Neil Roberts

About

I joined the University of Derby in October 2021, to teach on the Football Journalism, Specialist Sports Journalism and Journalism undergraduate degree programmes.

My specialisms range from video and television news and sports production to news writing and crime reporting. I also teach the historical and cultural impact of football and how the game is governed and reported.

Teaching responsibilities

Modules I teach include Video Journalism, Television Journalism and Football History, Culture and Governance. My core beliefs are that aspiring journalists should be curious about the world around them and determined to get to the truth and hold power to account. This applies to sport and football journalists as much as it does to news journalists - and takes in a range of skills from writing news and features to match reports and analysis pieces, whether for online, television, radio or print audiences.

Professional interests

I am passionate about the power of journalism and the future direction of the industry. I believe it is the best job in the world - and as such, it needs its future practitioners to be energetic, curious, resourceful and persistent. That means my focus is on preparing aspiring journalists for careers in the media, whatever their chosen specialism or direction.

My other journalistic interests include everything from investigative reporting to political analysis - but I always keep a keen eye on developments in football and sports journalism and the way both old and new media continue to shape sport with innovative coverage and new techniques to attract and engage audiences.

Membership of professional bodies

Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Qualifications

BA (Hons) Politics - University of York
PGDip Newspaper Journalism - University of Central Lancashire

Experience in industry

I spent five years in newspapers and 20 years in television before taking my journalism skills into Higher Education.

I was a crime reporter for the Liverpool Echo and also worked for the News of the World, BBC Sport, ITN and IMG, where I was executive producer of the Premier League's global television service. My career has taken in everything from writing hard-hitting newspaper stories to reporting and producing for regional and national television as well as programme editing and managing some of the industry's leading presenters.

Major stories I've worked on include the death of Princess Diana, the 2005 London bombings, the takeover of Liverpool FC and the retirement of legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. At ITN, I also secured exclusive interviews with David Beckham and Jonny Wilkinson.