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Melissa Fleur Afshar

WHO I AM

I am a multi-award-winning multimedia journalist based in London, with key skills in broadcasting, feature writing, and news reporting.

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I have over seven years of experience in reporting and news production. I started writing stories (for fun) when I was 7, but I began my career aged 19 by picking up unpaid opportunities in broadcast, print and digital media. I'm now experienced in all three forms of content.

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My principal interests and areas of expertise are in current affairs and topical news, breaking news, politics, society, human-interest stories, culture, lifestyle, and the arts. I have also produced plenty of stories around international relations, technology, internet culture, generational conflicts, and human relationships.

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I carry a passion for stories that place people at the very centre, and I am always eager to delve into the events and innovations that impact our lives.

 

I am proficient in constructing specialist media that meet individual brand standards or editorial guidelines, including Ofcom broadcasting standards and Ofcom election broadcasting standards.

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I can meet imminent deadlines in high-pressure environments, turn around clean copy at speed, bring offbeat stories to the editorial table, and adapt with ease to diverse cultural and linguistic settings. 

 

I am also confident operating as a frontline reporter; interviewing members of the public, tackling challenging stories, connecting with people, and communicating difficult concepts.

 

Above all, I'm a curious person and I'm passionate about multimedia storytelling.

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I care meticulously about things, events, differing ideas, and perspectivesand I write about them.

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I'm willing to jump right into the biggest stories of our time, communicate with a diverse variety of individuals, and gather information to produce moving packages and features. With BA and MA degrees in History, I'm an analytical person and I carry that into my projects. I dig deep into all angles of a story to produce accurate, innovative, and thoughtful reports.

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I'm a self-starter and I built my diverse portfolio without prior access to industry connections. I've managed to do this because I'm interested in our world, and my life experiences have shaped me into an open-minded and empathetic individual; one who can produce content that generates passion, thought, and emotion within its desired audience. 

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I've worked with media professionals, subject matter experts, public figures, and digital creators across my career, and have compiled a healthy book of contacts as a result.

 

I'm proud of my ability to examine each story through a correct lens, and cut through noise to reach and report facts.

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SPECIAL INTERESTS

Current affairs, breaking news, politics, international relations, feature writing, social affairs, human-interest stories, topical journalism, factual media, presenting, interviewing, news-gathering, social media content, and research.​

EXPERIENCED IN

Working in international, national and local multimedia newsrooms, documentary production research, broadcast journalism, newspaper journalism, magazine journalism, tabloid journalism, opinion (op-ed) journalism, digital journalism, digital content production, current affairs reporting, political reporting, breaking news reporting, fashion journalism, crime journalism, social media journalism, aviation journalism, tech journalism, financial journalism, lifestyle and human-interest journalism, weather journalism, long-form investigations, long-form coverage, short-form reports, producing hourly news bulletins, filing to deadline, filing FOIA requests, applying different attribution levels during interviews, handling quote and factual accuracy checks, filming vox pops, attending news and press conferences, working in studio environments, producing audiovisual content, specialised audio production, editorial admin, article editing, weekend magazine and supplement paper writing, newsreading, transcribing, interviewing, researching, copywriting, and communications management. 

SKILLS

Resourceful, resilient, practical, adaptable, diligent attention to detail, probative questioning, great in a team or fast-paced environment, responds well to developing stories or "emergency" situations, alert to emerging news stories, able to spot new online trends and topics of public interest, able to spot news hooks, strong news judgement and audience awareness. 

EDUCATION

2020 - Present

I've got a sound understanding of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.

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I'm trained in how to use AI in a newsroom setting.

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In 2025, I was invited to speak to undergraduate humanities students at Royal Holloway, University of London about my career in media. 

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In 2025, I was invited to contribute to the judging of the 71st Neal Awards. 

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In 2024, I attended Newsweek's Google-led training sessions to learn how journalists can combat misinformation online.

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In 2023, I was invited to be a panelist at a Bournemouth University event, to give a talk to undergraduate students about my career in media. 

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In 2022, I passed Global's Media Law and Ofcom Code course.

2019 - 2020

Upper Division Second Class Honours 

Master of Arts in History

Royal Holloway,

University of London 

I attained a Merit in my Master's Degree in History at Royal Holloway, University of London. My Head of Department was renowned historian, Dr. Anna Whitelock. I specialised in the political and economic history of modern Europe; particularly the intellectual theories that characterise post-war Britain and France. My additional areas of research under world-leading historians included; advanced historical concepts and practices, utopian and dystopian literature, Keynesianism, monetarism, attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in 1980s Britain, a range of political and economic ideologies, and the early history of aeronautical engineering and meteorology.

 

I also studied two courses at The Bedford Centre for the History of Women and Gender, and a course in designing databases for historical research at the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London's School of Advanced Study.  

 

My postgraduate dissertation explored representations of contemporary French sociopolitical and economic affairs in Nouvelle Vague cinema—for this, I had to spend plenty of time in digital French archives—and was awarded a high Merit. 

 

Through my studies I gained thorough experience in researching, disseminating content, interviewing, crafting extensive written pieces, and professional referencingalongside an advanced understanding of a variety of historical and social concepts and approaches. This has strengthened my ability to study and communicate global affairs, and my understanding of the attitudes, narratives, and debates that oscillate in general conversation.

2016 - 2019

First Class Honours

Bachelor of Arts in History

Bournemouth University

I attained First Class Honours in my Bachelor's Degree in History at Bournemouth University. I studied within Bournemouth University's prestigious Faculty of Media and Communication; which houses the university's Centre for Excellence in Media Practice.

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My undergraduate dissertation on political communication and political personalisation incorporated aspects of political science, sociolinguistics, and modern history by drawing on inter-disciplinary sources and theories. This dissertation was an intensive study of modern political spin and required the dissemination of vast material from multiple newspaper archives.

 

The paper was awarded a First.

TRAINING

 

2021: John Schofield Trust's 'Masterclass" on 'How To Present A News Programme', with Guest Speakers; Cathy Newman, Julie Etchingham, and Naga Munchetty.

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2021: BBC Young Reporter Media Industry Workshop. 

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2020: BBC News Development in Journalism Seminar.

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2020: Research Seminar by Senate House Library, University of London.  

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2017: Lecture by Robert Seatter, BBC Head of History.

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TRANSCRIPT

  • Life and Trends Reporter, Newsweek | London, United Kingdom | Jan 2023 - Present.

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  • Digital Journalist and Content Producer, LBC and LBC News | London, United Kingdom | Sep 2022 - Jan 2023.

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  • News Reporter, WatersTechnology by Infopro Digital | London, United Kingdom | Jan 2022 - Nov 2022.

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  • Content and Media Manager, British School of Aviation | London Luton Airport, United Kingdom | Apr 2021 - Dec 2021. 

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  • Features Writer, tmrw Magazine | London, United Kingdom | Oct 2018 - Dec 2021.

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  • Broadcast Journalist, Insanity Radio 103.2FM | Egham, United Kingdom | Sep 2019 - Aug 2020. 

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  • Deputy Head of News, Insanity Radio 103.2FM | Egham, United Kingdom | Sep 2019 - Aug 2020. 

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  • Health Editor, The Tab | Bournemouth, United Kingdom | Jan 2019 - Aug 2019. 

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  • News Writer, The Tab | Bournemouth, United Kingdom | Oct 2018 - Dec 2019.

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  • Blogger, Dorset History Centre | Dorchester, United Kingdom | Sep 2018 - Jun 2019. 

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  • Newsreader and News Producer, Nerve Radio 87.9FM | Poole, United Kingdom | Nov 2018 - May 2019.

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  • Features Writer, NerveNow | Bournemouth, United Kingdom | Oct 2018 - Dec 2018.

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  • Assistant Journalist, The Times and The Sunday Times | London, United Kingdom | Aug 2018.

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  • Copywriter, SplitRent | London, United Kingdom | Aug 2017 - Oct 2017. 

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  • Publicity Manager, A21 Campaign | Ware, United Kingdom | Sep 2014 - Aug 2015. 

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  • Featured Writer For ‘Poetry Matters’ by Mark Richardson and Donna Samworth For Young Writers And National Literary Trust Poetry Award | 2012. 

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SOME PRESS EVENTS*

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2024: London Fashion Week.

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2023: Milan Fashion Week Online Event by World Sustainability Organization. 

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2023: New Scientist Live at ExCel London.

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2023: Stuart Pearson Wright's Exhibition at Flowers Gallery Mayfair, London.

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2023: Canoe Press Day AW23 Fashion Event at Shoreditch, London.

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2023: Biologan Press Morning at Rotunda, London.

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2023: The Trouble With Jessica Film Screening at Soho House, Dean Street London.

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2023: Women's Empowerment in Africa Exhibition by One To One Africa Children's Fund at Bernard Jacobson Gallery Mayfair, London.

 

2022: Infopro Digital's Women in Data and Technology Awards Ceremony, Hosted by Mariella Frostrup, at The Langham, London.

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2022: Press Reception with London Stock Exchange Group at LSEG HQ, London.

 

2022: Société Générale Press Reception at The Victoria & Albert Museum, London. 

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2022: The National Youth Film Awards at the Odeon Luxe, London.

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2022: Royal Bank of Canada Roundtable on Market Structure and Post-Brexit Regulations at RBC HQ, London.

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2022: Deutsche Börse Press Reception at The Ned, London. 

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2022: Press Briefing with London Stock Exchange Group at LSEG HQ, London.

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2022: Keynote Speech on Green Trade and Post-Brexit Trade Negotiations with the Secretary of State for International Trade, Hosted at Bloomberg HQ, London. 

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2022: London Issue Brief Hosted by Goldman Sachs at Goldman Sachs HQ, London. 

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2022: Bloomberg Technology Summit at The Grand, London.

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2022: Euronext Studio Launch at Finsbury Circus, London.

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2016: BBC Radio 4 'Any Questions' Broadcast, with Jonathan Dimbleby. ​

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2014: Iraq War Convention in Westminster Parliament, Interacted with Sky News at College Green.

 

*This list does not include all events, press lunches, interviews and meetings. This is just a brief roundup of some of the stuff I have been up to.

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AND SOME PARTNERSHIPS*​

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2024: Contributor to No Panic, a British mental health charity.

 

2023: Collaboration with Annuity to raise awareness about financial abuse. 

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2023: Collaboration with New Scientist Live.

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2023: Collaboration with Desenio.

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2023: Collaboration with To'ak Chocolate.

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2019: Collaboration with Brain Tumour Research to spread awareness about a charity fundraiser. 

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*This is not a list of paid partnerships or contractual endorsements. This is a list of some of the charities, organisations and brands that have either gifted me products to potentially produce content for and review, or have asked me to provide special coverage for them.

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