Rick’s CV
April ’97 to present. Director of the ‘T-Media’ consultancy in broadcast journalism development, and freelance writer and conference speaker.
January ’97 to April ’97. Managing Editor Commissioning BBC World Service, restructuring the internal news programme purchasing and exchange systems.
1994 to ’97. Editor Newsgathering, BBC World Service – appointed to set up and manage a new multi-media department providing international news coverage to all World Service Radio outlets and World Service Television’s ‘BBC World’.
1993 to ’94. Head of News and Local Programmes BBC Midlands – managing two Regional TV stations and 9 local radio stations.
1986 to 1993. Head of News and Current Affairs Midlands and Editorial Coordinator for Radio and TV journalism across all BBC Regions. Introduced computerised newsrooms and set up a new BBC Region for the East Midlands based in Nottingham. Three Royal Television Society Awards during the period.
1882 to 1986. Assistant Editor, BBC TV News, with three years as joint Editor of the Nine O’Clock News. A BAFTA nomination for the edition on the night of the US raid on Tripoli.
1982. Development Projects Editor, BBC TV News, leading a strategic study about continuous news and producing a pilot international TV service with Reuters and Visnews.
1979 to 1982. BBC Foreign Editor Television. Restructured foreign bureaux and introducing satellite newsgathering. Four RTS Awards for coverage during the period including the Falklands War.
1978 to 1979. Deputy Foreign Editor, BBC TV.
!974 to 1978, News Organiser, BBC TV News London.
1969 – 1974. Journalist with BBC Midlands. Radio and TV Reporters and Current Affairs Producer. Sport Presenter and TV News Reporter. Produced and presented wildlife programmes and produced the nightly news programme, ‘Midlands Today’.
1966 to 1969. St Catherine’s College Oxford. MA in English. College President.
1966. Assistant Copywriter at Bloxhams Advertising Agency in London, writing press campaigns and producing TV commercials.
T-Media
Broadcast Journalism Training and Development
Since leaving the BBC, Rick has led training and development missions at broadcasting newsrooms in many European countries, including Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, France, Germany, Greece. Armenia, Kosovo and Serbia. For four years he was the Training Coordinator for CIRCOM, Europe’s Association of Regional Television. For 12 years Rick was the Visiting Professor of Broadcast Journalism at Birmingham City University. As a specialist in the use of language in news programmes, he is the author of ‘Writing for Broadcast Journalists’ published by Routledge.
Between 1999 and 2002 , Rick was the Chairman of the British Section of the AEJ, the Association of European Journalists. He has been a regular member of the RTS judges’ panel, a member of the Radio Academy, and on the training committee of the Society of Editors.
Chairing Conferences and Seminars
Rick is frequently asked to be the moderator or facilitator at European conferences, particularly those that are discussing environmental subjects. He is the coordinator of ‘Moderators Europe’, a network of experienced broadcast journalists who are well informed about European affairs. HYPERLINK “http://www.moderatorseurope.eu/”www.moderatorseurope.eu
Wildlife Writing
Rick’s book ‘A River Avon Year’ follows the course of the Warwickshire Avon month-by-month from its source to the River Severn, describing the wildlife along the way. It also relates the human dramas that have played out on the banks and changed British history. His book ‘Park Life’ celebrates the surprising wildlife in an urban park in the heart of England.
Rick has a lifelong interest in wildlife and conservation. For five years he was a member of the Governing Council of the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). He was a columnist for the Countryside Magazine for several years. He is a committee member of the Warwick Natural History Society, arranging the programmes of guest speakers.
Other interests
Sport: He was captain of football and cricket at his Oxford college, now a decrepit spectator.
Theatre, Art and Music: Amateur actor, amateur artist and amateur guitarist!
Volunteer Work: Rick is the Secretary of ‘Unlocking Warwick’, the Warwick Town Council’s volunteer group that organises community engagement activities and encourages visitors to the historic town.