2023 Fellow Dionne Boateng pens piece on Black British women in journalism
Dionne interviewed Senior Fellows Ayshah Tull and Vicky Gayle for her article which focused on their career journeys in a sector that is still overwhelmingly white.
2024 Fellow Kit Taylor has joined BBC News in Yorkshire
Kit will work across TV, radio, online and digital news as an advanced journalism apprentice. They’ll work towards their Senior Journalist NCTJ qualification.
Announcing the news, Kit said, “I’m over the moon […] if you know me, you’ll know that this is a real dream come true. I feel incredibly lucky to have this opportunity and to continue my passion for having more disabled and working class journalists in the newsroom, and to tell stories that matter to under-served audiences.”
Kit thanked their mentor, Senior Fellow Carl Hartley, and another Senior Fellow, Josie Verghese, who were supportive during the application process.
Senior Fellow Jon Brady promoted at MailOnline
Jon has been promoted to UK Senior Reporter, where he’ll cover original stories, features and exclusives and also breaking news stories. He was previously at the Daily Record.
Jon told us, “it’s been an immense privilege to lead on some of the biggest stories of the last 14 months for the MailOnline and I’m looking forward to doing so as a senior reporter – with the extra responsibility of leading a team of reporters on night shifts. There’s a fresh cohort of trainees and new-starts coming in soon – I can’t wait to help them settle into one of the best newsrooms in the country!”
Jon was previously a Fellow in 2022 but has since mentored on our student programme and helped with shortlisting and selection.
2023 Fellow Miriam Walker Khan has won a ‘ones to watch’ award at the Sports Journalism Awards
Miriam, who works for Sky sports News, won in the ‘on air’ category.
Her documentary ‘Fit For Purpose?’ on the inequalities of women’s sports kit, and her interviews with Britain’s first gold track medallist were highlighted by the judges who said, “[Miriam] demonstrated [she is a] presenter who already understands how to let their stories and interviewees shine and who connects audiences to what matters and why.”
2019 Fellow Layla Wright writes and presents BBC documentary on ‘America’s New Female Right’
Layla, now a Senior Fellow, travelled across America in this election year to report on a growing movement of young women with far-right views. The result is a documentary she wrote and presented with Mindhouse productions, under the guidance of her mentor Louis Theroux.
2023 Student Fellow James Cranford is keeping up appearances
Since graduating from Liverpool John Moore’s University this year James has pursued his passion for sports commentary and reporting, appearing on three Redmen TV (an LFC fan channel) broadcasts where he was live on youtube to a worldwide audience. James joined the England & Wales Cricket Board’s ‘Hundred Rising’ scheme, which involved him visiting Headingley cricket ground, reporting on a fixture and interviewing cricket players from the women’s team (pictured).
James has also shadowed his mentor on the Trust’s scheme, Neil Atkinson of The Anfield Wrap. James commented, “My JST year is finished but I am going to keep in touch with Neil and hopefully do some bits and bobs for him. Not got a journalism-related job yet but I am trying to aim as high and possible and get something I think I will really enjoy.”
2022 Fellow Venetia Menzies was a finalist and Highly Commended in the annual 2024 MJA Awards
The MJA Awards judges, who recognise and reward outstanding examples of health and medical journalism, said “Venetia delivers a shocking story describing the little-known side effects of the of the anti-anxiety drug, pregabalin, which has the fastest-rising death toll of any drug in the UK. An important drug for epilepsy, it is now widely prescribed for depression and for pain and despite the warnings, prescriptions continue to rise, particularly amongst the poorer populations. This powerful feature demonstrates excellent research.”
Read the Sunday Times article here
2024 Student Fellow Holly Bacon has a whirlwind few weeks reporting on the Olympics
As part of the BBC’s digital team, UCLan graduate Holly Bacon had the incredible opportunity to cover one of the world’s biggest sporting events. It was an intense, whirlwind few weeks, where she found herself navigating the fast-paced world of live-texting and streaming.
Holly’s role saw her work closely with the live-texting and streaming teams, where she was responsible for writing real-time updates, delivering key moments to audiences as they unfolded. Whether it was breaking news from the track or dramatic finishes in the pool, her job was to ensure viewers were kept informed, excited, and engaged throughout the event.
Holy has previously shared the mentoring scheme “certainly helped my confidence and navigating the freelance world.”
2023 Fellow Allegra Goodwin and CNN Team win prestigious Murrow Award for open-Source investigations
Allegra and her colleagues at CNN’s OSINT (open-source intelligence) and international investigations have been honoured with a Murrow Award for their groundbreaking work on the Israel-Gaza war. This award recognises their exceptional reporting, which provided critical insights and coverage of the conflict.
The report is here with a trigger warning for violence and war.
2013 Fellow Vincent McAviney makes Channel 4 News debut
Vincent McAviney made his debut on Channel 4 News, reporting on a critical story about the Metropolitan Police’s failings. His segment covered the findings of a damning report by HM Inspector of Constabulary, which highlighted significant issues in nearly all areas of the police force’s operations.
Vincent’s reporting sheds light on the challenges faced by one of the UK’s largest police forces, emphasising the need for reform and accountability.
Watch Vincent in action here
2023 Fellow Emma Ward premieres documentary on disability awareness
The documentary “Breaking Barriers” aims to raise awareness about the experiences of individuals living with disabilities in Ireland, particularly in County Galway. Emma hopes that everyone who attended the premiere gained valuable insights and a greater understanding of the challenges faced by those in the disability community. She is passionate about sharing this documentary with a wider audience, advocating for the changes needed to make Ireland a more inclusive and accessible place for all.
2024 Fellow Will Oelrich launches new sports show on BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire
Starting Tuesday, September 3, from 6-7 PM, Will Oelrich will reach a new audience with his sports reporting on BBC Radio Coventry and Warwickshire. His new show, Wildcard, aims to promote sports in the city and county.
In each episode, Will will visit local sports clubs, engaging with players, coaches, staff, and everyone involved to gain deeper insights into their activities. He’ll even take part in the sports himself, bringing a fun and immersive perspective to the community. Tune in to discover the vibrant sports scene in Coventry and Warwickshire on 94.8 FM, 103.7 FM, 104 FM.
2024 Senior Fellow Andy Stevenson reflects on a stellar summer with BBC and NBC
Andy has had an action-packed summer, working with BBC TV, BBC Radio, the Golf Channel, and most recently, NBC Sports. Andy’s schedule was packed, taking him from Wimbledon to Wichita, and then to Hoylake and Paris—twice! This whirlwind of activity has not only showcased his dedication to sports journalism but also his passion for bringing inspiring stories to audiences.
2022 Fellow Mehgan Owen interviews Tom Daley on retirement plans
Meghan had the unique opportunity to interview Olympic diver Tom Daley just as he announced his retirement plans. Reflecting on the experience, Meghan shared, “I had the privilege of interviewing Tom Daley as he announced his retirement plans, moments after stepping off the Eurostar at St Pancras. Tom came straight over to us and was so generous with his time, and so gracious with his answers. It was an emotional one, and totally unexpected!”
Watch the interview here
2024 Fellow Lucy Gilder heads to Washington, DC to cover US elections with BBC Verify
Lucy will be heading to Washington, DC to cover the US election with the BBC Verify team. During this assignment, Lucy will be promoted from Journalism Researcher to Journalist. Her role will focus on fact-checking speeches, debates, interviews, and more as part of the BBC’s in-depth election coverage.
Although Lucy doesn’t usually cover American politics, she is preparing by diving into all the major US newspapers to brush up on her knowledge!
2024 Fellow Tamsin Lockwood announces debut book on climate action
Tamsin is thrilled to share that her debut book, “Clean Up on Aisle Earth: How Technology Drives Climate Action,” will be published by the award-winning indie publisher 404 Ink as part of its non-fiction Inklings series, set to release in October 2025.
The Inklings series features pocket-sized books of big ideas that tackle zeitgeist topics, and Tamsin is honoured to be part of such an incredible family. Her book will explore innovative climate solutions based on interviews, focusing on equitable implementation and addressing the intersection of technology and climate justice.
Tamsin is eager to connect with new voices in this space, especially those addressing the justice side of tech, so please reach out to her!
You can pre-order Tamsin’s book, along with others in the series here.
Senior Fellow Vicky Gayle nominated for anti-slavery day award
Vicky has received her first ever award nomination. She is shortlisted for the Anti-Slavery Day Awards in the category of Best Investigative News Article for her work with The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
The nomination also includes 2024 Fellow Hajar Meddah who worked on the story alongside Vicky.
The nominated article, “Visa System Forces Care Workers to Stay Silent on Rape and Abuse,” co-authored with Emiliano Mellino, Hajar Meddah, and Charles Boutaud, sheds light on the pressing issue of modern slavery within the care sector.
You can read the impactful piece here: The Bureau Investigates.