Anna Brees spent a decade as a presenter and reporter with the BBC and ITV before shifting her focus in 2017. Rather than return to the newsroom, she began teaching others how to communicate with the same confidence, impact and trust she once brought to broadcast news.
“Training as a therapist in 2016 gave me a new perspective. I became more aware of my own ego and agenda, and realised it would be wrong to step back into TV news. Instead, I wanted to empower others.”
Anna now provides in-house media training for large organisations including Admiral, Barclays, UCL and the University of Surrey. Alongside this, she runs SMTV, a hyperlocal media channel that produces inspiring, positive stories.
Her training work also supports local community groups, charities and citizen journalists. By drawing on her background as a BBC and ITV journalist, and the success of SMTV, Anna shows people how to use mobile storytelling to share their message, grow influence and represent the voices that matter.
Anna draws on SMTV’s reach, engagement and real-world results as part of her training, using it as a live case study so people can see exactly what works – and what doesn’t. It has become a powerful educational tool. Focused on positive, hopeful stories, SMTV demonstrates how mobile storytelling can reach huge audiences, build trust and strengthen community.
“I’ve been offered opportunities to lead newsrooms and launch new media brands, but my passion lies in training. SMTV shows what’s possible, but I don’t want to be the voice. I want to inspire and equip the new voices of the future.”
By teaching people to apply the tools of TV journalism to social media, Anna helps them create content that carries confidence, impact and trust – content that reflects their values and principles. The aim is a more democratic, authentic media - one that feels closer to “us,” where people see themselves represented rather than silenced.
“In TV news, I often felt I wasn’t representing all voices. Journalists held too much power over which stories were told. I chose to give that power away – to show people how to use video to tell their own stories, report on their own communities, and spread their message online.”
Today, Anna believes that whatever your passion or purpose, we all have the tools to share it with the world through new media.
Thanks for being here,
Anna
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