When the Lindt Cafe Siege brought the Sydney CBD to a standstill, the Seven newsroom was in the unique position of being right at the crime scene. Chris Reason was on air for hours and hours to cover the breaking story, while police snipers also used the newsroom as a tactical vantage point. Reason won the 2015 Walkley Award-winner for TV News Reporting for this work.

Reason also covered the September 11 attacks from on the ground in New York, as well as the 7 July London terror attacks and many other major news incidents over the past 30 years. Discover what it’s like to cover major breaking news from the hot seat in front of the camera and in the middle of the action.

Walkeys Live: The Journalist Gene is a series of five one-hour biographical portraits of five Walkley Award-winning or recognised journalists, exploring the national and international context in which their award-winning work took place; the influences and personal inspirations for their approach; and the professional drive, courage and values that sustain their work.

This event was presented by Sydney Festival in partnership with the Walkley Foundation.