About UsAbout Us

Crown Media draws on a wide range of media and training professionals to provide individually tailored solutions. They range from current UK national TV and radio journalists, to experienced media strategists and trainers.

The Partners of Crown Media are David Bennett, Andy Reeds, and Lucy Jackson, who are highly experienced media professionals. Download brochureCrown Media leaflet

David Bennett
David trained as a journalist in print and broadcasting before gaining BA (hons) in communications at University. He joined the BBC as a reporter in 1984, was later...
Read full profile
Andy Reeds
Andy Reeds spent most of his career in the Army where he was heavily involved in public relations, media training and journalism. For five years Andy was responsible for...
Read full profile
Lucy Jackson
Lucy Jackson
Lucy began her journalism career in 1994 working for the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) radio and TV based in Germany. In that time she broadcast from across...
Read full profile

Media News

  • Lord Leveson chair of Press Inquiry
    Free Speech or Truth

    A media which is free to say what it wants is one of the cornerstones of democracy. But with it comes responsibility. The free media can only be trusted so long as it is truthful, and working within the law, whilst respecting the rights of society and its private individuals. Just as it expects society to respect its rights to work unfettered. In Britain, we now find, that has broken down....

    ... read more
  • Making a private phone call
    A private call?

    Should the media ever be allowed to break the law in pursuit of a story? Their defence would be that it is in the public interest. But the public interest is less clearly defined than the law – and allowing this defence would lead to confusion.

    It’s highlighted because of allegations that newspapers in Britain routinely hacked the voicemail of mobile phone users. They...

    ... read more
  • Mobile phone filming a Libyan demonstration
    The Partial Cameraman

    Much is made of the role of the media in creating and supporting democracy. A key part of this is the ability of anyone to turn to the media, and on merit, have their story or point of view reported. Sometimes ordinary people create the content itself – ‘citizen journalism’ is a modern and powerful phenomenon. Recent protests sweeping North Africa and the Middle East prove...

    ... read more
  • Mr Assange Wikilieaks news conference
    An engaging character

    Few subjects divide opinion more than the actions of Wikileaks and its publication of ‘confidential’ material. But its founder knows that if he’s to have a chance to win hearts and minds to his cause, the media is the battleground. So, within minutes of being released from prison on bail, Julian Assange was talking to reporters.

    In any successful communication...

    ... read more
  • News feed screen
    Wikileaks and the media

    The media is driven by deadlines and competition. And both cause the sort of excitement which lead to reporters' mistakes. When the BBC published breaking news that thousands of confidential documents had been released on Wikileaks, it sent out a text to subscribers of its mobile news service. But the first story contained one vital error – the reporter had got their 'Wikileaks...

    ... read more
  • House of Lords
    Never had it so good ...

    Peer Of The Year and two days later he'd resigned as a Government adviser. Lord Young,  in The Daily Telegraph, said that most Britons had "never had it so good" despite the "so-called recession".  

    The Prime Minister's enterprise adviser surely never expected his remarks could have such consequences.

    While the views expressed in his...

    ... read more
  • The media we deserve?

    Complaining about the media is a pastime in many places - they're too powerful, dishonest, biased or sensational. All probably true.

    But it's a reality that we get the media we deserve. For example, each day millions of people, millions of 'us', buy newspapers. This earns them revenue both through sales and advertising. And that endorses the product. If we're really unhappy, why do we...

    ... read more
  • Berlin Wall
    Berlin Wall Collapses

    1989 the East German government struggles to resist reform.  The politburo decided on a complex and restricting new policy for limited travel to the West. 

    The man given the job of announcing the new policy was politburo member Guenter Schabowski. When his fellow Communist leaders decided on the new regulations he was out of the room. He skimmed the policy and headed off...

    ... read more
  • Coins
    Inland Revenue Problems

    2.4 million people in the UK underpaid tax due to errors in the PAYE tax system.  The cause; computer software problems and failures by tax officials.  The news that 1.4 million of those people owed an average of £1,428 became an instant story.

    At 9am the civil servant in charge of tax, Dave Hartnett told BBC radio: "I'm not sure I see a need to apologise...

    ... read more
  • Reporters filing news reports
    Nuclear accident exercise

    Reporters filing news reports during an exercise with the Nuclear Accident Response Organisation. News can be broadcast in minutes.

  • Embedded TV journalist

    An embedded TV journalist reviewing tapes during a British Army Exercise on Salisbury Plain. Embedding forces the training audience to consider real life issues of working with the media.

  • Embedded camera operator

    An embedded camera operator filming from a Naval vessel off the coast of Scotland. Transmitting stories, for example from ships, is a challenge. 

  • Interview with United Nations and military Commander
    Working with United Nations

    Working with international civilian organisations is essential training both for them, and those who work with them. 

  • Radio interview at Bristow, Houston
    Bristow Group - Houston

    Creating the right message and delivering it effectively, even in a crisis, is crucial to maintaining reputation. Here on an exercise with Bristow helicopters in Texas. 

  • Reporter interviewing in Kenya
    Training exercise Kenya

    Radio reporter interviewing role players during an Army Training exercise in Kenya. The media cover stories from all angles. 

  • Radio bulletin for an emergency exercise
    Emergency services bulletin

    Putting together a 'top of the hour' radio bulletin during an exercise for the Emergency Services. Radio is a critical communication tool in a crisis. 

  • TV news broadcast to NATO HQ
    NATO Headquarters, Germany

    Broadcasting the news creates a 'real' environment for all those in an exercise, and provides a common understanding of what the story is.

  • NATO interview training
    NATO - Eurocorps

    Training and development, such as interview skills, are essential preparations for media success.

  • Interview presentation for Eurocorps, Strasbourg
    Training NATO's personnel

    Training groups, prior to more advanced individual training, develops common standards so messages are delivered in a coherent way throughout an organisation. 

  • The challenge of a live TV interview
    Cobham plc - Live

    Creating a 'live' TV environment poses completely different challenges for the interviewee to recorded interviews.

  • Filming in Kenya

    A camera operator filming from an Army helicopter during an exercise in Kenya, developing the pilot and crew skills of working with media teams.

  • Reporter interviews British Army soldier
    British Army exercise

    TV team interviewing a British soldier during a training exercise in Kenya. The media will talk to all levels of your organisation. 

  • Reporter broadcasting in Canada
    Training Unit Suffield, Canada

    A reporter broadcasts from a mock village at the British Army Training Unit in Canada. Working alongside reporters develops the understanding of those who face them in the real world. 

  • TV interview about fictional health crisis
    Health Protection Agency

    Interview training on an exercise to develop skills in explaining complex issues to a TV audience and bring reassurance during a crisis.