Principal of South College
Tim is the founding Principal of South College. Prior to his appointment he was most recently founding Head of the Centre for Journalism at the University of Kent. He was also founder and director of KMTV, a local television station for Kent.
An award-winning journalist for BBC News and Current Affairs and former editor of The Scotsman newspaper, Tim began his career on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and went on to work as a producer, reporter and editor in Washington DC, the Middle East and Europe. He covered the Romanian Revolution and the Gulf War for BBC News. He was also a member of the team that designed and launched BBC Radio 5 Live. Subsequently, he worked as Editor of News Programmes at BBC Scotland, taking responsibility for the BBC’s Scottish news output on radio and television from newsrooms extending from Glasgow to Lerwick.
He is author of several books and has written as a columnist for newspapers including The Guardian, Times and Independent, the Daily Mail, New Statesman, Spectator and Los Angeles Times. Prior to entering journalism, he was an adviser to the Right Honourable Donald Dewar MP when he was Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, 1985-1988.
He is a noted newspaper historian and campaigner for press freedom. His research focuses on the depiction of dissent in British and American newspapers between 1936 and 1945. While a student, he played bass guitar in Tony Tiger and the Frosties, a student band that entertained thousands at May Balls and College events. He is married, with three daughters and a son.