The JSPrice Perception

Boris Johnson and 'European Super League' have made the headlines this week (Image: Sky News) I want to reflect on the recent dramas that dominated the headlines this week, as European football received a massive wake-up call, and the fact that the 'chumocracy' allegations drowning Westminster - something I analysed late last year - aren't leaving anytime soon. The two are linked, and equally as significant and problematic for society as a whole. Let's look at the football story first. Last Sunday, I was lucky to be one of the 4,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium to see Leicester City reach the FA Cup Final after defeating Southampton 1-0. The match was, by no means, a classic, but the experience was unforgettable as it marked a big step towards fans returning to stadiums up-and-down the country, and a big step towards the end of Covid-19 restrictions. As I settled myself down in the stadium, I checked my phone and read the 'breaking news' that Chelsea,...

Piers Morgan and Andrew Neil (Image: iNews) The concept of 'fake news' isn't new. Tabloids for instance have notoriously made up stories, or at least altered facts in part to boost its readership - in doing so, tarnishing reputations of not just the subjects of these untrue reports, but of media titles too. And when editors were desperate for anything supposedly newsworthy on their front page, they'd resort to hacking phones of innocent people in the public eye, which ultimately led to the demise of the 'News of the World' newspaper almost ten years ago. The closure of 'News of the World' seems a lifetime ago now, but I remember it vividly, completing a journalism degree at the time. But if I was doing the same degree today, I could only imagine phone hacking be a minor talking point in comparison to the how news is consumed and reported today (and in the future), which is making me fear about an industry I care deeply about. When 'fake news' o...

Clapham Common virgil (Image: Al-Jazeera) A TV programme I'm currently watching is Supernanny USA , with Jo Frost. I loved the UK version when it graced our screens back in the noughties and was delighted to hear the show was revived for across the pond. For those who don't know what it is, it's about families struggling to manage their challenging children and in need of Frost's help. But of course, the children aren't 'challenging' for the sake of being challenging. They may be retaliating to traumatic experiences, such as difficult home dynamics, parents not spending enough quality time with them, or their over-consumption of activities which they're too young to take part in. In a recent episode, a child was addicted to violent video games and his parents never realised that this led him to getting restless at night and agitated during the day when he couldn't play. This could have lasted for years without the early and appropriate guidance. Why...

Sir Keir Starmer, House of Commons (Image: The Irish Times) Election season in the UK is soon upon us. On my 30th birthday, there are Assembly elections in Wales and Scotland, while we find out whether Sadiq Khan retains his place as the Mayor of London. We also have some council elections which will give the larger parties an indication as to how they're doing locally. I'm personally pleased to see these taking place at all, as Covid-19 delayed any election that would have taken place last year, including the Mayor of London's . We're promised that they're taking place with appropriate safety measures, so let the battles commence. I don't believe these elections will reflect on the nation's mood towards the Conservatives. My gut feeling right now says that Sadiq Khan continues to be the Mayor of London, purely because he's not done too much over the past five years to put Londoners off him, and I don't see any of those who he's facing against...

Joe Biden and Mike Pence (Image: WFLA) So, the United States has a new President. In November's general election, Joe Biden stormed to victory against a disgruntled Donald Trump who will never accept that seven million more people wanted his opponent, and not him, to win that election. He made sure that the world knew how livid he was by the thought that he wasn't as popular (for the second time) in several key states. Only a couple of short weeks ago, he encouraged his supporters to express their anger for the apparent ill-nature of his defeat. And they did, by storming Capitol Hill at the time when Congress finalised the election result. It was mind-boggling and rather horrifying to watch. It brought me memories of watching the London Riots unfold almost ten years ago. Hopefully, what the world witnessed on Capitol Hill was a storm in a tea cup. The US has opened a new chapter, with 46th President Biden and 49th Vice-President Kamala Harris at the helm. I was pleased to ...

Oti Mabuse and Bill Bailey won Strictly Come Dancing 2020 (Image: The Telegraph) 2020 has been a huge test for the world. All of us had to change how we lived in order to help combat Covid-19, an illness that is remains a mystery to this day. It's easy to say that 2020 was a nightmare, but the only way for us to fondly remember 2021 (this time next year) is to ensure we do our bit to relegate the virus to insignificance. I'll look forward to the day when I can have the vaccine, for example, as we hope it reduces the rate of infection to the point where we can start travelling without wearing a face covering, attending the theatre, cinema or sports arena and see our loved ones in homes and restaurants without fear. Enough of me sounding like a government press release - every year, I award a 'Person of the Year', like TIME Magazine. This year, the magazine awarded its award to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris , who from 20th January 2021 will be the new President and Vice-Pr...

Matt Hancock and Boris Johnson (Image: Euronews) There is a phase that always makes my blood boil; "It's not what you know, it's who you know." I absolutely hate it because it is common practice in many industries, including the one I work in. When I first stepped into the public relations (PR) arena, I was often told that I'd have to know someone influential in the field in order to be considered for a foot on the ladder, or at least have a contact book full of journalists.  Even now, many organisations looking for PR professionals require future candidates to have people of influence they can have on speed dial. Many employers aren't looking for you, they're looking for your phone. It's a culture that's gotten on my nerves for years, but I appreciate that the buck starts with the people in power, which therefore other sectors echo. Up until recently, there was never an active buzzword to truly describe the scenarios I describe above. It is only ...