Becher Townshend
Building on over ten years experience as a journalist, consultant and media adviser, Becher Townshend is now a leading issues and crisis management consultant in Tasmania and managing director of Font Public Relations.
Formerly the chief political reporter and commentator with The Advocate newspaper and prior to that, state political reporter for Southern Cross Television, Becher has extensive experience in print and electronic media. He also spent a year working as a media adviser to the then Labor Shadow Minister for Justice, Customs and the Arts, Duncan Kerr MHR, dealing with issues such as the increasing arrival of boat people on the eastern seaboard of Australia.
Since joining the team in 2001, Becher has built on his in-depth understanding of the workings of government and developed a specialisation in high-level advocacy and strategic lobbying.
His recent work includes strategic communications advice and media relations for Aged and Community Services Tasmania, Cascade Brewery, the Anglican Church of Tasmania, the Law Society of Tasmania and Calvary Health Care.
Becher is a regular commentator to local government and the business community and he has had numerous articles published in Tasmania in publications such as LGAT News, Enterprise and the Law Society’s Law Letter.
Becher has worked in all facets of mainstream media such a television, print and radio. He has been delivering media training to managers and professionals for eight years and on behalf of organisations such as the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tasmanian Small Business Council, Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, Aged and Community Services Tasmania and the Local Government Association of Tasmania.
Becher holds a Bachelor of Arts in politics and administration from the University of Tasmania and is a Member of the Public Relations Association of Australia, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Marketing Institute.
He is a board member of Motorsports Tasmania, responsible for marketing and public relations, the Tasmanian Small Business Council and more recently he has joined the board of the Australian Marketing Institute Tasmania Division.
Becher has won awards for journalism excellence in areas of business and tourism and received a Tasmanian gold award in Marketing Communications in the PRIA State Awards for Excellence. In 2007, Beyond PR was awarded the State Winner Business Services, Small Business Champion Awards. Becher was a finalist in the Professional Leader of the Year Small to Medium Business in the 2006 Tasmanian Business Leaders Awards.
Font Public Relations has an ongoing relationship with the University of Tasmania, establishing Tasmania’s inaugural public relations scholarship and internship for a UTas student in 2008.