Hi All

Someone from the blacknet village emailed me and asked me whether it was hard getting into the media. So many young people at uni, college have come up to me ask me advice and questions about various aspects of the media.This made me realisethat when i was at Uni I had no onewho was black and from an ordinary background to talk to, and ask advice about how to move forward andhow i could try and make a career in the media.

Now i have been in the media for 5 years, and I am heading towards becoming a documentary maker. And I want to offer advice to anyone who needs it about the media industry getting in, staying in and all that.

So ask me what you want, i will try my very best to answer to the best of my ability. But I am still very young in the industry so i don't know how much help and advice i can give, but I think its important that I try my best. I think its very important that black students have access to advice from black people within the industry.



Anyway ask away.

You say you've been in the media for 5 yrs - what exactly do you do now? How much ultimate control do you have doing your job as it is right nowand if you become a documentary maker how much control would you have on that?

Hi Athaba

I work as a researcher/producer for a radio news programme at the moment. If you are making documentaries for a big media company, you can only have so much control, afterall you are working for them. But once i become a documentary maker, i will be able to give my ideas, and make the programmes i want to make, within the remit of the station i make them for.

I hope that answers your question.

Athaba, Just realised I didn't answer the first question you asked properly. How much ultimate control do i have at the moment?

Well i work within a team of about 10 for a radio news programme, the editor, has ultimate control over the programme's contents.I am able to suggest ideas for possible programme items, whether they get on air or not is up to the editor.

Thanks Miss Brighter Days! So how much do you think you are listened to, whenever you domake a suggestion, (assuming, of course that you do).

Well i feel i've been listened to since i got into my job. The key to moving on in broadcasting is coming up with ideas and lots of them. Not just any old ideas, but you must be able to show you understand the programme you are working for and what they aim to do, and suggest viable ideas. But also you can challenge agendas, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. But no harm in trying.

I have heard that what youlearn in uni about media is vastly different to what the media people actuallyrequire. I've heard on the radio, that the media people always have to either turn people away or have to spend money re-training them.

So my next question is, what qualifications are useful to getting into the media and how useful did you find yours when you entered this field?

Also what is a typical day for you at work?

The thing with the media is, that you do most of your training on the job. There are some general skills you can get from a degree itdepends on where you work.

You do not need any specific degree to get into the media, but a degree of some sort is nearly always essential, but there are exceptions to the rule.

I think it really does depend on the type of media course you do, in terms of getting specific training for working in the media. But it is more than likely that you will have to be retrained, which isn't a bad thing, because everyone gets some sort of training when they get in. You need it, because things change all the time, and every company is different.

My degree, was useful because i did a lot of theoritical work, in terms of questioning the way in which society and the media worked. It was excellent for my time in current affairs. The skills i use in news, is organisation, prioritinsing tasks and research. Skills you can get in any degree.

The key to getting into the media is getting work experience not what degree you do.

I hope that helps.

Fernando - its true.

I think patience and hard work is the key. there was a lot of pressure on me to take any job when i got out of uni, but i knew what it is I wanted to do, and worked hard to get the experience i needed, even if it meant working for free. I think its important to remain focused on the career you're aiming for, and don't get sidetracked, by jobs offering money right now!

Thanks again Miss Brighter Days and Fernando - I love your positive attitude!

That's cool Ashanti!

And I fully agree Fernando banana.gif

hi miss brighter days and fernando. i am a joint media graduate who aims to become a well sort after feature writer or at a least a successful one. i have so many ideas that ihave stopped sharing them. just think i am working on a magazine with my friend but i am not the editor the mag is based around alot of my ideas(guess we must start somewhere). anyway basically what should i be doing to break in beside doing choice pieces that add to my portfolio. i have the writers handbook 2003 and the oxford manual of style for ref. i am looking at doing NCTJ course in writing for the periodical press aprox£500. you get a certificate at the end. at present i am doingmy best to collect quality aids and look out for articles to write. i also want to get into advertising. i guess my only thing is that i am in the midlands. but i will not let that hinder me.

please adviseniceone.gif

Hi lady Day,

I think Fernando has covered most angles.

Try to cast your net as wide as possibble as well as little independent mags, which as Fernando said are always looking for writers, why not try and arrange time to talk to eds of bigger mags like Touch and Pride (They are very bad about paying, but experience is the key). Bringing you're work with you, try and secure some freelance work. What about getting in touch with American mags as well, and try pitching ideas to them, with specific British angles on subjects. You just never know where a break will come

I think the most important thing isnot to be disheartened by any rejections youmayget and don't let it put you off, just keep plugging away, because it is part and parcel of trying to break in!niceone.gifAnother thing when you arrange meetings with eds, try and think of what is different that you can offer a mag, that they don't already have!

I hope that helps.

Anything else just ask.