Allan Little
Encyclopedia
Allan Little is a Special correspondent with the BBC
.
He graduated from Edinburgh University, where he read History and Politics. Little then joined BBC Scotland
in 1983 as a news and current affairs researcher, following which he transferred to London in 1985 to train as a radio reporter. He then spent two years with BBC Radio Solent
, before moving to the BBC Radio 4
's Today programme
in 1988 where he specialised in foreign reporting, including the Revolutions of 1989
in Eastern Europe.
From 1990 to 1995 Little worked as a reporter for BBC News
, reporting from Baghdad for the 1991 Gulf war
and from Kuwait
in the period following the war, covering the Shia rebellions.
From 1991 to 1995, he reported the break-up of Yugoslavia. He co-authored (with Laura Silber) the acclaimed book The Death of Yugoslavia, which accompanied the celebrated television series of the same name
, produced by Norma Percy
at Brook Lapping.
In 1995 Little moved to Johannesburg
to begin a two-year stint as South Africa
correspondent, during which time he reported on the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda and the overthrow of President Mobutu in Zaire
.
In early 1999 he began work on current affairs projects and to present BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Between 1997 and 1999 Little was the BBC's Moscow
correspondent, reporting extensively on the political and economic upheaval of the Boris Yeltsin
regime, as well as on major events such as the devastating earthquakes in Afghanistan
in 1995.
Allan Little worked as the BBC's Africa
correspondent from 2000 to 2001. He was then sent to be the BBC's correspondent in Paris
.
Allan has won several awards including a Gold Sony Radio Award for Reporter of the Year in 1992 and in 1994 he was named the Bayeux War Correspondent of the Year.
He is married to journalist and broadcaster Sheena McDonald
.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
He graduated from Edinburgh University, where he read History and Politics. Little then joined BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
in 1983 as a news and current affairs researcher, following which he transferred to London in 1985 to train as a radio reporter. He then spent two years with BBC Radio Solent
BBC Radio Solent
BBC Radio Solent is the BBC Local Radio service for the Isle of Wight and the English counties of Hampshire and Dorset. Its studios are located in Southampton, in the same purpose-built office block in Havelock Road as the BBC South Today news studios, and there are district offices in Portsmouth,...
, before moving to the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Today programme
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
in 1988 where he specialised in foreign reporting, including the Revolutions of 1989
Revolutions of 1989
The Revolutions of 1989 were the revolutions which overthrew the communist regimes in various Central and Eastern European countries.The events began in Poland in 1989, and continued in Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and...
in Eastern Europe.
From 1990 to 1995 Little worked as a reporter for BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, reporting from Baghdad for the 1991 Gulf war
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and from Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
in the period following the war, covering the Shia rebellions.
From 1991 to 1995, he reported the break-up of Yugoslavia. He co-authored (with Laura Silber) the acclaimed book The Death of Yugoslavia, which accompanied the celebrated television series of the same name
The Death of Yugoslavia
The Death of Yugoslavia is a BBC documentary series first broadcast in 1995, and is also the name of a book written by Allan Little and Laura Silber that accompanies the series. It covers the collapse of the former Yugoslavia...
, produced by Norma Percy
Norma Percy
Norma Percy is an American-born award winning documentary film maker and producer. The documentaries produced in collaboration with Brian Lapping have covered many of the crises of the 20th Century and were described by the Wall Street Journal as "the Rolls-Royce of documentary-making".-Early...
at Brook Lapping.
In 1995 Little moved to Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
to begin a two-year stint as South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
correspondent, during which time he reported on the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda and the overthrow of President Mobutu in Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
.
In early 1999 he began work on current affairs projects and to present BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Between 1997 and 1999 Little was the BBC's Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
correspondent, reporting extensively on the political and economic upheaval of the Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
regime, as well as on major events such as the devastating earthquakes in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 1995.
Allan Little worked as the BBC's Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
correspondent from 2000 to 2001. He was then sent to be the BBC's correspondent in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Allan has won several awards including a Gold Sony Radio Award for Reporter of the Year in 1992 and in 1994 he was named the Bayeux War Correspondent of the Year.
He is married to journalist and broadcaster Sheena McDonald
Sheena McDonald
Sheena Elizabeth McDonald is a British journalist and broadcaster.- Education :She graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1976 before gaining a postgraduate certificate in radio, film and television studies from the University of Bristol. Whilst at university in Edinburgh, she had a...
.