Alan Fisher (broadcast journalist)

Fisher was born in Motherwell in Scotland and attended Dalziel High School.{{cite web|first=Alan |last=Fisher |title=About Me |accessdate=13 May 2013 |url=http://www.alanfisher.tv/aboutme.htm}}{{cite web|last=Reunited|first=Friends|title=Famous Pupils at Dalziel|url=http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/Discussion/856991?page=2&take=5&sort=Newest|accessdate=27 May 2013}}

He studied journalism at what was then Napier College in Edinburgh. He later graduated with an M.A. from the University of Leicester, where he wrote his thesis on the work of war correspondents.{{cite news|first=Alan |last=Fisher |title=Journalists lauding their dead can be a mawkish spectacle |publisher=scottishreview.net |date=6 March 2012 |accessdate=12 May 2013 |url=http://www.scottishreview.net/AlanFisher239.shtml |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017001118/http://www.scottishreview.net/AlanFisher239.shtml |archivedate=17 October 2013}}

Fisher began his career writing for his local newspaper The Motherwell Times and broadcasting on Hospital Radio Law while still at High school.{{cite web|url=http://www.scottishreview.net/KRoy259.shtml |title=Scottish Review |work=scottishreview.net |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102192041/http://www.scottishreview.net/KRoy259.shtml |archivedate=2 November 2013}} He also appeared as a panelist on a BBC Scotland Sunday afternoon current affairs for teenagers called "The Sunday Club". His first job was at Moray Firth Radio in 1983.{{cite web|title=Alan Fisher |publisher=tvnewsroom.co.uk |date=21 May 2009 |accessdate=12 May 2013 |url=https://www.tvnewsroom.co.uk/q-and-a/qa-alan-fisher-2622/}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thedrum.com/news/2012/06/11/tv-reporter-alan-fisher-defends-use-social-media-aid-journalists|title=Al Jazeera TV reporter Alan Fisher defends use of social media as aid for journalists|author=Hamish Mackay|work=The Drum}}{{cite web|url=http://adamash.blogspot.com/2006/11/now-bbc-and-cnn-have-competition-on-24.html|title=Adam Ash|work=adamash.blogspot.com}} And then North Sound Radio before he moved to what was then Grampian TV (now STV North) and then Scottish TV before moving to GMTV, where he worked for 13 years. In 2005 he joined Al Jazeera. He worked at both GMTV and Al Jazeera while they were launching new services. He joined GMTV in 1992. GMTV was launched in January 1993. While at GMTV, Fisher was Ireland correspondent based in Belfast for three years, senior news correspondent based in London for four and chief correspondent for six years.{{cite news|first=Alan |last=Fisher |title=The sofa bounces back |publisher=scottishreview.net |date=21 July 2009 |accessdate=13 May 2013 |url=http://www.scottishreview.net/AFisher115.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927065502/http://www.scottishreview.net/AFisher115.html |archivedate=27 September 2013}} Al Jazeera English was launched in 2006.{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/do-not-adjust-your-sets-an-alternative-view-of-the-world-424334.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529132331/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/do-not-adjust-your-sets-an-alternative-view-of-the-world-424334.html |archive-date=2008-05-29 |url-access=limited |url-status=live | location=London | work=The Independent | title=Do not adjust your sets: An alternative view of the world | date=15 November 2006}}

Fisher reported from Iraq during the 2003 invasion for GMTV.{{cite news|title= Media crews quit Baghdad |work=Press Gazette |publisher= |date=20 March 2003 |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-crews-quit-baghdad/}} While at GMTV, he also covered the Irish ceasefire agreements in 1994, the Dunblane school massacre in 1996, the Indian earthquake in 2001,{{cite news|first=Vicki |last=Spavin |title=A new sense of hope is rising from the rubble; In January, Scots GMTV newsman Alan Fisher flew to India after an earthquake claimed 100,000 lives. Last week, he returned to see how people are recovering from the tragedy. Here, he tells how the nation is fighting for survival. |work=Daily Record |publisher= |date=20 March 2001 |url=}} and the 2005 London bombings on 7/7.{{cite news|first=Craig |last=McQueen |title=Good Morning: The Scots Broadcaster Quits GMTV for a Challenging New Role |work=Daily Record |publisher= |date=22 December 2005 |url=}}{{cite news|first=Alan |last=Fisher |title=Waking Up Our World |work=Daily Record |publisher= |date=}} Fisher interviewed Irish President Mary Robinson in 1993.{{cite news|first=John |last=Cooney |title=Tea for two at palace breaks an old barrier |newspaper=The Herald (Glasgow, Scotland) |date=26 May 1993 |accessdate=12 May 2013 |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/tea-for-two-at-palace-breaks-an-old-barrier-1.758033}} He said the death of Princess Diana was the biggest news event he covered while at GMTV.

While based in the United States, Fisher covered Republican Party presidential candidate Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in 2012. He anchored Al Jazeera's coverage from the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa and co-anchored coverage of the three presidential and one vice-president debate. He also featured heavily in the station's coverage of President Barack Obama's second inauguration. He wrote the book Romney's Run following the election with all profits going to journalism charities.{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Burns |title=Alan Fisher: "Obama's Inauguration was Incredible" |publisher=bigissue.com |type=interview |url=http://www.bigissue.com/features/interviews/2009/alan-fisher-obamas-inauguration-was-incredible |access-date=12 May 2013 |archive-date=28 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328121910/http://www.bigissue.com/features/interviews/2009/alan-fisher-obamas-inauguration-was-incredible |url-status=dead }} He covered Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, the 2020 United States presidential election and was the journalist who provided live commentary on both Barack Obama and Donald Trump's final moments in the White House as president. He also reported extensively on the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump.{{Cite web|last=Chaggaris|first=Steve|title=Trump has been impeached. What happens now?|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/13/trump-has-been-impeached-what-happens-now|access-date=2021-08-02|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}} In 2022, Fisher reported extensively from Ukraine during the war with Russia.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLaMrIRFVIw | title=Ukraine hands over war crimes 'evidence' to international prosecutors | website=YouTube | date=11 July 2022 }} He also reported from Edinburgh and London on the death of Queen Elizabeth II providing live commentary at key moments and covered the double bombing in Jerusalem in November. Fisher spent two months at the end of 2023, reporting from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ramallah on the war in Gaza. This after extensive coverage in July that year on the Israeli raids in Jenin in the Occupied West Bank. In 2024, he covered the successful Trump Presidential campaign, reporting around the country then live from West Palm Beach, Florida on the evening of the election.

For the "Talk to Al Jazeera" series, his interviewees have included Martin McGuiness;{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709191911/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsrFa_goJdk |archivedate=9 July 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsrFa_goJdk |title=Talk to Jazeera - Martin McGuinnes - 30 Nov 07 - Pt 1 |website=YouTube |date=2 December 2007 |access-date=5 July 2021 |url-status=bot: unknown }} Joyce Banda{{Cite web|url=http://www.eufrika.org/wordpress/joyce-banda-in-talk-to-al-jazeera-about-the-future-of-malawi|title=Joyce Banda in 'Talk to Al Jazeera' about the future of Malawi|first=David|last=Drengk|website=www.eufrika.org}} and Bill and Melinda Gates.{{cite news |first=Alan |last=Fisher |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=2 September 2012 |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/08/2012830123030716320.html |title=Bill and Melinda Gates: Changing the world |accessdate=21 May 2013}}

As a reporter for GMTV, Fisher intervened on behalf of dual US-British citizen Kenny Richey who was on death row in the United States. Fisher contacted actress Susan Sarandon, provided her with GMTV reports, and issued an authorised statement on her behalf. Fisher acted on Richey's behalf one year after interviewing him in prison.{{cite news|title=Sarandon bid to stop execution |publisher=CNN |date=4 September 2002 |accessdate=13 May 2013 |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/09/04/uk.sarandon/index.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080218195911/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/09/04/uk.sarandon/index.html |archivedate=18 February 2008}} He is a former director and trustee of the Institute of Contemporary Scotland{{cite web|url=http://www.cdrex.com/institute-of-contemporary-scotland-2391530.html#directors|title=Institute of Contemporary Scotland|work=Company Data REX|access-date=28 May 2013|archive-date=3 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903112201/http://www.cdrex.com/institute-of-contemporary-scotland-2391530.html#directors|url-status=dead}}

Fisher was nominated for story of the year in 2008 by the Foreign Press Association in London, for his Al Jazeera piece called "Russian Advance from Gori to Tbilisi", which was written while covering the Russia–Georgia war. In that story, he followed a Russian military convoy to Tbilisi.{{cite news |title=World Service leads Foreign Press Association shortlist |publisher=Press Gazette |date=17 November 2008 |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/world-service-leads-foreign-press-association-shortlist/ }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} His reports were also part of the International News Emmy nominations that Al Jazeera English received for its coverage in Georgia and during the Israeli offensive in Gaza.{{Cite web |url=http://www.iemmys.tv/news_item.aspx?id=86 |title=2009 INTERNATIONAL EMMY® AWARDS NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED |access-date=30 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213224500/http://www.iemmys.tv/news_item.aspx?id=86 |archive-date=13 December 2013 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/aug/12/international-emmy-nominees | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=John | last=Plunkett | title=International Emmy nominees include Sky News, Channel 4 and al-Jazeera | date=12 August 2010}} He was a significant part of the team which covered the 2011 Egyptian revolution, for which the channel won a Peabody Award.{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/04/20124541852281682.html|title=Al Jazeera English wins Peabody Award|work=aljazeera.com}}

A patron of the Young UK programme, which aims to develop the mind and broaden the horizons of young people under the age of 30, he was awarded the Inveramsay Medal in recognition of his efforts with the charity.{{cite web|url=http://youngprogramme.org/Finals.shtml |title=Finals |work=youngprogramme.org |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825011614/http://www.youngprogramme.org/Finals.shtml |archivedate=25 August 2012}}

Fisher made a guest appearance as a journalist on the ITV program Bad Girls in 2005.{{cite news|title=Alan Fisher |publisher=BFI|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba470198c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923042040/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba470198c|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 September 2020}}

He also raised thousands of pounds for the British Heart Foundation - officially starting, then riding, in the inaugural Oxford Cambridge Bike ride and raising money in subsequent years. {{Cite web|url=https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/529883.tv-reporter-set-to-cycle-off-for-heart-charity/|title=TV reporter set to cycle off for heart charity|website=Bucks Free Press|date=27 September 2004 }}

He wrote a chapter for the academic and journalism book Mirage in the Desert: Reporting the Arab Spring{{cite web|url=http://www.abramis.co.uk/books/bookdetails.php?id=184549514|title=Mirage in the Desert? Reporting The 'Arab Spring'|work=abramis.co.uk}} covering the use of social media and its application for Al Jazeera's award-winning coverage of the Arab Spring.{{cite book|last=Fisher|first=Alan|title=Mirage in the Desert? Reporting the Arab Spring|year=2011|publisher=Aramis Academic Publishing|location=Bury St Edmunds, UK|isbn=9781845495145|pages=149–159|url=http://www.abramis.co.uk/books/bookdetails.php?id=184549514|editor=John Mair and Richard Lance Keeble}} This article was later cited by academic Stuart Allan in his book{{cite book|last=Allan|first=Stuart|title=Citizen Witnessing|year=2013|publisher=polity|location=Cambridge|isbn=978-0-7456-5195-8|page=213}} "Citizen Witnessing: Key Concepts in Journalism". He has also written and spoken about the growing use of social media by journalists. He also co-authored a chapter to the book "Reporting from the Wars 1850 – 2015 - The origins and evolution of the war correspondent" Barredo, Daniel & Grattan, Steven & Turner, Barry & Rechniewski, Elizabeth & Dattan, Devin & Clarke, Patricia & Petrella, Luigi & Hannon, Brian & Durán, Ángeles & Amer, Mohammedwesam & Mitić, Aleksandar & Matthews, Julian & Fisher, Alan. (2018). Reporting from the Wars 1850 – 2015. The origins and evolution of the war correspondent

Fisher was mentioned in the book An English Fan Abroad for his performance in a football match between English and German supporters at Euro 2000 after he scored two goals for the England side.{{dubious|date=May 2013}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aIVjAAAACAAJ&q=an+english+fan+abroad+kevin+miles |title=An English Fan Abroad: Euro 2000 and Beyond |isbn=9781841950662 |accessdate=21 May 2013|last1=Miles |first1=Kevin |year=2000 |publisher=Rebel Incorporated }}

He has been a speaker and chair of conferences,{{cite web|url=https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/Programas/TerGlob/materiales/NCTb_Conference2007.pdf |title=Countering radicalisation: perspectives and strategies from around the globe |work=googleusercontent.com }}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://live.worldbank.org/increasing-pace-budget-transparency |title=Increasing the Pace of Budget Transparency - Webcast and Liveblog | World Bank Live |accessdate=2013-09-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927061107/http://live.worldbank.org/increasing-pace-budget-transparency |archivedate=27 September 2013 }} and has spoken on the role of journalists and breaking news coverage in a crisis.

http://www.iderweb.org/IDER%20Conference%20Programme.pdf{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

He has been involved in a number of events to mark Press Freedom Day.{{cite web|url=http://cazhenshaw.wordpress.com/tag/alan-fisher/|title=Alan Fisher - Cazhenshaw's Weblog|work=wordpress.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aej-uk.org/wpfd.htm|title=AEJ UK Section - World Press Freedom Day|work=aej-uk.org|access-date=28 May 2013|archive-date=29 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529053631/http://www.aej-uk.org/wpfd.htm|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/prizes-and-celebrations/celebrations/international-days/world-press-freedom-day/previous-celebrations/2011/other-events-around-the-world/unesco-uk-office/|title=World Press Freedom Day 2016|website=www.unesco.org}} His contribution to the ICTD Conference in Atlanta was described by one of the organisers as a "brilliant tour de force"{{cite web|url=http://unwin.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/mobiles-social-media-and-democracy/|title=Mobiles, Social Media and Democracy|work=Tim Unwin's Blog|date=15 March 2012 }}

He has also chaired events at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, including a debate entitled "TV War: What is it Good For".{{cite web|url=http://www.geitf.co.uk/sites/default/files/geitf/GEITF_Programme_2008.pdf|title=The Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival|work=geitf.co.uk}}{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

He has spoken and lectured at the London School of Economics' Summer School{{cite news|url=http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/polis/2011/05/11/polis-journalism-conference-media-and-power-june-10th-polis11/|title=Polis – POLIS Journalism Conference: Reporting The World March 23rd #POLIS12|work=Polis|date=11 May 2011 }} and at a number of universities in the UK and abroad.{{cite web |url=http://www.quinnipiac.edu/prebuilt/PDF/Magazines/QU_winter12/winter12_QUToday.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2013-05-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511002830/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/prebuilt/PDF/Magazines/QU_winter12/winter12_QUToday.pdf |archivedate=11 May 2013}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/JAlan C-SPAN, Al Jazeera English Foreign News Bureau, 2 July 2012]

• Fisher, Alan (12 August 2008). [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2008/08/200881282217682257.html "Reporter's diary: Assault on Gori"]. Al Jazeera.
• Fisher, Alan (13 August 2008). [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2008/08/200881382459561105.html "Russian army 'heading for Tbilisi'"]. Al Jazeera.
• Fisher, Alan (14 August 2008). [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2008/08/2008813153517926662.html "Russian forces sink Georgian ships"]. Al Jazeera.
• Fisher, Alan (15 August 2008). [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2008/08/20088146530258390.html "Reporter's diary: A town on edge"]. Al Jazeera.
• Fisher, Alan (18 August 2008). [http://www.aljazeera.com/focus/2008/08/20088185957130455.html "Reporter's diary: Gori awakens"]. Al Jazeera.

{{Al Jazeera English personalities}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisher, Alan}}

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