Local Radio has changed beyond all recognition in the last decade. It used to be the first-step on the ladder for aspiring radio professionals - the first paid job making tea, writing quizzes or reading travel, which led on to a fulfilling career in broadcasting. But, is it still?
While it feels there are more opportunities than ever to learn the craft and fall in love with the medium - including hundreds of incredible community, hospital, and student radio stations - how does an aspiring radio practitioner make that first leap into professional work, and is Local Radio still the place to do it?
With the radio job market having shrunk so much in recent years, we're asking a panel of Local Radio bosses what it takes to get a paid job working in radio in 2022. What are they looking for? What can people do to make themselves more employable? And what do they think the future is for professional local broadcasting?
Join our panel - Emma Clements (Editor, BBC Radio Cornwall), Dick Stone (Group Content Manager, Jack Radio), and David Robertson (Regional Content Director, Bauer Scotland) and our host Mary Mandefield with a contribution on Community Radio from Miranda Rae (Ujima Radio).
This will be an online event exclusively for Radio Academy Members at 1pm on Wed 9 February. Members can register using the form below. You'll be able to watch the stream on the website and ask questions by text. Catch-up will also be available, after the live stream ends.
Emma Clements - Executive Editor, BBC Radio Cornwall
Emma Clements leads one of the BBC’s most successful local radio stations, responsible for the content and coaching the team in Cornwall. Previous leadership positions include Assistant Editor at BBC Radios Devon and Somerset and News Editor at BBC and commercial stations. Emma has coordinated local and national campaigns for radio, tv and digital media, developed internal and external partnerships to create events, exhibitions and marketing alongside outside broadcast opportunities.
Dick Stone - Group Content Manager, Jack Media
Dick started his love of radio when still at school, joining Radio Trent in Nottingham via hospital radio in 1987. During his career Dick has programmed local, national stations and launched nationwide networks. He presented breakfast for around 10 years and has championed new talent, working with student radio in the UK for many years. Dick left Global after 33 years in 2020 and now is the Group Content Manager at Jack Media Group, responsible for the on air output of its six services in the UK.
David Robertson, Regional Content Director,
Bauer Scotland
David has worked at Clyde 1 for 15 years, starting out answering phones for the Clyde 1 Superscoreboard football show. He worked in various departments over the year including Sport, Programming & Engineering. He has led the content team since 2016 and in 2019 he was appointed Regional Content Director for Clyde 1, West FM & the Hits Radio Network output in Scotland.
Mary Mandefield (our host)
Mary is a presenter, speaker & creative producer living in London. An advocate for finding power in your voice, using your platform for good and making a change in your own way, Mary has worked on content for NHS, L’Oreal, Oxfam, the British Science Festival and more. She currently hosts the talk show Bringing it Black on Westside Radio.
We'll also have a contribution about Community Radio, from Miranda Rae - Broadcast Manager at Ujima Radio (Bristol). Miranda’s also a freelance producer and presenter - and has hosted programmes on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5. She spent a significant period of her career working in commercial radio and as a dance DJ. Her work in radio has taken her around the world, where she has lived and worked in Europe, Asia, India and Africa.