Working with the Media

The monarchy, the royal family and constitutional reform are regular features of news and current affairs reporting. Unfortunately a lot of the reporting serves to promote the monarchy brand, or offers little more than a superficial and rather conservative view of constitutional issues.

This is why working with the media is so important to our campaign. We seek to counter bias, to challenge the stories put into the media by the royal PR machine and to raise awareness of constitutional reform issues relevant to republicanism.

Our media work includes:

• Providing journalists with accurate information and statistics and an opposing view to the pro-monarchy stance.
• Keeping up with all breaking news stories so we are able to respond effectively and get our voice heard.
• Putting spokespeople forward for interviews and debates on TV and radio.
• Working with journalists to generate pro-republican or anti-monarchy stories.
• Using blogging site, including the Guardian's Comment is Free blog to promote our messages.
• Working with our members and supporters to help promote debate online through our Urgent Response Network.

We also work to promote Republic's events in the media. We utilise new media and online networking tools to promote Republic far and wide. And we work with our counterparts in Canada, Australia and New Zealand to generate Commonwealth-wide campaigns.

Recent Successes

Republic challenges Charles's charity over independence

Republic received widespread attention in the press and across the internet when we reported Charles's architect charity to the Charity Commission. We raised concerns about the Prince's Foundation's independence.

The Commission concluded that while they believed the charity was operating within the rules they did have concerns about the affect Charles was having on the public perception of the Prince's Foundation.

Buckingham palace 2009 annual report response

The Sunday Times reported Republic's ICM poll the day before the release of the report, showing 62% wanted royal finances to be as transparent and accountable as MPs' expenses. We were interviewed on ITN news, BBC News, Sky News, Fox News, BBC radio and various local and commercial radio stations.

Republic was also widely quoted in all the main national papers and well as by all the major news agencies. We successfully made headway in challenging palace spin about '69p per person'.

Prince Charles 2009 annual report response

Republic pre-empted the release of Charles Windsor's annual accounts with a call for the government to stop subsidising his business empire. We were interviewed and quoted extensively on Sky News, various BBC programmes, in the Independent, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, BBC website and the Australian ABC.

Graham Smith also debated the issues at length on Richard Bacon's Radio Five Live programme.

House of Commons criticises costs of running Buckingham palace

Republic was invited onto BBC Breakfast to discuss the House of Commons report that criticised the running of Buckingham palace. The report recommended that repairs should be funded by opening the Palace to the public for more than the current 63 days a year.

MPs also criticised Palace officials for providing incomplete responses to their requests for information.

Republic welcomes Evan Harris bill for succession reform

Graham Smith joined Evan Harris in BBC studios to debate the MP's bill to reform the royal line of succession. Harris wanted to allow heirs to the throne to marry Catholics and allow women equal place in the line with men.

Graham said: "We welcome this bill not because we believe the monarchy should be reformed, but because we believe the more we try to apply modern standards to this insane institution the weaker it will become."

Channel 4 Dispatches documentary exposes the princes

Republic advised the makers of the Channel 4 Dispatches programme on a number of issues, including the William Chinook story (below). The documentary raised serious allegations about potential conflicts of interest arising from Prince Andrew's role as trade ambassador.

The programme featured interviews with Republic spokeperson Graham Smith and support Ian Davidson MP.

Daily Mail story on Prince Andrew's government job

Republic's media work led to the Daily Mail questioning the cover up of a report into Prince Andrew's role as trade ambassador. Graham Smith and Ian Davidson MP were quoted extensively.

Ian Davidson claimed that the prince was embarrassed by the report's conclusions. He said: "If it had been good news for him there is no doubt he would have rushed to publish it. I presume he is hiding it because PWC says he is of little value."

Republic exposes Prince William's misuse of RAF helicopter

Thanks to Freedom of Information requests made by Republic the Mail on Sunday reported that William had misled superiors about the purpose of helicopter flights he made in early 2008, and allowed other officers to take the blame.

Graham Smith was quoted telling the Mail: "Anyone else using a flight to go to a stag party would have been severely disciplined. We would like to know why disciplinary action was not taken against Prince William."

Challenge the Oath campaign hits headlines, twice

Republic's Challenge the Oath campaign made the headlines twice in 2008. The first report revealed that a number of MPs had signed our parliamentary motion calling for an alternative oath.

A week later Republic's announcement that Louise Christian was to back a legal challenge against the oath was widely reported, including an interview with Louise on the BBC's flagship Today programme on Radio 4 and reports on the BBC website.

Royal finance reports challenged

Each year Republic challenges the spin from the palace PR machine. In 2008 we successfully ensured our alternative figure of £150,000m was quoted in a number of papers. We were also interviewed by Sky and BBC News.

After Clarence House released their report the Independent ran a headline story carrying our accusation of 'greenwashing', Charles' attempt to use spurious green credentials to deflect attention from his tax avoidance and financial management.