June 2016

More Centre for Business Research podcast blogs, and hitting the nationals too.

More Cambridge Service Alliance website podcasts.

More WPP films and events – really progressive work. Scripting the India film was fun.

More PGDE University of Cambridge, video podcast information sessions.

More www.parliamentaryradio.com podcasts and celebrations of women and the vote – and a New Dawn art installation over St Stephen's entrance. Our documentaries are now deposited with the History of Parliament Trust.

I look forward to chairing the Judge Business School panel with Darrin, Shaun and Anna soon.

Congratulations to all the teams I work with, and thanks to Simon, Stephanie, Rachel; Andy, Angela; David, Igor, & Tuhin; Katharine, Dave and Ben. Special congratulations to Melanie Unwin, Deputy Curator, House of Commons, for steering New Dawn to a safe home, and our reporting team, Jackie, Deborah and Linda.

Boni's film, A Dream for Sizewell, first shown on Anglia TV in 2010, is to be shown again at the Sizewell Summer Show, where artist Maggie Hambling has her studio. The exhibition runs from Saturday 23rd July to Sunday 14th August. A whole host of artists are displaying their work, do go.

All my gratitude to our web manager Adrian Wright for his creative energy and professionalism.

January 2016

2016 and the New Year production schedule

Podcasting has really come of age in 2016. Story and telling a story crisply and well is what www.bonisonesproductions.com specialises in. Our award winning team would be happy to help you with your regular commissions. Just email us bonisones@gmail.com.

We are a tried and tested and successful brand working with global leaders and on public policy issues of concern. Our work is contemporary, sharp, and smart. Broadcast is so much fun, but it is the team that delivers the result.

Good luck with your work. We wish you well. Again thanks to Ade, our web manager, who keeps us across the latest web trends, Ade is a very smart guy!

Boni Sones OBE

November 2015

Our IAWRT Arrives

Thanks to the team at IAWRT (International Association of Women in Radio and TV) for posting our award to us from India. Thanks to Ade, our web manager, an invaluable member of our team.

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CBR Blogs: You can read my Blog and podcast on Women in Politics and Women in Business just posted.

Technological change forms the basis of my podcasts and articles this month in Cambridge

CBR media article: Technology and the Future.

CBR media article: Technology and the Future.

CSA podcasts at Cambridge Service Week 2015 - Harnessing Technology.

CSA podcasts: Animal Health and feeding the World.

October 2015

We have won an 'Honour' at an International Awards Ceremony

It seems persistence pays off. After eight years of broadcasting www.parliamentaryradio.com has won an 'Honour' at the International Awards Ceremony for Women in Radio and Television.

Our Honour was for our two part documentary web broadcasts in March 2015 on the 10 Labour Women MPs leaving Westminster after 200 years of service. Thanks go to Jackie, Deborah and Linda for doing the interviews with me for the History of Parliament Trust and to Dr Paul Seaward its Director for encouraging us to do it. Thanks to Frieda Werden of Wings Radio in Canada, who nominated us.

The International Association of Women in Radio & Television

IAWRT 2015 International Awards

WINNERS

TV Documentary: Farzana Boby, Bangladesh, The Poison Thorn (Bishkanta)

Radio: Alexandra Christine Hall, Clandestine Abortion in Chile, WINGS

Web audio: Diana Wanyonyi, Kenya, Save our Queens Campaign, Baraka FM.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

TV: Kristine Ramm, Norway, Feminists of the 70s, NRK; Adele Tulli, United Kingdom, Rebel Menopause.

Radio: Karena Wynn-Moylan, Australia, Memories of Sarajevo: singing a new song, Bay FM, 99.9; Mindy Ran, the Netherlands, Women on the Frontlines 2015, US-based Pacifica Radio Network.

Web audio: Boni Sones, Throwing in the Towel: how Labour Women MPs fought to change Westminster Politics,The women's parliamentary radio website.

More documentary making in Cambridge covering the BRICS

What a busy month. Web podcasts and documentaries in radio and Video on the Chinese economy, the growth of India, and new technology for the CBR, CSA, and WPP. Quite a lot to handle, but it means www.bonisonesproductions.com is up to the minute with what is making the news across the globe in the UK and the BRICS. Really interesting content well put together with the teams I work with. I really enjoy this work and the people I work with. Thanks to them.

September 2015

The Internet of Things a new publication from the CBR University of Cambridge

Thanks to Simon Deakin, Director of the Centre for Business Research, for including me in the work on his newly published paper on the "Internet of Things!" You can read it here. New laws are needed to facilitate the further expansion of the IoT.

August 2015

Praise indeed!

"I think you've managed an amazing feat to get all these together and compiled in a short time considering the level of people involved!"

Many thanks,

Angela", Cambridge Service Alliance

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Good quality broadcast content needs teams!

It is good to work as part of a global team of business reporters and get positive feedback on the events: "Always great to work with you. Have a lovely weekend. Regards, Margui", WPP The Store.

June 2015

Looking Glass Documentary is up and running - do listen!

My thanks go to Adrian Wright of Treefrog Web Design for his superb design and layout of my Looking Glass documentary on the 2015 General Election in Cambridge.

Adrian's team spirit and creativity leads me to better things and this particular work was a marathon to complete. It is dedicated to two Cambridge friends and to the precious democratic processes themselves, and all those who work to ensure the day of the vote and the night of the Count at the Guildhall goes so well. Do read and listen to our audio interviews, which capture a moment in time and history from the transition from paper systems to Twitter and Facebook. My book will be published in the autumn and we will have a launch event then too.

Thanks to all those we interviewed particularly my colleagues at the Cambridge Evening News and in the Press Gallery itself and, without doubt the Cambridge City Council staff and all six candidates across party. I had the time of my life producing it!

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Andy gets a new job!

Congratulations to Andy for his new position as Director of the IFM. Well deserved for Andy and his team. They are really good to work with.

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WPP Videos

If you want to see how a web Session broadcast should be managed, watch this. Again it is great to be part of this creative team, if only from the side lines! Creativity at its best is motivating. Well done Tuhin.

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www.parliamentaryradio.com

Thanks to all those new MPs, from all sides of the political divide, the SNP too, for their interviews for www.parliamentaryradio.com on their Maiden Speeches and PMQs. Do listen. Ann Treneman of the Times is a great listen. You will learn so much. I still am!

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In Conversation with a Cambridge artist and a Gallery owner deep in the Fens

Helen Taylor of the Over Gallery in Cambridgeshire "In Conversation" with Cambridge artist Julia Ball during her recent exhibition there. "Wow, roll on the wet days". Do listen.

or download the MP3 file (file size: 22.5MB)

May 2015

Through the Looking Glass the May 2015 General Election in Cambridge

Phew. What an incredible two months. Watch this space for our historic "Through the Looking Glass" documentary of the May 2015 General Election from Cambridge and its parties and candidates. And thanks to the History of Parliament Trust for its support and this appreciative testimonial:

"Dear Boni,

I thought I would drop you a line, having seen Boni's excellent note about the interviews she has managed to obtain covering the election and the election campaign in Cambridge. As the organisation compiling a history of parliamentary and electoral politics in the United Kingdom from the middle ages to the (near) present day, we've been keen to see Boni's project flourish as it's something we would like to see being done more broadly across the country. We'll be holding on to Boni's recordings to add to our own archive of material on politics and elections, and hope to use it eventually as the fundamental basis of our work. I'm delighted that thanks to those who helped and cooperated they are so full a record of an exciting election, and perhaps may form a basis for other projects that we could get going across the country.

With best wishes

Dr Paul Seaward", Director History of Parliament Trust.

April 2015

"Through the Looking Glass"

If you want to contribute to my new audio podcast documentary on how a General Election is organised at the grass roots level then do email me. I have been recording interviews at various Cambridge Hustings meetings, talking to the City Council who organises the voting and candidates lists and turning up to speak to the party workers canvassing on the ground. It is not all about the Leader's Debates; after all it is the foot soldiers and the blitzing of wards that gets the votes out on the day and into the polling booths. These practices may soon be a thing of the past, as online canvassing takes on greater importance, and Cambridge, said to be a three way marginal, is an interesting Constituency to cover. The History of Parliament Trust and Dr Paul Seward, its Director, are supporting this work. Thanks Paul.

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Suffolk's great heroines of suffrage

Thanks to Liz Nice at the EADT for putting my Millicent Fawcett and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson article online. Strange that people don't realise that these two historic campaigning women were from Suffolk, and that they were sisters. Do tweet it and tell your friends. Thanks to the historian Elizabeth Crawford too.

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Big Data and Business Models

Professor Andy Neely, Cambridge Service Alliance, published his new research on Big Data and Business Models in the Telegraph. Do listen to his podcast too on the Alliance website. This work is ahead of the curve.

30 March 2015

Throwing in the Towel

Read today's Guardian for Boni's article on the Ten Labour Women MPs standing down after serving a remarkable 200 years in Westminster.

Go to www.parliamentaryradio.com page for our new two part documentary which charts their high and low points in British Politics and their significant achievements for all of us.

March 2015

Cambridge Assessment

Thanks to the team at Cambridge Assessment for including me in their innovative Cambridge Maths Project. Watch our interview with the VC

CfEL

CfEL really are an enterprising business team. I have enjoyed interviewing their entrepreneurs and business leaders on Youtube:

CfEL and A View from the Top of Enterprise
How can the Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship help the entrepreneur?
Transforming you and your enterprise

CBR University of Cambridge

Do listen to our workshop podcasts Law and Finance in Rising Powers - this is a hot topic at the moment.

February 2015

Congratulations to David Roth CEO The Store, WPP EMEA and Asia and Tuhin Dasgupta, for their correspondent style videos created specifically for the launch of the BrandZ Top 100 Chinese Brands for 2015. What a privilege to work with this team, script and develop these documentary videos with them. David's presentation stands out and these films have polish. Thanks for the credit too. Story telling is important to me.

Tencent is the brand new No 1 in the BrandZ Top 100 Chinese Brands for 2015

The Alibaba Story. No 2 in the BrandZ Top 100 Chinese Brands for 2015

Credits: BrandZ 2015/Tuhin Dasgupta

January 2015

Do read my Fawcett blog and listen to the new Doc!

"Dear Boni,

Happy to let you know your blog and podcast are now live on the website.

We will promote them on social media today. All the best, Polly Trenow", Senior Policy and Campaigns Officer, The Fawcett Society

December 2014

Watch this space for the January 2015 launch of the new WPP BrandZTop 100 Most Valuable Chinese Brands

The growth of these brands is incredible even for China today

You can listen to the Cambridge Service Alliance The Future of Services in a Digital Age podcasts here from their October 2014 Conference. It is stimulating to be part of such a global connected forward thinking team and their work.

The Centre for Business Research, the University of Cambridge, continues its important work on The Internet of Things. What are the benefits to society of Machine2Machine communication, and how do you protect an individuals privacy and personal data? Watch out for our future report.

October 2014

Two Forgotten Sisters from Suffolk and women's modern political progress today

Two Suffolk women have often been forgotten when the story of women's power struggle for the vote is told. While film and documentary makers have chartered the story of other suffragette leaders they have overlooked the importance of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Millicent Fawcett who lived in Aldeburgh and whose uncle owned the Garrett Anderson Steam Engine works in neighbouring Leiston. These two sisters have an inspiring story to tell, and their influence on women's rights in all areas of our lives including education and health care still resonate today. While the blue plaques in London and Aldeburgh commemorate their achievements, the story of how industrialisation stimulated their ambitions and concerns is often neglected. Here Boni Sones, who grew up in Sizewell retells the story of Suffolk's Two Forgotten Sisters and why it still impacts on women's rights in a Globalised World today.

Thanks to the Long Shop Museum Leiston, EGA for Women Museum, UNISON, London and historian Elizabeth Crawford.

Music copyright belongs to: Leonard Bernstein, Britten four seas, Dawn. Thanks go to them.

September 2014

WPP BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands

Congratulations go to David Roth, CEO, The Store WPP, EMEA and Asia, for the launch of his teams' WPP BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands. It was a pleasure to help script these videos and work alongside such a gifted production team. It was also fun. Do take a look. Together these short videos tell an impressive story of India's economic and social progress.

CBR in the News again

The work of the Centre for Business Research get's a good mention on the Social Europe Journal website. Intelligent public policy analysis needs a platform for debate, and it's good to see issues well explored and explained in full! Not every story can be told in a Tweet.

The LSE Archive opens

The Boni Sones and Associates Archive opens at the London School of Economics with our 350 audio interviews and documentaries with women MPs across party. Thanks to all who helped over the seven years of broadcasting through the Web, you all get a mention in my new book. Thanks also go to the team at the LSE who made the Archiving a reality. We are proud to be sitting beside their new Women's Library. See our WPRadio Page for more.

June 2014

Boni joins The Centre for Business Research Team, Cambridge University

Thanks to Simon Deakin for my new title of Policy Associate, the Centre for Business Research Cambridge University. Read more »

Congratulations to the team at WPP the Store

Many congratulations to David Roth and his team at WPP the Store - WPP EMEA and Asia for their successful launch of the 2014 Brandz Top 100. I enjoyed scripting and helping to produce their Google Film - now the No1 Brand in the World. What a creative buzz to work with people like this. Thanks for including me again!

Andy's Podcasts go national

Well done to Professor Andy Neely, Director the Cambridge Service Alliance for his national media mentions from our podcast work together. Listen to Andy's podcasts here »

April 2014

Commendations

"Dear Boni,

Thanks for sending me a copy of your new book 'When There's a Woman in the Room', and for your kind note. It is, as you know, a subject I am deeply interested in, and I wanted to offer my best wishes for your success with the book, and for all your future endeavours.

- Rt Hon Andrew Lansley, CBE", MP Leader of the House of Commons

House of Commons mention March 13 2014

Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 13 March 2014, c407)

Penny Mordaunt (Portsmouth North, Conservative)

"Will the Minister join me, and I am sure many hon. Members in this House, in congratulating Boni Sones OBE on her achievements in founding and running Women's Parliamentary Radio? Her work will be archived at the London School of Economics and has led to the book 'When There's a Woman in the Room'. Does the Minister agree that Boni Sones deserves this House's sincere thanks for encouraging women to participate in public life in the UK and overseas?"

Helen Grant (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Maidstone and The Weald, Conservative)

"I am very happy to endorse and agree with everything that my hon. Friend has said. Boni Sones is a fantastic role model in her own right and has done considerable amounts for the representation of women in Parliament."

11 March 2014

When There's a Woman in the Room - Women MPs Shaping Public Policy is published this week

'When There's a Woman in the Room - Women MPs Shaping Public Policy' by Boni Sones is published this week. It has been a really rewarding seven years of broadcasting with www.parliamentaryradio.com and previously www.wpradio.co.uk across party with men and women MPs on issues of concern to women and families. Our 350 audio interviews can now be read about together with an MP "Hot Quote" beside each report in this new book. There are international interviews too with women parliamentarians in Europe, Africa and Asia.

I have looked at: Childcare and Parenting; Women's Representation in public life; Equal pay and low pay; Women in the Boardrooms; Violence against women, DV, Stalking, Prostitution, Forced Marriage, FGM; Women in Government and the Shadow Cabinets; The men supporting women; Campaigning women of the past; International issues and parliaments; Campaigning in the Constituency; Speaking in the Chamber and Westminster Hall; Campaigning in Parliamentary Groups; Web links, blogs, and press articles.

Do email me for a copy: bonisones@gmail.com.

Here are some testimonials hot off the press:

"Boni, things will happen because of your Parliamentary Radio for Women. People will never know how much it has done to influence the debate. You may not be able to quantify that influence but others will be influenced by it." - Lesley Abdela MBE, Shevolution and Britain's gender post conflict specialist.

"Boni, your book is such a fascinating read, and one which I will be referring to on a regular basis." - Caroline Adams, Women's PLP.

February 2014

 
"Boni the video of our Archive work is now live on our site. Thanks to you and Melvyn. - Jennifer Hendry, CAssessment

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"Thanks to bonisonesproductions.com

Just to let you know the video has now been signed off. We are all very happy with it, so no changes needed. Thanks for your work. - Joanne Griffiths, Manager, Event and Membership Programmes, IfM

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"Dear Boni,

You have been an absolute inspiration to so many of us and should feel very proud of your achievements with www.parliamentaryradio.com!

Do keep in touch - I'm sure we will continue to bump into each other.

All very best,

Jackie Ashley"

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"Dear Boni,

Thank you for this lovely email Boni. It's been an honour to even be involved with wpradio and now www.parliamentaryradio.com for the last seven years.

Hope you're having a good week.

Anastasia De Waal"

6 January 2014

 
"Boni I just wanted to text to say thank you very much for the poem book. The poems are brilliant. Thank you so much for including us, we will treasure them and hopefully read them to our kids.

Ed and Kate."

December 2013

UK Innovation Research Centre the concluding Summit

Thanks to the UK Innovation Research Centre for its five years of Summits and Conferences. Listen to their podcasts here.

and to Professor Alan Hughes the Director of the Centre. "Dear Boni, Thanks for your kind email. The series of podcasts you have produced have been extremely valuable to us and will be an important part of our archived outputs.

Autumn 2013

Growing biotech business with the CfEL - a successful October 2013 conference for all!

What does it take to be a bioentrepreneur? Do listen to these incredibly informative podcasts with leading women in the industry. As a line-up it really stands out. Thanks to the CfEL for asking me to work with them on this.

The Cambridge Service Alliance gets so far ahead!

Why service innovation and ecosystems matter - do listen to these important research reports from the Cambridge Service Alliance and to their audio podcasts of their recent conferences. It is so far ahead of the others.

Cambridge Assessment new video with Sibson Images

Preserving a history for future generations! It was good to collaborate with Sibson Images on this new Cambridge Assessment video - it really does "inform, educate and entertain"! Thanks Jen for thinking up the concept for us to record.

Congrats to Vicky for the publication of Prisonomics - and thanks for the thanks!

The CBR - Centre for Business Research Blog website

The CBR Blog has some vintage podcasts and blogs - it's good to see theory now becoming accepted wisdoms in public policy making.

Congratulations to David Roth and his team at WPP The Store

Do read and listen to the podcast series on The History of Retail in 100 Objects - it was fun to script the 100 audio podcasts for David! What a super achievement for all his team and associates. It's amazing to see the impossible becoming possible!

The History of retail in 100 objects (pdf)
The History of retail in 100 objects website
The History of retail in 100 objects on iTunes

Latest Testimonials 2013

Boni is now a Wiki Editor.

And an Amazon Author.

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New Reviews Boni as Amazon Author

"Dear Boni,

Just picked up your book - many thanks for sending it, and congratulations on completing it and getting it out. It's a good read and a great stimulus to us - our own oral history project is now under way and will eventually be a complement to yours.

Best wishes - Dr Paul Seaward" - Director, History of Parliament Society

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5.0 out of 5 stars Really the only book of its kind - 14 Jun 2013

By Anastasua de Waal

Format: Hardcover

Women in Parliament is a fascinating read for a number of reasons, not least because there really has been no other comparable account of the significant gender shift in Parliament over the last two decades. Considering the way in which the number of women MPs increased in the 90s, to understand politics today requires understanding the ground-breaking shift during that period. The book is also very readable with a keen attention to detail on many of the quirks and foibles the new female MPs faced - making it often amusing, and sometimes quite shocking. The fact that the book has been produced by a journalist working with two academics comes through clearly, in the sense that it forensically charts the history and legacy of women in parliament on the one hand, whilst giving a very human and engaging face to their stories on the other. Thoroughly recommend it - and would hope for an updated edition, charting latest changes...

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Congratulations to the new Centre for Business Research Blog Website.

Look out for the launch of WPP The Store's "History of Retail in 100 Objects" - it was fun to script.

"Boni, You turned something quite research-intensive into something really tangible and interesting. I think it worked brilliantly as a programme and will publish it in that format as soon as I can.

Jen" - Cambridge Assessment

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"Dear Boni,

I was sent the edited podcast a few weeks ago for review. I just wanted to let you know that I think you did a very good job. It was a pleasure working with you.

Best regards, Walter - Professor Walter Kuemmerle, Boston, USA

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"Dear Boni,

I'm not sure what it was but you managed to put me immediately at ease and, from my perspective, brought out the best in my research and passion for the subject through your questioning for the Cambridge Assessment podcast series. I think that is the hallmark of an exceptional interviewer. Thank you so much.

With warm wishes,

Dr Talia Isaacs - Bristol University

China's Top 50 Brands 2013

 
My congratulations go to David Roth, CEO The Store WPP, and his team for their films on China's Top 50 Brands. It was fun to script them, and the production values are high. An ambitious project that does 'inform' and 'entertain'! Do look and listen »

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Thanks to Vicky Pryce for her acknowledgement in her new book 'Greekonomics'... it was great to be part of the editorial team!
You can buy a copy here »

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Listen to my latest business podcasts (Audio files) »

The CfEL podcast series »

Listen to my latest education podcasts (Audio files) »