Martha Kearney
Encyclopedia
Martha Catherine Kearney (surname pronounced ˈ, born 8 October 1957, Dublin) is an Irish-born British broadcaster and journalist. She is the main presenter of BBC Radio 4
's lunchtime news programme The World at One
.
, was teaching first at Sussex
and later at Edinburgh
universities. She was educated at various schools in Sussex, including the independent Brighton and Hove High School
, and at another independent school, George Watson's College
in Edinburgh
. From 1976-80 she read classics
at St Anne's College, Oxford
, she worked as a volunteer in hospital radio. She began her journalistic career at the London commercial station, LBC
.
. In 2000 she became political editor
of BBC Two
's Newsnight
programme. She went on to present Newsnight and its weekly consumer survey of entertainment and culture, Newsnight Review with increasing frequency. She has been an occasional presenter of the Today Programme
on Radio 4, and was a candidate to succeed Andrew Marr
as the BBC's political editor in 2005, but lost out to Nick Robinson
.
Kearney featured in a spoof segment of the BBC comedy series Time Trumpet
, titled Honey, I Shrunk Martha Kearney, in which Jeremy Paxman
, in a fantasy version of Newsnight, interviewed her a third of her normal size. In 2006 she presented with her father a Radio 4 series on the history of universities in Britain, The Idea of a University.
Kearney presented her final Woman's Hour on 19 March 2007 and her final Newsnight on 23 March 2007. She became the main presenter of Radio 4's lunchtime news programme The World at One on 16 April 2007. She remains an occasional presenter of Newsnight Review., describing her current role as allowing her "to play to her strengths.
Kearney was nominated for a BAFTA award for her coverage of the Northern Ireland Peace Process
in 1998. She was, with Jenni Murray
, 2004 TRIC radio presenter of the year, and won a Sony bronze award for a programme on child poverty
.
In 2005 she chaired the judges for the women-only Orange Prize for Fiction
.
Kearney is a judge for the 2012 Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine
. The couple live in West Sussex
, where Kearney is also an amateur bee-keeper (she presented a one-hour programme on BBC Four
about the worldwide disappearance of bees). She is a patron of The Iris Project
.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's lunchtime news programme The World at One
The World At One
The World at One, or WATO for short, is BBC Radio 4's long-running lunchtime news and current affairs programme, which is broadcast from 1pm to 1:30pm from Monday to Friday. The programme describes itself as "Britain's leading political programme. With a reputation for rigorous and original...
.
Early life
Kearney was brought up in an academic environment: her father, the historian Hugh KearneyHugh Kearney
Hugh F. Kearney is a British historian, and Amundson Professor Emeritus of the University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of several articles on early modern economic history, a biography on Thomas Wentworth, and the acclaimed book British Isles: A History of Four Nations which advocated a...
, was teaching first at Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
and later at Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
universities. She was educated at various schools in Sussex, including the independent Brighton and Hove High School
Brighton and Hove High School
Brighton & Hove High School is an independent day school for girls aged 3 – 18 in the city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England.Founded in 1876, the school has expanded from being a very small school for less than twenty pupils to its present size of taking some 700 students...
, and at another independent school, George Watson's College
George Watson's College
George Watson's College, known informally as Watson's, is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871 and was merged with its sister school...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. From 1976-80 she read classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
at St Anne's College, Oxford
Career
In her final year at University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, she worked as a volunteer in hospital radio. She began her journalistic career at the London commercial station, LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
.
BBC career
In 1998 Kearney became a regular presenter of BBC Radio 4's Woman's HourWoman's Hour
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
. In 2000 she became political editor
Political Editor
The political editor of a newspaper or broadcast media is the senior political reporter who covers politics and related matters for the newspaper or station...
of BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
's Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
programme. She went on to present Newsnight and its weekly consumer survey of entertainment and culture, Newsnight Review with increasing frequency. She has been an occasional presenter of the Today Programme
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
on Radio 4, and was a candidate to succeed Andrew Marr
Andrew Marr
Andrew William Stevenson Marr is a Scottish journalist and political commentator. He edited The Independent for two years until May 1998, and was political editor of BBC News from 2000 until 2005....
as the BBC's political editor in 2005, but lost out to Nick Robinson
Nick Robinson
Nicholas Anthony "Nick" Robinson is a British journalist and political editor for the BBC. Robinson was interested in politics from a young age, and went on to study a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree at Oxford University, where he was also President of the Oxford University Conservative...
.
Kearney featured in a spoof segment of the BBC comedy series Time Trumpet
Time Trumpet
Time Trumpet is a six-episode satirical television comedy series which aired on BBC Two in 2006. The series was written by Armando Iannucci, Roger Drew and Will Smith in a similar manner to Iannucci's earlier one-off programmes 2004: The Stupid Version and Clinton: His Struggle with...
, titled Honey, I Shrunk Martha Kearney, in which Jeremy Paxman
Jeremy Paxman
Jeremy Dickson Paxman is a British journalist, author and television presenter. He has worked for the BBC since 1977. He is noted for a forthright and abrasive interviewing style, particularly when interrogating politicians...
, in a fantasy version of Newsnight, interviewed her a third of her normal size. In 2006 she presented with her father a Radio 4 series on the history of universities in Britain, The Idea of a University.
Kearney presented her final Woman's Hour on 19 March 2007 and her final Newsnight on 23 March 2007. She became the main presenter of Radio 4's lunchtime news programme The World at One on 16 April 2007. She remains an occasional presenter of Newsnight Review., describing her current role as allowing her "to play to her strengths.
Kearney was nominated for a BAFTA award for her coverage of the Northern Ireland Peace Process
Northern Ireland peace process
The peace process, when discussing the history of Northern Ireland, is often considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican Army ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of the Troubles, the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent political developments.-Towards a...
in 1998. She was, with Jenni Murray
Jenni Murray
Dame Jennifer Susan "Jenni" Murray, DBE is a British journalist and broadcaster. She attended Barnsley Girls High School and has a degree in French and Drama from Hull University...
, 2004 TRIC radio presenter of the year, and won a Sony bronze award for a programme on child poverty
Child poverty
Child poverty refers to the phenomenon of children living in poverty. This applies to children that come from poor families or orphans being raised with limited, or in some cases absent, state resources. Children that fail to meet the minimum acceptable standard of life for the nation where that...
.
Other activities
In 2002 Kearney was a judge for the Webb Essay Prize.In 2005 she chaired the judges for the women-only Orange Prize for Fiction
Orange Prize for Fiction
The Orange Prize for Fiction is one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious literary prizes, annually awarded to a female author of any nationality for the best original full-length novel written in English, and published in the United Kingdom in the preceding year...
.
Kearney is a judge for the 2012 Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine
Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine
The Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine was founded in 2009 by Donald Singer, a clinical professor, and poet and translator Michael Hulse...
Personal life
Kearney married Chris Shaw (born 19 June 1957), senior programme controller at Five television, in July 2001 at Depwade, NorfolkNorfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. The couple live in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, where Kearney is also an amateur bee-keeper (she presented a one-hour programme on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
about the worldwide disappearance of bees). She is a patron of The Iris Project
The Iris Project
The Iris Project is an educational charity which was started in 2006 by Dr Lorna Robinson in order to bring ancient languages and culture to inner city state schools and communities...
.