Tim Franks

Franks was born in Moseley, Birmingham. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, and at Wadham College, Oxford University, where he graduated with a 2:1 (B.A.Hons) in Oriental Studies (Chinese).{{citation needed|date=May 2025}} He is married, and has three children.

He joined the BBC in 1990, as a BBC World Service Production Trainee, and spent five years as a producer, reporter and part-time presenter. In 1995, he was appointed World Service Political Reporter, based at Westminster, and then World Service Political Correspondent in 1997. He covered not just British politics but events in Northern Ireland, including the breakdown of the IRA ceasefire in 1996, civil disorder over the Parades in Northern Ireland, and the Good Friday Agreement.

In 1999, he became a political correspondent for domestic BBC TV and radio, including a spell as the political correspondent for Today.{{cite news|author=Peter Golding and David Deacon |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/may/21/uk.election200110 |title=Quick jab injects life into campaign | Politics |work=The Guardian |date=21 May 2001 |access-date=11 April 2013 |location=London}} He also started presenting, from time to time, The World at One{{cite news|last=Aaronovitch |first=David |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/even-if-things-were-getting-better-how-would-we-know-709697.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/even-if-things-were-getting-better-how-would-we-know-709697.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Even if things were getting better, how would we know? – Commentators – Voices |work=The Independent |date=21 July 2000 |access-date=11 April 2013 |location=London}}{{cbignore}} and contributing to the arts pages of the New Statesman magazine.{{cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/node/139636 |title=A master of thoughtfulness |publisher=Newstatesman.com |date= |access-date=11 April 2013}}

In 2001, Franks became a BBC Foreign Correspondent. His first posting was to Washington, in the six months after the September 11 attacks.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/archive/science_nature/anthraxfranks.shtml |title=Radio4 – Today/Anthrax in Washington |publisher=BBC |date= |access-date=11 April 2013}} In March 2002 he began a five-year tour of duty as Europe Correspondent, based in Brussels.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3312345.stm |title=Europe | Reporter's diary: EU summit |publisher=BBC News |date=13 December 2003 |access-date=11 April 2013}} He reported from across Europe,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2385257.stm |title=Europe | Italian recovery teams battle on |publisher=BBC News |date=1 November 2002 |access-date=11 April 2013 |first=Tim |last=Franks}}{{cite news|last=Franks |first=Tim |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4951664.stm |title=Programmes | From Our Own Correspondent | Letters of WWI rifleman No 3448 |publisher=BBC News |date=29 April 2006 |access-date=11 April 2013}} as well as from Iraq during the war of 2003.{{cite web |url=http://www.bjr.org.uk/data/2003/no2_franks |title=British Journalism Review Vol. 14, No. 2, 2003 – Not war reporting – just reporting |publisher=Bjr.org.uk |access-date=11 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505143105/http://www.bjr.org.uk/data/2003/no2_franks |archive-date=5 May 2013 |df=dmy-all }} In 2004, his training{{cite news|author=Lucy Atkins |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2003/nov/11/foodanddrink.shopping |title=What you eat | Life and style |work=The Guardian |date= 3 November 2005|access-date=11 April 2013 |location=London}} for the London marathon coincided with a month spent in Baghdad. He was also, during this time, used as an occasional presenter on the Today programme.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj9z/features/about |title=BBC Radio 4 – Today – About Today |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date= |access-date=11 April 2013}}

In 2007, he was appointed BBC Middle East Correspondent, based in Jerusalem.[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/tim-franks-is-he-really-biased-against-ubothu-sides-in-the-middle-east-1996200.html The Independent] He broadcast across the region, but with a particular focus on Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. His 2008 TV report about witnessing a deadly attack in Jerusalem{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7486366.stm |title=Middle East | Jerusalem bulldozer attack |publisher=BBC News |date=2 July 2008 |access-date=11 April 2013}} drew complaints from the public for its graphic nature.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7490471.stm |title=Entertainment | BBC 'was wrong' to show shooting |publisher=BBC News |date=4 July 2008 |access-date=11 April 2013}} In 2009, Franks won a Bayeux-Calvados Award for war correspondents for reporting{{cite web |url=http://www.prixbayeux.org/english/?p=57 |title=Prize-winners of the Bayeux-Calvados award since 1994 – |publisher=Prixbayeux.org |access-date=11 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709005249/http://www.prixbayeux.org/english/?p=57 |archive-date=9 July 2013 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/10_october/12/bayeux.shtml |title=Press Office – BBC News wins Bayeux Awards |publisher=BBC |date=1 January 1970 |access-date=11 April 2013}} for his piece{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10379897 |title=BBC News – Losing family to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=22 June 2010 |access-date=11 April 2013}} on Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish, who lost three daughters in Israel's offensive during the Gaza War. Through his three and a half years in the region, Franks kept a diary, which the BBC regularly published.{{cite news|last=Franks |first=Tim |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7346683.stm |title=Middle East | Jerusalem Diary: Monday 14 April |publisher=BBC News |date=14 April 2008 |access-date=11 April 2013}}{{cite news|last=Franks |first=Tim |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10374342 |title=BBC News – Jerusalem diary: Farewell, l'hitraot, wa masalaam |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=24 June 2010 |access-date=11 April 2013}} His valedictory From Our Own Correspondent,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8728939.stm |title=Remaining impartial in the Middle East |publisher=BBC News |date=10 June 2010 |access-date=11 April 2013}} which dealt with the relationship between his Jewishness and his journalism, garnered wide attention.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/tim-franks-is-he-really-biased-against-ubothu-sides-in-the-middle-east-1996200.html |title=Tim Franks: Is he really biased against both sides in the Middle East? – Profiles – People |work=The Independent |date=10 June 2010 |access-date=11 April 2013 |location=London}}{{cite news|last=Greenslade |first=Roy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2010/jun/11/bbc-middleeast |title=Roy Greenslade: BBC reporter on being 'a Jew and a journalist' | Media | guardian.co.uk |publisher=Guardian |date=11 June 2010 |access-date=11 April 2013 |location=London}}

In 2010, he returned to London, to take up a role as BBC Sports Correspondent – a position he combined with occasional presenting on NewshourNewshour on BBC World Service, Hardtalk{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/hardtalk/9589899.stm |title=Hardtalk – Chertoff: Rendition was 'more efficacious' for CIA |publisher=BBC News |date=14 September 2011 |access-date=11 April 2013}} on BBC World News, and radio documentaries.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01f67yb |title=BBC Radio 4 – Crossing Continents, The Angola 2 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=9 April 2012 |access-date=11 April 2013}} In December 2012, his reports for Newshour on the activities of the Greek far right made headlines in Greece.{{cite web|url=http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_22/12/2012_475700 |title=BBC report links Golden Dawn to attack on SYRIZA MP |publisher=ekathimerini.com |date= |access-date=11 April 2013}}

In May 2013, he joined Newshour full-time, as the main evening presenter. He continued to present Hardtalk from time to time,{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-radio-and-tv-22516173 | work=BBC News | title=Michael Sandel: I want politics to be about big things | date=14 May 2013}} along with documentaries on TV and radio.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sczkt|title = BBC Radio 4 - Profile, Pep Guardiola}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sdnkq|title = BBC Radio 4 - Crossing Continents, Romario Tackles Brazil}} In November 2013, Franks secured the first broadcast interview since Lance Armstrong's "limited confession" to doping in January 2013 with Oprah Winfrey.{{cite web |last=Guardian |first=Rory Carroll |title=Lance Armstrong admits doping in Oprah Winfrey interview |website=TheGuardian.com |date=18 January 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/jan/18/lance-armstrong-admits-doping-oprah-winfrey}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/24893598|title = Armstrong vows '100% transparency'|work = BBC Sport}}{{Citation |title=Tim Franks + Lance Armstrong Interview |url=https://soundcloud.com/aaron-franks1212/tim-franks-lance-armstrong-interview |language=en |access-date=2022-09-01}}

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• {{IMDb name|id=4753804|name=Tim Franks}}

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Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of Wadham College, Oxford

Category:BBC newsreaders and journalists

Category:BBC World Service presenters

Category:British radio presenters

Category:People from Moseley

Category:People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham

Category:English Jews