Around the World Travel Radio Australia

JOHN CROOK - Australian-based contributor

John (better known as ‘Crookie’) is a veteran of Australian radio and television, most prominently as the presenter of a morning TV chat show on what was then Channel 0 in Brisbane. He also produced a popular and long-running travel series on Australian television as well as Sky TV in Europe. Now living in Geelong, Victoria, he still roams Australia and the rest of the world in his quest for interviews for this program. John also hosts brief daily travel segments on the TAB radio network throughout Eastern Australia. John is also a member of the International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association.

FRANCES BEASLEY - European reporter

Frances is a Travel Journalist specialising in the electronic media and is currently based in France. For 15 years whilst living in South Africa, she ran her own successful public relations, training and media company specialising in the travel and tourism market. In addition as a public speaker focusing on motivation, she has spoken at some of the most prestigious conferences world-wide. For three years she presented ‘Travellers Log’ on Can-I Fm radio in Johannesburg, South Africa and for a further five years presented her weekly show ‘Travel Beat’ on CCFM radio in Cape Town, South Africa. Both of these shows earned her electronic media awards. In July 1994, her first book ‘A Guide to Business Etiquette’ was published and was updated in 1997 when it had a second print run due to its popularity. In 2002 she moved to Melbourne, Australia from where she had been approached to head up the marketing of Melbourne’s number one tourism destination, the Queen Victoria Market. From this she went on to become State Manager for a national corporate travel concern. During this time she continued in her role as a freelance journalist and contributed regularly to a Queensland based radio station as well as Radio CFFM in South Africa. In 2006, she moved to Munich, Germany since when she has attempted to add German to her linguistic skills of French and English and is continuing in her role as a travel journalist contributing regularly to Australian and South African radio stations. Her passion for food and wine is shown not only in her personal pursuit of culinary skills but also in her on-going interest to interview chefs worldwide. In 2008 she moved to La Chapelle St Jean in the Perigord region of France from where she continues to pursue her love and interest in food and wine in one of the most famous food regions in the world. She is an active member of the International Womens Club, SKAL and IFWTWA. Check out her website www.piptravelnews.co.za

ARTHUR VON WIESENBERGER - Host US edition ‘ATW’

Arthur was born in New York, attended Aiglon College in Villars, Switzerland, Davies in London and Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. He holds the Diplome d’honneur from the Corporation des Vignerons de Champagne (France) and is a Chevalier of the Chapitre de la Fleur de Vigne de l’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne (France). He is a member of The International Bottled Water Association, The American Institute of Wine and Food, The Southern California Restaurant Writers Association, The Society of Wine Educators, and Past-President of The International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association. He is the co-publisher of The Santa Barbara News-Press.

KENT E ST JOHN - regular US-based contributor

Kent is the Senior Travel Editor and part owner of GoNOMAD.com, a large and well regarded travel planning website started in 2000. He also writes a travel column in the Lincoln Eagle in New York’s Dutchess County, and his stories are published in the Hartford Courant, Valley Advocate, Preview Magazine and Transitions Abroad. His narratives have appeared in several books such as Travelers’ Tales Ireland, Pilgrimage and the Best of Travelers’ Tales. His blog, Be Our Guest is about the travel press life and was chosen as one of the 100 best travel related blogs in the world by Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine.

PETER NOONE - occasional co-host of US edition

Peter is a multi-talented entertainer, who has been delighting audiences nearly all his life. He was born in Manchester, England, where he studied voice and acting at St Bede’s College and the Manchester School of Music and Drama. As a child, he played ‘Stanley Fairclough’ in the long-running British soap opera Coronation Street. He was also featured in the television series Knight Errant, Family Solicitor and Monro’s Saki Stories. At the age of 15, Peter achieved international fame as ‘Herman’, lead singer of the legendary Herman’s Hermits who sold more than 60 million recordings. Fourteen singles and seven albums went gold. As ‘Herman’, Noone graced the cover of nearly every international publication, including Time Magazine. He performed on hundreds of top-rated television programs and appeared with such luminaries as Ed Sullivan, Jackie Gleason, Dean Martin and Danny Kaye. Accompanied by his band, Herman’s Hermits, Noone consistently plays to sold-out venues the world over. He has a legion of faithful fans (known as ‘Noonatics’) whose loyalty is unparalleled. Today’s teen girls scream just as passionately as their mothers did back in 1965, prompting VH1 to select Peter as their viewer’s choice for the ‘Sexiest Artist of the Year’. Most recently, Noone starred in the recurring role of ‘Paddington’ on the CBS daytime drama, ‘As The World Turns’. For more information log on to peternoone.com

BUDDY WINSTON (US-based contributor), our whacky traveler, is a former writer for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Buddy’s material has appeared in a variety of publications including Time, Newsweek and the New York Times. Buddy is an accomplished travel photographer and has archived thousands of photos documenting his live reports from around the world which can be viewed on www.wordsofwinston.com