Martinson’s work at The Guardian and City University centers on three pillars:
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We’ve followed Jane Martinson’s work across three decades, observing her evolution from a Cambridge-educated English graduate to one of the UK’s most respected voices on media, finance, and gender equality. Her career began at the South Wales Echo before she joined the Financial Times in 1993, where she covered Wall Street during the dot-com boom. By 1999, she transitioned to The Guardian as US business editor, reporting on pivotal moments like the Enron scandal and early internet economy shifts.
In 2008, Martinson became The Guardian’s media editor, spearheading coverage of the Leveson Inquiry and digital transformation in publishing. Her 2010 appointment as women’s editor marked a turning point, blending financial rigor with feminist analysis. Today, as Marjorie Deane Professor of Financial Journalism at City, University of London, she bridges academia and practice while maintaining her Guardian column.
This 2018 investigation dissected Facebook’s algorithmic dominance following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Martinson combined interviews with whistleblowers, analysis of EU regulatory proposals, and historical parallels to traditional media monopolies. Her critique of Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony to Congress highlighted how tech giants evade accountability through technical jargon and lobbying. The article became a reference point for policymakers debating the Digital Markets Act, cited in three parliamentary committee reports on platform regulation[1][3].
Published ahead of International Women’s Day 2018, this piece merged Martinson’s dual expertise in media and gender equity. She revealed that only 29% of UK TV news experts were women, using Ofcom data and anonymous testimonies from female journalists about systemic harassment. The article pressured major broadcasters to adopt gender quotas for on-air contributors, leading to ITV’s 2020 parity pledge. Martinson’s inclusion of solutions – like blind audition processes – distinguished it from typical exposés[2][5].
This profile of the BBC China editor’s resignation over pay disparity became a landmark case study in workplace equality. Martinson traced Gracie’s legal strategy, interviewed employment lawyers about gender pay litigation trends, and analyzed BBC salary disclosures. The article’s impact extended beyond journalism: 1,800 women cited it when launching equal pay claims against UK universities in 2019. Martinson’s follow-up pieces documented how Gracie’s campaign reduced the BBC’s median gender pay gap from 10.7% to 5.9% within two years[4][5].
Martinson consistently examines how ownership structures influence editorial independence. A 2024 pitch should focus on emerging trends like pension fund investments in local news or the ethical implications of AI-generated content. For example, her 2018 analysis of the Daily Telegraph-HSBC scandal demonstrated how she connects financial arrangements to reporting biases. Successful pitches will offer access to board members or leaked internal memos showing conflicts between profit motives and journalistic integrity[9].
She prioritizes stories revealing how economic policies disproportionately affect marginalized groups. When the Bank of England raised interest rates in 2023, Martinson highlighted its impact on single-parent households rather than macroeconomic trends. Pitch data-driven studies on topics like gender disparities in fintech adoption or racial bias in mortgage approvals, particularly those with historical comparisons to pre-2008 crisis patterns[5][7].
While many journalists document workplace discrimination, Martinson seeks examples of effective interventions. Her 2021 investigation into Norway’s boardroom quota law showed a 40% increase in female-led IPOs. Ideal pitches will highlight measurable outcomes from policies like pay transparency legislation or mentorship programs in male-dominated industries like venture capital. Avoid anecdotal “inspiration porn” – she demands hard metrics and longitudinal data[3][5].
Widely considered the “Pulitzer of UK business reporting,” Martinson won for her series on pandemic-era corporate tax avoidance. The judging panel praised her use of offshore leaks databases to trace £2.3 billion in furlough fund misuse. This accolade cemented her reputation as an investigative powerhouse within financial journalism circles[5].
Her shortlisting for this ethical journalism prize recognized a decade of reporting on media accountability. The nomination specifically cited her exposé of covert lobbying by press barons during the Leveson Inquiry’s implementation phase. Though she didn’t win, the acknowledgment influenced Ofcom’s 2019 diversity guidelines for broadcast ownership[3][4].
“The financial crisis wasn’t just about numbers – it was about whose voices we valued in telling the story.”
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Media, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
