Ciaran Jenkins

Jenkins was born in Merthyr Tydfil,{{cite web|title=Channel 4 news item about Jenkins' hometown|date=11 April 2012|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/how-do-you-solve-a-problem-like-merthyr-tydfil|accessdate=2 May 2012}} a former mining town in what was then Mid Glamorgan in the valleys of South Wales. His father is the Welsh poet and author, Mike Jenkins. His sister is Bethan Jenkins,{{cite web|title=WalesOnline article about blogging|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/welsh-politics/welsh-politics-news/tm_headline=the-blogger-s-world-is-huge&method=full&objectid=19138628&siteid=50082-name_page.html|publisher=walesonline.co.uk|accessdate=2 May 2012}} a Plaid Cymru politician who represented the South Wales West region in the National Assembly for Wales. He also has a younger sister named Niamh.

He read music at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, graduating in 2005{{cite web|title=Fitzwilliam College Alumni Magazine p.6 |url=http://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/mi-client/media/import/documents/Optima13.pdf |publisher=Fitzwilliam College |accessdate=2 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228144657/http://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/mi-client/media/import/documents/Optima13.pdf |archivedate=28 December 2013 }} and was a gifted cellist, reaching the final of the Texaco Young Musician of Wales competition in 1999.{{cite web|title=Newspaper article about Young Musician competition|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Musicians+battle+it+out+for+title+glory.-a089958324|publisher=Trinity media}} In 2016, Jenkins shared his experience of studying at Cambridge as an ambassador for the Seren Network.{{Cite news |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/special-features/dont-just-say-it-it-11111234 |title=Channel 4 reporter urges Welsh students to fulfil their potential |last=Feeney |first=Jack |date=30 March 2016 |work=WalesOnline |access-date=8 June 2018}}

After leaving university, Jenkins lived in Japan where he studied Japanese and wrote articles for The Guardian newspaper's Comment is Free website.{{cite news|title=Guardian Comment is Free|url=http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ciaran_jenkins/profile.html|work=The Guardian|accessdate=2 May 2012|location=London|date=22 February 2012}} He studied at Cardiff University School of Journalism{{cite web|title=Cardiff University Newsletter|url=http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/resource/4661.17416.file.eng.doc|publisher=Cardiff University}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} during which time he developed a popular political blog, Blamerbell Briefs.

Jenkins is a former BBC Cymru Wales education correspondent,{{cite web|title=Channel 4 press release|date=11 January 2012|url=http://www.channel4.com/news/channel-4-news-completes-onscreen-line-up-with-new-talent|publisher=Channel 4}} appearing frequently on BBC Wales Today{{cite news|title=Jenkins on BBC Wales Today|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15159041|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2 May 2012|date=3 October 2011}} and the Welsh language news programme, Newyddion.{{cite web|title=Jenkins appearing on Newyddion|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newyddion/15163305|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2 May 2012|archive-date=3 August 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803233737/http://www.bbc.co.uk/newyddion/15163305|url-status=dead}}

He conducted in-depth investigations into bogus academics and fraud in 2011, which led to the effective abolition of the University of Wales, formerly Britain's second-largest university.{{cite news|title=University of Wales abolished after visa scandal|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8843200/University-of-Wales-abolished-after-visa-scandal.html|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2 May 2012|location=London|first=Julie|last=Henry|date=22 October 2011}}{{cite news|title=University of Wales effectively abolished in merger|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15410424|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2 May 2012|date=21 October 2011}}

Jenkins joined Channel 4 News as a reporter in January 2012.

Jenkins was named Royal Television Society Young Journalist of the Year 2012 for his work on Channel 4 News.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/feb/21/rts-television-journalism-awards-winners|accessdate=22 March 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=21 February 2013|location=London|title=RTS Television Journalism awards: full list of winners}}

Jenkins also won the Current Affairs category at the Celtic Media Awards 2012 for his investigation, Cash for Qualifications, which exposed potential visa and exam fraud at the University of Wales.{{cite web|title=Celtic Media Festival Winners 2012|url=http://www.celticmediafestival.co.uk/11,32/the_festival/award_winners/|publisher=Celtic Media Festival|accessdate=2 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222221737/http://www.celticmediafestival.co.uk/11,32/the_festival/award_winners/|archive-date=22 February 2012|url-status=dead}}

His earlier investigation, University Challenged,{{cite web|title=BBC Wales, Week in Week Out, University Challenged|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vt165|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2 May 2012}}

won Best News, Current Affairs & Sport programme at BAFTA Wales in 2011.{{cite web|title=BAFTA Wales winners|url=http://www.bafta.org/wales/awards/2011-bafta-cymru-awards,1770,BA.html#jump20|publisher=BAFTA Wales|accessdate=2 May 2012|archive-date=22 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422235045/http://www.bafta.org/wales/awards/2011-bafta-cymru-awards,1770,BA.html#jump20|url-status=dead}}

Jenkins won Grand Prize at the inaugural CNN European News Blog Awards in 2006 for his political blog Blamerbell Briefs.{{cite web|title=CNN News Blog Awards|url=http://www.cnnblogawards.com/|publisher=CNN|accessdate=2 May 2012|archive-date=9 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509133451/http://www.cnnblogawards.com/|url-status=dead}}

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Category:1984 births

Category:Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge

Category:Welsh journalists

Category:British reporters and correspondents

Category:Living people

Category:People from Merthyr Tydfil

Category:BBC newsreaders and journalists

Category:ITN newsreaders and journalists