David McKinney (journalist)

For other people named David McKinney, see David McKinney (disambiguation).

David McKinney (born 1958) is a Scottish sports journalist who worked for STV, and is currently Head of Communication and Broadcast Media at City of Glasgow College. McKinney's main occupation at the station was a reporter on the weekly sports show, Scotsport, until the show's axing in 2008. McKinney has also reported for the Central Scotland edition of the regional news programme, STV News at Six.

His duties also involved commentary on Premier League games, voice-over round ups of other matches, interviews with managers and players as well as pitch-side interviews and analysis for Champions League matches.

While at STV, McKinney wrote and presented the popular programme Football First, which covered highlights and interviews from Scottish First Division matches. He also wrote and narrated the STV tribute programme to Scottish footballer Jim Baxter; Jim Baxter: A Tribute in 2001. He also wrote and presented a weekly web blog for STV on the Scottish Premier League.

Prior to joining STV, McKinney was a freelance journalist and later Sports Editor for Scot FM and Q96, both radio stations in Scotland.

Following a spell as lecturer in multi-platform media at Clydebank College, McKinney left the institution to nurture the talents of some of the most promising students in the country. He regularly undertakes media assignments for national media in Scotland.

McKinney runs the college darts team, nicknamed 'Shorthand' due to his unorthodox playing style.

McKinney loves dancing in his spare time and is known as a top class ballroom supremo. He also is an avid film fan and will take his one-man show to the Edinburgh Festival in 2013, performing solo scenes from his favourite film Gregory's Girl. He is well known for his catchphrase, "Here I am," upon entering a room and even in his own house.

He is also a part-time record producer, working with Quincy Jones, before eventually releasing a jive ramba album entitled Glasses on my Side.

In 2010, McKinney's students awarded him the prestigious nickname 'Super-Dave' due to his exceptional teaching style - a no-nonsense, tough love approach - and refusal to let anyone leave the classroom until he had personally congratulated every person in the room with a firm handshake. He was awarded 'Best Newcomer' at the City of Glasgow College awards later that year. He listed student Prince Rustam as a major inspiration. The two now share a cottage in Aberdeenshire.

Recently it has been discovered that McKinney once toured with Xzibit and performed freestyle raps as an opening act, he would invite fans up on stage to be verbally eviscerated before his controversial firing.