Radio graduate turns guest lecturer

By Jennifer Minard

Students were in for a treat last week when broadcast journalism graduate Jodie Campbell swapped the radio studio for the classroom.

Jodie is a freelance broadcast journalist at Radio Merseyside. She learnt the craft studying journalism, film and broadcast at Cardiff. She then did a postgraduate course in broadcast journalism here in Preston.

"I always enjoyed TV and was told to get into radio to get into TV. I did the student radio (in Cardiff) and I loved it."

Step ahead

Whilst addressing the first year BA (Hons) Journalism students she excitedly told them that they were a step ahead of the game by choosing Preston - that it is by far the best journalism course in the country. She then talked about the harsh realities that all journalists face.

She explained: "It is a slog and you have to be prepared to be determined. You have to build up a good contact base it's about networking. You have to put the feelers out and people need to know your name before you get out there. Work experience is crucial."

She talked of how it is exceptionally rewarding, that people depend on journalism. Jodie works in Merseyside which she admits is a busy news patch. "In Liverpool we have the Grand National, it is a city of culture, and there is so much happening. It's a variety."

Sara Cox

She has only been qualified for one year but already has worked with the biggest name in radio. "I did Radio One for a week for work experience and shadowed Sara Cox which was really good fun." She even won second place in the Best Journalist awards and was given the job in Merseyside after she did three weeks of work experience.

"I did the DJ and music thing and then went onto news. I wanted to go onto the more serious side of journalism. It's not what I expected but I did expect to go out and be thrown into stories. I love its immediacy but it is so competitive, you have to have a heart of stone."

She gave plenty of advice to students. "The hours are a bit of a killer at first. You have to make the contacts and make yourself known. The BBC and commercial medium is very, very competitive. There is always someone waiting in the wings to take your place."

Different jobs

"It is very hard to cross medium from radio to newspapers because newspaper journalists are known for their excellent English. I have had so many different jobs to subsidise working as a journalists, you do it because you have earn a living but I love it."

Jodie talked of the struggle to find work without a driving licence. "I have been lucky, some companies have been happy to ferry me around in taxis but most will not. You need a licence."

Even as busy as she is she was happy to give up her time and a day's holiday to visit students. "Mike Green (broadcast journalism lecturer at UCLan) persuaded me to do it (guest lecture) but I wanted to do this because when we did the post graduate course here we didn't have enough people coming in so it was a shock when we got into the industry."

Freedom

"Journalism is a great job it you want to be single and earn good money but instability comes with the job. I love being freelance because it gives me the freedom to do what I want. I can work at different places and put my name around."

As we depart she tells me of the hassle of her car being in the garage and having to get the bus. I groaned at this, but she took it in her stride.

Jodie Campbell, calm, cool and collected, and getting the bus, just like everyone else.

More info:
BA (Hons) Journalism >
Masters in Broadcast Journalism > 
Postgraduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism >

Extra and related information

Our print and broadcast courses are accredited by the The Broadcast Journalism Training Council and the National Council for the Training of Journalists. Our MA Magazine Journalism is accredited by the Periodicals Training Council.