This panel session will look at the role that local papers, radio and television play in the community. The panel will also look at issues around the relevance and sustainability of local media in a digital world.
Chair- Peter Urpeth: currently the writing development officer with HI Arts, and delivers a range of support services and programmes to writing and publishing. Peter has had a long career as an author and journalist including music journalist for Jazz Hot and Time Out, and freelancer for Mentorn Films and BBC Radio 4. He is the former editor of local newspapers including The Stornoway Gazette and founding editor of The Hebridean.
Liz MacIntyre: Liz McIntyre is the Manager of Radioskills at the Moray Firth Media Trust. She entered the training sector after a wide and varied career. A pupil of Inverness Royal Academy, she graduated from Edinburgh University with a Degree in Education, later living in Alabama, USA for a year. In 1999, she was invited by MFR to set up Moray Firth Media Trust and to bid for ESF project funding. Over the past eleven years she’s taken the charity through the development of a new customised radio broadcasting qualification and the establishment of Radioskills as a SQA Approved Centre, making it a unique and important training resource for the Highlands. Liz is passionate about community radio and has helped with the launch of Monster FM, aimed at training and widening access to the airwaves.
Jake Schumacher: Inspired by the variety of music played on the first community radio station in St Louis (KDNA), Jake has gone on to a long career in community radio and television. After a spell in commercial radio, Jake has been involved in community programme development, got KCAW/Raven Radio on air in Alaska, and was a founder of the Midwest Radio Theatre Workshop. Latterly he was Director of Radio for Illinois Public Media before taking up his current post as Station Manager for Urbana Public Television, which includes developing a corps of community television producers who are interested in documenting visually the life and events of the area.
Archie MacKay: editor of Am Paipear, a community newspaper covering the southern isles of the Outer Hebrides and serves the communities of Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay. Established in 1976 and published by the Uist Council of Voluntary Organisations, the paper has gone from strength to strength with the support of many island and off-island contributors. With a circulation in excess of 5,000 and a strong online and social network presence, it has been voted Community Newspaper of the Year twice in a row at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards.
Angus MacLeod: is a Gael from Inverness. He advises clients on the exploitation and enforcement of intellectual property and commercial rights in a wide range of sectors including creative industries, manufacturing, retail, life sciences, renewables and food and drink. In 2008 he was named as Scotland s ÔÇ£IP and IT Lawyer of the YearÔÇØ. Angus now leads WJM s Inverness practice. WJM have helped bring more projects and businesses into employee or community ownership than any other law firm in Scotland. These include Loch Fyne Oysters, West Highland Free Press, UBH International, Taylor Clarke Partnership, Clyde Football Club and Highland Home Carers.
Full details coming soon.
