Thanks for coming through to my site. Welcome.

The plan for this blog is to offer a few thoughts on the sporting, cultural and daily life that I encounter in my role as a journalist.

I have enjoyed almost forty years as a journalist, broadcaster and filmmaker, and currently work for the Paris-based news agency Agence France Presse while commentating French Top 14 rugby (in English) for Canal +.

Having lived and worked in South Africa, UK, Greece and now France, I have encountered some interesting people and enjoyed some  memorable experiences.

So some of the items on the blog are quite personal – apologies in advance for the weight of Spender family tales – while others more subjective. There are accounts of meetings with some of the remarkable people I have been fortunate enough to have bumped into such as Pele, Seamus Heaney, David Bowie, Sophie Kinsella and Ex-King Constantine of Greece.

All I hope will provoke the occasional chuckle and offer a sliver of new insight into the subject.

As with all blogs I would love to hear your feedback even when you think I am wrong. If you like the general tone of the blog then please sign up for the alert and, it goes without saying but I will say it anyhow, feel free to share the articles with your friends, rabbits and relations.

COMMISSIONS

If you are an editor and like what you see on this blog then please be aware that I am still a professional working journalist and available for commissions.

TEACHING

I am also available for teaching and training. I currently freelance teach (print media) at France’s top journalism college CFPJ (Centre de Formation et de Perfectionnement des Journalistes) and have also run a Radio France International course in radio presenting at GIPA in Tblisi.

I can offer courses on various aspects of journalism for students as well as media training (ie How to face the press, How to write a press release etc) for corporate clients.

CONTACT

You can contact me via email at jbspender@gmail.com

Many thanks

Barney