 Born
in London, England, Martin Duffy’s broadcasting career began
in 1979 when he helped launch Radio Lollipop, Britain’s first
radio and entertainment service for children in hospital. He went on
to train with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in radio and
television and has worked in virtually every aspect of regional and
network TV programme production, from film and video formats to the
Internet and streaming media. He is an experienced Journalist, Broadcaster,
TV Presenter, Reporter, Executive Producer and CEO.
Duffy has produced, reported and/or
presented hundreds of hours of TV and radio programmes from news, current
affairs, documentaries, sport, children’s, travel, lifestyle,
consumer, social action and “people” shows, both in the
UK, America and world-wide, including working for Capital Radio, BBC
Radio 4, BBC World Service, British Forces Broadcasting (BFBS), TVam,
Granada TV, BBC TV, Central TV, Channel Four Television and Sky Sports.
He has considerable experience of organising major
international events including the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games
in Atlanta, USA, the UK’s ITV Telethon, BBC Children In Need,
and Wheelchair Basketball for Channel 4 TV in London.
Duffy worked Communications for the 1996 Atlanta
Olympic Games where he dealt with the world’s media – 10,000
Journalists from 197 countries, including the media management of the
aftermath of the Olympic Park bombing.
He has also organised, managed and produced Host
Broadcast Operations and satellite news feeds for the Paralympic Games
in Atlanta, USA and the Disability World Athletics Championships in
Birmingham, England.
Duffy pioneered the coverage of disability sports
on British network television with series such as Don’t Just
Sit There! and BIG 8 Wheelchair Basketball for Channel 4 TV. He also
introduced Wheelchair Tennis to BBC Wimbledon coverage.
As Founder, Managing Director and Executive Producer
of the Ideas Factory, an Independent TV Production Company, he created
many new programs and won numerous awards for originality and best
series. Theses included the British Sports Association for the Disabled
(BSAD) Media Award for Best Television Program, equivalent in prestige
within its field to winning an Emmy, for the primetime sports show,
BIG 8 Wheelchair Basketball, he created and produced for Channel 4
Television.
Other award winning productions include; Don’t
Just Sit There! (Channel 4 TV), Do It! (Ideas Factory Video) and Scramble
(Granada TV), a prime-time social action and job creation show watched
by over 10 million viewers that became the highest rated regional TV
program in the UK. Famous for its salutation, “Welcome to Scramble,
the program that puts pound notes in your pocket!
A paraplegic and wheelchair user for 31 years following
a spinal injury in 1975, Duffy is a keen handcycle athlete, accomplished
skydiver, scuba diver, hot-air balloonist, and health and fitness enthusiast.
After taking “early retirement,” to focus
on his health and reconnect with his legs, Duffy's motto is "Expect
Success."
He advocates “there are never problems, just
solutions," and lives by the words of British Primeminister, Sir
Winston Churchill...Action This Day!
Martin can be contacted at news@martinsmiracle.co.uk.
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