The Frontline Club

August 30, 2012

Created in 1989 by a small group of young British men and women, Frontline News Television was a pioneering international news agency for freelance video journalists that was 20 years ahead of its time. The agency closed in 2003, by which time half of its camera-people had been killed while filming around the world.

FNTV founders Peter Jouvenal and the Frontline Club’s Vaughan Smith, in conversation with BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson, will tell the thrilling story of the agency with clips from the footage they and their colleagues recorded on the front line.

Frontline’s cameramen and women were the first to pick up small format, consumer, cameras. Their successes included securing the first western media interview with Bin Laden, the first film of the stinger missiles that altered the course of the 1980′s war in Afghanistan, key footage of the Romanian revolution, the only uncontrolled footage of the ground conflict in the first Gulf War and footage of the Kosovo conflict that led to British and NATO involvement. The dramatic story of the agency is told by David Loyn of the BBC in his book, recently published in paperback, Frontline: Reporting from the World’s Deadliest Places.

This event is free to attend but please register in advance by clicking the "book" link above. The event has been made possible through a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund with which the Frontline Club Charitable Trust is currently digitising and cataloguing 1,000 hours of FNTV footage.

August 30, 2012

Created in 1989 by a small group of young British men and women, Frontline News Television was a pioneering international news agency for freelance video journalists that was 20 years ahead of its time. The agency closed in 2003, by which time half of its camera-people had been killed while filming around the world.

FNTV founders Peter Jouvenal and the Frontline Club’s Vaughan Smith, in conversation with BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson, will tell the thrilling story of the agency with clips from the footage they and their colleagues recorded on the front line.

Frontline’s cameramen and women were the first to pick up small format, consumer, cameras. Their successes included securing the first western media interview with Bin Laden, the first film of the stinger missiles that altered the course of the 1980′s war in Afghanistan, key footage of the Romanian revolution, the only uncontrolled footage of the ground conflict in the first Gulf War and footage of the Kosovo conflict that led to British and NATO involvement. The dramatic story of the agency is told by David Loyn of the BBC in his book, recently published in paperback, Frontline: Reporting from the World’s Deadliest Places.

This event is free to attend but please register in advance by clicking the "book" link above. The event has been made possible through a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund with which the Frontline Club Charitable Trust is currently digitising and cataloguing 1,000 hours of FNTV footage.

August 30, 2012

Created in 1989 by a small group of young British men and women, Frontline News Television was a pioneering international news agency for freelance video journalists that was 20 years ahead of its time. The agency closed in 2003, by which time half of its camera-people had been killed while filming around the world.

FNTV founders Peter Jouvenal and the Frontline Club’s Vaughan Smith, in conversation with BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson, will tell the thrilling story of the agency with clips from the footage they and their colleagues recorded on the front line.

Frontline’s cameramen and women were the first to pick up small format, consumer, cameras. Their successes included securing the first western media interview with Bin Laden, the first film of the stinger missiles that altered the course of the 1980′s war in Afghanistan, key footage of the Romanian revolution, the only uncontrolled footage of the ground conflict in the first Gulf War and footage of the Kosovo conflict that led to British and NATO involvement. The dramatic story of the agency is told by David Loyn of the BBC in his book, recently published in paperback, Frontline: Reporting from the World’s Deadliest Places.

This event is free to attend but please register in advance by clicking the "book" link above. The event has been made possible through a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund with which the Frontline Club Charitable Trust is currently digitising and cataloguing 1,000 hours of FNTV footage.

The Frontline Club has announced the winners of the Frontline Club Award and the Frontline Memorial Tribute Award for excellence in journalism, to be presented by Allan Little on Wednesday 23 November at the Annual Party and Awards. Frontline Club members can book to attend here.

2011 Frontline Club Award

This year the Frontline Club award will be presented to two journalists, Nick Davies and Matthieu Mabin, to acknowledge their exceptional journalism, integrity, courage and independence of spirit. Davies in person and Mabin via Skype will accept their Awards at the ceremony in London tomorrow evening.

Investigative journalist Nick Davies, is to receive the Frontline Club award for his investigation for the Guardian into the phone hacking scandal which led to the closure of the News of the World and the questioning of News Corporation’s Rupert and James Murdoch by the Commons culture committee. He has been a journalist since 1976 and is the bestselling author of Flat Earth News, on falsehood and distortion in the media.

Vaughan Smith, Founder of the Frontline Club and a judge of the Awards said of Davies’ nomination:

“Nick Davies‘ work this year has led to a shake up of the media. Though his pursuit of the truth was not always popular with his colleagues in journalism he persevered, and we’re only just beginning to see the impact of his revelations.”

Matthieu Mabin will receive the Frontline Club Award for his camera work in Libya. Mabin is a special correspondent for France 24 and has worked in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Ivory Coast. His journey with Libyan rebel forces as they advance on Tripoli at the end of August this year was made into two extended news pieces entitled The Tripoli Brigade and was broadcast on France 24.

Commenting on the decision to present this year’s annual award to Matthieu Mabin, Gary Knight, one of the judges, said:

“Matthieu Mabin demonstrated exceptional courage. He also worked on an a well thought out and well constructed narrative story that demanded great journalistic skills and real focus and tenacity – that is something we don’t see enough on TV and the spirit should be saluted.”

2011 Frontline Memorial Tribute Award

The Memorial Tribute Award is to be posthumously awarded to three photojournalists who were killed while working in Libya this year: Anton Hammerl, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros. Hetherington and Hondros were killed in the same incident in Misrata, Libya in April 2011, while Hammerl was killed in the Libyan desert in the same month.

Commenting on the decision to present this year’s Memorial award to Anton Hammerl, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, Jon Lee Anderson said:

“to an unusual degree, the year 2011 and the Libya conflict represented a huge loss of life for several highly talented and dearly beloved members of our profession. “

This year’s judges were: the New Yorker‘s Jon Lee Anderson, Gary Knight VII photojournalist, Carlotta Gall from the New York Times, Jeremy Bowen and Allan Little from the BBC and Frontline Club Founder Vaughan Smith. Both awards focus on journalistic integrity, courage and independence of spirit, regardless of nationality or media discipline and include the work of freelances.

The Frontline Club Award aims to recognise an outstanding body of work or series of contributions over a one-year period while the Frontline Memorial Tribute is dedicated to the memory of Frontline Club members killed in the course of their work.

The Frontline Club is grateful to Canon for once again sponsoring the Frontline Club Awards.

The Frontline Club has announced the winners of the Frontline Club Award and the Frontline Memorial Tribute Award for excellence in journalism, to be presented by Allan Little on Wednesday 23 November at the Annual Party and Awards. Frontline Club members can book to attend here.

2011 Frontline Club Award

This year the Frontline Club award will be presented to two journalists, Nick Davies and Matthieu Mabin, to acknowledge their exceptional journalism, integrity, courage and independence of spirit. Davies in person and Mabin via Skype will accept their Awards at the ceremony in London tomorrow evening.

Investigative journalist Nick Davies, is to receive the Frontline Club award for his investigation for the Guardian into the phone hacking scandal which led to the closure of the News of the World and the questioning of News Corporation’s Rupert and James Murdoch by the Commons culture committee. He has been a journalist since 1976 and is the bestselling author of Flat Earth News, on falsehood and distortion in the media.

Vaughan Smith, Founder of the Frontline Club and a judge of the Awards said of Davies’ nomination:

“Nick Davies‘ work this year has led to a shake up of the media. Though his pursuit of the truth was not always popular with his colleagues in journalism he persevered, and we’re only just beginning to see the impact of his revelations.”

Matthieu Mabin will receive the Frontline Club Award for his camera work in Libya. Mabin is a special correspondent for France 24 and has worked in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Ivory Coast. His journey with Libyan rebel forces as they advance on Tripoli at the end of August this year was made into two extended news pieces entitled The Tripoli Brigade and was broadcast on France 24.

Commenting on the decision to present this year’s annual award to Matthieu Mabin, Gary Knight, one of the judges, said:

“Matthieu Mabin demonstrated exceptional courage. He also worked on an a well thought out and well constructed narrative story that demanded great journalistic skills and real focus and tenacity – that is something we don’t see enough on TV and the spirit should be saluted.”

2011 Frontline Memorial Tribute Award

The Memorial Tribute Award is to be posthumously awarded to three photojournalists who were killed while working in Libya this year: Anton Hammerl, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros. Hetherington and Hondros were killed in the same incident in Misrata, Libya in April 2011, while Hammerl was killed in the Libyan desert in the same month.

Commenting on the decision to present this year’s Memorial award to Anton Hammerl, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, Jon Lee Anderson said:

“to an unusual degree, the year 2011 and the Libya conflict represented a huge loss of life for several highly talented and dearly beloved members of our profession. “

This year’s judges were: the New Yorker‘s Jon Lee Anderson, Gary Knight VII photojournalist, Carlotta Gall from the New York Times, Jeremy Bowen and Allan Little from the BBC and Frontline Club Founder Vaughan Smith. Both awards focus on journalistic integrity, courage and independence of spirit, regardless of nationality or media discipline and include the work of freelances.

The Frontline Club Award aims to recognise an outstanding body of work or series of contributions over a one-year period while the Frontline Memorial Tribute is dedicated to the memory of Frontline Club members killed in the course of their work.

The Frontline Club is grateful to Canon for once again sponsoring the Frontline Club Awards.

The Frontline Club has announced the winners of the Frontline Club Award and the Frontline Memorial Tribute Award for excellence in journalism, to be presented by Allan Little on Wednesday 23 November at the Annual Party and Awards. Frontline Club members can book to attend here.

2011 Frontline Club Award

This year the Frontline Club award will be presented to two journalists, Nick Davies and Matthieu Mabin, to acknowledge their exceptional journalism, integrity, courage and independence of spirit. Davies in person and Mabin via Skype will accept their Awards at the ceremony in London tomorrow evening.

Investigative journalist Nick Davies, is to receive the Frontline Club award for his investigation for the Guardian into the phone hacking scandal which led to the closure of the News of the World and the questioning of News Corporation’s Rupert and James Murdoch by the Commons culture committee. He has been a journalist since 1976 and is the bestselling author of Flat Earth News, on falsehood and distortion in the media.

Vaughan Smith, Founder of the Frontline Club and a judge of the Awards said of Davies’ nomination:

“Nick Davies‘ work this year has led to a shake up of the media. Though his pursuit of the truth was not always popular with his colleagues in journalism he persevered, and we’re only just beginning to see the impact of his revelations.”

Matthieu Mabin will receive the Frontline Club Award for his camera work in Libya. Mabin is a special correspondent for France 24 and has worked in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Ivory Coast. His journey with Libyan rebel forces as they advance on Tripoli at the end of August this year was made into two extended news pieces entitled The Tripoli Brigade and was broadcast on France 24.

Commenting on the decision to present this year’s annual award to Matthieu Mabin, Gary Knight, one of the judges, said:

“Matthieu Mabin demonstrated exceptional courage. He also worked on an a well thought out and well constructed narrative story that demanded great journalistic skills and real focus and tenacity – that is something we don’t see enough on TV and the spirit should be saluted.”

2011 Frontline Memorial Tribute Award

The Memorial Tribute Award is to be posthumously awarded to three photojournalists who were killed while working in Libya this year: Anton Hammerl, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros. Hetherington and Hondros were killed in the same incident in Misrata, Libya in April 2011, while Hammerl was killed in the Libyan desert in the same month.

Commenting on the decision to present this year’s Memorial award to Anton Hammerl, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros, Jon Lee Anderson said:

“to an unusual degree, the year 2011 and the Libya conflict represented a huge loss of life for several highly talented and dearly beloved members of our profession. “

This year’s judges were: the New Yorker‘s Jon Lee Anderson, Gary Knight VII photojournalist, Carlotta Gall from the New York Times, Jeremy Bowen and Allan Little from the BBC and Frontline Club Founder Vaughan Smith. Both awards focus on journalistic integrity, courage and independence of spirit, regardless of nationality or media discipline and include the work of freelances.

The Frontline Club Award aims to recognise an outstanding body of work or series of contributions over a one-year period while the Frontline Memorial Tribute is dedicated to the memory of Frontline Club members killed in the course of their work.

The Frontline Club is grateful to Canon for once again sponsoring the Frontline Club Awards.

June 12, 2012

Is the Western world reaching an epochal shift? New documentary Four Horsemen argues that it is – and that in order to produce a fairer, less dysfunctional world we need to understand the systems that govern us and begin to question them.

The film presents the many problems we face – “a rampageous financial system, escalating organised violence, abject poverty for billions and a looming environmental fallout”. But what emerges is not a doomsday scenario but the suggestion that although change is urgent, the conditions for it have never been more favourable.

Join us for this special event bringing together the film’s director Ross Ashcroft, co-author of the accompanying book Four Horsemen: The Survival Manual, Mark Braund, contributors and others to map out the argument for change and ask whether we have reached the age of consequence.

Chaired by Phillip Blond, a British political thinker, theologian, philosopher, and director of the think tank ResPublica. He is the author of Red Tory and research fellow at NESTA.

With:

Victoria Chick, Emeritus professor of economics at University College London, where she has taught for nearly 40 years. She has written on the economics of Keynes, money and economic method.

Ross Ashcroft, co-founder of the London based independent production company Motherlode and the website Renegade Economist. Four Horsemen is his feature debut.

Mark Braund, a freelance writer and an economic philosopher. He has a specific interest in the prospects for transformative social change towards a more just, inclusive and sustainable society. He has worked in the private, public and voluntary sectors, and spent three years as an advisor to the government of Mozambique. He also is regular contributor to the Renegade Economist and the Guardian.

Daniel Ben-Ami, journalist and author, he has contributed to numerous national, specialist and international publications. An extended edition of Ferraris For All, his book defending economic progress, has just come out in paperback and on Kindle.

June 12, 2012

Is the Western world reaching an epochal shift? New documentary Four Horsemen argues that it is – and that in order to produce a fairer, less dysfunctional world we need to understand the systems that govern us and begin to question them.

The film presents the many problems we face – “a rampageous financial system, escalating organised violence, abject poverty for billions and a looming environmental fallout”. But what emerges is not a doomsday scenario but the suggestion that although change is urgent, the conditions for it have never been more favourable.

Join us for this special event bringing together the film’s director Ross Ashcroft, co-author of the accompanying book Four Horsemen: The Survival Manual, Mark Braund, contributors and others to map out the argument for change and ask whether we have reached the age of consequence.

Chaired by Phillip Blond, a British political thinker, theologian, philosopher, and director of the think tank ResPublica. He is the author of Red Tory and research fellow at NESTA.

With:

Victoria Chick, Emeritus professor of economics at University College London, where she has taught for nearly 40 years. She has written on the economics of Keynes, money and economic method.

Ross Ashcroft, co-founder of the London based independent production company Motherlode and the website Renegade Economist. Four Horsemen is his feature debut.

Mark Braund, a freelance writer and an economic philosopher. He has a specific interest in the prospects for transformative social change towards a more just, inclusive and sustainable society. He has worked in the private, public and voluntary sectors, and spent three years as an advisor to the government of Mozambique. He also is regular contributor to the Renegade Economist and the Guardian.

Daniel Ben-Ami, journalist and author, he has contributed to numerous national, specialist and international publications. An extended edition of Ferraris For All, his book defending economic progress, has just come out in paperback and on Kindle.

June 12, 2012

Is the Western world reaching an epochal shift? New documentary Four Horsemen argues that it is – and that in order to produce a fairer, less dysfunctional world we need to understand the systems that govern us and begin to question them.

The film presents the many problems we face – “a rampageous financial system, escalating organised violence, abject poverty for billions and a looming environmental fallout”. But what emerges is not a doomsday scenario but the suggestion that although change is urgent, the conditions for it have never been more favourable.

Join us for this special event bringing together the film’s director Ross Ashcroft, co-author of the accompanying book Four Horsemen: The Survival Manual, Mark Braund, contributors and others to map out the argument for change and ask whether we have reached the age of consequence.

Chaired by Phillip Blond, a British political thinker, theologian, philosopher, and director of the think tank ResPublica. He is the author of Red Tory and research fellow at NESTA.

With:

Victoria Chick, Emeritus professor of economics at University College London, where she has taught for nearly 40 years. She has written on the economics of Keynes, money and economic method.

Ross Ashcroft, co-founder of the London based independent production company Motherlode and the website Renegade Economist. Four Horsemen is his feature debut.

Mark Braund, a freelance writer and an economic philosopher. He has a specific interest in the prospects for transformative social change towards a more just, inclusive and sustainable society. He has worked in the private, public and voluntary sectors, and spent three years as an advisor to the government of Mozambique. He also is regular contributor to the Renegade Economist and the Guardian.

Daniel Ben-Ami, journalist and author, he has contributed to numerous national, specialist and international publications. An extended edition of Ferraris For All, his book defending economic progress, has just come out in paperback and on Kindle.

A panel of journalists came together to discuss their take on the future of journalism, to mark the publication of Face the Future: Tools For A Modern Age.

The first to present his thoughts at the event, which was moderated by Raymond Snoddy of BBC Newswatch was Kevin Marsh, until recently executive editor of the BBC College of Journalism.

He set out the issue of the ever-expanding information universe with equally diversifying ways of accessing and transmitting information, which is exciting but not really journalism, as many seem to think. Journalism to him is rather a small, precise part of this information universe whose distinction lies in the ability to sift through the deluge of information, filter out items of value to the audience, investigate and analyse them properly, and finally report them honestly, all things that require special skills, mindsets and commitment.

Laura Oliver, community co-ordinator for Guardian News and Media, added another twist by saying that new media, like Twitter, Facebook and blogs should not be discounted as some of the writers are in fact professional journalists, and even some of the amateurs are committed, skilled and reputable sources of information. An important new skill for journalists therefore is to establish credentials for online sources and to verify the information gleaned from them. However, this is still rather uncharted territory with more grey areas than in the past.

Judith Townend, a freelance journalist currently working on a PhD, replied to the question if we could expect new developments every six months that she hoped so. The example of MySpace should be a warning to anyone who mistook new online media for an end in themselves rather than a tool. Facebook is well established in her opinion due to its size but it is not a good news source as it is about its members’ personal lives, whereas Twitter has its own limitations that make it not particularly efficient, amongst them that it is not representative of society at large. She cited journalists on Twitter who ask colleagues for case studies to flesh out preconceived stories and just pick the bits that fit as an example of ‘lazy journalism’ using new media, even from professional journalists.

In the following debate this question was picked up again, and an interesting argument was that what is seen as ‘lazy journalism’, like journalists not going out and talking to people to get a story but being stuck in the office, is sometimes simply a consequence of the rolling news issue of continually having to update, leaving no time to do the actual journalistic work.

Other questions looked at the way editors may influence journalism in attempts to ‘pander to their readership’; new online media allowing the return to citizen journalism as the historical precursor of commercial journalism; how news organisations go about establishing trust and their brand value, especially where paywalls are in place; and whether declining news viewing figures really mean that people are less interested or simply signify a shift in the way they access news.

Face the Future: Tools For A Modern Age is edited by John Mair and Richard Keeble and published by Arima Publishing.