Experience

Bauer Media Group – UK

• United Kingdom
• Media Production
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Multi-Media News & Sports Broadcast Journalist

  • Feb 2022 - Present

  Working on Bauer Media's Northern Ireland stations Cool FM, Downtown, & Downtown Country FM radio delivering on air news and sports coverage. Producing bulletins across the station's Northern Ireland network. PM Bulletins presenter/editor. Working on Bauer Media's Northern Ireland stations Cool FM, Downtown, & Downtown Country FM radio delivering on air news and sports coverage. Producing bulletins across the station's Northern Ireland network. PM Bulletins presenter/editor.



CB Media

• Company Owner

  • Jan 1997 - Present

  I can offer: shooting video of your event; looking after your business' social media presence, acting as host/compere; TV Presenting, Reporting, & Producing; Video/Audio (radio or podcast) producing & editing; writing articles for your site, profiles, newspaper, book, or magazine, & online streaming skills. I can also offer media training to professionals who would like to develop their skills in getting their message across in the media.I am also highly-experienced in audio and video production, output production for TV and online streaming services, as well as editing. I have strong presentation skills and am able to shoot live sports footage on my own camera. If you as a sports club have an event you'd like covered in video, audio, or print or combination of, then get in touch! I can offer a competitive all-round service. In terms of my background, I am a two-time award-winning sports journalist, once as Young Sports Reporter with the Daily Mirror. At the age of 13, I won a national competition, aimed at young sports writers where my report on a West Ham v Man United game won. Winning my second award, I was named Champions Journalist winner for Champions Journal in 2021. This is a partner company with UEFA. I won this award for my coverage of Manchester United in the Champions League. I have, subsequently been invited to work more regularly with this publication. Clients have included the BBC, working on TV's Final Score, and Radio Ulster. I also work on U105 Radio's Frank Mitchell Phone-In Show, providing analysis of local and national sport as a pundit. I developed and launched the CB Sports Media TV YouTube channel in May, 2021.I am the Producer & Presenter of the darts podcast series Double Top. I work as an Event Host for corporate clients, including NIFMA, since 2015. I had my first book published in October, 2015 - A Life Watching Manchester United.



The Consumer Council

• United Kingdom
• Public Policy Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Communications Officer

  • Nov 2021 - Dec 2021

  Working with the Consumer Council, Northern Ireland as a Communications Officer. Writing Press Releases and proof-reading copy. Responsible for content creation for the Consumer Council's website, and social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. Video content creation and collaboration with other colleagues to help best get the Consumer Council's message across on multiple platforms on a wide variety of issues affecting consumer rights. Working with the Consumer Council, Northern Ireland as a Communications Officer. Writing Press Releases and proof-reading copy. Responsible for content creation for the Consumer Council's website, and social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. Video content creation and collaboration with other colleagues to help best get the Consumer Council's message across on multiple platforms on a wide variety of issues affecting consumer rights.



iGame Media Ltd

• United Kingdom
• Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sports Streaming Support Engineer

  • Mar 2021 - Nov 2021

  Working to ensure the smooth delivery of OTT coverage of hundreds of sports events on line per day on the company's web-based platforms. Ensuring quality control of the event being streamed, dealing with client needs, and making sure that all event start times are brought to the various platforms including OTT, TV, mobile and Web on time, as well as monitoring streams for technical issues. Working with satellite receivers to ensure all events are correctly routed and encoded prior to the event start-time. This multi-faceted role has allowed me to develop lots of existing skills, whilst also learning many new ones. The company's work is at the forefront of cutting-edge streaming technology and delivers sports coverage to many different consumers across the globe from the corporate world, to sports stats agencies, to leading bookmakers such as Ladbrokes, Coral and Betfred, to sports fans and more. Working closely with the leading sports broadcasters across the world.



BBC

• United Kingdom
• Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
• 700 & Above Employee

• Broadcast Sports Journalist

  • Feb 2019 - Oct 2021

  Working in a freelance capacity on BBC Sport Northern Ireland output, including on BBC Radio Ulster & on TV's Final Score. Contributing as a match reporter in football's Irish Premiership for Radio Ulster Sportsound as well as a match reporter on Final Score.As well as producing video match reports for Final Score, I also scripted and voiced pieces for the BBC Sport Northern Ireland website.Presenting and Producing radio bulletins on Good Morning Ulster, Evening Extra and The Summer Club, as well as sports bulletins on Saturday afternoons. Liaising with Production teams at the BBC to ensure the smooth transmission of sports bulletins on TV & radio.I have also contributed sports feature pieces to the BBC Sport Northern Ireland website.



Down Recorder

• United Kingdom
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sports Editor

  • Aug 2020 - Mar 2021

  Responsibility for covering all the major sports across the Down area for the number one-selling weekly newspaper in the district. Emphasis on coverage of the locality's soccer, and GAA teams as well as a wide range of other sports such as cricket, horse racing, athletics, rugby union, darts and many more. Also working a lot on sports feature and human interest writing in this role. I showed an ability to innovate with the paper's coverage with so much sport cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. This allowed me to develop greater long-form writing skills, and look into deeper issues which affect sportspeople. Also responsible for co-ordinating media accreditations for events, freelance journalists, PROs, and photographer contributions. Promotion of the online marketing and publicising of the title's print sports coverage.



Alpha Media Group (Newry Democrat )

• Deputy Editor

  • Jul 2019 - Jul 2020

  Working as part of Alpha Newspapers' stable of 15 titles, with senior editorial responsibility for the news, features and sports output of the Newry Democrat, specifically as Deputy Editor. Alpha Newspapers is the largest weekly newspaper group in Northern Ireland and the Irish Midlands. Experience of using the Fred system for page make-up & sub-editing. Responsibility for leading and directing reporters and photographers. Also responsible for implementing social media content strategy for the Newry Democrat's website, Twitter and Facebook profiles, and news, features and sports reporting. My online strategy for the title's Twitter, Facebook and website platforms saw a high level of development and user interaction as a result.



ITV

• United Kingdom
• Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
• 700 & Above Employee

• Sports Broadcast Journalist & Assistant Producer with UTV

  • Oct 2015 - Dec 2018

  Operating as a producer on news bulletins throughout the day for television, as well as providing sports broadcast reports for the flagship UTV Live At Six bulletins. Responsibilities also as an output producer for TV news bulletins, including regional Good Morning Britain opt-out local news, lunchtime and late UTV Live News broadcasts in MCR. Also responsible for archive collation, as well as TV and web editing. Working on a shift basis as Forward Planning Editor. I also continued to have my voice on UTV sports reports and weather forecasts.



UTV Media

• Broadcast Media Production and Distribution
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Broadcast Sports Journalist

  • Apr 2004 - Oct 2015

  Presenting and producing AM & PM Sports Bulletins at U105 Radio, as well as contributing to national radio station talkSPORT. I was the Chief Sports Presenter/Sports Editor on U105 from January, 2006 until March, 2018 (the final 2.5 years of this under ITV). Reporting, producing and forward-planning for UTV Live Television in news & sport. Working with radio stations across the group, including to national radio, talkSPORT and Dublin's FM104. Both these roles involved co-ordinating content-sharing and in talkSPORT'S case, acting as Northern Ireland sports correspondent. This saw me present Northern Ireland World Cup qualifiers off-tube commentaries, contributing phone-in sports analysis to shows across the schedule, and acting as an in-studio guest on Northern Irish sport on the Richard Keys and Andy Gray show. I played a central production, presentation and reporting role from base in UTV's TV & radio coverage of major sporting events, including football World Cups (2006, 2010, & 2014) and European Championships (2008, 2012, & 2016), Rugby World Cups (2007, 2011 & 2015) and Cricket World Cups (2007, 2011, & 2015), as well as major golf tournaments where there were some huge successes for local players.



The Sunday Life

• Freelance Sports Journalist

  • 2004 - 2006

  Covering a variety of sports, but mainly football on a freelance basis. Covering a variety of sports, but mainly football on a freelance basis.



Daily Mirror

• United Kingdom
• Newspaper Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sports Journalist

  • 2001 - 2006

  Working as a freelance sports journalist, covering mostly football. I helped to set-up the paper's successful Match on Tuesday junior football supplement. Working as a freelance sports journalist, covering mostly football. I helped to set-up the paper's successful Match on Tuesday junior football supplement.



Down Democrat

• News & Sports Journalist

  • Mar 2005 - Dec 2005

  My first full-time role after the completion of my formal education. Employed at this newspaper in a range of simultaneous roles - Chief Sports Writer, Churches Editor & Environment Correspondent. My first full-time role after the completion of my formal education. Employed at this newspaper in a range of simultaneous roles - Chief Sports Writer, Churches Editor & Environment Correspondent.



The NewsLetter

• Sports Journalist

  • Mar 2003 - Oct 2005

  Freelance Sports Journalist covering a range of sports, mainly football Freelance Sports Journalist covering a range of sports, mainly football



Andersonstown News Group

• Freelance Sports Journalist

  • Mar 2005 - Aug 2005

  Covering local sports, mainly football and GAA. My work appeared in the Andersonstown News and the Daily Ireland newspapers. Covering local sports, mainly football and GAA. My work appeared in the Andersonstown News and the Daily Ireland newspapers.



Seven FM Radio

• Freelance Journalist

  • Apr 2005 - Jun 2005

  Operating as a news and sports bulletin journalist/presenter on this radio station in Broughshane, Northern Ireland. Operating as a news and sports bulletin journalist/presenter on this radio station in Broughshane, Northern Ireland.



The Sunday People

• Sports Journalist

  • 2001 - 2005

  Working on this newspaper across several sports as a freelance, but chiefly football in the winter months, and in the summer as tennis correspondent. Working on this newspaper across several sports as a freelance, but chiefly football in the winter months, and in the summer as tennis correspondent.



Down Recorder

• United Kingdom
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sports Journalist

  • Feb 1998 - Jun 2004

  I began working for this newspaper at 15 years old, covering sport in my local area.This mainly involved me working part-time (longer in the summer) to cover my local soccer and GAA teams, as well as a wide range of other sports from rugby to darts, boxing, bowls, and many more. I began working for this newspaper at 15 years old, covering sport in my local area.This mainly involved me working part-time (longer in the summer) to cover my local soccer and GAA teams, as well as a wide range of other sports from rugby to darts, boxing, bowls, and many more.



Citybeat Radio

• United Kingdom
• Advertising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sports Journalist & Producer

  • 2002 - 2004

  Employed as Duty Sports Editor / Saturday Sport show Producer as well as a News & Sports Reporter. In this role I was also used as Independent Network News' (INN) Northern Ireland Sports Correspondent from this base. This involved my reports being available to the 21 radio stations within the group throughout the Republic of Ireland. Employed as Duty Sports Editor / Saturday Sport show Producer as well as a News & Sports Reporter. In this role I was also used as Independent Network News' (INN) Northern Ireland Sports Correspondent from this base. This involved my reports being available to the 21 radio stations within the group throughout the Republic of Ireland.



The Irish News

• United Kingdom
• Newspaper Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sports Journalist

  • 2002 - 2004

  Covering Irish League football on a freelance basis for this newspaper. Covering Irish League football on a freelance basis for this newspaper.



Belfast Telegraph

• United Kingdom
• Newspaper Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Freelance Journalist

  • 2002 - 2003

  Writing as a sports, news and features reporter on a freelance basis. Writing as a sports, news and features reporter on a freelance basis.