This week I sat down with a local journalist in my hometown of Southport, and asked him about his life and career. Was this a drink-fuelled reunion? No. It was the start of an oral history project I have been working towards for a year, to preserve the experiences of the people who produced local … Continue reading Where have all the local newspapers gone?
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Faith and Revolution in the Philippines – BBC World Service Heart and Soul
If, like me, you didn’t know how big a part faith played in bringing the end of the Marcos regime in the Philippines in 1986, have a listen to the BBC World Service Heart and Soul programme Faith and Revolution in the Philippines ! It’s presented by the very talented Jay Behrouzi and produced by … Continue reading Faith and Revolution in the Philippines – BBC World Service Heart and Soul
So You Think You Can’t Cook? BBC World Service The Food Chain
If you've ever looked at a glossy photo of a beautiful dish of food - and then looked around your kitchen in despair, you might want to listen to this edition of the BBC World Service programme The Food Chain that I helped produce. Many people feel they can’t cook, or don’t know where to … Continue reading So You Think You Can’t Cook? BBC World Service The Food Chain
Digitally Preserving Armenia’s Christian Heritage – BBC Heart and Soul
I stand sweating in the heat, in the ancient Yererouk Basilica in Armenia near the border with Turkey. Around me young engineers are filming. Using 3D digital technology, they’re scanning every part of the building. When the material is put together, it will recreate the church on a screen, in full-colour and in three dimensions. … Continue reading Digitally Preserving Armenia’s Christian Heritage – BBC Heart and Soul
Southport on my mind
It’s July 29th, 2025, exactly a year since the horrific events in Southport that left three children dead and nine injured, and sparked rioting in the town and across the country. It was a time of almost unimaginable hatred and violence – both from the perpetrator and the rioters – and even a year later … Continue reading Southport on my mind
Reporting the unreportable
This summer has been memorable for all the wrong reasons. The small seaside town of Southport, where I have found myself living, was plunged into grief when a man stabbed three little girls to death at a school holiday dance party. Then, before the town had even started coming to terms with being at the … Continue reading Reporting the unreportable
Amazing Armenia!
I've just been back on the training road - spending a week in Armenia, training journalists in conflict reporting. It was one of those trips that really opened my eyes. Not only it is a while since I’ve done training – thanks to pandemic and being on contract at the BBC for a year - … Continue reading Amazing Armenia!
New year, new news?
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?
A cold house for the media
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
The media in Ukraine
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