Richard Sambrook to become new Director of Centre for Journalism
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Richard Sambrook will join Cardiff as its new Director of the Centre for Journalism
Former BBC Director of Global News Richard Sambrook will join the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies (JOMEC) from August as Director of the Centre for Journalism.
Richard, as Cardiff’s new Professor of Journalism, will join one of the most respected and oldest postgraduate journalism schools in Britain, with its broadcast, magazine and newspaper options.
He returns to South Wales where he started his career with Thomson Regional Newspapers (now Trinity Mirror), Merthyr Express, Pontypridd Observer and the South Wales Echo.
Richard’s 30 year career in journalism at the BBC culminated in 2004 when he moved from Director of News to become Director of Global News until 2010.
A producer and editor on many national radio and TV programmes, he ran the BBC’s newsgathering operations for five years and also served on the BBC Management Board for ten years with collective responsibility for all output.
Richard has extensive experience leading frontline national and international teams, across many languages. His management and strategic role within the school is expected to further enhance and guide JOMEC’s journalism teaching, training and practice-based research.
Head of School Professor Justin Lewis commented, “We're delighted to have Richard Sambrook join us at Cardiff. Richard is a leading figure in British journalism, one who is highly respected not just in the UK but around the world.
“The School is committed to developing high quality and innovative approaches to journalism in uncertain times, and Richard will play a leading role in that endeavour.”
Although a practising journalist for most of his career, Richard has also researched the future of international reporting and audience appetites for international news as a Visiting Fellow of the Reuters Institute at Oxford.
Further links with higher education were established when Richard led the steering group which established the BBC College of Journalism, which required working closely with accrediting bodies such as the BJTC and the NCTJ, who currently accredit the school’s broadcast and newspaper courses respectively.
Richard joins the school from Edelman PR, where he has been working as a senior media consultant on media relations for a range of leading national and international companies and media brands.
He takes over from Professor Richard Tait, who has been Director of the Centre for Journalism since 2003. Professor Tait will now concentrate on his research interests.