Ben Martin

BEN MARTIN: FREELANCE JOURNALIST

E: ben@benjaminmartin.co.uk  M: 07518340093

EXPERIENCE:

COP 15 - DEC 2009: I covered the Copenhagen Climate Conference as a freelance journalist, with a running blog published in the North West Evening Mail and a 3000- word piece published in the Student Times. The experience was invaluable and career changing. I learned how to cope in riot situations, with hostile police, and how to self-sustain on no money in a foreign country - for example, squatting and practising freeganism.

STUDENT TIMES - FEB - JULY 2010: I worked for the student Times, a national free paper with a circulation of 60,000. I covered politics, student news and music. I published exclusives on student letting services accused of malpractise, provost occupations at Westminster University and drastic increases in entry requirements at Bournemouth University.

FIGHT BACK: A READER ON THE WINTER OF PROTEST - MAR 2011: Through extensive coverage of the Tuition Fees and Anti-Cuts protests, I was asked to contribute to this book by Dan Hancox. My piece on the importance of EMA was included alongside articles by Johann Hari, Laurie Penny and Guy Aitchison in a physical publication.

ATTN:magazine - EDITOR - OCT 2009 - JULY 2011: ATTN:magazine is a self financed independent arts and culture webzine with contributions from course mates, as well as my own contributions on music and politics. We average 30,000 hits a month and have scored many exclusive interviews with luminaries from the Avant-Garde music scene.

NWEM - AUG 2009: Working at the North West Evening Mail was a rewarding experience that gave me a great grounding in local journalism. I was offered the freedom to be autonomous in my work and learned how to hold my nerve as a journalist while being threatened by a number of interesting characters.

NERVE* RADIO - JAN - JULY 2011: I co-presented a fortnightly radio show with a course mate showcasing new leftfield, avant-garde music and sound art. ‘Ben & Jack’s Freakout’ has a dedicated listernership and has also broadcast FM for two weeks in March 2011.

EDUCATION:

BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY: BA (Hons) Multi-Media Journalism Sept 2008 to June 2011 - A multi-disciplinary course covering News and Magazine journalism, Online, Radio and TV. Feature writing is my speciality, and because of the course I now have an advanced grounding in Public Affairs and 21st Century Media Law.

SKILLS:

I am at an advanced level with industry standard software, including Adobe CS5 InDesign, Photoshop, Audition, Burli and Final Cut. Running my own website gives me intimate knowledge of Wordpress, as well as other CMS’ through work placements. As well as software, I am also well versed in shooting in HD, recording with Flashmics and DSLR photography - as well as professional broadcast suites. I also have a full, clean UK driving licence.

INTERESTS:

I have performed as a guitarist at semi-professional level with various bands since a young age. Through this I have self-financed and produced a number of independent releases.

REFERENCES:

Paul Kennedy: iNews Cayman/ex-Liverpool Echo News Editor

E: paul.kennedy1@yahoo.co.uk

Dan Hogan: BAMMJ Course Leader, Bournemouth University

P: 01202 966704  E: dhogan@bournemouth.ac.uk