Conflict Resolution Journalism

Barry Lowe
Stephen Desmond
Ronan Lynch

Barry Lowe joins the Centre for Conflict Resolution Journalism (CCRJ) as Executive Director. Barry is also a staff writer and editor of the CCRJ Journal "The Ethical Media Review".

Since September 2000 Barry Lowe has been Senior Lecturer in Journalism & Media at the London College of Music and Media (LCMM). Barry’s new responsibilities at the CCRJ will complement his ongoing, full-time teaching commitment at the London College of Music and Media, informing and underpinning his research work and scholarly activity.

The role played by journalists in creating democratic societies is the focus of a wide- ranging project being undertaken by Barry Lowe.

Lowe has received funding totaling more than £190,000 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to research modes of production and professional attitudes among journalists in transitional countries, and to design professional development programmes for these journalists.
His current focus is the Middle East where he is working with journalists from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Palestine, Afghanistan and Egypt."The programme is based on my belief that journalists are the prime messengers of democratic reform. Mobilising the news media to spread the democracy message is the most effective way of speeding up the reform process,” Lowe said.

“I began working in this area last year when the Department for International Development and the Commonwealth Secretariat provided funding for me to undertake a pilot project in Cameroon, a totalitarian West African state that has begun taking tentative steps towards democratic reform.

“This project involved an initial scoping study of Cameroon news media institutions and journalists and, in a follow-up visit, the delivery of a training programme for journalists on reporting elections.”

Lowe has since combined forces with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) for his Middle East-based programme. He works with a SOAS research and consultancy centre called the London Middle East Institute.

“Saudi Arabia is ruled by one of the most traditional and authoritarian governments in the world today so when the first election there in 70 years was announced – a limited franchise municipal poll – I approached the Foreign Office about funding a programme involving Saudi journalists. The Foreign office backed that plan and went on to support a similar programme for Lebanese journalists, ahead of their general election in June. The programme has since been further extended to include other Middle Eastern countries.

“I am currently working on a project for journalists from Afghanistan, ahead of the election of a new Afghan legislative assembly in September.”

Each project involves researching various aspects of news production in the target country, identifying and recruiting a group of journalists to the programme, designing a training programme in election reporting and evaluating the outcomes.

Lowe’s interest in journalists and democratic reform has also seen him deliver recent projects in Azerbaijan (funded by the European Commission and the Dutch Foreign Ministry) and in the Malaysian state of Sarawak (funded by a Malaysian government agency).

Lowe is a former journalist who covered conflicts in the Middle East in the 80’s. He also reported from Eastern Europe, South East Asia and the Pacific.

“My work as a foreign correspondent enabled me to build up extensive networks of journalists in many parts of the world. These networks have now become the foundation for the project work I do.”

Click here for more information on Barry Lowe:

http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/August_2005_news/aug05_news3.jsp

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Stephen Desmond: Deputy Director, Centre for Conflict Resolution Journalism. Senior Lecturer in Media at Thames Valley University

Stephen Desmond joins the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCRJ) in Derry City, Northern Ireland, as Deputy Director/Director of Communications. Stephen is also a staff writer and editor of the CCRJ Journal "The Ethical Media Review". Stephen is a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). His membership number is: G0927934. As of April 2007, Stephen was inducted as a member of The Frontline Club in London.

Since September 2001 Stephen Desmond has been Senior Lecturer in Media at the London College of Music and Media (Thames Valley University), and is Course Leader for the MA Programme in Video Production & Film Studies (http://www.mavideo.co.uk) Stephen’s new responsibilities at the CCRJ will complement his ongoing, full-time teaching commitment at the London College of Music and Media, informing and underpinning his research work and scholarly activity. Stephen is currently involved in a three-year research project charting the role of national media in triggering and sustaining State-sponsored investigation into recent political corruption in Ireland. Click here to view Stephen Desmond's TVU research profile: http://www.research.tvu.ac.uk/staffprofiles/view_profile.aspx?email=Stephen.Desmond@tvu.ac.uk

In terms of recent accomplishments:

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PICS OF STEPHEN'S PROMOTIONAL TOUR OF NEW YORK & BOSTON APRIL 2007. Click on: USA PROMOTIONAL TOUR

October 2007--Stephen Desmond's article on his new film-in-progress for Al Jazeera English--"The Jaweed Al Ghussein Story"--appears in The Times Higher Education Supplement on October 5th. The article is entitled "Documenting Injustice" and is located in the 'Features' section. Also in October Stephen appears on TALKSPORT National Radio on The Mike Mendoza Show to discuss the film. Click here to listen to the interview: RADIO INTERVIEW

May 2007---Stephen Desmond, Deputy Director of the CCRJ, is interviewed on Irish television about his new film for Al Jazeera English. Click here to view the interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNQlyccq9Gc

In January 2007 Stephen was awarded a major film commission by Al Jazeera London to produce a broadcast documentary on political corruption and the finances of the PLO under Yasser Arafat. The film, which is in progress, will tell the story of how Jaweed Al Ghussein was falsely accused by Arafat of embezzling $6 million from The Palestinian National Fund, abducted and held under house arrest in Gaza. The film will focus on providing a narrative history of Al-Ghussein’s abduction, positioning the incident within a wider discussion of Human Rights abuse in the Palestinian terretories. Stephen has also been commissioned by The Times Higher Education Supplement to write two articles on his film. The first news piece will appear in The Times in mid-May 2007. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW AN 8 MINUTE TRAILER OF THE FILM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlLGLSZdq9k
PLEASE READ THIS EALING TIMES ARTICLE FOR MORE INFO: http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1236146.0.lecturer_joins_forces_with_aljazeera.php

In 2006 Stephen curated a screening of experimental film at the world famous Sonimagenes festival in Buenos Aires. See: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/August_2006_news/aug06_news5.jsp

In June 2006---Stephen's documentary film "Peace or Patriotism" is made available Online for the first time. To view the video please click on the link directly below the photgraph (on the left). The video deals with the ethics of war reporting and contains interviews with Martin Bell OBE, Professor Monica McWilliams of Queens University, Belfast, and several other journalists from around the world. The film was screened at ISTROART 2004. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO:
http://www.esnips.com/doc/5040918c-0330-4167-9546-65a738077763/conferenceTrailer5-300Kbps-Streaming
Also in 2006, Stephen executive produced and edited a documentary about the experiences of refugee teachers in a special teacher-training programme at Birkbeck College. See: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/August_2006_news/aug06_news1.jsp The documentary was exhibited at a public screening organised by the refugee charity Reconnect.
Also in Summer 2006 Stephen Desmond’s MA student Imran Akram won a major award at a prestigious New York Film Festival. See: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/June_2006_news/jun06_news5.jsp ).
In January 2006 Stephen’s MA student Fran Apprich won a major prize in New York. See: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/January_2006_news/jan06_news1.jsp
In 2005 Stephen co-founded and incorporated a registered charity/research centre: The Centre for Conlfict Resolution Journalism (http://www.ccrj.org). The aim of the CCRJ is to advance the influence of ethical media worldwide and to promote international conflict resolution through the media.
In 2004 Stephen completed a short documentary film entitled: Peace or Patriotism--Journalism, War and the Search for Truth. It includes interviews with award winning journalist Martin Bell OBE, and Peace Prize winner Prof. Monica McWilliams. The film was screened at ISTROART 2004. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO: http://www.esnips.com/doc/5040918c-0330-4167-9546-65a738077763/conferenceTrailer5-300Kbps-Streaming
Also in 2004 Stephen was invited by the British Council to teach a two-week-long workshop at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia, during ISTROART 2004. Stephen and his students created a public video art installation in Bratislava's largest gallery: Gallerii Medium. Stephen's documentary "Peace or Patriotism" was selected and screened at the Istroart Festival. As a companion-piece to the installation, Stephen subsequently published an article "Video Art 2", describing the creative process in experimental video, in the Istroart 2004 Catalogue.

In terms of other recent accomplishments: Stephen served as Mentor at Dublin City University for six months in 2005 and again in 2006. His contributions to the Mentor programme were detailed in several magazine articles. These articles are attached at the end of this bio. (See also: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/June_2006_news/jun06_news6.jsp ).

Photo: Stephen Desmond & Susan Peters

At Thames Valley University Stephen Desmond was selected as the Treasurer at the London College of Music and Media for his national teaching union NATFHE (National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education). Stephen was appointed to the National Equality Advisory Council which reports directly to National NATFHE Head Office and The TUC. Stephen was also appointed to the London College of Music & Media Equality Committee. As Course Leader for the MA in Video Production & Film Studies Stephen has tripled student enrollments. The success and profile of the MA Programme has sky-rocketed. This success is detailed in a recent Ealing Times article attached at the end of this bio. The article can also be accessed by clicking here: EALING TIMES

Stephen has 15 years of teaching experience, including five years in the MA in Media Studies at the New School for Social Research/ Parsons School of Design in New York (ranked one of the top ten design universities in the US). Stephen also lectured full-time at the City University of New York (Borough of Manhattan Community College) for four years between August 1997 and August 2001, immediately prior joining the London College of Music and Media. Stephen was invited back to CUNY to screen “Peace or Patriotism” in September 2004 (see "recent events" section of the CCRJ website for pictures of the screening).

Stephen Desmond with his student Valentina Caniglia at the graduation ceremony for BMCC Summer 2001 in New York City. Valentina is now a successful film director. Click here: "American Cinematographer".

Stephen has taught a wide range of courses focusing on creative, technical, and theoretical approaches to digital video production. Stephen has also taught many classes in critical film studies, media studies, and critical cultural studies. As well as teaching at Thames Valley University, the New School for Social Research and the Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY) Stephen has taught at the College of Staten Island (CUNY) and at The University of Michigan. As an AVID-Certified Instructor (ACI) Stephen Desmond has retrained media industry professionals on industry-standard digital media interfaces. In summer 2001, he held several workshops at Moviola Digital, New York, retraining editors from large US Television Networks in non-linear video editing techniques and practices. He is a specialist in digital post-production technology and professional/industrial training. He was the primary designer of the largest digital editing facility in the City University of New York in 1997, and was retained by the New School in 1996 as a primary consultant in the design of the Knowledge Union-a state-of-the-art digital production/education center. Stephen's client list (AVID Training, Media Training, Media Consulting, Editing) includes: The Centre for Conflict Resolution Journalism, Penn Chemicals BV, Dublin Institute of Technology, AVID Technology UK, Jim Bambrick & Associates, Headband & Liniment, Fuji International Productions, Moviola Digital, Post Resources, WTNH-TV8 New Haven, WBNE New Haven, Ticino Films, Lancer Productions, Soho Audio, Bloomberg Television, Little Dog Productions, Joetown Inc., Backstreet Edit, Lionheart Films New York, RAI, Phoenix Communications, Oracom Inc., Alchemy Digital, Cammach Associates, VH1/MTV New York, The Jewish Museum New York, Asset Picture New York, NVI, National Recording Studios New York, Swiss Television. (Please note: References & Teaching Evaluations and/or AVID-Training Evaluations from all the universities or companies mentioned above are available on request).

Stephen also served as Director of Education at Film/Video Arts, New York, from '94-'96. During this period he more than doubled enrolment income and sent student numbers skyrocketing. Stephen managed a staff of 40 part-time lecturers and completely revamped the curriculum. Stephen also ran a highly successful Artist-Mentor programme as part of the education unit at Film/Video Arts. Internationally renowned filmmakers such as Leslie Thornton, Rosa Von Praunhiem, Barbara Hammer and Cheryl Dunye served as Artists-In-Residence under Stephen's supervision. Stephen also curated final screenings for the Artist-Mentor programme at the acclaimed Donnelle Media Center of the New York Public Library. Stephen's work at F/VA was detailed in a lead article in The Independent-America's national film & video monthly magazine, and in The Village Voice. In 1996, at the age of just 30 years old, Stephen was offered the position of Executive Director and President of the Board of Trustees at Film/Video Arts. He decided instead to return to full-time teaching at the City University of New York.

Stephen's research interests include: media and political corruption in Ireland; conflict resolution journalism; political economy of the media; ownership and control/ globalization of new media industries; representations of class and gender/sexuality in the media; experimental film & video; history and development of digital editing interfaces; current / future deployment of digital technology in the Television and Video sector; pedagogical techniques for new media training;.

Stephen received a teaching scholarship to attend the University of Michigan in 1989. The University of Michigan is consistently ranked alongside Harvard as one of America's most prestigious Universities. Stephen graduated with an MA in Communication Studies in 1991 with a Grade Point Average of 3.9 ( on a scale with a max of 4.0). Prior to this Stephen worked in publicity at Murray Consultants, Ltd., Ireland's largest firm of public relations consultants. Immediately prior to this, Stephen was awarded a BA in Communication Studies in 1987 by Dublin City University (Sunday Times University of the Year). Stephen's 200 page final thesis 'Social Realism--The Portrayal of the Dublin Working Class in Film and Television Drama' was awarded a first-class honours. Stephen graduated in the top five of his class of 75 students at DCU, and was nominated for a 'Sportsman of the Year' award. While at DCU Stephen was elected and served as Welfare Officer on the Students Union. Some years earlier, in 1984 Stephen graduated from St. Fintan's High School, Sutton, County Dublin. At his graduation he was nominated for a 'Student of the Year' award.

In the Summer of 2001, Stephen Desmond became an American Citizen. He now retains Dual Citizenship, holding passports from The Republic of Ireland (EU) and The United States.

Stephen also has a page & profile on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=627666705

WEBLINKS TO STEPHEN DESMOND:

Profile on alumni pages of Dublin City University website: http://www.dcu.ie/alumni/winter04/p38.html

Profile on the alumni pages of the University of Michigan: http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/public/mtoday/alumnotes/display.php

Summer 2006--Desmond at Dublin City University: Mentoring scores
highly for Film Students: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/June_2006_news/jun06_news6.jsp

Summer 2006--Desmond teaches grant-funded video production workshop for refugees. Click here:
http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/August_2006_news/aug06_news1.jsp

Summer 2006--Desmond's Student Wins Major Film Prize: TVU film
student scoops debut film award in New York:
http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/June_2006_news/jun06_news5.jsp

Summer 2006: Updated Profile in DCU's Alumni Magazine DCU TIMES detailing Stephen's visit to his former workplace--The Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York--in order to screen a selection of award-winning films created by his MA students at Thames Valley University. Cleck here to download "Grads On The Move":
http://www.dcu.ie/news/dcutimes/summer_0506/index.shtml

Summer2006--Desmond's Student Imran Akram Wins Major Film Prize: TVU film student scoops debut film award in New York:
http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/June_2006_news/jun06_news5.jsp

Spring 2005--Desmond's student Fran Apprich wins second major prize:
http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/January_2006_news/jan06_news1.jsphttp://http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/Ja

Summer 2005--Recent Article in the Ealing Times profiling Stephen Desmond's success in running the MA in Video Production & Film Studies at Thames Valley University: http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.617902.0.major_student_numbers_boost_for_unis_video_production_course.php

Spring 2005--Stephen provided the closing address of the highlypublicized DCU Mentorship Programme. Stephen is quoted in a recent article on the programme available at URL: http://www.dcu.ie/alumni/spring05/alumni_news2.html

Spring 2005--Stephen is also quoted in relation to the DCU Mentorship Programme on the TVU website at: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/May_2005_news/may05_news5.jsp

Spring 2005--Stephen is also quoted in the "News Headlines" section of the DCU website at: http://www.dcu.ie/news/2005/apr/s0405i.shtml

Other articles (web links) relating to "StephenDesmond" :

Spring 2005--Stephen Desmond's prize-winning student Fran Apprich is profiled in the Ealing Times: http://www.ealingtimes.co.uk/search/display.var.578453.0.fran_scoops_top_film_award.php

Spring 2005--Stephen Desmond's MA student wins top prize at NewYork Festivals. Click here: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/March_2005_news/mar05_news2.jsp

Spring 2005--Stephen Desmond's MA student screens final MA projecton Discovery Channel. Click here: http://www.tvu.ac.uk/newsevents/1news_files/February_2005_news/feb05_news1.jsp

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To reach The Centre for Public Inquiry website click on: http://www.publicinquiry.ie

Dr. Ronan Lynch joins the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CCRJ) in Derry City, Northern Ireland, as Director of Research. Ronan is also a staff writer and editor of the CCRJ Journal "The Ethical Media Review".

Ronan Lynch is also staff writer and investigative journalist at the Centre for Public Inquiry in Dublin. He has worked as a journalist in Ireland and the United States. He holds an MA in Communications Studies from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a PhD in History from NUI Galway. Ronan is a graduate of St. Fintan's High School, Sutton, Co. Dublin.

About The Centre For Public Inquiry:
The establishment of the Centre for Public Inquiry was formally announced in February 2005.

The mission of the Centre for Public Inquiry is to independently promote the highest standards of integrity, ethics and accountability across Irish public and business life and to investigate and publicise breaches of those standards where they arise. The Board of the Centre for Public Inquiry is chaired by Mr Justice Feargus Flood the former chairman of the Planning and Payments Tribunal. The board also includes Enda McDonagh the chairman of the board of University College Cork and former Professor of Theology at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth; Damien Kiberd broadcaster and writer; Greg O’Neill, human rights solicitor; and Thora Mackey, deputy director of Unicef Ireland.

Investigative journalist, Frank Connolly is the Executive Director of the Centre for Public Inquiry.
The Centre for Public Inquiry is funded by Atlantic Philanthropies (www.atlanticphilanthropies.org) which has provided funding of €4 million over five years to assist its work.

The first report published by The Centre for Public Inquiry on Tuesday, 27 September 2005 focuses on the development of a hotel at Trim Castle, Co Meath, and reveals that the European Union’s (EU) Environment Commission, has launched an investigation into possible breaches of EU directives by Trim Town Council. The EU provided €3.8 million for the restoration of Trim Castle. The report was produced by the Centre for Public Inquiry – Fiosrú an Phobail – and is the Centre’s first publication since it was established nine months ago.

The Centre for Public Inquiry’s Executive Director, Frank Connolly, the report’s author, pointed out that the Centre’s investigation into this matter resulted from complaints the body had received from elected representatives in Co Meath, as well as concerned citizens. The report has been made available to the current Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dick Roche TD. Copies of the report will be distributed in the coming days to members of the Oireachtas, relevant local authorities, as well as a large number of interested parties, including the people of Trim and its environs.

22/11/05 The Great Corrib Gas Controversy

The second report of the Centre for Public Inquiry concerns the Corrib gas project and the associated pipeline and processing plant proposed for the Erris peninsula in north west County Mayo. The jailing of five men from Ros Dumhach in the county Mayo Gaeltacht during the summer of 2005 has focused national attention on the proposal to run a gas pipeline from the sea bed 80 kilometres offshore to a gas processing plant at Ballinaboy Bridge.

Residents of the area have expressed deep concerns over the safety of the proposed pipeline which runs within 70 metres of people's homes and over the suitability of the location of the proposed processing plant to be constructed on bog land acquired by the Corrib consortium which is comprised of Shell E&P Ireland Ltd, Statoil and Marathon, three global players in the international oil and gas industry. The campaign and the response by both the Government and the corporations involved has also highlighted the manner in which successive governments have granted major fiscal and licensing concessions to the oil and gas majors over a thirty year period.

For this report, the Centre for Public Inquiry has commissioned a detailed independent analysis from the highly respected US based consultants, Accufacts Inc, which addresses the health and safety implications of the proposed pipeline and processing plant including the question of whether the latter should be located offshore. Pipeline expert, Richard Kuprewicz, whose terms of reference went beyond the confines of a review of previous Quantitative (or Quantified) Risk Assessments carried out on behalf of the Government on the pipeline proposal in recent years, has arrived at conclusions which can only be described as highly critical of the project as currently proposed.

A separate document researched and written by staff at the Centre for Public Inquiry examines the background to the Corrib Gas controversy, the history, since the early 1970s, of Ireland's relationship with the oil and gas industry and the legislative and other changes made over the period. The conclusions of this study raise serious questions about the manner in which the Corrib gas project has proceeded in relation to its planning and legislative aspects.

The report will be forwarded to Mr Noel Dempsey, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources who currently holds responsibility for protecting the country's strategically important national resources and for advancing this significant infrastructural project. It will also be distributed to members of the Oireachtas, the relevant local authorities, the concerned communities in north west Mayo and other interested parties. We hope that the publication of this report will contribute to the growing national debate surrounding the Corrib gas project and the wider development of Ireland's oil and gas resources.