Biography: Amanda Palmer

Amanda Palmer

Amanda Palmer is the Entertainment Editor and presenter of 48 and The Fabulous Picture Show.
 
Amanda’s career has spanned three continents in news, current affairs and entertainment journalism. Before joining Al Jazeera she worked for CNN, the Associated Press Television Network, and as European foreign correspondent for Channel Seven Australia.

A versatile journalist in front of and behind the camera, Amanda Palmer conceived the network’s flagship entertainment programmes, 48 and The Fabulous Picture Show (FPS). As well as producing and hosting the shows, Amanda also leads a talented team in covering international entertainment for the network.
 
The culture/travel show 48, sees Amanda and her crew taking the pulse of unique destinations across the planet – exploring everything from cultural and religious events to the social and economic backdrop of each location, with a special emphasis on the personal stories and insights of local guides.
 
From Syria’s heavy metal fans to Serbia’s ‘turbo folk’ stars; from the housing crisis in Old Havana to the palatial Ottoman mansions of Istanbul, 48 explores the extremes of every destination to give a reality check on how people are living today.
 
48’s first series took the crew to Cuba’s Havana, Serbia’s Belgrade, Syria’s Damascus, Scotland’s Edinburgh, Australia’s aboriginal community of Ramingining, India’s Delhi, Ghana’s Accra, the refugee camps of Chad, Turkey’s Istanbul, Morocco’s Marrakech, China’s Hong Kong. The second series from November 2008 will include Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, Argentina’s Buenos Aires, Greenland, Greece’s Athens, Poland’s Gdansk and Italy’s Naples.

The Fabulous Picture Show (FPS) offers a fresh perspective on the world of movies and international filmmaking. Hosted from a live cinema event, it brings film-makers from across the world face-to-face with an international audience.

The FPS team also scours the biggest international film festivals all year round – from Sundance to Berlin, Venice, Cannes, Rome, Toronto, Marrakech, and Dubai, just to name a few – in search of the world’s best films.
 
Amongst Amanda’s high-profile interviews with acclaimed international filmmakers and stars, highlights include; Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppolla, George Clooney, Ang Lee, Mike Leigh, Michel Gondry, David Cronenberg, Danny Boyle, Errol Morris, Nick Broomfield, Dario Argento, Michael Winterbottom, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Dennis Hopper, Russell Crowe, Joseph Fiennes, Joan Chen, Gabriel Byrne, Russell Crowe, Michelle Yeoh, Ryan Reynolds, William Dafoe, Lord of The Rings composer Howard Shore and Atonement composer Dario Marianelli, as well as award-winning costume designer Gabriella Pescucci.
 
Amanda studied vocal performance at the Australian Institute of Music (AIM) and journalism (BAComm) at Sydney’s University of Technology before becoming a national reporter for Channel Seven, Australia.
 
After seven years’ news and current affairs reporting, Amanda relocated to London to become foreign correspondent for Channel Seven and later joined CNN’s Business International and co-hosted CNN’s Music Room. During that time, Amanda travelled to Moscow to interview Paul McCartney for his first concert performance in Russia, met Sting in Venice, The Black Eyed Peas in Verona, as well as Beyonce, Kylie Minogue (several times!), Dido and Italian music icons Zucchero and Eros Ramazzotti.
 
Amanda worked with Associated Press Television Network before joining Al Jazeera English in August 2005.