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NZ Book Council WordSpace series – Journalism

DATE: Wednesday 31 August, 2005
TIME: 11:30am – 12:30pm

Join a discussion with documentary maker Sándor Lau, Dominion Post editor Tim Pankhurst and Jim Tully, head of Political Science and Communication at the University of Canterbury. This WordSpace session, in partnership with the New Zealand Book Council, will support students studying English and media studies at NCEA level.

About the panel

Sándor Lau is a journalist, documentary filmmaker, poet and short fiction writer. His fiction and poetry has appeared in many New Zealand publications including Sport, Poetry NZ, JAAM and the NZ Listener. As a journalist, Sándor has written for several newspapers in the States, for the New Zealand Herald, Staple and Lumière magazines. In 2003, he was involved extensively with the television programme, Asia Down Under. A ten minute documentary, Another Man's Treasure (2001) received the Rangatahi Premier Award at the Media Peace Awards. The film also won Best Film at the 15 Minutes of Fame Festival in Auckland; and second place at the Otago Screen Fest 2002. However, Sándor has received the most attention for his documentary Behaviours of the Backpacker (2003), in which he walked from Auckland to Cape Reinga, capturing stories along the way.

Jim Tully is head of Political Science and Communication at the University of Canterbury. Before becoming an academic, he had 18 years in daily journalism,, during which time he held positions such as editorial manager of the Auckland Star and editor of the 8 O'Clock weekend paper. Jim was the inaugural New Zealand Journalist of the Year and has been a UNESCO consultant on journalism training in Western Samoa and the Cook Islands. He is a frequent media commentator, with a regular spot on the TV One programme Breakfast.

Tim has 30 years experience in journalism. Previously an Assistant General Manager and Editor of The Evening Post, he was appointed Managing Editor when The Dominion and The Evening Post merged in 2002. Tim became Editor of the resulting newspaper, The Dominion Post in 2003. He has worked on seven New Zealand titles – Nelson Mail, New Zealand Times and Dominion Sunday Times, The Dominion, The Evening Post, Waikato Times, The Press and The Dominion Post. He has edited two other Fairfax New Zealand daily newspapers – the Waikato Times and The Press in Christchurch. Tim spent eight years in Australia. During his time there he was Victorian political correspondent of the national daily, The Australian, and helped launch its Higher Education Supplement. Several prestigious awards are among his recent achievements – QANTAS Leader Writer of the Year 1993, 2000; Editor, QANTAS Newspaper of the Year 1996 (Waikato Times) and 2003 (The Dominion Post); and the Order of Merit, Chile.

TO REGISTER FOR THIS VIDEO-CONFERENCE, CONTACT digitalconversations@cwa.co.nz BY MONDAY 29 AUGUST, 2005.
Telephone: (04) 382 6506.

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