Why Great Storytelling Still Wins with Maria McGeoghan

Some titles are given; others are earned. And for our latest podcast guest, Maria McGeoghan, ‘the first lady of the Manchester Evening News’ is a title that still brings a smile to her face 16 years later.

With a career spanning four decades, Maria broke the glass ceiling when she became the first female editor of the Manchester Evening News, but nothing prepares you for a life of authority like growing up with four brothers.

Like a lot of our PR in the Real World alumni, Maria started out in local newsrooms – even working with host Tony Garner along the way – before her career veered towards the MEN and then the BBC. After a variety of roles across both radio and television, Maria became Head of Leadership Communications, shaping the corporation’s messaging and upholding its values.

In this episode, she reflects on the lessons learned across each chapter and why knowing when to move on is just as important as knowing when to dig in.

If you believe in the story, fight for it: You don’t get to be the first female editor of the Manchester Evening News without a fight, and that is what Maria has always had in abundance. From her earliest days in regional newspapers, Maria always faced backlash on her reporting. It was par for the course. But she would always ask the same question: ‘Is any of it not true?’. And that question was the bedrock of her reporting, regardless of who it might upset.

Being the first woman in the room matters: Some of Maria’s proudest moments as the first female editor of the Manchester Evening News had nothing to do with front pages. They came when women across the newsroom felt able to raise the concerns, they never felt able to before. Her appointment gave women in the newsroom a voice they never knew they had, and that mattered more than any byline.

Know the organisation inside out: After a career shift into internal communications, Maria found the role demanded more than good writing. It means understanding the stakeholders, dynamics and the issues that have come up in the past. The best internal comms comes from leaders understanding what is going on with their business, but you can only make that happen if you understand it yourself.

Never let your leaders be caught off guard: In a big organisation, never assume that an announcement in one division will only matter to them. Maria spent much of her final role at the BBC making sure leaders at every level were equipped before announcements landed elsewhere in the business. Getting communications right means equipping every leader with the key points before they have to ask.

Know when it’s time to move on: Every chapter of a career, no matter how long or short, must contain genuine joy and passion. Maria lives by the ethos that when the alarm goes off in the morning and feelings of dread emerge – it is time to go.

Maria’s four decades of experience prove that the best comms careers are built on good storytelling, belief and knowing when to move on.

To hear Maria’s story in full, listen to the episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or watch it on YouTube.

Links and References

BBC North / Media City UK: https://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/

BBC 5 Live: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_five_live

BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds

BBC Bitesize: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

BBC Local Radio – Make a Difference campaign: https://www.bbc.co.uk/makeadifference

The Scott Partnership: https://www.scottpr.com/

Manchester Evening News: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/

Lancashire Evening Telegraph: https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/

Lancashire Evening Post: https://www.lep.co.uk/