Chris Cramer facts for kids

Christopher Ranville Cramer (born January 3, 1948 – died January 16, 2021) was a British news journalist. He was also a leader in the news industry. During his career, he worked for the BBC and CNN International. He also advised The Wall Street Journal.

Chris Cramer was famous for making journalism safer. He improved training for reporters who worked in dangerous places. He also suggested safety gear and support for them after their assignments. These ideas came from his own experience. He was held hostage during the Iranian Embassy siege in London in 1980.

Early Life and Career

Chris Cramer grew up in Portsmouth, England. As a teenager, he started working as a reporter. He wrote for The Portsmouth Evening News.

In 1970, he joined BBC Radio Solent. Later, he moved to BBC television news. There, he worked as an editor and a producer.

The Iranian Embassy Siege

In 1980, Chris Cramer went to the Iranian embassy in London. He was there to get a travel visa. Suddenly, he and 25 other people were trapped. A group of people took control of the building.

Cramer told his captors he felt very sick. He said they thought he was having a heart attack. Because of this, they released him. He then shared important information with the Special Air Service (SAS) team. This team was preparing to storm the embassy.

The siege lasted six days. Chris Cramer was released on the second day. He later felt he had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He called the event "the single most terrifying thing of [his] entire life."

Chris Cramer's experience was shown in a 2017 film. The movie, 6 Days, was about the siege. Actor Nicholas Boulton played Cramer.

Making News Safer

After the siege, Chris Cramer became a champion for journalist safety. He believed that journalism was becoming more dangerous. In 2009, he said that journalists were being targeted. They were being imprisoned, harassed, and sometimes even killed.

In the mid-1990s, Cramer became head of news gathering at the BBC. With safety managers, he started new training courses. These courses taught journalists how to work in dangerous places. He also introduced risk checks and special equipment.

Cramer also started the first private counseling service for news teams. He recognized that journalists could suffer from PTSD. He helped create the International News Safety Institute (INSI). This group worked to improve safety across the news industry. He was the honorary president of INSI from 2003 to 2012.

Working at CNN and Beyond

In 1996, Cramer joined CNN. For 11 years, he managed global news operations for CNN International. His focus on journalist safety was adopted by many other news organizations.

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, he created a new role at CNN. This role focused on Middle East affairs. After CNN, he worked for Thomson Reuters. He also led a video production team at The Wall Street Journal.

Later Years and Death

Chris Cramer died from cancer on January 16, 2021. He was 73 years old. He was survived by his wife, Nina, and their three children.

See also

• List of kidnappings
• List of solved missing person cases