As Dubai Eye 103.8FM's lead investigative podcaster, Cormack dissects true crime phenomena through psychological and institutional lenses. Her work bridges academic research and public discourse, notably influencing digital regulation policies and forensic cleanup standards.
"Every pitch should answer two questions: What does this reveal about our systems? Who bears the unseen costs?"
Lucy Cormack's career trajectory reads like a masterclass in journalistic evolution. Beginning as a crime reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald, she cut her teeth on gritty court reporting and investigative pieces that exposed systemic failures in Australia's justice system. Her 2017 Young Journalist of the Year award from Mediaweek recognized early brilliance in stories like her exposé on witness protection loopholes, which directly led to legislative reforms.
The transition to Dubai Eye 103.8FM in 2022 marked a strategic pivot to long-form audio storytelling. As co-host of The Debrief's Full Cut, Cormack now dissects global true crime phenomena while maintaining her signature rigor. "We're not just telling stories," she recently noted in an interview, "we're mapping the psychological landscapes that create these cultural moments."
This 2025 deep dive into the infamous wellness scammer became a case study in modern digital deception. Cormack's eight-month investigation traced Gibson's manipulation of both social media algorithms and human psychology. Through exclusive interviews with former collaborators and digital forensic experts, the piece revealed how platform incentives reward audacious fraud. The podcast episode sparked international discussions about content moderation policies, cited in EU digital regulation debates.
Cormack's profile of trauma cleaner Stacey Foyster redefined crime reporting conventions. By focusing on the aftermath rather than the act itself, she humanized the often-overlooked workers who restore normalcy. The piece's innovative structure - moving chronologically through a cleaning job's 72-hour process - earned praise from the Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma. Public response led to improved protective gear standards for cleanup crews across three continents.
This collaboration with Oscar-nominated documentarian Joe Berlinger became required listening for true crime producers. Cormack's fresh analysis of the 30-year-old case focused not on suspects, but on how media coverage shaped investigative priorities. The episode's release coincided with Colorado's Cold Case Reform Act, directly influencing its provisions about press access to sealed documents.
Cormack consistently prioritizes the why over the what. Successful pitches mirror her approach in the Belle Gibson analysis, which framed digital fraud through Maslow's hierarchy of needs. When proposing white-collar crime stories, highlight behavioral economic elements or decision-making paradoxes.
Her JonBenét Ramsey coverage excelled by contrasting police procedure with media pressures. Pitches involving legal cases should identify similar friction points between systems - think forensic backlogs impacting victim advocacy groups, or privacy laws complicating cold case investigations.
The trauma cleaner profile demonstrates Cormack's interest in tertiary impacts. For crime-related pitches, consider collateral effects: the economics of home decontamination services, or mental health support for jury members after graphic trials.
Her work frequently incorporates academic research, notably using game theory to explain phishing scam patterns in a 2024 series. Pitches should suggest relevant scholars, from forensic anthropologists to misinformation researchers.
Cormack's coverage of the Menendez Brothers' parole hearings notably excluded psychological profiling. Focus instead on documented patterns, like her analysis of recidivism rates versus public perception in three-strikes legislation.
"Ms. Cormack's work exemplifies the transition from event-focused reporting to systemic analysis." - International True Crime Awards Committee, 2024
2024 Dubai Media Excellence Award: Recognized for innovating crime podcast formats while maintaining evidentiary rigor. The judging panel specifically cited her episode structuring that mirrored forensic methodology.
2017 Young Journalist of the Year (Mediaweek): Awarded for a series exposing witness intimidation networks, leading to Australia's first dedicated court security force. This early work established her pattern of actionable journalism.
2023 Investigative Podcast Award (Gold): Honored for The Good Nurse collaboration, which combined narrative storytelling with healthcare policy analysis. The series has been integrated into nursing ethics curricula globally.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Crime, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
