Hosted by Helen Morris, Co-CEO of Bauer’s UK Publishing business, and Simon Myciunka, CEO of Bauer’s UK Audio business, the visit was an opportunity for the Secretary of State to see Bauer’s editorial and broadcasting teams in action as well as discuss the importance of maintaining a thriving publishing sector in the UK.

With the visit taking place in the same week as World Press Freedom Day, it was an opportunity to discuss the vital role that journalists play, as well as how they can collaborate with the Government to tackle some of the issues the industry is facing, including the rise of fake news.

The Secretary of State was also able to gain some insight into how the covers for magazines including Grazia and Empire are designed, as well as meet with the teams behind Bauer Academy, the market leading training provider in the UK for Arts, Media, and Publishing apprenticeships.

Lucy Frazer said: “The media plays a vital role in safeguarding our democracy, so I was delighted to visit Bauer’s new state-of-the-art HQ and see firsthand how its dedicated team is keeping millions of people across the country informed and entertained every week. With its trusted audio news output and wide range of magazine genres, Bauer Media makes a vital contribution to media freedom.”

Helen Morris and Simon Myciunka added: “Our purpose at Bauer Media is to enrich everyday lives, by informing, entertaining, and inspiring our audiences – and we really enjoyed giving Lucy and her team a little insight this week into how we make that happen.

“We remain committed to driving innovation, as well as fostering positive change within our communities and this visit underscores the importance of partnerships between government and industry in advancing the media landscape for the benefit of all.”