Liz Beacon (Parker) - Portsmouth High School - 1988 - 1995

I have worked as a Broadcast Journalist for the BBC for the past 6 years. I actually did a degree in French and German at Birmingham University followed by a post graduate diploma. It really doesn’t matter what degree you do if you want a media career, and if anything I was always advised to steer clear of media or journalism degrees.

I began my career at BBC Radio Gloucestershire where I worked as a reporter, bulletin reader and producer. I then got a job at BBC Radio Bristol, a bigger “city station” where I did a whole host of jobs, but mainly produced the station’s flagship breakfast programme. I then became news editor for a period of a year, directing a team of reporters and working the station’s way out of numerous legal and editorial dilemmas. In August 2006 I moved across to the other side of the newsroom to start a year’s placement in television. That’s where I work at the moment- at BBC Points West.

I am very happy to offer advice to anyone interested in a career in TV or Radio journalism, however I am no longer in a position to be able to offer people work experience. The BBC tends to offer work experience to post graduate students studying for a diploma in Broadcast Journalism. This is approved by the National Council for the Training of Journalists. See their NCTJ website. This course is a pre – requisite and carries far more weight than general journalism or media degrees. I can no longer offer work experience, but I am happy to talk to anyone or give advice via email.

For anyone considering such a career I would suggest the following:

-          Get any journalism work experience that you can eg local papers, radio

-          Get some broadcasting experience- uni radio, hospital radio

-          Listen and watch the type of programmes or stations you would like to work for.

-          If you ever go for a job at a station, you should know its output inside out and be able to give constructive criticism immediately in an interview.

-          If you go for a job in radio, remember everything is geared towards breakfast when most people are listening

-          If you go for a job in local television news, remember everything is geared towards the 1830 bulletin when most people are watching.