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LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom — Nick Garnett, the BBC’s long-serving North of England reporter, has spent decades on the front line of major news events, from terror attacks in Paris and Manchester to the migration crisis in Europe. He is known not just for the stories he covers but also for how he covers them — with pioneering use of mobile technology that has reshaped the way broadcast journalism is done on the move.
Garnett started his BBC career in Liverpool, later presenting overnight shows on the national station BBC Radio 5 Live before focusing on reporting. He has worked for the broadcaster for 40 years, covering local and national radio and television. He’s known for his strong regional focus, often reminding colleagues that “the best stories happen outside of capital cities.”
His career has mirrored the evolution of broadcast technology. “We used to rely on portable satellite dishes,” he said, referring to military-developed gear adapted for the BBC. While effective, the high cost — about €5 per minute — pushed the broadcaster to explore more affordable methods.
Enter the smartphone. Garnett was among the first BBC reporters to use mobile phones to record and transmit high-quality audio and video. “Sometimes the only thing I’ve gone into a country with has been a mobile phone,” he said. “A small mic, headphones, and that’s it. It’s a brilliant way of working.”
That minimal setup has enabled Garnett to report live from disaster zones and breaking news events — often before traditional crews arrive. After a significant Turkish earthquake, a BBC colleague in Istanbul reached the scene in hours and began broadcasting using only her phone. “It was days until the rest of the camera crews caught up,” Garnett said.
He added that such agility is critical in news, where the priority is always to be first on air. “There’s a sense of urgency in broadcast that you don’t get in social media. Getting the story out quickly still matters.”
Mobile journalism in action
Garnett’s lightweight approach has taken him across continents, from Syria and Jordan to Nepal and South Sudan. During the European refugee crisis, he followed migrants on their journey north from the Middle East to Calais. “The access was fantastic,” he said. “You only get that kind of freedom in a big organization like the BBC, where they trust you to deliver the story.”
using Luci Live IP technology and a custom-built SIP codec.
Garnett said the BBC’s internal culture has been key to that trust. “In 40 years, nobody has ever told me what to say or what line to take. You have the freedom to do the story the way you want to — that’s one of the strengths of the BBC.”
That independence has also helped reporters like Garnett offer early, on-the-ground insights. Before the Brexit vote, he and his colleagues noticed that the public sentiment in street interviews did not match the poll predictions. “We were talking to a wider cross-section of society,” he said. “We were able to feed that back to producers and reflect it on air.”
The shift from satellite and ISDN lines to IP-based workflows accelerated during COVID-19 when Garnett tested and deployed remote broadcast tools for BBC Radio 5 Live. “We sent Vortex CallMe-T boxes to presenters working from home,” he said. “We needed to make sure they could still get on air.”
When the pandemic hit, he had already been experimenting with the Luci Live app, a mobile application widely used in radio broadcasting for high-quality live audio contribution over IP networks and SIP networks. “We started using Raspberry Pi computers with our in-house BBC SIP setup,” he said. “Then we added software from IPDTL for remote presenter access. Eventually, we built our own solution that was easier to maintain.”
Vortex has turned the RØDECaster Pro into a professional-grade piece
Nick Garnett
of broadcast technology, and that’s absolute genius.
Hardware evolution and hybrid workflows
Today, Garnett uses a hybrid setup that combines mobile apps and hardware, including Vortex CallMe-T, AETA, Tieline codecs and laptops running VoIP software. “We have a range of solutions to ensure we’re not caught out by outages or connectivity issues.”
For Garnett, the appeal of mobile-centric workflows goes beyond portability — it’s about flexibility in unpredictable environments. “One of the first things I check on location is the mobile signal,” he said. “If there’s decent coverage, I know I can get the story out fast.”
He’s reported from mountainous terrain, disaster zones and remote valleys, often relying on little more than his phone to transmit live audio and video. “It’s liberating,” he said. “There’s no satellite truck or bulky equipment. You put your phone in your pocket and go.”
Garnett said he’s particularly impressed by Vortex’s transformation of the RØDECaster Pro — originally a consumer podcasting tool. “Vortex has turned the RØDECaster Pro into a professional-grade piece of broadcast technology, and that’s absolute genius,” he said. “You used to need a minibus full of gear — mixers, satellite dishes, multi-SIM modems, ISDN lines. It took hours to set up. Now it takes minutes.”
With just one device the size of a laptop and four microphones, Garnett said that it’s possible to run an entire outside broadcast. “The quality is so good, and the setup is so simple. It’s changing how we work.”
According to Garnett, this technical flexibility helps broadcasters respond faster, move more freely and work with a smaller footprint. This is especially important as field reporting becomes more agile.
What’s next
Now planning to launch his own production company, mediamouth, Garnett is focused on training others in mobile journalism and sharing his knowledge. But the mission remains the same: “The key is to sound like we’re in your front room or car, telling you what’s happening in the world. The tech should never get in the way of that.”
He said the rise of disinformation makes this mission even more urgent. “At the BBC, we work night and day to earn trust. It’s expensive and resource-intensive but crucial. People need somewhere to go to get an accurate picture of the world.”
Looking ahead, Garnett sees increasing overlap between consumer and broadcast tech. “Sometimes professional gear leads, sometimes it’s the consumer side. Smartphones have pulled broadcasting forward. That’s exciting to watch — and be a part of.”
The author has worked in the radio industry for over 30 years. She has held posts as both a producer and presenter for French stations such as Radio Notre Dame and Radio France’s France Culture. In addition to her involvement in academic research and EU consulting in Brussels, she also specializes in print journalism.
This story originally appeared in the July/August 2025 edition of RedTech Magazine.
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