Claire Taylor: How the BBC shaped my path in farming journalism [8 min listen]

Voices of the Countryside

This July marks my ten-year anniversary working in the media and rather self-indulgently, I have been reflecting on the very exciting, albeit chaotic journey my life has taken and where it all began, at the BBC.

I’m aware that the BBC often gets a bad rep in farming circles, receiving criticism for not showing enough interest in rural issues or sensationalising headlines around agriculture’s impact on the environment.

I have at times been on the side criticising my former employees and have even sat down with the Head of BBC Scotland News, sharing my concerns about past documentaries which I felt unfairly represented agriculture.

However, I am unbelievably grateful to the BBC for putting me on the path I am on today, and I know without doubt, that my time spent as a researcher and producer during my four years at BBC Scotland, has contributed hugely to why I am pursuing my Nuffield Farming Scholarship today and the good I intend to deliver with it.