Owen
Holdaway
Conflict Journalist
& AI Advisor
I am a freelance journalist with over 15 years’ worth of newsgathering experience — and a growing practice at the intersection of frontline journalism and artificial intelligence.
the field
Major Assignments
Two decades at the edge of the story.
During 15 years in the field I have covered various humanitarian issues and conflicts across the Middle East and Europe — work that demands precision under pressure, the ability to build trust rapidly in hostile environments, and an uncompromising commitment to what is actually true.
I have worked with a broad range of national and international news organisations, including the Daily Mail, DW, CGTN, the BBC, The Sun, France 24, and CBS, contributing breaking news coverage, long-form investigative pieces, and in-depth feature reporting across broadcast, digital, and print platforms.
Beyond my own reporting I have extensive contacts across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Ukraine, and other complex and hostile environments. I have used these networks to provide fixing, logistical support, and advisory guidance to other correspondents and international production teams.
Where journalism meets artificial intelligence.
My most recent work extends into the world of AI — curating datasets for large language model training and advising organisations on editorial standards for AI-generated content. The discipline that makes a journalist useful in a conflict zone — source verification, bias detection, editorial chain-of-custody — is precisely what the AI industry is failing to apply to its most critical input: training data.
Through Factual Inquirer, I offer advisory and consulting services to AI companies, media organisations, and enterprises navigating the intersection of editorial integrity and machine-generated content. I remain equally available for on-assignment newsgathering.