About Us

Kate Betts set up Kate Betts Media in 2006 to help organisations deal with the press. Kate's journalistic experience includes working as a researcher, producer, reporter and news editor for the BBC and a reporter for commercial television. She has also worked as a press officer for a large local authority and a reporter for a regional daily paper. Kate is also a BBC-trained video-journalist, capable of shooting and editing features for TV. Kate has made features for BBC Radio 4, including a documentary looking at the lives of the South Yorkshire flood victims. She has taught print and broadcast journalism at the University of Sheffield Journalism Department. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and is a qualified trainer.

Kathryn Reaney has wide experience in radio, television and newspapers. She has been a reporter and presenter for Yorkshire Television's Calendar News; an assistant producer on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour; a reporter and producer for BBC local radio and a district news editor for an evening paper.

She is a qualified trainer and currently teaches print and broadcast journalism at the University of Sheffield.

Deborah Wain is an experienced and award-winning journalist and writer. She is a regular contributor of health features to the ‘Get Up and Go’ lifestyle supplement distributed with the Sunday Telegraph. She devised and wrote an on-line soap opera for the NHS, which was runner up in the Best Use of New Media category in the Communicate09 awards. In 2007 Deborah was named joint recipient of the prestigious Paul Foot Award for investigative journalism run by Private Eye and the Guardian. She is also a former Yorkshire Press Awards winner.

 Steph Pollard is a freelance writer and journalist specialising in public relations. With years of experience in regional newspapers, she has also worked as a communications and press office manager for the Department of Health and in local government. Leading on strategic communications planning across organisations, she is a champion of good, effective communication with all stakeholders. Steph has written publications and public information campaigns covering economic development, culture, health and community issues. Most recently, she has managed a creative business networking programme in South Yorkshire.

Emma Duffield is a freelance photographer with experience of a wide range of clients. She caters for commercial needs of clients ranging from product specific manufacturing firms, web designers and PR agencies. Her photographs have appeared on websites, corporate brochures and in publications ranging from the Yorkshire Post and Sheffield Star to Art & Architecture Journal and Yorkshire Life.

 Maggie Ford is a RADA-trained actor and director. She has worked in theatre and television, including as a director on the BBC's Eastenders and Doctors.

She teaches at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and has been running Springrites, a speaking and presentation skills business, for the last nine years.

Matt Robson is a freelance cameraman, editor and film-maker. His credits include Life of Grime, Newsnight and Look North. As well as doing media training, Matt is experienced at producing films for websites and promotional DVDs.

He has an MA in documentary film and television. Matt currently teaches camera techniques and editing at the University of Sheffield Journalism Department.

Mary Murtagh is an award-winning print and video journalist who spent 12 years working for some of the biggest regional papers in the UK. For the past five years she has been a specialist print, radio and television media trainer for the private and public sector. She has trained everyone from neighbourhood police officers to NATO admirals.

She also works as a public relations consultant and copywriter.

 Christine Cawthorne is a senior level content producer with years of experience working for organisations such as the BBC, AOL, and Yahoo!