Digging deep: Liam’s journalism journey

Since graduating with a first-class degree in BA (Hons) Journalism, Liam’s career has been shaped by his passion for human impact. In this ‘Once Upon A Time, Alumni’ feature, the 2016 graduate shares his career journey and how the industry has changed in the last decade. 

What influenced your choice of course and university?

I chose Portsmouth because of its practical, hands-on approach to journalism training. I wanted a course that would combine the academic side of journalism with practical experience. I didn’t want to just learn about journalism; I wanted to do it, and Portsmouth offered that not only through their course but through their NCTJ accreditation.

Can you tell us about student life?

My university experience was brilliant. I really formed a life down in Portsmouth. I made amazing friends who I’m still very close to today. When we first started our Visual Journalism course, our tutors had us in teams competing to make the most creative music video, and my team chose The Beatles’ Do You Want to Know a Secret, which involved me being hit in the face with ice cream on Southsea’s beachfront. It always makes me laugh, but looking back, it really helped as an introduction to filming and editing. 

Weirdly, one of my other university highlights was my dissertation, or ‘special investigation’. While everyone else was daunted by the mammoth task, I really enjoyed the chance to pursue my own investigation in a subject I found interesting. I was lucky to have Mary Williams as my tutor for this, as she had been my tutor since my first year and knew how I worked. 

I chose to focus on cults and Scientology. The project gave me confidence in handling sensitive interviews and complex subjects, skills that I’ve been using ever since.
 

After doing my special investigation, I knew I wanted to pursue investigative journalism. I was due to graduate when I saw that Channel 4 had just announced a new MA in Investigative Journalism. I applied with the help of my tutors, Mary Williams and Gill Wray,  and from there was able to start my career. 

I completed my Master’s between 2016–2017 on a full academic scholarship, which I wouldn’t have been able to do without Portsmouth’s support.

Since then, I’ve worked on stories for BBC Panorama, ITV Exposure, Channel 4 Dispatches, ITV News and Channel 4 Docs. I’ve specialised in undercover reporting, sensitive investigations, and current affairs documentaries, and have worked on programmes including Danny Dyer: How to be a Man, Trump: The Return?, and General Election 2024: Britain Decides. I am motivated by a strong belief in journalism’s ability to hold power to account, to give a voice to those who are often unheard and shine a light on potentially dangerous and radical groups. 

What does a typical day look like for you?

It really depends on the day, the story and the point in the production process. In the early stages, I could be submitting freedom of information requests and working out what the story is. From there, it’s important to find contributors who can talk personally on the subject – then once ready, we’re off to film. 

At Portsmouth, I learned shorthand and got my 100 words per minute – this has been great when reaching out to people and speaking to sensitive sources, as I don’t have to have any awkward conversations about recording them at the first point of contact. For undercover projects, days can be full of legal conversations, prepping kits and making sure the reporter is happy and ready to go in. 

What is important to you when deciding what stories to cover?

The most important elements are public interest and human impact. Does the story reveal something hidden? How does it affect people? From there, it’s important to consider what’s practical and achievable, how best to approach it and what access can be gained. I do enjoy an undercover, but this takes a bit more digging in less public forums and groups, as well as a lot of legal process before the camera turns on. 

How has journalism changed since you began your career?

Journalism has changed significantly with the rise of misinformation and online extremism on platforms. X, formerly Twitter, is a prime example; it’s a totally different platform from when I first started.

Early in my career, I worked on the Dispatches: Deep Fakes: Can You Believe Your Eyes? investigation, which looked at the emerging threat of synthetic media. At the time, deepfakes were a niche but worrying technology. Since then, AI has advanced at an incredible pace, making fabricated images, voices and videos far more convincing and far easier to create. 

This shift has made verification one of the most challenging and essential parts of modern journalism, especially when it comes to elections. It confirms the need to verify and make sure whatever information or media you use is 100% accurate.

Is there a project that you’ve worked on that you are particularly proud of?

I’m lucky to have made a range of programmes, so I have done some crazy things like working with Danny Dyer and turning a factory cafeteria into a 50s Diner. Right now, two projects stand out to me.

The first is ITV News: Inside Britain’s Fascist Fight Club, an undercover investigation into one of the UK’s fastest-growing far-right groups. I worked closely with undercover teams, infiltrating secretive networks and handling highly sensitive information. It was an intense project that highlighted how extremist ideologies can lead to violent action. The experience showed me that online extremism doesn’t always stay online and reinforced my belief in the importance of shining a light on groups that thrive in the shadows. 

The second is Channel 4’s The Great Amazon Heist. This was a fast-paced investigation using stunts and undercover filming to examine Amazon’s employment practices and business operations. It was a challenging production because of the scale of the company and the secrecy surrounding its practices. It was a great experience mixing investigative journalism with a more entertaining approach – like fooling Amazon’s algorithm to place our fake energy drink (made from urine) as their number one best-selling drink to highlight the working conditions of their workers. The scope for this is huge too, as it’s been broadcast by channels across the world and has reached millions of people.

What advice would you give to students or graduates wanting to pursue journalism?

My biggest piece of advice would be to stay persistent. Journalism is a competitive industry, and you will face rejection, but keep trying. Beyond that, it’s important to build a strong foundation of skills: everything from shorthand and legal knowledge to fact-checking and digital research, because you’ll need them when the pressure is on. 

I’d also say to follow and reach out to the journalists and companies you like to ask for advice, and keep an eye on their work. Also, if you can do work experience while at uni, then you can graduate and never have to work for free.