What's New

Curriculum development I'm developing a couple of new qualifications for PMA Media Training in London. One is a basic distance learning course designed for young would-be journalists in the Third World, the other is a BTEC in journalism set at the postgraduate level

Consultancy The new website I'm creating with John Cornwell - who, as well as being a distinguished contributor to the Sunday Times Magazine, is director of the Science and Human Dimension Project at Jesus College Cambridge - is really taking shape.  The project exists to inform and improve media coverage of science, medicine and technology, and John has asked me to oversee the creation of a site that each week brings together the best writing on science, religion, philosophy and ethics. A distinguished array of contributing editors are signing up, and launch date will be announced soon

I'm training the team who will edit the site. We shall have a Beta version ready soon. If you'd like to know more, please email me.

Books The contract to write The Student Guide to Multimedia Journalism is about to be signed. Actually, when I call it a book that's not entirely accurate. There will be a dead tree print-out you can buy in Waterstone's or - more likely - on Amazon - but the heart of the project will be online. The project, designed to take the multimedia journalism student from day one through to graduation is, I believe, ground-breaking.
From my experience, few university courses, and no accrediting bodies, have come to terms with teaching journalism across all the media.
Meanwhile, The NCTJ Essential Guide to Careers in Journalism seems to be selling well.

Training Just 12 months ago Sarah MacKinlay graduated from PMA's Postgraduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism.Now she's editor of Total Politics, launching in a couple of months. I'm assisting the launch team.

Classic Gardening Magazine
This is my new online magazine, slogan: Gardening as it ought to be. I'm having great fun putting it together. Existing gardening magazines are dull, stale and tired. I'm creating a magazine for gardeners who are none of the above.


Writing I have a piece in The Tablet on labyrinths, under my pen name of Richard Abbott.

Classic Gardening Magazine
Take a look at the Beta version of my new online magazine. Follow this link,