The following is a reprint from TV Tech sister brand TVBEurope:
The UK broadcast industry has been saddened by the death of PR and writer Farah Jifri.
Farah had worked within the media industry for over 20 years, first as editor of IBE magazine, before moving into public relations with some of the industry’s best-known companies, including Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Jump PR, Bubble, Platform Communications and Manor Marketing.
She was a well-known member of the IBC Daily team, and in recent months had begun writing for TVBEurope.
A number of colleagues have paid tribute to Farah, describing her as a gifted journalist who exemplified “best quality”.
The thoughts of everyone at TVBEurope are with Farah’s family, friends and colleagues. Rest in peace Farah, we will miss you.
UPDATE: Farah’s funeral will take place on Saturday 3rd June at 11am. There will be a live webcast of the service for those unable to attend. Please contact TVBEurope’s editor Jenny Priestley for details.
An online Book of Condolence has also been opened here, and the link also includes information regarding donations in lieu of flowers.
Fergal Ringrose, former editorial director of the IBC Daily
I had the opportunity to engage Farah to work as a journalist on the IBC Daily when I was editorial director of the publication. We published five live newspapers in Amsterdam, one for each day of the IBC show.
To work as a journalist on the Daily you had to know your stuff in terms of industry knowledge; be able to deal with a wide range of people non-stop each day; work to tight deadlines (of course) each day; and produce clean and accurate copy with each story. And be a team player. And remain engaged and upbeat through each long day at the coalface.
Anyone who knew Farah knew she was all of those things. No company or technology or jargon seemed to phase her at all: she was a natural. But much more than that – as anyone who knew Farah would testify – was her serenity. Farah possessed a calm, smiling, cheerful, caring serenity that she carried about with her always. A gentle serenity. A great colleague with a delightful personality. That’s how I will think about and remember Farah Jifri.
Jennie Marwick-Evans, Manor Marketing
Farah is someone that I’ve known for a very long time. I first met her when she was the editor of IBE magazine. I admired her quiet determination, knowledge and understanding of the industry.
Throughout our careers, we kept bumping into each other – sometimes working together and sometimes not.
She was someone who I always held in high regard, and when the opportunity came to employ her, I was overjoyed. Whether on the phone, video call or visiting the office with Ripley, her gentle, quiet and see-all soul was evident.
Knowing that she’s not at the end of a WhatsApp is very sad. And I’ll miss her.
Gay Bell, Platform Communications
I personally knew Farah for the 20 plus years she was in the media tech industry, firstly as a journalist, then as a comms professional, and also as a colleague and friend. She was a very smart and gifted journalist with a mass of industry knowledge—you would struggle to find a broadcast and media topic she couldn’t bring to life with her writing.
Farah was a valued part of the Platform Comms content team, but more importantly, she was a lovely person—a thoroughly decent human. She was especially kind to junior team members who were learning the ropes—never shy to share her vast experience.
I was shocked and saddened to hear of her death. Too young, with a lot more life to live. RIP Farah, you will be missed by many.
Andy Stout and Kate Large
Farah was a gifted journalist, editor, and PR professional. She was also a genuine family friend and she was equally as gifted at that as well. We had a shared love of cricket and curries — India and mild for her, England and Ireland and a fair bit hotter for us — and we still regularly cook the awesome Keema recipe she gave us many years ago.
I remember working on the IBC Daily with her in 2005 and getting the train back to London the day after England won the Ashes, delightedly swapping snippets of commentary from the stack of papers between us. And after an afternoon with Farah you would always end up dropping the phrases ‘international standard’ and ‘best quality’ into your conversation for weeks afterwards.
Along with her dogs, first the incomparable Bailey and then her beloved Ripley, she was a kind, witty, and generous companion, whether that was over an ice cream or a coffee in her adopted hometown of Market Harborough or in the middle of a bustling tradeshow in a far-flung country. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her; ‘best quality’ indeed.
Ciaran Doran
Working with Farah in the many roles she had in our industry from IBE magazine to the IBC Daily a couple of decades ago to more recent press release and scriptwriting work, it was always a real pleasure to look forward to.
Farah was a true professional, the kind whom we simply take for granted for being able to work her magic with customer interviews, product stories and press releases.
There was a real sense of calm when working with Farah as she had both a gentle nature and a real ability to focus the conversation on the most salient points very swiftly and with ease.
The resulting article rarely needed much adjusting, you could simply trust the words to be just right,.
Having engaged Farah just recently on a series of work for the remainder of this year I will dearly miss working with her and am truly sad at such a wonderful writer, positive personality and all-round kind human being is no longer with us in our industry.
