Article from BTNews 3 OCTOBER 2022
ON THE SOAPBOX: Malcolm Ginsberg's finale (until Travel News Update) *
When I first started (in PR) someone said to me that to succeed it is a question of “What you know, who you know, and luck”. I am pleased to say that in 50 years of business I’ve had a good dose of all three. It is also true of life.
"Linda - A Grandmother's Story" telling the tale of Linda Ginsberg, very much part of BTN.
No email in those far-off times when, as an Autosport contributor, I dropped copy through the Praed Street, Paddington, letter box on a Sunday evening.
I have always had an inquisitive mind. Having broken my leg in a motor accident in 1967, and immobile, I wrote a letter to Colin Chapman, then at the peak of his power as Formula One boss with Jim Clark as his number one driver, and the Lotus Elan the sports car to own. An invite to Hethel followed. It was "luck" that the hand-written letter was even read. At the age of 28 I joined Lotus Cars, world motor racing champions, and within weeks was PR Manager.
My mentor regarding public relations was a man called Graham Arnold, Sales Director at Lotus, a brilliant raconteur and writer, with some serious shortcomings. He said to me “always respond to a phone call”, now it would be perhaps an email. Sadly many people don’t. He also demanded that I get out and circulate (now we call it "networking") and write a press release in such a way that a lazy journalist could use without any work. I always delivered cars personally and even with our sometimes unreliable automobiles never got a bad review. It would have been a personal slight against me.
Even then we were beleaguered by PR agencies offering their skills and listing their accounts. Chapman would have none of it. I was in-house and quickly learnt about the product. He called the agencies little more than a postroom for press releases. Yes, we used specialists for one-off promotions and some were very good. And when I resigned he remained friendly to the end of his life. Lotus taught me to fly, introduced me to General Aviation, and onwards to the comfort of airline cabins.
Twenty years of (mainly airline) PR and then into publishing. Print was waning, fax was a way of distributing news, and at the turn of the century the website emerged. The printed Air & Business Travel News (ABTN) became BTN.
And of course “who you know”.
I have met a huge range of people over my business life (and continue to) but one really stands out. Reg Ward, who as Chief Executive for the London Dockland Development Corporation (LDDC) created Canary Wharf and effectively London City Airport. When all sorts of dubious characters get ennobled, he did not even have three letters after his name when he passed away in 2011. But that’s politics.
As for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter I really can’t keep up and, whilst many posts are beautifully put together, time is too short to look at all of them.
When it comes to changes email made the fax redundant in the early 1980s followed by the worldwide web in 1989 and then Google in 1998 which made trudging off to the library for information, or looking up in Britannica, a forgotten chore. Dictating into the a smart phone has saved scribbling notes, and taking pics of whatever as a reminder does the same!
With aviation, security and its implications changed, even getting on an aircraft. The same for ships but (thankfully) not trains.
Business Class became de facto a form of First Class, we have Premier Economy but the back end has not really changed. High-speed rail started with the Japanese Bullet train, or “Shinkansen” introduced for the 1964 Olympics. We are still waiting in the UK. Cars are now going electric, and cruising was transformed when Crystal in 1988 introduced Harmony, a proper cruise ship from the design concept and a jump in quality. Sea trips were (and are) in my blood having been a "ten pound Pom in 1951. Hotels improved but the Grand Ladies of London are much the same in terms of service going all tech. You don’t need a room key any longer. Phones became mobile, later joined by wi-fi.
What’s left for Malcolm Ginsberg? Maybe a consultancy or two. That’s “what you know”. I’m 80 later this week. A Golden Wedding next year. Thankfully both Linda and I are in good health and looking forward to having more holidays with our children and grandchildren. And I am going to assist daughter Sharon (Ross) on a new project, a monthly called Travel News Update, which will look when it comes to air travel, hotels conference plus the BTN monthly regulars of SOAPBOX, ON TOUR, MOTORING, CRUISING and of course AND FINALLY.
It would be great to take the Elizabeth Line to London City Airport and then fly non-stop to New York, or perhaps Tel Aviv or Doha. Linda to St Helena is another on the wish list. Most other places we have been to or have no yen. Crystal, the best cruise line we’ve ever experienced, is on the way back. I hope to be invited on the inaugural. The strength is in the brand. There is hope still with British Airways. I was at the Skytrax Awards recently. The last time BA was Airline of the Year was in 2006 under Rod Eddington. Who has been in charge since then? But there is hope. The brand is strong.
Malcolm Ginsberg
PS. I don’t consider myself a plane spotter although I know a former CEO of an airline who kept a log of every flight he ever made.
Here is my list of aircraft I have flown in www.btnews.co.uk/article/19686
PPS. If you want to see my CV go to www.ginsberg.co.uk
OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum
David Segal, North London
I wish you good luck and every happiness on your retirement from BTN. Itâs fair to say that you have been a superb Editor and for so many years bringing to us so much news from all aspects of the travel world. I also wish you a very happy 80th birthday this coming Friday and I hope you have a wonderful day of celebrating together with all your family.
Katherine Bell, Heysham
Thank you Malcolm for your final piece in BTN, I shall miss reading it. My father recommended the newsletter to me some years ago and, although I do not, nor ever have, worked in the aviation industry, I feel close to it as my father worked in it for almost his entire career and air travel has always been an important and very frequent part of my life. I was interested to read about the CEO who kept a log of all his flights - so have I! Starting back in the 60's with Pan Am, my parents started this off for me and I have kept log books since then. The current number of flights I have taken stands at 1088, the last was completed just a few days ago. Not bad for someone not in the industry and an interesting record of aircraft, pilots, mileage and airlines come and gone. Happy retirement!
Alan Lathan , Frankfurt
It's been a grand journey, Malcolm, and thank you for the opportunity of participating, especially with the book. I believe our first real contact was some 40 years ago at a Flight show at Cranfield when you may been working for Rex Smith at CSE. I wish both you and Linda a very healthy retirement and many years of happy cruising. Bless you both.
John Hepworth, United Kingdom
Malcolm,thank you for keeping us appraised of events happening in the Aviation/travel Industry .Enjoy retirement but I reckon you wil be around and about.No fights on HS748/Herald/Shorts 330/Twin Otter
malcolm Ginsberg, United Kingdom
Angus. We stayed just one year, 1951, and missed The Festival of Britain. Please see corrections to aircraft listings.
Angus Williamson, London
A great pleasure to read a little more of your background in todayâs last issue of BTN. An extremely interesting and varied life you have led, and may your retirement years continue in the same vein. As an Australian I was struck that you were a â10 pound Pomâ, but you seem to have made it back to your homeland at some juncture in the intervening years. Also, I was impressed and a little jealous of your aircraft list. I am lucky to have flown âmanyâ from your list and a few others. I was surprised that the VC-10 was not included along with the Fokker marques (F-27, F-50, F-100), but not so surprised that the Dornier 328 prop or JET did not make an entry. I am also an advocate for the rail network to be more integrated into the airport system and was unhappy that HS2 was not constructed via LHR and am clearly hoping, like you, that LCY will soon have a connection with the Elizabeth Line.
Roobin Mead, Sussex
In my retirement, reading BTN has been my first enjoyable act of the week and helped me feel that I'm still a part of the wonderful travel industry. Thank you for that, Malcolm. We had the best years, old (but not as old as me!) friend.
Robert Walters, Actually in London
Having just read your history I find myself feeling I need to get out more! The industry has changed a great deal since you started In it, some good and some not so good, but the mood music suggests we are in for a very interesting decade ahead with sustainability and new innovations opening up possibilities we would not have dreamt about twenty years ago. May we wish you all the best for your future adventures with you wife and all that lies ahead, and thank you for your ear of the years. You are always welcome to stop by here at any time if passing. All the best Robert Robert Walters Commercial Director
Mike Sessions, UK
Have a great retirement Malcolm. Hope you and Linda have many more happy cruises together. Looking at your list of aircraft flown in, did you never get a ride in a Carvair? Thanks for your help over the years with PR, my most memorable memory was working with you on the withdrawal of the Viscount from commercial service and the Heathrow VIP send off. Happy days.
David Reynolds, United Kingdom
I can't believe that Malcolm missed the DC8 and VC10?
robert hardless, London
You have been a colleague and friend for over 25 years and your association with LCY has been remarkable, Brymon was also a wonderful airline. Thanks for many happy memories. Good luck to you and Linda.
David Starkie, United Kingdom
Nicely written and very interesting. I envy your flight list, although I match you on the Comet 4. Best wishes for the future.
Richard Cawthorne , UK
Well done Malcolm for steering the ship all these years. We are all happy to see BTN carry on under its new ownership and await its monthly successor with interest. Your final Soapbox is spot on and your comment on the PR fraternity very apt. We still have those who do not respond to phone calls / emails or if they do itâs way beyond deadline, and the over-reliance on Facebook, Twitter and the rest as means of communication is simply unprofessional. As for spelling and grammar, donât get me started. It can only get better - we hope.