An analysis of the mendacity of the British press in its relations with Romania – for Hotnews/Contributors.ro, Romania’s top news website published in March 2013 – http://www.contributors.ro/editorial/30-million-romanian-and-bulgarians-criminals-will-invade-the-uk-on-1-january-2014-how-the-british-press-terrorises-its-country-with-a-fear-the-east/ 30 million Romanian and Bulgarian criminals will invade the UK on 1 January 2014: How the British press terrorises its country with a fear of the east Britain’s […]
Category Archives: Comment
Opinion pieces with a satirical edge from 2012 onward
An opinion piece for Hotnews/Contributors.ro, Romania’s top news website published in January 2013. This satirical comment was hugely popular, registering over 4,300 likes on Facebook and around 32,000 visitors, plus creating heated debates online – http://www.contributors.ro/editorial/an-open-invitation-to-all-romanians-and-bulgarians-please-come-to-the-uk/ An Open Invitation to all Romanians and Bulgarians – Please Come to the UK As a British citizen, I would […]
An investigation into how widescale mental health reform in Romania has been ignored by the authorities. This feature required undercover reporting as many healthcare institutions do not allow journalists into their buildings. This was published in April 2010 for ‘The Diplomat – Bucharest’ magazine – http://www.thediplomat.ro/print2.php?id=1022 Mental healthcare in need of treatment Underfunded, overcrowded, ignored, […]
An investigation into how a funding crisis for NGOs carrying out direct care on the street for heroin addicts could provoke a rise in new cases of HIV In Bucharest, Romania. Since this article appeared, its predictions have sadly come true. In 2012 there was a 200 per cent increase in the the number of […]
An investigation into the one per cent of Bucharest’s population addicted to heroin for ‘The Diplomat – Bucharest’ magazine published in February 2008 – http://www.thediplomat.ro/reports_0208_2.php Invisible addiction With one per cent of Bucharest’s population addicted to heroin, ‘The Diplomat’ reports on a drug attacking poor communities and children as young as nine years old. Report […]
This is a small feature on how to turn stray dogs into a money-making opportunity in Romania, written for US story website Loopletters in January 2013 – http://www.loopletters.com/ How Romania turns dogs into cash For the past two years, I have been making a film about Romania’s problem with stray dogs. The east European nation […]
A comment piece about the state of the media for Romania’s top news website, Hotnews, originally published in Romanian in September 2012 – http://www.contributors.ro/editorial/falit-neiubit-muncit-redus-la-tacere-si-predispus-la-mita-faceti-cunostinta-cu-jurnalistul-secolului-21/ The English version is below: Bankrupt, unloved, mute, workaholic and open to bribery – meet the journalist of the 21st century Journalist Michael Bird examines nine ways the industry has changed […]
Michael Bird Writer & Journalist 