View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Archive content
June 20, 2002updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

Bell returns to TV for two 5 News Malawi specials

By Press Gazette

Bell: praise for 5 News

Veteran foreign correspondent Martin Bell has been persuaded by his former rivals at ITN to make a TV journalism comeback after five years.

Bell is reporting from Malawi with two special reports on the impending famine for the ITN-produced 5 News.  Since leaving the BBC in 1997 to stand against former Tory MP Neil Hamilton in Tatton, Bell has criticised his former employer for "dumbing down" its foreign news coverage.

"I’ve never filed a single report for ITN in my life and I must say it was an absolute novelty," said Bell. "As it’s the first bit of TV news I’ve done for five years I did wonder if I could still do it, but that’s for others to judge."

A Unicef Special Ambassador, Bell described coverage of the "potentially catastrophic" situation in Malawi as "sporadic" so far.

"Unfortunately we often have to wait for a great catastrophe to occur before journalists and television in general train their eyes on it," said Bell.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

But Bell welcomed the coverage of the issue on 5 News which has seen viewing figures rise to around 900,000 after adopting a more "highbrow" agenda and wooing back former presenter Kirsty Young from ITV.

"I have had a lot to say about foreign news reporting, but whereas a lot of news has dumbed down, 5 News is one of the programmes that has wised up."

Bell was approached by the programme’s editor, Gary Rogers, a former BBC colleague: "We had been looking for a way to cover Malawi and when we heard that Martin was going there, decided to give him a call," said Rogers.

"Martin is a fantastic television journalist and still a recognisable and trusted face and I think viewers will pay attention."

 

Julie Tomlin

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network