Christopher Wenner
Encyclopedia
Christopher Wenner is a British journalist
and former British television presenter
.
On 14 September 1978, Wenner joined the British children's television programme, Blue Peter
. However, he left on 23 June 1980 (on the same day as his co-presenter Tina Heath
), after the production team decided not to renew his contract as he was "deeply unpopular with the viewers" He returned to acting, taking a part in the 1984 Doctor Who adventure The Awakening
, although in the final cut, his role was reduced to that of a non-speaking character. He then focussed on journalism.
In 1985, whilst working as a war correspondent in Beirut
, he went missing; he turned up again, safe and well, after 18 days. In 1991, he shot footage of a demonstration in Dili
, East Timor
, preceding a massacre and during the massacre
itself. He filmed inside the Santa Cruz cemetery among the dead and the dying, as soldiers advanced in a well-organised operation against a huge crowd of East Timorese engaged in peaceful protest. It was Wenner's footage that brought the plight of the East Timorese to world attention. In 1999 Wenner returned to East Timor and his reports from there. under the name of Max Stahl. won the 2000 Rory Peck Award
for hard news war journalism.
Wenner was one of the first Western journalists to recognize the scope of tensions in Chechnya
, going in there with his cameraman, filmmaker and author Peter Vronsky in 1992 to report on the break-away republic and nuclear weapons materials smuggling for the Canadian produced television special The Hunt for Red Mercury/
In 1998, whilst working as an ITN journalist for Channel 4
, Wenner was beaten by Serb civilians during a mass protest.
He returned to Blue Peter in 1983 and 1998 to celebrate the show's birthdays. He is now a father of two, and runs his own production company, as well as continuing his career in journalism.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and former British television presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
.
On 14 September 1978, Wenner joined the British children's television programme, Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
. However, he left on 23 June 1980 (on the same day as his co-presenter Tina Heath
Tina Heath
Tina Heath is a British actress and former television presenter. In 1973, she played the title role in the popular children's television serial Lizzie Dripping after first playing the character in an episode of Jackanory Playhouse in 1972; her character was supposed to be 12 years old, but in fact...
), after the production team decided not to renew his contract as he was "deeply unpopular with the viewers" He returned to acting, taking a part in the 1984 Doctor Who adventure The Awakening
The Awakening (Doctor Who)
The Awakening is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in two parts on 19 and 20 January 1984.-Synopsis:...
, although in the final cut, his role was reduced to that of a non-speaking character. He then focussed on journalism.
In 1985, whilst working as a war correspondent in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, he went missing; he turned up again, safe and well, after 18 days. In 1991, he shot footage of a demonstration in Dili
Dili
Dili, spelled Díli in Portuguese, is the capital, largest city, chief port and commercial centre of East Timor.-Geography and Administration:Dili lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands....
, East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
, preceding a massacre and during the massacre
Santa Cruz massacre
The Santa Cruz massacre was the shooting of East Timorese pro-independence demonstrators in the Santa Cruz cemetery in the capital, Dili, on 12 November 1991, during the Indonesian occupation of East Timor.-Background:...
itself. He filmed inside the Santa Cruz cemetery among the dead and the dying, as soldiers advanced in a well-organised operation against a huge crowd of East Timorese engaged in peaceful protest. It was Wenner's footage that brought the plight of the East Timorese to world attention. In 1999 Wenner returned to East Timor and his reports from there. under the name of Max Stahl. won the 2000 Rory Peck Award
Rory Peck Award
The Rory Peck Award is an award given to freelance camera operators who have risked their lives to report on newsworthy events. It was set up in 1995 and is named after the Northern Irish freelance cameraman Rory Peck, who was killed while reporting on the siege of the Moscow White House in 1993....
for hard news war journalism.
Wenner was one of the first Western journalists to recognize the scope of tensions in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
, going in there with his cameraman, filmmaker and author Peter Vronsky in 1992 to report on the break-away republic and nuclear weapons materials smuggling for the Canadian produced television special The Hunt for Red Mercury/
In 1998, whilst working as an ITN journalist for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, Wenner was beaten by Serb civilians during a mass protest.
He returned to Blue Peter in 1983 and 1998 to celebrate the show's birthdays. He is now a father of two, and runs his own production company, as well as continuing his career in journalism.