Rebecca received a 2:1 MA from the University of Aberdeen in English and the History of Art in 2003. After graduating, she worked as a reporter, news editor, editor and video journalist for some of Yorkshire’s top newspaper and digital titles, including the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post. During that time, Rebecca also gained her NCTJ and NCE qualifications and, later in her career, helped NCE candidates with their training.

Rebecca is now employed as a graduate teaching assistant at Leeds Trinity University in the journalism department and is working towards a PhD measuring the impact and efficacy of digital reporting tools in regional UK newsrooms.

Rebecca’s research includes looking at the priority of language in recruitment advertisements placed by regional newspapers and examining the power of digital innovators and the news consuming audience. To contact Rebecca about her research please email r.whittington@leedstrinity.ac.uk

A part of Rebecca’s work is to regularly write about events affecting regional news and its provision on her blog, which can be seen at www.rebeccawhittingtonmedia.co.uk and she has been quoted as an industry commentator, an example of which can be seen here: http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2015/news/bbc-accused-of-sticking-knife-in-back-of-industry/