC’s hapless director-general George Entwistle. “Sharp as a tack” is how admirers describe her, with more than 20,000 Twitter followers.

Mishal Husain
BBC Radio 4, presenter
NEW ENTRY
★ Twitter star ★
So significant for the BBC was her appointment as the first ethnic minority presenter on Radio 4’s Today that new director-general Lord Hall personally announced it, after years of criticism that the flagship news programme lacked female voices. Husain’s family roots are in Pakistan and she was a financial news reporter for Bloomberg before joining the BBC. Has more than 100,000 Twitter followers.

Allegra Stratton
Newsnight, political editor
NEW ENTRY
One of a new generation of sparky young political reporters who is a contemporary of the latest batch of junior ministers in their early thirties. Formerly of The Guardian, she joined Newsnight just as the programme was about to be plunged into controversy but will hope she can now be part of a renaissance.

Andrew Marr
BBC, presenter
Fought back after a life-threatening stroke suffered when he overdid it on a rowing machine. The former BBC political editor and ex-Independent editor gets A-list guests from Westminster to showbusiness on his Sunday morning show. Credits his Guardian columnist wife Jackie Ashley for nursing him back to health.

Emily Maitlis
BBC, presenter
NEW ENTRY
★ Twitter star ★
The Cambridge-educated former BBC London TV presenter has developed into an assured and tough interviewer on Newsnight. Has also made insightful documentaries on Facebook and Sarkozy.

Rachel Johnson
Mail on Sunday, columnist
Boris Johnson’s irrepressible, mischievous younger sister gives a good impression of being frightfully indiscreet, but she is fiercely loyal to the Mayor and the rest of the clan. In her column she covers the comedy of life. A former editor of The Lady.

Alex Miller
Vice Media, UK editor
NEW ENTRY
Editorial boss of the UK edition of edgy New York cult magazine that has become a big online and video business, with a marketing arm attached. Rupert Murdoch has invested, putting a $1 billion-plus value on Vice.

Amol Rajan
The Independent, editor
NEW ENTRY
The first Asian-born editor of a national UK newspaper was just 29 when he landed the job this summer. Born in India, he grew up in Tooting and studied at Cambridge. Previously ran comment section Independent Voices and used to work on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff. An ardent cricket fan and author. He had a turn as a guest critic on the most recent series of BBC1’s Masterchef.

Lisa Markwell
Independent on Sunday, editor
NEW ENTRY
Experienced features executive who has injected fresh energy and attitude into the Sunday title, campaigning against abuse of women on Twitter. An enthusiastic foodie, she has kept writing restaurant reviews even after taking the top job this summer. Drives an electric car and is writing a book about adoption.

Kirsty Wark
Newsnight, presenter
NEW ENTRY
Arguably now Britain’s foremost female TV journalist, she celebrates 20 years on the current affairs show this year. Known for her direct inquisitorial style and passion for the arts, Wark is much spoofed by comediennes — a tribute to her distinctive, intelligent presenting skills.

Owen Jones
Independent, columnist
NEW ENTRY
★ Twitter star ★
A radical Left-winger with youthful passion and principles, Sheffield-born Jones is an articulate critic of both David Cameron and Ed Miliband and has a major presence on Twitter, with more than 130,000 followers. A former trade union and parliamentary researcher, his debut book, Chavs: The Demonisation of the Working Class, was well received.

Martin Ivens
Sunday Times, editor
NEW ENTRY
Long-serving deputy who took the top job at the supertanker of Sunday papers when John Witherow moved to the daily. Landed a notable scoop when his paper revealed Harry Potter author JK Rowling had written a detective novel under a pseudonym. A political animal, he is married to Evening Standard columnist Anne McElvoy.

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