About
I am a broadcaster, podcaster, lecturer, writer and author. I live in Northern Ireland but spend time in Slovenia. I also do some work in Dublin, Ireland.
I’ve written books on Bled Slovenia and Podcasting.
After decades away from being behind the microphone, I’m presenting a world music show on internet radio station Slice Audio, (more here and playlists and so on here). The show is online from 19h00 to 21h00 UTC on Fridays, repeated at 03h00 Saturdays.
I do training with community organisations to produce their own podcasts and doing the occasional episode myself here here and here.
I began broadcasting in 1978 as a presenter on Downtown Radio where I was best known for championing young rock bands from Ireland, north and south. I contributed to the early development of the Youth Programmes genre. In 1986 with a move to BBC Radio Ulster where I founded The Bottom Line (now 30+ years on still going as Across The Line). Within three years it was to London for BBC Radios 1 and 4 producing social action programmes and documentaries. As Chief Producer I led Youth Programmes department before returning to Belfast to work in current affairs, religious affairs, magazine and music programmes before becoming the first producer in BBC Northern Ireland Online. From 2001 to 2008 I was Editor New Media leading a team producing web, interactive TV, mobile and community outreach.
I now present music programmes on the internet radio station Slice.Audio with a particular interest in world/ethno music.
Since 2008 I have worked in media and technology. In recent years, I have spent considerable amount of time in Slovenia where I consult on digital tourism, social media and emerging platforms. I have taught both Online Analytics and Radio Production in Dublin Business School to BA Journalism students and have been a guest lecturer in University of Ljubljana.
I have won awards for radio and web production in Belfast, London, Dublin and New York.
Between 2011 and 2013 I worked as Head of Social media in the youth activism project Public Achievement and led the media training project WIMPS (Where is my public servant?)
I am also a non executive director of Argyle Business Centre on Belfast’s Shankill Road and, until its closure in January 2016, Achieve Enterprises, the social enterprise arm of Public Achievement.
If you find all that desperately interesting there’s more on LinkedIn.com/in/davysims
July 9, 2017 at 6:24 am
Now that I’ve looked at your bio, and noticed the religious affairs citation, maybe Submission is best. Personally I found it a bit more didactic than the other two I mentioned.
July 9, 2017 at 7:36 am
I wouldn’t make too much of that … An interesting period, though. Especially in this place.
April 2, 2018 at 11:20 pm
CommentDear Mr Sims,
I want to begin by thanking you for your wonderful book “Podcasting for Community Organization.” I got to know about it at a conference in November last year. Since I bought it, I have read it, re-read it, kissed it and finally congratulated myself for coming across such a book written with such clarity!
I live in London, and I have been putting resources together to be able to launch a community hub with provisions for podcasts. I have, of course, attended several courses on podcasting. All one can say about many of them is that the more I tried to understand what the high-profile “consultants” were saying, the more confused I became. Your book is such a breath of fresh air that it is going to be a “compulsory read” for whoever would want to work with me.
I wish to seek your advice on a number of issues:
1. As I said, I have attended several podcasting seminars but I didn’t learn much especially given that popular teaching methods don’t seem to suite my learning style. I am wondering whether it would be OK for me to attend any of your seminars or courses to watch you carry out some of the practical aspects of podcasting you outlined in the book? Or do you have suggestions on a suitable course I can attend here in the London?
2. Second, it would absolutely be necessary for me to outsource some of the tasks needed for my podcasting project. This means that I may need to ask my contacts overseas to forward audios to me for editing before they are made available on my website and/or blog. Do you have tips on how best this can be done in a professional manner? I anticipate also that it would, at some point in the future, become necessary to conduct telephone interviews with people here in the UK or abroad. What do I need to ensure that the audio files are of high-quality?
I would, indeed, be very grateful for your reply to this letter.
Thanking most sincerely for your time, the attention and the good work.
Ben