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BBC chief to deliver Bob Friend Memorial Lecture at University of Kent
Issued: February 2, 2010
Media giants Sky News and the BBC will be coming together to celebrate outstanding journalism during a special event at the University of Kent on Wednesday, 3 March.
Mark Thompson, the Director-General of the BBC, will deliver the Bob Friend Memorial Lecture at the University, while Rob Kirk, Editorial Development Manager for Sky News, will present a first-year student from the University’s Centre for Journalism with the Bob Friend Memorial Scholarship.
Both the lecture and scholarship were established in 2009 in a partnership between Sky News, the University of Kent and the Friend family, to provide a lasting memorial to the life and career of Bob Friend.
Bob Friend was the original face of Sky News and was also a long-standing BBC journalist earlier in his career.
Now in its second year, the scholarship is awarded to a student who has demonstrated outstanding academic and professional merit, as well as potential for their future career. The winning student has his or her first-year tuition fees paid, and they are also guaranteed a four-week work placement at Sky News later in the year.
Candidates for the highly sought-after scholarship have to take part in a rigorous three-stage application process, which involves displaying their prowess in multimedia journalism, current affairs, spelling and grammar, and being interviewed by a panel of judges representing Sky News, the University and the Friend family.
Mr Thompson’s lecture and the awarding of the scholarship take place at the University of Kent’s Pilkington Building, Medway campus, at 6pm on 3 March.
The event is free but admission is by ticket only, allocated strictly on a first come, first served basis. To apply, please contact the Gulbenkian Booking Office on 01227 769075. A brief question and answer session will follow the main lecture.0
Mark Thompson was appointed Director-General of the BBC in May 2004, after being Chief Executive of Channel Four since December 2001. He had previously worked at the BBC for more than 20 years, becoming Director of Television in April 2000, responsible for the management and running of all BBC network television channels.
Mr Thompson said: ‘I was fortunate enough to work closely with Bob. He was an exceptional journalist for over fifty years and the best mentor I, as a young producer, could have hoped for. This scholarship is a testament to an outstanding man and a reminder of the important values that quality journalism brings to our society.’
John Ryley, Head of Sky News, delivered the inaugural Bob Friend Memorial Lecture last year. He said: ‘We are delighted to be presenting this award for the second year running. Bob Friend was a highly-respected journalist and
well-loved at Sky News. Giving young journalists a great start in the profession is something of which Bob would have been immensely proud.’
Bob Friend joined Sky News at its launch 21 years ago and quickly became the face of the fledgling channel – the first European 24-hour news channel. In his 14 years with Sky News he won a glowing international reputation for warmth, intelligence and humour. He also won a number of awards for his presenting skills. Bob Friend died in October 2008 and is survived by his wife, Marion, and their two daughters.
The University of Kent’s Centre for Journalism attracts top students from the UK, Europe and further afield to study innovative degrees that combine traditional journalism skills with digital and multi-media communications, alongside rigorous academic teaching of history, politics and law.
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Notes to the editor:
Notes for Editors:
University of Kent
The University of Kent, the UK’s European University, was the first institution within the county to be granted a university charter. It has 17,000 students studying at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels and Paris. It is a major educational, economic and cultural force throughout Kent, supporting innovation and enterprise across the region.
The University has consistently been rated as one of the best universities in the UK according to the National Student Survey. It was placed 24th out of 159 participating institutions in terms of the best, or 4* (star), research in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, with much of its research ranked as world leading. 80 per cent of research staff work in departments which contain research of national or international levels of excellence.
The Times Good University Guide 2010 states: ‘Graduates of all disciplines fare well in the employment market – the university regularly features among the top 20 for graduate starting salaries’.
The 2009 Sunday Times University Guide confirmed Kent has seen a 19 per cent rise in applications this year. The University was previously described by the Guide as one that 'can claim to be Britain's only international university’.
In 2008, the University was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for the work of its Kent Law Clinic.
Sky News and skynews.com
Since its launch in 1989, Sky News has established itself as a formidable and innovative force in the world of news broadcasting. It now provides news to around 145 million people in 36 countries in Europe alone, with distribution across Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Valued for fairness, balance and journalistic objectivity by both viewers and regulators, the award-winning channel has also earned a reputation for the speed of its 24-hour coverage and flexibility in reporting live news – first.
In addition to its status as one of Europe’s leading 24 hour news channels, skynews.com is one of the fastest growing websites on the continent. It is also available on mobile phones, on desktops, on UK rail platforms and Virgin Atlantic flights.
In March 2009 Sky News Radio became the sole provider of national and international news to all commercial stations in the UK – reaching around 31 million listeners in total – when it took over the contract to supply IRN stations, in addition to its existing clients.
Sky News won a Golden Nypmh at the 2009 Monte Carlo Television Festival for Best 24 Hour News Programme for its coverage of the Mumbai terror attacks. Sky News was also named Best News Service at the Broadcast Digital Awards 2009 and Skynews.com won the Association of Online Publishers award for website of the year, 2008.
Notes for Editors:
University of Kent
The University of Kent, the UK’s European University, was the first institution within the county to be granted a university charter. It has 17,000 students studying at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels and Paris. It is a major educational, economic and cultural force throughout Kent, supporting innovation and enterprise across the region.
The University has consistently been rated as one of the best universities in the UK according to the National Student Survey. It was placed 24th out of 159 participating institutions in terms of the best, or 4* (star), research in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, with much of its research ranked as world leading. 80 per cent of research staff work in departments which contain research of national or international levels of excellence.
The Times Good University Guide 2010 states: ‘Graduates of all disciplines fare well in the employment market – the university regularly features among the top 20 for graduate starting salaries’.
The 2009 Sunday Times University Guide confirmed Kent has seen a 19 per cent rise in applications this year. The University was previously described by the Guide as one that 'can claim to be Britain's only international university’.
In 2008, the University was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for the work of its Kent Law Clinic.
Sky News and skynews.com
Since its launch in 1989, Sky News has established itself as a formidable and innovative force in the world of news broadcasting. It now provides news to around 145 million people in 36 countries in Europe alone, with distribution across Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Valued for fairness, balance and journalistic objectivity by both viewers and regulators, the award-winning channel has also earned a reputation for the speed of its 24-hour coverage and flexibility in reporting live news – first.
In addition to its status as one of Europe’s leading 24 hour news channels, skynews.com is one of the fastest growing websites on the continent. It is also available on mobile phones, on desktops, on UK rail platforms and Virgin Atlantic flights.
In March 2009 Sky News Radio became the sole provider of national and international news to all commercial stations in the UK – reaching around 31 million listeners in total – when it took over the contract to supply IRN stations, in addition to its existing clients.
Sky News won a Golden Nypmh at the 2009 Monte Carlo Television Festival for Best 24 Hour News Programme for its coverage of the Mumbai terror attacks. Sky News was also named Best News Service at the Broadcast Digital Awards 2009 and Skynews.com won the Association of Online Publishers award for website of the year, 2008.
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