Hostile environment simulation for the international journalists of the future

With security for international journalists brought into sharp focus as a result of the recent disappearance of the BBC’s Alan Johnston, University College Falmouth is doing everything it can to help protect the international journalists of the future.

UCF is offering a unique MA in International Journalism that prepares students for whatever hostile environments they might face during their careers. 

Students who are currently undertaking this intensive, one-year MA are about to be put through their paces by former military personnel from EBO Protect Ltd who are based on the Penhale Military Training Camp near Newquay during a three-day residential course.

This hard-hitting training course will provide a wide range of life-saving skills and includes modules on personal safety, first aid, and kidnap and ambush avoidance. There will also be scenario-based exercises.

Falmouth’s MA in International Journalism is the only course in the country to offer hostile environment training to its students.

“Hostile Environment Training for staff members is now common practice for many international news providers, but freelancers are much less likely to be included,” explains MA International Journalism Course Leader, George Matheson, himself an award-winning international journalist who has reported on some of the world’s greatest disasters and experienced some of its worst dangers. “The 21st century world is an increasingly dangerous place and our philosophy at University College Falmouth is to impress upon young journalists just how vital it is to consider their personal safety right from the start.”  

“We teach our students how to think and assess situations first, rather than simply follow their journalistic instincts,” George adds. “It’s really difficult when you’re passionate about chasing down that story but you have to realise what’s more important – the story, or your life.”

International Editor of ITN/ITV News, Bill Neely, concurs: “Journalists can’t do their jobs unless they can both observe and safely retreat from front line situations such as riots or wars. As the world becomes a more hostile environment for journalists, courses like this one at Falmouth are becoming more and more vital. This one fits the bill, with its mixture of training and common sense preparation for the dangerous assignments that will test a journalist’s skills to the limit. From a football riot in London, through a natural disaster in the USA to the frontline firefight of Iraq, this course will prove of lasting benefit to any journalist – especially those who think they have little left to learn.”

“As a former war reporter I’m very pleased at how authentic EBO’s hostile environment training course is – in fact it is very like the ones I attended whilst at the BBC and ITN,” concludes George. “Although it is challenging and at times tough, I’m sure students will enjoy it and more importantly, emerge with the skills to deal with the dangerous situations that they may encounter in the challenging world of international journalism.”

University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall, a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through higher education. The CUC is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.

For further information about MA International Journalism at University College Falmouth, please visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/internationaljournalism, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or contact Admissions on 01326 214389.

For further information about Hostile Environment and First Aid courses, contact EBO Protect Ltd on 01637 831 386.

Ends

For further information about this press release, please contact Jilly Easterby, Head of Public Affairs, University College Falmouth, Woodlane, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4RH, Telephone: 01326 213792 or email: jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk

Notes to editors

Journalists wishing to cover this story can undertake part of this hostile environment training themselves if they register with Jilly Easterby by close-of-play on Wednesday 18 April 2007.

About George Matheson

George Matheson began his career as a foreign correspondent in Italy working for, among others, The Guardian, The Daily Express, The Evening Standard and The Times.

On returning to Britain he quickly established himself as a trusted freelance broadcast reporter for BBC Radio Scotland, GWR Radio and LBC before becoming a staff reporter for Independent Radio News. When ITN took over IRN he became a bi-media reporter contributing to the main ITN bulletins including The News at Ten.

Amongst the stories he covered were the lead up to and the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall for which he was awarded a silver medal at the New York International Festival of Radio; the end of apartheid in South Africa, including the earlier assassination of Chris Hanie and the first free elections in 1994; The Gulf War from Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE; English football fan violence throughout Europe including the World Cup, as well as many other of the top national and international stories of the day.

Having given his all as a reporter George moved to a senior position as Reuters as an editor on the news service. He then joined the BBC where among other duties he helped launch News 24 as an output Editor. He then returned to ITN as a senior Programme Editor working on a variety of programmes including overseeing the live network coverage of the fall of Baghdad.

In addition to his role as Course Leader for University College Falmouth’s MA in International Journalism, George is also a Producer/Director of independent television company Twofour TV and BBC South West Television.

About University College Falmouth’s MA in International Journalism

Rapid changes in the way we consume international news place huge demands on those who report it. Our intensive, practice-led course will equip you with the professional skills demanded by the rigours of international newsgathering, so that you become highly adept in the technologies of broadcast, print and online media.

With decades of field experience, we’ll provide you with professional insight into the intricacies of global communication. You’ll learn how to research, produce and edit a radio package for the BBC World Service or a feature for Reuters, as well as why it’s done that way. Examining key theories and debates, politics, law and ethics, your critical awareness will become second to none. Unique in that we offer hostile environment training, we also enable you to manage the different situations journalists often face.

About EBO Protect Ltd

EBO Protect was set up by former Royal Marines and RAF personnel with a vast wealth of experience to provide organisations and their employees operating in hostile and volatile areas with the relevant skills to stay safe and achieve their aims.

EBO Protect exclusively offer this Hostile Environment and First Aid Course aimed specifically at the student of journalism as an introduction to working in volatile areas and an insight into how to operate effectively and professionally whilst living in those conditions.

EBO Protect can tailor courses for all organisations from the media and NGOs to corporations involved in valuable reconstruction work worldwide. As well as Hostile Environment and First Aid training EBO Protect can also provide:

CONDO training

CBRN training

Risk assessment and analysis

Crisis management training

Surveillance and counter surveillance training

Defibrillator training

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