Jim Birchall joins the Times as a print journalist after a varied and interesting career in investigative work for both private and legal entities.
He has also volunteered in commercial and community radio as a host; does voiceovers for radio and TV, occasional acting (badly) and is an avid podcaster, creating Occam’s Razor – an irreverent podcast about the paranormal and unexplained, and is planning a TV series based on the concept.
He is a double graduate of The New Zealand Radio Training School, holding qualifications in Radio Skills and Radio Journalism.
Jim was educated at Auckland Grammar School and briefly attended the University of Auckland in the late 1990s, but left after spending too much time in student bar Shadows and not enough in class.
Another passion was cricket umpiring. Jim served Auckland Cricket for 10 years as an umpire and stood semi-professionally in the UK over several New Zealand winters. He also owns and runs cricket media and equipment site, honeybadgercricket.com and contributed commentary for UK-based alternative cricket commentary site, guerillacricket.com, at the recent World Cup.
A born and bred Aucklander, and a vocal defender of ‘JAFAs’, Jim brings great local knowledge to his reporting role and is always interested to hear the views of the community. He lives in Clevedon.
Feel free to drop him a line at jim@times.co.nz with any story ideas.
