Two big names in journalism join the University of Northampton

John Mair is one of the best known names in journalism education and has been appointed as Subject Leader for Journalism and Broadcast. He has had eight books published in the last four years and his edited collection with Professor Richard Keeble on the phone hacking scandal is in its second print edition, has become a Guardian Kindle book and was serialised in the Media Guardian. His ninth book, After Leveson?, is due to be published in February 2013.

Whilst teaching at Coventry University, John created the Coventry Conversations, which brought 350 media movers and shakers to the university. He has now introduced the Northampton Chronicles to the University of Northampton, with a number of high profile names taking part in the conversational talks this year.

Before entering higher education, John worked for the BBC as a producer/director, mainly in TV current affairs for two decades. He is a Royal Television Society Journalism Award winner and also assisted with the creation of Question Time in 1979, as well as being an early producer on Watchdog.

“I am delighted to join the University of Northampton as Subject Leader for Journalism at an important point in its development. My aim is to put the course and the University firmly on the national map and to ensure our graduates have the world of media as their oyster.”

John Mair

Kate Williams joins the University of Northampton as a Senior Lecturer in Broadcast Journalism, after more than 20 years working at the BBC, and was part of the management team at BBC Radio 5live.

She has presented programmes for BBC Radio 4, 5live and BBC World Service, as well as having worked as the BBC’s network radio reporter for East Anglia. As a journalism trainer, Kate helped devise and set up the BBC’s in-house journalism training scheme that all BBC journalists now undertake through the Corporation’s College of Journalism, as well as recruiting new BBC trainee journalists.

Through her many contacts in the media industry, Kate is helping devise an exciting programme of guest speakers for the forthcoming Northampton Chronicles, which has so far included BBC Radio 4 presenter and Guardianjournalist, Mark Lawson.

“I am delighted to be joining the University of Northampton to help set up the Broadcast Journalism Degree. Having previously worked in the town at BBC Radio Northampton, I know that it is an ideal place in which to educate and train the next generation of journalists.”

Kate Williams

The Northampton Chronicles re-commence on Thursday 17 January, with Julian Worricker, presenter for the BBC News channel, ‘You and Yours’ on BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service. Other big names this year include:

• Steve Cropley, Editor in Chief, Autocar
• Matthew Bannister, Former MD, BBC Radio
• Fiona Chesterton, Former Commissioning Editor, Channel 4, Head of Adult Education at the BBC and Head of Television for Skillset
• Barney Jones, Editor of the Andrew Marr Show (BBC)

Find out more about the Northampton Chronicles

Catch up and listen to previous Northampton Chronicles on the iTunesU channel