STUDENTS from across Scotland were hailed top of the class at Scotland’s new Media Academy and are now encouraging other young people from around the country to sign up to the second term at Clyde 1 and Forth One radio stations.
Bethan, from Edinburgh, recently graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in English Literature and attended the inaugural course earlier this year to learn more about a career in radio, television and magazines. She joined people from all over the country in lectures, workshops and practical activities at the first of two, five-day summer schools at Clyde 1.
So popular was the first session, that organiser, Bauer Media Scotland, is repeating the innovative education programme at two of its radio stations, Forth One in October (weeks commencing 15th and 22nd October) and Clyde 1 in April 2013 (week commencing 1st – 5th).
The Scottish Media Academy was created with the intention of discovering and developing Scotland’s future media talent. Its first session in July has already discovered a number of stars of the future from all over Scotland, including Bethan who joined the Academy because she is interested in working in television and radio.
Since completing the ‘Discovery’, multimedia entry level course, Bethan has been invited to work with the events team at Forth One, following a work placement at Forth One and is about to undertake another at the Clyde 1 news team. Bethan hopes these experiences will help kick start her career in radio and television.
She said: “This was a great opportunity to learn firsthand from those that do the job every day. I have been really committed to learning more about working in the media and wanted to use my passion for journalism, so I am really pleased to have undertaken work experience at the two station’s newsrooms.
“The Academy helped me to develop my broadcast voice and I am really excited to be joining Forth One’s events team because not only will I learn more about what the station does, but, maybe one day, it will be me reading the news on air.”
Academy director, Courtnay McLeod, is pleased that the Academy has already been such a success and is urging those interested in media to sign up quickly as spaces on the courses are limited to 20 on each level.
She said: “Helping people like Bethan find out more about working in the media is exactly what we set out to do when we set up Scotland’s Media Academy; and we haven’t just identified talent, we have found ways to develop it further.
“Creative, passionate and talented people are the life blood of our radio stations and this is a great way of finding out more about working in the media. Our courses aren’t only for people wanting to kick start a media career.
“People that are simply interested in the media world we all live in, or looking to get one step ahead by boosting their CV, should also get in touch.
“We are excited that in just three months the academy has already proven it works – we are finding talented people, providing excellent training, and introducing those who wish to join one of the country’s leading media organisations in a way that has never been done before.”
The brainchild of Graham Bryce, managing director of Bauer Media Scotland, and developed by the Fellows of the Higher Education Academy, the multimedia courses have been designed to cover the full spectrum of media channels including radio, TV, print, online and social media.
A team of leading industry professionals strike a balance between practical and theoretical learning and train attendees in interviewing techniques, how to write for press, create thought provoking material for broadcasting and develop a deeper understanding of the new media landscape.
The who’s who of the Scottish Media Academy includes: Rona Dougall of Scottish Television’s current affairs programme, Scotland Tonight; Kathleen Morgan, freelance journalist and former editor of The Herald Magazine and Sunday Herald Magazine; and Billy Briggs, a freelance journalist whose world-wide reporting has won him several wards from Amnesty International and the European Union.
From an academic perspective, the Academy boasts Robert Beveridge, a leading authority on media policy and regulation; Colin Gray, an experienced online educator for Edinburgh Napier University and Courtnay McLeod, who is also a visiting professor of media at the University of Sassari in Italy.
Bauer Media Scotland’s own stars include Gina McKee, Knoxy, Boogie and Clyde 1 DJ, Gavin Pearson, who have more than 70 years broadcast experience between them.
Courtnay added: “The Scottish Media Academy creates a centre for excellence, innovation and inspiration in media education and the industry, blending high quality learning with cutting-edge industry practice.
“We are committed to finding the next generation of media talent and our next step is to build on this foundation by establishing partnerships with existing further and higher education providers, to help those who graduate from our course move forward their career within the media.”
Academy courses are open to anyone aged 15 and over and have been structured over two levels: ‘Discovery’ for beginners and ‘Confidence’ for intermediate experience levels.
Courses start from £125. Spaces at Scotland’s only Media Academy are limited to 20 students per class; therefore, interested applicants should apply online at www.scottishmediaacademy.com
For those under the age of 15, the Media Academy offers a range of are exciting activities, including Media Maker parties and radio sessions within schools.
For more information on the Scottish Media Academy please visit www.scottishmediaacademy.com.
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Contact: Rob Smith
