Stephen Breen

Following a successful journalistic career lasting almost 20 years, Stephen Breen co-founded Breen Media with Mairi Mallon in 2005.
Stephen was a public relations consultant to the award-winning publicity team at Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB), which won the PR excellence title at the 2007 Marketing Society Scotland awards. His key responsibility was to assist GCMB‘s Convention Bureau, which has been named Best UK Convention Bureau for the past four years by the influential Meetings + Incentive Travel magazine.

He has worked with a variety of public and private sector clients, including Prestige Scotland, Visit Scotland, the University of Glasgow, Central College Glasgow, Front Page Design, The Glasgow School of Art, Mechanex UK, David Wilson Associates, Petrology, Argyll International and the Aspect Art Prize.

Stephen is former staff reporter with The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday and Bermuda correspondent for the Reuters news agency. At The Scotsman, Stephen worked on the paper’s Investigations Unit and one of his areas of specialist interest was the Lockerbie bombing. Stephen was at Camp Zeist in the Netherlands when Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi was extradited for trial.

Prior to joining The Scotsman, Stephen was Crime Reporter with the North-east Evening Gazette in Middlesbrough where he develop close links with the police and prosecuting authorities.

Stephen returned to the UK in 2004 after spending five years in Bermuda where he was a senior reporter on the daily Royal Gazette newspaper and the Reuters correspondent for the island.

Mairi Mallon

Mairi is an experienced PR executive who previously worked as a journalist on titles such as the Daily Record, Edinburgh Evening News and the Royal Gazette in Bermuda.

Specialising in financial services, especially reinsurance and insurance, Mairi co-founded Breen Media. In 2008, she set up a niche reinsurance PR company, rein4ce, which has attracted clients from London, Bermuda, the US and the Middle East.

Mairi is regarded as one of the leading authorities on using social media in the insurance and reinsurance markets.

Kit Fraser

Political/Media Consultant.
Kit was employed by BBC Scotland for more than 30 years, latterly as Scottish Political Correspondent.In that role, he contributed on-screen/on-air analysis and reports on developing political issues for both television and radio on a daily basis. He is on first name terms with most MSPs, from First Minister Alex Salmond, to the independent, Margo MacDonald. Through his many years of programme presentation,he has a similar relationship with many MPs at Westminster.

Prior to that appointment,Kit was the core presenter of BBC Radio Scotland‘s “Politics Tonight”programme, a Live daily review of politics, primarily at the Scottish Parliament but taking in developments at Westminster, and Brussels. That role had developed from the interviewing expertise on political stories displayed while presenting Radio Scotland‘s daily “Newsdrive” programme over a number of years.

In 2009, he took the decision to explore the world outside the BBC and resigned from his post. In his new role he has used his long experience and wide expertise in the production of corporate videos, and corporate media training. The trade union UNISON recently hired him for his interviewing strengths to test the media savvy of candidates in the appointment of a new Scottish Director.

Bridget McCann

Bridget has been a trainer for many years, specialising in presentation skills, both corporate and personal. She is also an actor and uses the techniques learned on stage and screen to enable people to improve their communication skills.

She has trained in the private and public sectors. Her clients include employees of  Cigna, BAA,West Lothian Council, Law students from Edinburgh University, Dundee City Council, Civil Assistance Legal Office Aberdeen, Shelter Scottish Housing Law Service, Citizens Advice Bureau, Tayside and Strathclyde Police Legal Services, Community Help and Advice Initiative, Community Care Providers Scotland, Scottish Social Services Council, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Glasgow City Council.

Cameraperson/trainer: Dianne Barry
Dianne Barry has over twenty years experience as a film and television director working throughout the UK and Europe, specialising in social justice documentaries and arts programmes for the BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Scottish Television.
Over the last ten years she has successfully adapted these skills to deliver media coaching and presentation skills training courses to groups and individuals from the legal and financial sectors, arts organisations, charities and NGOs, local authorities and the Scottish Government.
Dianne also lectures in interactive and social media, combining her extensive experience of both traditional and new forms of media communication.
Equipment and venues
We use a range of equipment from discreet mini camcorders to put you at your ease, to broadcast standard cameras and radio mics to provide you with an authentic television experience.
We can work on your premises, in a suitable training venue or in a recording/television studio.
Podcast training (in conjunction with Breen Media)
A great podcast is a combination of high quality content, confident presentation, and professional production.
Video is becoming an increasingly important part of any business website - but a poor quality podcast can make you look amateurish and unprofessional.
That’s why we’ve created a bespoke service to help you create polished podcasts that profile your business and services to potential customers in a stylish and effective manner.
Get the Message is a new service that brings together the skills of former journalists, public relations executives, a professional actor and an experienced camera operator, to deliver top class podcasts.

Content – Stephen Breen and Mairi Mallon of public relations company Breen Media are former journalists who can craft high quality content and clear messages for your podcast.
Presentation – professional trainer and actress Bridget McCann will teach you all the breathing, relaxation, body language and voice delivery techniques you need to be confident in front of the camera.
Production – experience camerawoman Dianne Barry will give you the tips you need to look great for film, playback your performance and edit your podcast.

If you need to Get The Message to your customers in a clear, professional and effective podcast, call 0141 337 2954 or 01698 810415 or email bridget@bridgetmccanntrainer.com or Stephen@breenmedia.co.uk