John Sweeney (journalist)

For other persons named John Sweeney, see John Sweeney

John Sweeney is an award-winning journalist and author, currently working as an investigative journalist for the BBC's Panorama series. Before joining the BBC in 2001 he worked at The Observer for twelve years, where he covered wars and revolutions in more than 60 countries including Romania, Algeria, Iraq, Chechnya, Burundi and Bosnia.

Investigative journalism

Investigative report on Scientology

"Scientology and Me", a Panorama investigation into Scientology written and presented by Sweeney, was aired on BBC One on Monday, 14 May 2007. Prior to it airing video footage filmed by the Church of Scientology was released on YouTube and by DVD showing Sweeney losing his temper with Scientologist representative Tommy Davis during a visit to the Church's anti-psychiatry exhibit, "Industry of Death". Sweeney says that this was a result of a week long campaign of harassment against himself and his family by Davis and the Church.Sweeney labeled these clips "attack videos" and others say they were produced to discredit Sweeney and the documentary. In response the BBC aired their own longer recording of the incident.. Panorama's Editor Sandy Smith explained what happened and how the BBC dealt with the incident in a post on the BBC's Editor's Blog. The edition attracted Panorama's highest audience of the current series so far.

Cot Death Investigation

John Sweeney spent four years investigating the cases of Sally Clark, Angela Cannings and Donna Anthony, three women who had been falsely imprisoned for killing their children. Sweeney's investigation helped to clear their names, and lead to Sir Roy Meadow, the expert witness who's testimony had proved decisive in their convictions, being temporarily struck off the General Medical Council's medical register. Sweeney received the Paul Foot award in 2005 in recognition of his work.

Libel case

In 1996, John Sweeney was sued for criminal defamation in France by the Barclay brothers, owners of the Daily Telegraph. At the time, Sweeney worked for the rival newspaper The Observer, and had given an interview on BBC Radio Guernsey alleging that they had been involved in corruption. Since the broadcast could also be heard in northern France, the claimants were able to bring their claim in the French courts. Sweeney was ordered to pay €3000 by the appeal court in Rennes, France, but the claimants lost their case against the BBC.

Books

• Sweeney, John (1991). The Life and Evil Times of Nicolae Ceausescu. Hutchinson. ISBN 0-091746-72-8.
• Sweeney, John (1993). Trading with the Enemy: Britain's Arming of Iraq. Pan Books. ISBN 0330331280.
• Sweeney, John (1998). Purple Homicide, Fear and Loathing on Knutsford Heath. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-747539-70-7.

Awards

Sweeney has won several awards throughout his career, including:

• 2000: an Emmy and a Royal Television Society prize for programs about the massacre in Little Krusha, Kosovo.
• 2001: the Amnesty International prize for "Victims of the Torture Train," about human rights abuses in Chechnya.
• 2003: a Sony Gold award (2003) for Best Radio News program.
• 2004: a Royal Television Society prize (2004) for "Angela's Hope," a BBC1 documentary about a woman wrongly convicted of murdering her three babies.
• 2005: The Paul Foot award.

External links

• Profile on the Panorama Website
• BBC Editors Blog: Investigating Scientology
• Filmography at the British Film Institute