Corie Brown
Continuity Announcer and Voiceover Artist
As a Channel 4 Announcer Corie Brown writes and voices insightful, distinctive continuity across the broadcaster’s portfolio. She is also co-Chair of 4Purple – the disability staff network.
Working in transmission since 1998, Corie is expert in the technical, editorial and operational aspects of, what can be, a very high-pressure environment. Before Channel 4, she worked for the BBC after starting out in radio.
With a severe sight impairment, Corie uses assistive software. “It’s now widely recognised that Effective workplace adjustments help organisations find and retain great people” she explains “but when I started working attitudes were very different. “No-one was really talking about disability, so neither was I. I put my own adjustments in place, because I didn’t want to be perceived negatively. Thankfully, experience has since taught me that being open and asking for what I need can be hugely empowering.”
Corie sees the build-up to London 2012 as a pivotal moment – with Channel 4 becoming the Paralympic broadcaster there was suddenly focus on disability issues. As one of few staff with lived experience, she became more vocal.
“It’s been an organic journey” she says “and as Channel 4 has grown in disability confidence, I have too”.
Highlights include: spear-heading an internal This is Me campaign; challenging senior leaders; encouraging work on accessible platforms and content; and helping to shape inclusive culture through 4Purple.
Last year Corie featured in the Disability Confident campaign and was invited to 10 Downing Street to talk about overcoming barriers to inclusion in the workplace. This year she helped the EHRC promote workplace adjustments and spoke at Microsoft on GAAD.
Corie is also a mentor, alumni of the National Youth Theatre and a Trustee of Living Paintings – a charity producing ‘touch to see’ books for blind and partially sighted children and adults.