A trainee reporter working for a hyperlocal website was interviewed for a number of TV news programmes about the tragic deaths of two policewomen in Manchester.
Dean Wilkins, who works for Mancunian Matters, appeared on BBC News, Newsnight and Sky News following the shootings of PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes.
Dean, who completed journalism training with News Associates earlier this year, discussed Manchester’s reaction to the shootings on the programmes.
His editor at Mancunian Matters David Keane said: “Dean did an absolutely fantastic job on BBC News, Newsnight and Sky and we’re all very proud of him.”
Added David: “Everyone at Mancunian Matters is deeply shocked by the tragic events and I’d like to pass on my sincere condolences to the families of the two officers killed and all those affected by it.
“I’m really proud of the coverage that our small team has produced and the recognition this has received by being invited to represent local opinion on these terrible incidents to a national audience.
Dean, who has been reporting for the hyperlocal site since January, passed his preliminary National Council for the Training of Journalists’ exams in June.
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Did the MEN staff say ‘no’ to interview requests? With no disrespect to Dean intended, surely someone with years of experience on the patch can give a deeper and clearer insight into the community’s reaction than someone who has only been there nine months?