Shows
Cut Through!Winning Strategies, Pt 1: Earn TrustIn this series, I’m looking at five ways organisations are responding to our changed information environment and modernising their communications operations to build trust.This first episode is the Delivery Playbook.It is a strategy built on the insight that in a world of abundant content and fragmented attention trust can be built, through local, relevant, and useful experiences.It is transforming how UK Government is thinking about communicating with a sceptical public. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or ge...
2026-02-1715 min
AI SIX PodcastEp 312: Five AI and SEO RulesSend a textThe UK Government built an AI tool that saved £9 million in one year.After delivering a five-day AI and SEO executive programme in London, with guest speakers including Simon Baugh, I’m sharing the five biggest lessons that apply to anyone trying to stay visible when AI is now the middleman between you and your audience.If you care about visibility in the age of AI search, this episode is essential listening. Want to go deeper on AI? 📖 Buy AI Playbook 📩 Get my weekly...
2026-02-1606 min
Cut Through!How to build trustWhen you aren’t trusted, even your best decisions won’t cut through.This episode looks at why trust matters, why it is eroding across government, business and media, and what the evidence tells us about how trust is built.It also sets up a harder question: how do you build trust when almost every feature of today’s information environment works against you? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonbaugh.substack.com
2026-02-1013 min
Cut Through!Beyond the hype: Five practical AI actions for communications leadersThis episode looks at five practical AI actions communications leaders should focus on this year: How to understand what AI is saying about you, train an AI model, use AI for dialogue not output, scale AI tools successfully, and prepare for an AI deepfake crisis. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonbaugh.substack.com
2026-02-0318 min
Cut Through!BONUS: Why you should read Dario Amodei's article on AI alignmentDario Amodei is the CEO and founder of the AI company Anthropic. When I was in Government Communications we chose Anthropic’s Claude large language model as our AI tool of choice, partly because we felt Anthropic took AI safety and security seriously.So I was interested to read an essay Dario has just published on confronting AI safety and risks.And having done so I want to strongly recommend it to you too. It is long, and knowing that people are time poor, I thought it might be helpful to share two short excerpts in...
2026-01-2917 min
Cut Through!Why is communications so difficult today? Pt 4: AI Transformers, Rise of the MachinesIn this, the last of my series on how our media and information environment has changed, I look at AI and what it means for the future of communications.Thanks for listening to Cut Through! please subscribe for free to receive new episodes and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonbaugh.substack.com
2026-01-2722 min
Cut Through!Why is communications so difficult today? Pt 3: The age of the algorithmThe central argument of Cut Through! is that our information environment has changed more quickly than our communications practice. To catch up, we need to understand what has changed and why. In this series I have argued that our information environment has become more: Democratised, Fragmented, Abundant, Corroded, and Concentrated.Episode 3 looks at a change that was hardly noticed by social media users when it was introduced back in 2010, but which would fundamentally alter how we consume information, perhaps even how we perceive reality. This is a public episode. If you would...
2026-01-2018 min
Study Sessions: STG English RevisionNew Series! To See the World in a Grain of Sand: “Life Is Scientific” – Piggy, Progress, and the Refusal of GuiltIn this episode, we explore how Piggy’s belief that “life is scientific” reveals his faith in reason and progress, and how that belief leads him to deny responsibility for Simon’s death. By linking this quotation to Piggy’s claim that Simon “asked for it,” the episode shows how rational thinking can be used to excuse violence, and how Golding challenges modern confidence in civilisation throughout Lord of the Flies.
2026-01-1413 min
Cut Through!Why is communications so difficult today? Pt 2: The start of the scrollThe central argument of Cut Through! is that our information environment has changed more quickly than our communications practice. To catch up, we need to understand what has changed and why.Our information environment has become more democratised, fragmented, abundant, corroded and concentrated.In this episode we look at two product launches from the 2000s - Facebook and the iPhone - and the consequences for communicators today. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonbaugh.substack.com
2026-01-1316 min
Cut Through!Why is communications so difficult today? Pt 1: The Wizards of Menlo ParkWhy does communication feel so difficult today? Our information environment has changed more quickly than our communications practice. To catch up, we need to explore what has changed and why. Over the next four weeks, Cut Through! explores how communications has changed through the stories of four technological breakthroughs that reshaped our world: Google Search; the iPhone; the Facebook News Feed; and AI.This is Part 1: The Wizards of Menlo Park This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get...
2026-01-0614 min
Cut Through!A Christmas Carol for CommunicatorsChristmas isn’t Christmas until you’ve listened to at least one version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.Here is my humble contribution to the genre…and a cautionary tale for communicators. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonbaugh.substack.com
2025-12-2313 min
Institute for GovernmentThe Trump challenge: Chaos, confusion and government communicationsAccording to the Washington Post, Donald Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims during his first term as US president – and Trump 2.0 has also shown little regard for facts or evidence. Unexpected presidential announcements are made on social media or in press conferences, and Trump’s positions can appear to change overnight. Leaders of other countries, including Keir Starmer, find their own plans and statements overshadowed or knocked off course.
Despite this chaos and confusion, Trump appears authentic and able to galvanise his base while other, more conventional, political communicators struggle to get their message across.
So is Trump rewriting the rule...
2025-12-181h 01
Inside Briefing with the Institute for GovernmentThe Trump challenge: Chaos, confusion and government communicationsAccording to the Washington Post, Donald Trump made 30,573 false or misleading claims during his first term as US president – and Trump 2.0 has also shown little regard for facts or evidence. Unexpected presidential announcements are made on social media or in press conferences, and Trump’s positions can appear to change overnight. Leaders of other countries, including Keir Starmer, find their own plans and statements overshadowed or knocked off course.
Despite this chaos and confusion, Trump appears authentic and able to galvanise his base while other, more conventional, political communicators struggle to get their message across.
So is...
2025-12-161h 01
Cut Through!What should Keir Starmer learn from Trump's communication?In my final months leading UK Government Communications, people often asked me whether Keir Starmer’s communication should be more like Donald Trump’s.So what are the lessons for government and communicators from how Donald Trump deals with the media and communicates with the American public? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonbaugh.substack.com
2025-12-1610 min
Cut Through!Lessons from Agent Garbo: the Spanish chicken farmer who tricked the NazisAn important skill for any communications leader is presenting ideas with confidence. Yet most of us feel nervous when doing so. Maybe we even have a voice in our head telling us the audience is going to see through us.In this episode of Cut Through!, I explore what a Spanish chicken farmer who fooled the Nazi High Command can teach us about presenting with confidence and I explain why you should be more confident than you feel. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other...
2025-12-0914 min
Cut Through!Ten behavioural science principles every communicator should know rankedThe number one rule of great communications is: know your audience. Yet most communicators still design messages for how they wish people thought, not how they actually do.Decades of behavioural science research reveal that most human decisions are fast, emotional and unconscious - so why are so many communications campaigns still written for the slow, logical brain?Here are ten behavioural science principles every communicator should know. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonbaugh.substack...
2025-12-0219 min
Cut Through!Why you don't see reality (and what this means for communicators)We like to think of ourselves as rational beings. Being "emotional" can even be a term of abuse, but the truth is human beings do not make decisions by weighing up the pros and cons of each option. We rely on mental shortcuts known as heuristics which let us make decisions quickly but also introduce predictable biases. In a high-speed media market, the competition for attention is being won by communicators who know how to harness these dynamics. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or ge...
2025-11-2512 min
Cut Through!How prepared are you for a crisis?How prepared are you for a crisis? I have led the communications response to plane crashes, terrorist attacks, bankruptcies, riots and wars. Yet every time a crisis hits, I still get a sinking feeling in my stomach and a taste of adrenaline in my mouth. However prepared you think you are, you know that this is the moment when communication matters most and your skills are going to be tested to the limit.In this episode, I explore five steps for an off-the-shelf crisis plan. This is a public episode. If you would like...
2025-11-1816 min
Cut Through!Five bad communications strategiesIn today's episode I reveal five common communication strategy mistakes to avoid:1. The everything, everywhere, all at once strategy.2. The self-justification strategy3. The platitudinous truisms strategy4. The shooting for the moon without a rocket strategy.5. The Christmas tree strategy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonbaugh.substack.com
2025-11-1114 min
Cut Through!Seven essential skills for modern communicatorsMy new blog, Cut Through!, aims to define a new model for modern communications leadership. In other words, to identify the essential skills needed to deliver great communications today. Before I dive into the detail, I want to share some early thoughts on what we might cover. I have identified seven thematic areas that I think matter most in a world of disruption and change. In fact, the faster things change, the more important they become. I would love to have your feedback on these themes and to know what would be most...
2025-11-0611 min
Cut Through!Why I'm writing Cut Through!Hello and welcome to Cut Through! How to communicate with clarity in a noisy world.I’m Simon Baugh. I used to be the Chief Executive of UK Government Communications and now I write, speak, and advise companies on communications leadership, strategy and capability.Cut Through is a new blog and podcast for anyone who relies on communications to drive performance and build trust. It is focussed on the essential skills communicators need to thrive in a world of disruption and change.Every episode will be a written article, a podcast and a vi...
2025-11-0410 minStudy Sessions: STG English RevisionYear 9 End-of-year Exam Preparation: War, Trauma and Care in 'The Manhunt' by Simon ArmitageIn this special episode of Study Sessions, we delve into Simon Armitage’s The Manhunt, a poignant exploration of the enduring impact of war on both soldiers and their loved ones. Narrated from the perspective of a soldier’s partner, the poem unfolds as a delicate journey through physical scars and psychological wounds, revealing how trauma reverberates beyond the battlefield. Make sure this episode features in your exam revision ahead of your end-of-year English exams in June.
2025-05-2225 minStudy Sessions: STG English RevisionBaughcuts: the lingering trauma of war - Remains by Simon ArmitageIn this episode of Baughcuts, we examine the lingering trauma of war in Armitage's poem, Remains. From title to three key quotations, make sure this episode forms part of your Paper 2 revision!
2025-05-1211 min
The Book Snug PodcastS3, Chapter 12: The Joys of a Seasonal TBRSend us a textSeasonal TBRs are the topic of discussion in this chapter. We dive into the Whys, Hows and Whats of putting together a satisfying and life-enhancing To Be Read (TBR) Pile (or Pile of Possibilities, in Stephany's case) that highlights the unique characteristics of each season. Join us for some fun book talk! Books MentionedJulia: Elatsoe by Darcy Little Badger Midnight in Everwood by Maria KusniarHamnet by Maggie O'FarrellThe Murmur of Bees by Sofia SegoviaHalf a Soul by Olivia AtwaterHarry Potter series by J. K. Ro...
2025-04-3053 min
BREWS WITH BAYEp 6: bts of starting a new creative project // "do it afraid.. do it nervous.."welcome to Brews with Bay episode 6!! in this episode we're talking about what it's like to start something new: the good the bad, the struggles, the joys... all of it. i open up about my fears and insecurities around the podcast and how i'm handling that. we're also talking about knowing your why and all the lessons i'm learning as i navigate this new creative project and how to take the first steps to starting something new or something that seems scary. anyway, i'm so happy you're here! so grab your favorite drink and let's have a coffee together...
2025-04-1023 minStudy Sessions: STG English RevisionWar, Trauma and Memory: Simon Armitage's 'Remains'In this episode, we explore Simon Armitage's Remains, a poem that exposes the moral ambiguities of conflict, psychological trauma and the power of memory. This is a key poem within the AQA Power and Conflict cluster - use the episode to support your revision and enrich your understanding.
2025-03-201h 14Study Sessions: STG English RevisionFrom Conch to Chaos: Law, Order, Democracy and Dictatorship in 'Lord of the Flies'This episode of Study Sessions focuses on Lord of the Flies as part of your mock exam revision and ties in specifically with the mock paper you've been given in class. I explore themes of law, order, democracy, and dictatorship, analysing the conch shell, Jack and Roger's authoritarianism, and the dehumanisation of Simon and Piggy. Discover how fear of the beast reflects human savagery and how Golding critiques society through this allegorical masterpiece. Packed with insights to help you excel in your exams, this episode is your ultimate guide to mastering Lord of the Flies!
2025-01-2138 minStudy Sessions: STG English RevisionFrom Eden to Chaos: The Loss of Innocence in Lord of the FliesIn this episode of Study Sessions (Baughcast!), I delve into the fragile and tragic theme of innocence in William Golding's Lord of the Flies. I track the boys' transformation from playful children to embodiments of humanity's darker instincts, using key moments from the novel. Be sure to use this episode to support your homework for Week 11 in your Exam Preparation booklet!Topics discussed include:The symbolic significance of the conch shell and its destruction.Simon’s innate innocence and his tragic demise.The erosion of innocence through the boys' descent into savagery.Jack’s and Roger’s role...
2025-01-0729 minStudy Sessions: STG English RevisionThe Island, the Beast, and the Truth: Simon in 'Lord of the Flies'In this episode of Study Sessions, we explore the enigmatic character of Simon in William Golding’s 'Lord of the Flies'. Often described as the moral compass of the novel, Simon’s connection to nature, profound insight into human nature, and tragic death make him a cornerstone of Golding’s allegory.Join us as we uncover:Simon’s moral qualities and spiritual role on the island.His unique relationship with nature.The truth about the “beast” and Simon’s prophetic insights.The significance of Simon’s death and its cosmic depiction.How Simon embodies Golding’s central themes abo...
2024-11-2123 min
The College Football ExperienceMinnesota Golden Gophers 2023 Season Preview (Ep. 1335)The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 133 college football team preview series with the 2023 Minnesota Golden Gophers season preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Patty C (@PattyC831) break down every game on the Minnesota Golden Gophers 2023 season schedule and touch base on the upcoming Gophers offense, defense, special teams and how Minnesota did in the transfer portal. Is this the year that PJ Fleck and the Minnesota Golden Gophers row the boat to a Big Ten West Title and make an appearance in the Big Ten Championship game? Plus, Michael Barker aka (@CFBcampustour) hops...
2023-07-2950 min
Center Point ChurchObscure Week 5: "Simon the Sorcerer" - Pastor Jason BaughIn Acts 8, we see the early church is under attack, yet it is spreading rapidly. This week, we take a deeper look at a Samaritan magician named Simon Magnus. Simon learns a lesson about being more in awe of the miracles of God then the God of miracles.
2023-03-0535 min
KZYX Local Coronavirus Update with Dr. Drew ColfaxLocal Providers Ask Community for HelpAugusts 30, 2021--Delta variant cases are still at historically high levels here in Mendocino County, filling hospital beds and ICUs and leading to higher death rates than we've seen so far during the pandemic. Dr. Colfax signed a letter this week, along with over 60 other local healthcare providers, asking County residents to get vaccinated to stem the tide of new coronavirus cases threatening to overwhelm our hospitals and clinics.
You can read it here:
Dear Mendocino County Community,
We are a group of doctors and medical providers living and working in Mendocino County. We need your help. Like all of you...
2021-08-3158 min
Certains l'aiment à chaud ! (CLAAC)Spécial Festival de Gerardmer 2021 (Partie 2)Festival International Du Film Fantastique De Gérardmer 2021 (2/2)
La semaine dernière, on entamait un long périple à travers la sélection du Festival du Film Fantastique de Gérardmer. Vous nous avez entendus souffrir, pester, mais aussi rigoler dans ces moments de convivialités que nous aurions adorés vivre en salles. On remet une couche ! Deuxième partie de notre émission-fleuve, où nous continuons d'écumer la compétition, les films hors compète, mais aussi la fameuse Nuit Décalée, promesse de bien des frissons. Nouvelle invitée cette fois-ci, c'est Lily, du blog Lilylit, qui...
2021-02-132h 23
Academic Life in Emergency MedicineACEP E-QUAL 23: Implementing High Sensitivity TroponinDr. Simon Mahler, Dr. Deborah Diercks, and Dr. Christopher Baugh discuss how to implement the use of high sensitivity troponin in your clinical setting on this featured ACEP E-QUAL podcast.
Host: Dr. Jason Woods; Podcast Sound Engineer: Kellen Vu
www.acep.org/equal
2019-07-1723 min
Editorial Intelligence PodcastsBehaviour Change: The Environmental Elephant In The RoomSession Partner: Heathrow
Co-Chairs: John Smythe, Engage for Change and Caroline Daniel, FT Weekend
Panel: Simon Baugh, Heathrow
Professor Lorraine Gamman, Design Against Crime Research Centre
Ed Gillespie, Futerra Sustainability Communications
Mitch Besser, mothers2mothers
2012-03-201h 00