Seven big media hitters give their personal take on the highs and lows of 2011 in broadcasting, publishing, PR and the online world.
Lara Crumble
Writes features for women's magazines
On...The year in media
"My media review of the year? Christ. Fiddlesticks. Ummm? Okay. Let me think. There was a handsome news editor in February. Let's call him Mr Reporter. I review him at 3/5. Er? Christ. Ummm, a fairly dreamy BBC radio presenter in May. Good girth - 4/5. A TV producer in October - 2/5. Was constantly on his BlackBerry when we were in bed. Oh and some noticeably troubled freelancer last month - 0/5. He didn't have a clue. Is that what you wanted?"
Brod Newland
Editor of an influential music weekly
On...Something?
"2011: The MDMA year in review? Yar, I've had some superb MDMA this year; BELEIVE. I did notice a frickin' tail-off in supplies during festival season though."
Melanie Liars and Lemony Utter
Co-proprietors of Utter Liars PR
On...The year in PR
"What a great year. It's really been a fantastic year of fire-fighting. A superb year. Hasn't everything just been wonderful? Some PR bods (though not us) got in a spot of bother for promoting some nasty guys in Libya, Syria and Bahrain. But PR is about pushing the positives, and I'm certain that certain people will certainly learn from their mistakes. And not that many peeps got killed. We (that's Mel 'n' Lem - we're both writing this on our iPhones in the Hospital Club) would still represent 'repressive', or as we like to call them, 'improving' regimes. We'll just charge more to do it in '12. Brilliant."
Elissa Honeytrap
Reality TV star and glamour model
On...The year in celebrity
"You know its bin quite a year for me. I've bin twittering a lot about myself and the fun stuff I've bin up too. Lots of yummy reality shows and lots of great people going out drinking cocktails in the West End! I'm not so happy bout those people riting things about me that I don't want them too, but I'm shure that won't be hapening much next year. Bad journalists!"
Jeremy Fukbaskaets
Writes about the media
On...The year in journalism
"It's been a tricky year for traditional journalism. Hacking scandals, falling revenues, budgetary squeezes. Tough times. I gave a speech to a class at a public school in Berkshire last month. Over 70% of the sixth-formers wanted to become newspaper hacks. I said to them: You're all probably booked on gap years to India, right? Well I've got some advice for you. Forget journalism. When you see the beggars in Delhi - bed down with them, tear up your return ticket from STA Travel, learn Hindi, sit in that hole in the road with them, smoke appalling cigarettes, eat puri, and enjoy it. Because your standard of living will be way higher there than if you move to London and try to make it as a journo, believe you me."
Oulu Franchester-Hellcombe
Fashion blogger at 1000wrens.com and social media strategist
On...The year in new media and style
"#red #and #yellow #and #green #and #brown #and #scarlet #and #black #and #ochre #and #peach #etc #bjo # pj #flomo #flymo #groupon #howcast #pinterest #klout #instagram #instaMAN (LOL!) #maxis #taxis #minis #blinis #flaps #naps #caps #Friends #friends #Friends (the band!) #fiends #WRENS! xoxo @Oulu"
Brod Newland
On...The defensive
"My intern just came up to me to point something out. I think I misread the question you emailed over and my reply was bit too fierce. I'd like to point out that no-one at this magazine ever takes drugs. Especially not me."