Alex Thomson is a familiar figure in British TV news as both an award-winning correspondent and anchor on ITN’s Channel 4 News. He combines reporting on major national and international stories and war coverage with his studio presenting role on Channel 4’s in-depth 7pm nightly news.
He is a regular contributor in national press and magazines writing articles on media issues as well as news items arising out of his international roving reporter’s brief.
Alex hsa also fronted full-length current affairs documentaries for Channel 4’s Dispatches strand.
He was the Channel Four News correspondent in the Gulf states throughout the 1991 war, after which he wrote the Smokescreen an acclaimed account of media-military relations, published by Spellmount.
He has also written a travel book about India, published by Harper Collins in 1985, an account of his bicycle journey from the north to the south of the country.
Alex Thomson is an Honorary Fellow of Falmouth College of Journalism; an external examiner at Cardiff Journalism School and Advisory Committee Member of the Rory Peck Trust.
Before joining Channel 4 News, Alex Thomson worked for BBC Television and Radio. For two years he was reporter for the BBC Northern Ireland documentary programme Spotlight.
Alex also chairs conferences and seminars and is a highly skilled conference facilitator and after dinner speaker. He has a wealth of experience hosting events and award ceremonies, both at home and abroad.
JOURNALISM AWARDS
BAFTA
Alex’s reports featured heavily in Channel 4 News’ BAFTA award for best news coverage for the Japan Tsunami, 2011.
His exclusive interview with the Bosnian Serb Commander Ratko Mladic was part of Channel 4 News’ BAFTA Award winning coverage for 1996.
ROYAL TELEVISION SOCIETY AWARDS
He won the prestigious Television Journalist of the Year award for 2012.
Another Dispatches he presented won Best Campaign and Season at the Royal Television Society’s Education Awards in 2008.
His investigation into the events surrounding Bloody Sunday won Best Home News Award at the Royal Television Society awards 1998. During 1990 he covered the dramatic events in Czechoslovakia and was one of the first foreign television correspondents into Romania where his reports won the Royal Television Society Award for Best International News coverage in 1990.
It was also part of the Channel 4 News submission which won the Amnesty International Press Award for news coverage and the overall programme award.
NEW YORK FILM & TV AWARDS
His coverage of Afghanistan was part of 2007’s Gold Medal Winning entry at the New York Film and TV Awards and his coverage of Serb massacres in Kosovo won a Bronze Medal at the 2000 awards.
His account of Hutu refugees returning to Rwanda after exile won a medal at the 1996 New York Film and Television Awards. It was also runner up in the One World Broadcasting Trust Awards of 1996.
His coverage of the Rwandan refugee crisis in Zaire won the 1995 International Critics Award at the Monte Carlo Film Festival and a prize at the wards. His report on the BNP by-election victory in Millwall won the 1994 Royal Television Society award for Best Home News story.
He won an award from the One World Broadcasting Trust for his report on Eritrea.
