Directory of Research and Expertise

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Research Summary and Profile

Research interests:

Fellowships

Summary of research interests and expertise:

Research interests:

• Freedom of expression & media freedom
• Journalists’ safety
• Impunity and the rule of law
• UNESCO, Council of Europe & OSCE 
• International role of the Commonwealth
• Monitoring and accountability mechanisms
• Japan & East Asia

Expertise:

• BBC journalist, foreign correspondent (Japan, Germany, Europe and World Affairs) and TV & radio presenter, Europe Today, Europe Direct & Simpson’s World etc, 1971-2007
• Independent research and policy development on media and safety of journalists issues, 2007-
• Co-founder and international director, Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM) & Professor of Journalism, Media and Communication. University of Sheffield, 2008-
• UK Chairman, (2001- ); and Media Freedom Representative (2024 - ), the Association of European Journalists; AEJ Partner and founding Signatory, Council of Europe Platform for the Safety of Journalists , 2015-
• Executive Committee,  Commonwealth Journalists Association, 2011 -
• UNESCO UK sub-committee on freedom of expression, 2007-2012
• Organiser, Inter-regional Dialogue on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity: CFOM, Council of Europe, UNESCO and European Lawyers Association, 2014
• Independent expert member, Council of Europe Expert Committee for drafting the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Recommendation to Member States on the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists - CM Rec (2016)4 , 2014-16; Co-chair with David Page of Commonwealth civil society Working Group’s original Commonwealth principles on freedom of expression and the role of the media in good governance (ICS 2018)
• Expert Observer Participant, Commonwealth Expert Working Group to review the 2018 text, 2021, published as the Revised  Commonwealth Principles on Freedom of Expression and the Role of the Media in Good Governance in 2022 & adopted by Heads  at CHOGM, 2024.

Publication Details

Additional Publications

Relevant Events

Related events:

Date	Details
	Seminar and Inter-regional Dialogue on the protection of journalists: Towards an effective framework of protection for the work of journalists and an end to impunity , 3 November, 2014 (CFOM, UNESCO, Council of Europe, & European Lawyers Association 2014, ECtHR, Strasbourg: Convenor-organiser
	UNESCO, CFOM & BBC Global News Seminars in 2012 and 2014 in support of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalist and the Safety of Journalists UNESCO, CFOM & BBC Global News Seminars in 2012 and 2014 in support of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalist and the Safety of Journalists , 2012 and 2014, at BBC Broadcasting House, London: Co-organiser
	Towards Press Freedom: New Hope or False Dawn, House of Lords, UN Association, CJA, AEJ May 2023

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