Fergus Bell leads the social media and digital newsgathering operation for The Associated Press in London. One of his primary responsibilities is to source user-generated content when news breaks so that the AP can acquire, verify and publish that content across formats. Fergus has used social media for the AP’s newsgathering operations for the events of the Arab Spring, the shootings in Norway and the Japan earthquake. Fergus also trains and advises AP staff globally on UGC acquisition and social media monitoring during news events. A graduate of the University of Leeds, he joined the AP in 2006 after freelancing for ITN, CNN and several UK radio stations.