This website covers the last few years of my multimedia news and features reporting for local and international clients and employers, both in Israel, Palestinian Authority areas, and for the State of Georgia.

        In Feb., 2010 I resettled back into a reporting and related news beat in Israel, after concluding a three-year stint with Georgia Public Broadcasting Radio, as their Columbus bureau chief (WJSP 88.1 FM). I covered spot news and feature stories all over west-central Georgia, as well as working as a freelance metro Atlanta reporter for WABE FM 90.1, and podcaster for state and commericial clients. (Check out the radio page and recommendations on this page).

       I received a 2008 Georgia Associated Press Broadcasters Association "Specialized Reporting" award for a feature covering the controversy over a proposed coal-fired power plant on the residents of the town of Blakely in southwest Georgia.

Background

       I was born in New York and raised in Florida and Texas, and got my start in radio back in the mid 1970's at the Pacifica Network's KPFT/90.1 FM in Houston.

       Moving overseas to Israel in the early 1980's, I took a break from broadcasting, returning to the field in the mid 1990's. After a stint in acquisitions at a local TV station, I joined The Jerusalem Post newspaper and website in 2000, first as a reporter and Internet-edition editor, later taking on responsibilities for Internet radio news and features.

       Since then, I worked for about the last decade as a Jerusalem-based bureau chief, correspondent and photographer, covering breaking news and features in that volatile region for many international TV, Radio, Internet and Print-based news agencies, and other outlets (details are noted on my resume', over to the right).

       These days, I'm available, geared-up and ready-to-roll as a freelance journalist, A/V multimedia producer, photographer, voice-over talent wherever the assignment takes me.

       Thanks for stopping by!

Employment history:

Independent: Audiovisual production services, including videography, reporting, scripting and narration for clients, including Apple Computers, The National Business Aviation Association, Georgia Public Broadcasting Radio, Georgia Centers of Innovation, Broadcast Solutions - Atlanta

Jan., 2007 – May, 2009

GEORGIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Columbus Bureau Chief. Responsibilities included all preparation, reporting and voicing of features and spot news from Columbus, Fort Benning and southwest Georgia.

• Established the Columbus bureau in January, 2007. Within a year I significantly expanded in-depth coverage of spot news, features and current events throughout southwest Georgia
• Awarded 2008 “Best Specialized Reporting” prize from the Georgia Associated Press
• Alternate GPB host of National Public Radio’s flagship news magazine, All Things Considered
• Represented GPB to the public, broadcast and print media; hosted events and liaised with donors, officials, and outside entities
• Redesigned, implemented and managed GPB Radio News site, greatly increasing site traffic
• Prepared and edited online multimedia packages, incorporating video, audio and still photography
• Instructed statewide news team in implementing new media

Freelance TV and Radio news reporting, analysis and commentary

• Produced and reported breaking-news and pre-recorded Radio, Internet, Video and Print spots and features from Israel and Palestinian Authority areas covering war and terrorism, political/diplomatic events, metro and “slice-of-life” content

United States:

National Public Radio, Washington, D.C., MSNBC Television, NY; Talk Radio News, Washington DC; News/Talk 720 WGN, Chicago, Il.; WLMB AM1160, Atlanta, Ga.; News Talk 1110 WBT, Charlotte, NC; WINK 1240 AM, Ft. Myers, Fla.; USA Radio.com, Dallas, Tx.

International:

BBC Radio London, BBC Radio Wales, LBC Radio London; International Network News, Today FM, Dublin Ireland; Feature Radio, Global Media, Great Britain; Radio France International; Radio Deutsche Welle, Germany; Radio Onda Cero International, Spain; RTHK Radio 3, Hong Kong; Radio Napa, Cyprus; 3AW Radio, Australia.

Employment history - cont.

2000 – 2007:

www.infolive.tv

Jerusalem bureau chief for Internet video news agency. Responsible for site content. Duties included managing a news and production team of reporters, camera crews and video editors to prepare daily breaking-news and feature coverage. Produced and hosted in-studio and on-site news, analysis and interviews. Responsible for all English-language content; guided parallel French, Spanish and Arabic-language news teams.

www.JerusalemOnline.com

Translation, editing and voiceover of national evening TV news program. Duties included real-time Hebrew-English translation of hard news reports, preparing copy, and voicing an online video summary of main Israel Channel Two TV news broadcast.

www.TheIsraelHomeFrontFund.org

Managed and edited social-assistance website providing aid for Israelis during the 2006 Lebanon war. Duties included management of written, video, audio and photographic content, assigning stories to stringers.

www.AccessMiddleEast.org

Deputy website manager, editor and reporter. Responsible for preparing news, analysis and commentary about Israeli, Palestinian and regional affairs. Managed written, audio, video and graphic content.

The Jerusalem Post newspaper

News and features editor/reporter/photographer for the print daily and weekend magazine. Night-desk editor. Managed daily Internet radio breaking news and features coverage. Reported and translated news articles, features, interviews, music and book reviews.

Employment history - cont.

1997 - 2000

Tel-Ad Channel 2 Television, International Acquisitions

Translated award-winning (PROMAX) in-house promos. Managed film library. Translated and organized scripts, publicity material, press releases.

RadioWEST 102.8 FM

Developed, produced and hosted current affairs, music and talk-format programming for Jerusalem broadcast radio station. Hosted morning and afternoon drive time shows. Was responsible for editing, announcing, and special events programming.

www.VirtualJerusalem.com:

Developed, produced and hosted Internet radio programming including interviews, music and current affairs programming.

References, writing examples, air-checks and showreel are viewable here.

Click here to download a copy of the recommendaton letter.

Susanna Capelouto
News Director
Georgia Public Broadcasting
260 14th Street
Atlanta, Ga. 30318

March 29, 2009

To whom it may concern:

David Bender was a member of the GPB news team from January 2007 to March 2009. He was responsible for covering West and South West Georgia, including the area from Columbus to Albany. In that position Dave covered the major stories facing the region, including Fort Benning expansion plans, the building of the Kia manufacturing plant, a coal fired power plant proposal in Early County, unemployment in rural areas, and numerous cultural events in communities of West and South West Georgia among many breaking news stories.

Dave also served as an on-line news site editor. He was responsible for the layout of our GPB news blog. In that position he also steered GPB's multi platform presentations. His extraordinary talent of taking photographs greatly enhanced our on-line offerings.

Dave Bender is a strong team member who is always ready to go the extra mile and assist his colleagues. His ability to cover breaking news on a new media platform is exceptional. Dave gets to the story quickly and always does more than just record his sound. He'll return with pictures for the web or even a video. And he'll quickly upload remarkable audio to go along with it, while writing a story for the website.

As the GPB news staff was adjusting to growing on-line media demand over the past year, Dave Bender was our biggest cheerleader and patiently pulled us along.

His loyalty to his craft is undeniable.

Feel free to call me if you have any further question regarding Dave Bender.

Sincerely,

Susanna Capelouto
News Director,
Georgia Public Broadcasting
404-685-2677

"Dave is a hard working broadcast journalist, with "old school" work ethic and "new school" cutting edge technology. Dave was always in the lead group to learn new applications of the latest technology."
Bob Houghton, General Manager, Georgia Public Broadcasting
managed Dave indirectly at Georgia Public Broadcasting

"Dave is the ultimate hard worker. Keen to learn. He has a broad knowledge base. He is a team player and happy to share his expertise."
David Harris, News Director, The Media Line
worked directly with Dave at The Jerusalem Post

"Dave is one of the most versatile and talented journalists I know. From concept to completion of an assignment, Dave is always totally on top of every detail. His technical knowledge combined with his feel for a story and his extensive experience in every kind of media make him an invaluable asset to any team."
Judy Lash Balint, Jerusalem-based freelance correspondent, Independent

"It was always a pleasure to work with him as he is very creative, motivated and results orientated. Dave was hired by me for several projects of different nature and it is obvious that he is a professional. He is a very hard worker, with a good head on his shoulders, and has a lot of potential. I have no doubt that he would be an asset to any business that he would work with."
Yair Molinas hired Dave as a Writer/Editor in 2009, and hired Dave more than once