an award-winning broadcast journalist, international media trainer and consultant, and writer
I decided I wanted to be a journalist aged 13, and I’ve now worked in the profession for more than 30 years now – so you won’t be surprised to hear that I think it’s an important part of any democratic society. But when I find that even I’m avoiding the news, you know something’s … Continue reading New year, new news?
I want to introduce you to a dynamic group of Ukrainian journalists. These (mostly very young) men and women work at Hromadske TV, and are taking on the crowded media landscape in Ukraine, to offer people who no longer trust their media organisations, something new. Hromadske is a small, independent news operation based in Kyiv. … Continue reading A cold house for the media
Here in Kyiv the media landscape is evolving. UA:First, Ukraine's relatively new public service broadcaster is slowly transforming from what used to be the state broadcaster, thanks to a project funded by the European Union. It's a vast network of radio and television stations and channels, and like all huge organisations, UA:First is finding such … Continue reading The media in Ukraine
I've been riding the Metro here to get to the training location, which is around a half-hour's drive away from the hotel. In some ways, it's the same as any rush-hour travel on public transport - hot, crowded, claustrophobic. But the beauty of the Kyiv subway makes it worthwhile. I was surprised to read that … Continue reading Subway stories – Kyiv style
So, after a gap of 10 years, I am once again in the Ukrainian capital. A lot has changed, but a lot has also stayed the same. And that tension reminds me so much of returning to Belfast in 2005/6. But let’s focus on this city for the moment. One of the first things I … Continue reading You say Kiev, I say Kyiv
A new version of Chekov’s play The Three Sisters, re-imagined during the Troubles, might cause even the most avid of theatre-goers to balk. Re-workings of The Three Sisters are nothing new. But in taking up the challenge, the Northern Ireland novelist and playwright Lucy Caldwell sets the production in the 1990s - the time of … Continue reading “Three Sisters” Norn Iron style
We have delivered workshops to Afghan women via skype again! Only this time it was from the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, and I was with my esteemed colleague Professor Sinead Morrissey. With the support of the School of English at Queen's University, and the British Council offices in both Northern Ireland and Kabul, this … Continue reading Haiku to Landai – poetry in motion
The Afghan women work on their interview questions I have just delivered a two-day workshop on interviewing skills, for 20 or so Afghan women, from my home office in Belfast! How was this possible? Through the miracles of modern science - and in particular, skype! Let me explain. It has been a long time since … Continue reading From Belfast to Kabul – with love!
Today the Independent Electoral Commission announced the final figures for the presidential election. This is after they have taken into account all of the complaints made by the different candidates. As predicted, the front-runner, Abdullah Abdullah, has not reached 50 per cent plus one. So there will be a run off between him and his … Continue reading The game is on again
So I'm back in Kabul - in 2014 - the year the wheels are supposed to come off Afghanistan. So how is it? Well, there is still no new President, there have been rocket attacks in the city, and legislation outlawing violence against women is even further away (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/04/afghanistan-law-victims-violence-women ). But the sky is blue, … Continue reading Back in the land of craggy mountains – and crazy traffic!