as attempt first hand

So that's it, all over...

noreply@blogger.com (Emma Corsham) — Sun, 20 May 2012 15:34:00 +0000

A week and a bit ago I submitted my final piece of university work. 4 Years all over and done.

I cried.

A whole year later, the final stretch.

noreply@blogger.com (Emma Corsham) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

I've been busy, although it feels like I've not as busy as last year, there's still been a lot happening.

So this is my final semester at university, the last 1/8th of my 4 year university era. It's scary to think that this summer I'll be venturing out into the real world to get a job. Or at least spending all my time trying to get one.

Things that make the end of Uni feel very real and very close -

Final Project, even the name sounds like the end, I've not done enough work on it yet, it's going to be a rush at the end as usual. But its quite an interesting thing I'm covering, so I'm enjoying it.

Not being allowed to miss nights out, because "Its our last year, we can't miss anything"

People coming around our house on a daily basis, it was the last one today because someone has decided they want to live here.

My mum talking to me about how I'm moving all my stuff back home. Yes, I'm going to have to move back home until I get a job. That should be... interesting.

So yes, I've survived University, some hiccups along the way, but it's made it all the more sweeter to get this far.

Long time no update yet again

noreply@blogger.com (Emma Corsham) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:58:00 +0000

I keep neglecting this, I mean to do it as it is a bit of a diary of uni life I can look back at one day (hopefully it will still exist when once I'm at that nostalgic age).
Its been a very lazy few days back at home home with the family, a lovely Christmas, got a wii fit for Christmas which should be good fun when I get back to Portsmouth, This year I really would like to try and resolve to make some changes in my life, but I know I only break them.
So next year, I want to be more organised, prepared, and sort out some kind of portfolio and a placement for next year.
About the placement, really don't know what I will do about this, I would love to work somewhere relevant for a year but I'm doubtful I will get something sorted out for it, plus all my university friends will have left by the time I get back to university for my last year, but a year back home would be helpful for focusing and building more experience and financially too. Plus my sister will be off to uni so there is a room back here I can move into. Its a tricky one, experience is the most important thing in the career I'm going into.

Personally lifes been good and bad, theres been some great moments and a few that I would rather forget, my friends this year are the best I've had, fake christmas was a particular highlight for me, 7 of us around our house just enjoying christmas together. I've also regretted something properly for once, usually I put everything down to it needing to happen for a reason and learning from it, but with this, I was just really stupid and naive, and I'm still not really free of it. This too shall pass as soon as I've found something else to care about.

Loving listening to my music again, I've been on a radio phase for a while now, but sitting here with spotify and some good speakers makes the world calm.

Off to help my dad cooking, we're having chinese food tomorrow for new years eve, he's doing the full works, crispy duck and everything. Wonderful!

Happy new year
xxxx

Next year & NUS Summit

noreply@blogger.com (Emma Corsham) — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:41:00 +0000

So I stayed in Portsmouth for the summer, lots of pros and cons for this, cons including no one being around other then a select few, but thats going to change very quickly as everyone heads back for the new uni year. Apprehensive about the new year, nervous excitement regarding the arrival of thousands of freshers to Pure FM and me being in charge of making sure everything happens right.

Got back from a two day NUS Media "summit" in London, which, with the different company and the more journalistic topics, was very entertaining and educational. Really great couple of days, met some really interesting people and got quite inspired as well as getting some confidence restored in what I'm doing. I've just opened my notebook, lets see if any of this is useful.

The first breakout session I went to was by Alister Bunkall, currently a news reporter on Sky News. He showed us a promo video which was a behind the scenes look at how the coverage of Gordon Brown resigning and Cameron becoming PM was handled. Which showed how much Twitter is now used to both collect and broadcast news. He was very honest about Sky compared to BBC and ITV, he explained that Sky News doesn't try to compete with the 10 O'Clock news on BBC, it would be wasted efforts, their focus is on being there when people want it, the audience should be able to tune in for 5 minutes anytime during the day and be up to speed with exactly what's going on. Also, tailoring news to whos watching at that time of the day, Lunchtime news is often more "housewives" friendly, health etc, whereas 10pm will be much more business and political driven.

The focus of news is being scattered onto multi platforms, likewise with all media now, he told us that there more and more being put online, on Sky News Radio (who took over from IRN providing radio stations all over the country with news bulletins, he also added that this is often the quickest way to get news out to the largest audience), they've also been looking at the rise of the App, (which he couldn't show us on his iPhone as he'd dropped it on a night out), and they also provide news to Billboards in London.

He told us that TV is often challenging to produce news on, you need a picture, which aren't always easy to come by (Reminded me of the wonderful News Blooper where they failed with a photo of Rodney Stanger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxvvdGBBm6E) Radio is much simpler, and just like papers, its quite simple to get quotes, just phone them.

The trick to getting good news stories is getting the best relationships built with the right people, so lots of PR smooching and the such, but only approach your parallels he said, the people you work with now, the people further down the ladder, will, some of them at least, end up higher in the ranks. He said that's how Robert Peston got to where he is now.

(I wasn't planning on writing so much detail! Thats two sides of a little notebook!)

Sunny Hundal - Liberal Conspiracy

Blogger background, no journalistic training.

He told us the way he found success, find a niche! Medias already so crowded, don't be re-churning out stuff people would have already read (which was a piece of advice re-churned out during a few of the sessions when referring to how Student Media should run), don't be general!

Once you have your niche, persevere, get your friends to read and comment, if others see comments, then they'll see it as a community, somewhere they will find people with similar interests, or opposing ones that will spark debate, and they'll want to be part of it.

Tap into existing networks, comment on them, with a link to your blog, similar places will have people looking for somewhere like your blog. Tell them about your new post, tell them why they want to read your blog.

He said that you should be offering people another perspective on things, Britain is made up of so many different identities, you'll always be able to offer a different perspective to someone. Identity's can be class, religion, country... all sorts of things. Again, find your niche.

He said "If I don't have anything interesting to say, I won't say anything", it keeps your blog interesting, don't write them rubbish just because they're asking for something to read. maintain your credibility.

Then we heard from Aaron Porter, ("The lord almighty himself" as he was referred to on the Friday), he talked to us about finances of uni's. He was very impressive, was very engaging and interesting.

The vote for increase of tuition fees during Tony Blairs government was the closest vote in the whole of his government, a swing of 3 votes the other way would have seen the opposite to what was decided.

Aaron told us that Part Time, Post Grad and International Students are still being asked to pay unregulated fees upfront, these are often the student that are the most vulnerable to the cost.

Women are 5% more likely to go to University, but still earn 12% less then Men.

Apparently there are 5% more September born students who go to uni then August, reasons for this were put down them being 11 months less developed when put into school then their September counterparts.

150,000 qualifies students missed out on places in University this year due to too few spaces.

Socio Economic has an impact on whether they go to uni near home or away from home, 22% of A band stay at home, 53% of DE stay at home.

Arts and Lingistic students only earn on average £34,000 and £71,000 respectively more than if they didn't go to University, does this even justify the £28,000ish cost of University?

Niall Couper - Interview Skills

Rules - Code of Conducts - NUJ & Press Complaints Committee

Be Accurate, Honesty, Respect Privacy, Protect Sources & Don't Discriminate

What you want to get out of the interview - Facts

What, Where, Who, When, Why, How... and Entertainment!

Reading Ages - Age who should be able to understand your piece

Guardian - 14 year old reading age

Sun - 8 year old reading age.

ALWAYS GET THE INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING STORY NUGGETS.

Soundbites - Should be engaging quotes

Visual Imagery - Make images EG Second Fiddle, Chipping away & Drawing a line in the sand, cliches good, but not too many!

Succienct- Reading age, Jargonless

Clear

Punchy

Power of 3 - Three points flow nicely, just ask "can you give me 3 examples" to get these.

Preparing - Before the interview

Equipment - Pens, Paper, Phone, Recording Equipment, Batteries, SPARES of EVERYTHING

Judgement - Know how important the relationship is and how to approach person.

Relationships - Some examples

Long Term

EG - Council Worker, Police

Approach - Cosy, off the record briefing.

Novice

EG - The Witness

Approach - Bestmate

Media Pro

EG - Football Manager

Approach - Feed them lines, such as "so your formation was rubbish", they'll say yes of repeat it back.

The Death Knock

EG - Friends, family of death.

Approach - KNOW YOUR STUFF (Names, Age, Everything), but be sensitive, don't over stay welcome.

Someone with something to hide

EG - The politician (ONE OFFS!)

Approach - Rotteweiller (relentless like Paxman, works on Radio TV, not so well for print unless you get the answer) or Fluffy Assassin (Lure them into false security)

Prepare! Have a list of questions, if you loose your thread ask them a nonsense q to give you time to recatch, such as "where did you grow up"

Double and Triple check facts if you want to keep rep

Be correct and be sure if you are going to take risks

Don't feel the need to fill silence, let them do it, they'll open up

Writing for the Web - Sean Coughlan (BBC)

BBC is now structed by disipline and not by media,

Web articles should be 300 words or less (I've failed with this here!), Web news doesn't stop, but its interactive.

Is a blogger the same as a Journalist?

The amount of information people take in is huge, news comes to the journalist instead of finding it themselves, they process news from professionals whos job it is to provide the news, such as PR People

Should people have to pay for news (RE The Times Paywall), if they don't, online news can only be provided by the really rich who can afford to provide it free, journalist cost money. If only the rich can provide news then only the rich will provide news, becomes very monopoliesd and biased.

A lot of news is case studies and spokesperson, less and less actually asking people involved, whereas student media can get hold of students oppions from them very easily and should do!

Facebook helps cause the "Amplification Process", campaigns from facebook makes the news. Useful for Journalism, can get access to people really quickly.

Make people care about news! Even if it means "london lite"ing it to give papers to them direct. Exploit Niche (again, echoed a lot during the two days, but very true)

Get peoples names in the paper, they'll take a copy, and try and get in it again.

Tailor it to how they feel when they take it, if people pick up the paper when they are bored and stressed out from exams, offer them light hearted relief.

And that'll do, that's all the practical advice I got from the two days, hope it will be useful to you too.

Emma

Updateage!

noreply@blogger.com (Emma Corsham) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:08:00 +0000

I've been really lazy with this, complete fail.

But yeah, today I'm continuing to pack for moving to the new house for the summer and next year. Its been an interesting year, one of the best ever, so many things have changed, not only the obvious things, just feeling much happier in general and everythings different. Pure FM has given me so much of the changes, now I'm going to be station manager, scary as! But I'm so so excited about it, plus... it's just amazing that I've got to this point, I would have never have thought I'd be in this position when I first stated this blog, or ever.

I'll have to post up to here more often, I'd love to do what my exhousemate that wrote a diary everyday and got it published into an actual book. Thats a bit extreme but also brilliant.

Right, back to packing and listening to Scott Mills Floorfillers.

Fail

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Sat, 01 May 2010 21:40:00 +0000

Its official, I've failed to update this once a month from the beginning of uni... In my defence its been really busy.

Its been the best of times, its been the worst of times (well not the worst, its been a bit rubbish at points, but not the worst)

Pretty much Pure FM stuff all the way though, its elections next Wednesday, little nervous, I felt confident about it and didn't want to because that's egotistical, but now I don't feel confident I wish I had that feeling back.

Recently I've found a new family in the Pure FM and Pugwash people, Pugwash being the newspaper which I maintain that I've been "adopted" by recently. I've written some things, which I've put up on my new website www.emmacorsham.co.uk (snazzy eh?).

I'm happy having all these people, its comfortable, theres usually someone up for coming out and I'm going to be living with a few of them next year now, so thats a lot better then how I currently feel with this house. It does mean I've been clutching on a bit tightly and going out whenever theres anyone going out, which has been damaging on myself as well as the bank balance. Its the first time I've felt happy with people for a while, so I'm making the most of it. Its also a great way to distract from the scariness of uni deadlines which I'm quite worried about at the moment, should be fine though.

Bring on the next few months :-)

P.S. I'm liking a few people at the moment, of much hushness, but for my own notes I will include this here. <3>

Keele SRA Day

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:25:00 +0000

Nice 7am start from Portsmouth, we were the first to get there.

Was great company, with the usually faces who tend to appear at the training days and a couple of my favourites, including Matthew Hemmaty and Peter Nicholls.

These are my notes from the day.

I hope they are useful to you.

SESSION 1

Wise Buddah and Independant Radio - Becky and John from Wise Buddah

Wise Buddah does various things, talent agents, production.

Many broadcasters comission external companys to make programming for them

such as wise buddah, something else, unique, smooth operations

www.bbc.co.uk/comissioning

SESSION 2

Performing Rights (PRS) - Music Creators Rights (composers, songwriters, lyricists)

PPL - Label rights, recording studio

RSL - Restricted Service License

Sync rights - to associate work with a brand. E.G. Songs in adverts.

Have to apply to the musicians before useage, very expensive

Production music - Doesnt require sync rights. Allowed to be used for any brand, "mood music" Such as V Production

PRS License for RSL. £463 a year or £1235 with ads.

Internet radio requires a Limietd Online Exploitaion (LOEL)

Can be topped up for listen again/on demand (but PPL doesn't have a license which will allow this)

Interative webcasting (like Iplayer) £107

SESSION 3

Production - Neil Sloan

Forget normal Brain Storming, 3 alternatives

Realated world

Products that represent the target audience as starting point

Things about this product that make it sucessful

Apply these word/ideas to show, work these into features

Revolution

List what the show currently is

Then note along side what they could be instead

Random links

Take two random lines (such as lyrics)

Link them together to think of ideas

Always use SMART Targets for Aims & Objectives

S - Specific

M - Measurable

A - Achievable

R - Resourced

T - Timed

"Creativity if the life blood of our organisation" BBC

SESSION 4

Presenting

What makes great radio

Topical

Relateable

Know your audience -> Connect with them

Reflect life

Dont over analyse what you need to be to be a presenter! Be natural

Observational

Plan what your going into a link with (In), what you're ending the link with (Out) and length (Duration)

"Good presenting is the ability to bullshit well"

Practice analysising small things, build your confidence

Decide your topics, disect them with brainstorm to give you plenty things to say about them.

Restart what you're talking about for late comers

Restate topic from another approach, new opinions/info

Recycle topics which have worked later in the year with a new spin.

TAKE NOTES all the time! Anything you notice could make a link

One link = One idea/topic. Dont do more then that in one link

Always bring things to a close. Can be done in another short link

Always tease forward, but be honest. Never say your going to tell a hilarious story if its not going to be funny.

Tips for shutting up an interviewee

Point! Listeners wont see it, it may sound odd for a moment on air but listeners will apprieciate it. Never do a live interview with someone who are likely to babble on. Pre rec and edit out all their crap.

Use phrases like "hang on a minute" "what we really want to know is" to steer interview the right direction

Dont be afraid to own your own show, its yours. Make it your own.

Let silence happen. It can work too your advantage.

Say things 3 times for it to imprint with listeners, use clips of stuff again twice more throughout the show.

"Suck it in and turn it on!" even if you're feeling awful, its SHOW TIME!

Always SMILE, you can hear it, people will smile with you.

LOvE everything you play, dont be negative about the music even if you do hate it.

NO HATE! Put a positive spin on it.

5 tips

Topical

Relateable

Real

Entertaining

In Touch

Know the end! (Out)

Don't be an Identikit presenter, be yourself

Dont lie!

Be 110% of yourself.

Luck will get you your break, look for it

Rinse your connections

Make the most of every oppurtunity

Work on your demo!!

TRY!

See you at Conference!

:-D

Back home

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:08:00 +0000

So this year started off pretty well, but for the last few days I've been back home home because my nans been hospitalised again, scary but shes managed to pull through the Op needed on her hip and is battling on as always.

Back to Portsmouth tomorrow, going up to Keele Uni for an SRA training day on Saturday. Looking forward to it :-)

The end of the noughties

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:03:00 +0000

Well this is it, only a few days left of what started ten years ago, referred to as the noughties, and my hasn't the world changed since the day we woke up and ran to all the electrical devices to check that they hadn't been confused into melt down by the 99 changing to 00.

Started into the 2000's as a 9 year old, leaving it as a 19 year old, wondering what on earth we are going to call the years from 2010-2019... the ten's, the teens?...

I'm not sure what else to add to this, I'm a little lost in my world at the moment, heading back to Uni on Saturday, facing the prospect of deadlines and general busy-ness. So not really settled about this, just worried.

Still, not long till Pure FM get their new studios, and by that I mean... I get a production studio :-D

Watching Mary Poppins

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Emma

formspring.me

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:07:00 +0000

What would your perfect day look like?

some of the best days I've had have been the awfulest early start with a long journey to wherever to spend the day learning about radio with hundred of people to network and socialise with. So thats pretty perfect to me, maybe win the lottery sometime towards the end of it too ;-)

Ask me anything

formspring.me

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:04:00 +0000

If you could wake up as anyone tomorrow, who would it be?

I would wake up as me, but with a clear mind and a set path, I'd be happy with a flashforward vision about whats coming up, that would be so helpful!

Ask me anything

Waahey

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

I seriously thought I'd managed to ruin my "every month since I started" achieve list by not posting for too long, PHEW!

So here I am, new house with new housemates from last year, on a new course with new challenges and the same old me.

I find myself getting very lost in the world at the moment, I'm not sure how some things are going to play out and I'm managing to stick my head in the sand about others, hoping that it will all just work out.

I'm tired of blagging things. I'm working so much at Pure FM that uni work is being piled beside me, ignored.

Don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying the course I'm on now, and I'm trying to really get as much experience as I can radio related. I know that "production manager" is going to look like "production manager" on my CV, no matter how many days I've been in that office past 8pm. It doesnt mean anything but still... I power on.

I need to get experience in other stations, now that would look good for my CV.

Much love before I continue this rant into tomorrow.

Emma

1 day down, 3 years to go

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:30:00 +0000

So yesterday was my first actual day on the new course, firstly we were introduced to our new creative processes tutor and the unit itself. I have an excited nervousness about this unit, it involves sketchbooks full of action plans. The first being an interpretive self portrate. WHAT ON EARTH IS ONE OF THOSE WHEN ITS AT HOME? It looked very odd and I get the impression its going to be a bit of a mental project. I started the first page already, I'm not sure where to go with it next, but I'll work it out.

After an hour of that me, unicorn and pirate (me of course being "radio" in the list of interests.

BRB

Update

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:52:00 +0000

I'm sitting here begging for sleep but I'm too tired to move, I know I have to get all my stuff ready for tomorrow before I even think of sleep. So I'm putting it off.

The weekend just gone was amazing, Shrey, Caroline and Myself went to chat to some freshers as they moved in, this lead to many funny conversations at one particular halls, which I then joined them on a freshers pub crawl later that evening, not much later, I had 15 minutes from when everyone gave up chatting to when I was supposed to be there, I trudged back on home, made dinner, tidied myself up and left the house to show the freshers how it's done, armed with Pure FM stickers.

It was messy, but very very enjoyable!

Today was the first day of uni inductions, same stuff as last year but new people, new course, new building. Then straight over to Pure FM till 12pm, doing all sorts, including an outside broadcast from the union, with some pretty good rock bands, who we streamed out live. It sounded amazing. More then happy with that!

Right thats it. Tomorrow is looming on me!

Much Love

1week 5days

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:57:00 +0000

And counting. God I can't actually wait!

Seeing as its the 1st Sept today, this post is my "at least once a month so it has a continous archieve on the sidebar" OCD.

Also this is a wave to Matt, because he had the address for it now (and will never read it so I'm going to call him a dick. Yeah, there... see, I called him a dick)

So whats going on. I've been packing for the last few weeks to get back to uni, actually can't wait at all, as much as I love my family, I can't adjust to being under my parents roof. Its been a very very long three months. Boring and fininacally demanding, but the sun was nice when it was out. This has really made me apprieciate uni that lot more.

So next years looking almost perfect. I think I've said this already far too many times on here, but I really can't believe how set its all looking. I've got quite a bit to get done over the next few weeks, got less then a month till freshers and I've only got the beds for all the freshers imaging, theres so much happening that week that we need on air promo for it all. I'm being really ambitious about what I want to get done, I've got a big old list of all the jingles I wasnt to make on a google doc. They will be done, or at least 70% will be!

Hoping to find out if Pure FM is nominated for any SRA Awards this year, I so hope we are because I would love to dress up and go to the really fancy do the do. Plus its all the Radio 1 people I so very much love to stalk.

One think I will make sure I buy with the birthday money I got is a DAB radio. I do love Radio 1 but I am kinda stuck with it. I'm too lazy to scan through the whole of the radio everytime to find other stations, and I want to listen to 6music and 5live, which are online or DAB.

So that'll do for now.

Update over.

Much love as ever

Emma

Update

noreply@blogger.com (Producer Emma) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:32:00 +0000

I thought I should say hello, its about time I updated it.

It's my 19th Birthday tomorrow, woo... I've only just got used to saying I'm 18. Plus Birthdays after your 18th are pointless anyways! I can drink, I can drive (not both at once obv, and I can't drive either, but I could if I wanted to). Tomorrow is basically a way to aquire some funds for back to uni endevours. Which is a shame really.

Whats really quite sad is I found an old card from my nanny May two days ago, its probably the last one I'll get from her, shes not all there anymore, the last time I saw her was when she was in hospital last year, I had to sit for hours feeding her milkshake food replacement stuff through a syringe. Anyway, shes has got a lot better, but I havent seen her since that. I don't know how I'd cope.

Thats making me sad, so I'll talk about something else.

I'm currently sitting in my dressing gown listening to this mornings Greg James show. He's going to be on at this time of day towards the end of September, which is ace, as well as sucking a little. Firstly its good because I can listen in the afternoon without being destroyed for uni, but also I'm going to miss lots of it with lectures. Does also mean that the American people I talk to when its on live wont be around anymore, and the shows going to be loads busier with listener interaction. So no more shoutouts.... maybe.

Bittersweet.

I cant wait to get back to Uni, 2 weeks 5 days. Its going to be strange at first because I'm living in a house with people I know from last year (last year I was in halls) and I'm going to be a fresher again on the course I've transfered to. I'm also Production Manager for Pure FM. So to be honest, everythings pretty set, it's all looking pretty perfect. I just hope it all goes perfectly.

Radio over the summer has gone well, it started with the Radio Festival in Nottingham (#RadFest09, if you want to read back) which saw me making some new student radio friends and learning some more about Radio. It also won me a trip to see BBC, Global and Bauer (Radio Tour, if you want to read back to that too!) which was great fun!

I've also spent the summer doing shows for www.offthechartradio.co.uk, which is a lovely internet radio station hosted from all over the UK and even from the US. Unfortunately due to my laptop being rubbish, I wasnt able to do my shows live, I think I managed one full live show. Either way, I've got some experience doing a show alone, its good fun. I'm not so keen on prerec's, you loose all listener interactivity.

So back to Pure FM soon, I sure as hell hope the new studios are going be be ready ASAP! Thats been putting a smile on my face whenever I think about it.

Anyway, enough geek from me for today, time to actually do stuff.

Much Love as always

Emma

Radio Tour

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:19:00 +0000

Thought i'd start writing my blog as an email whilst on the bus, yesterday i went on a lovely tour of the 3 big names behind radio, namely bbc, global and bauer. Starting at broadcasting house we were shown a rather beautiful 160 seat theater which holds various events ranging from a u2 concert to radio dramas, and being shown round by techys we go to see not only behind the curtain but under the stage and in the control room too. From there we were shown y2 radio 1 studio where scott had been that morning, radio 4 and the one guy running it all day (amazing really, a whole station ran by one man). We got to see the big tech rooms full of Sky + boxes and computers and cables, and the fans were massive, it was the coolest place in the whole of London, in a literal sense. We also learnt the BBC Mottos, the English one being "Nation shall speak peace unto Nation" and the Latin one being "Quaecunque" which colloquially translates as "Whatever" which I love very much. "The BBC, Whatever."

We were then joined by our next tour guide and taken to the BBC Club for lunch, a sausage pannini, a smirnoff ice and a diet coke, whilst being serenaded by an Irish women on a guitar promoing her music.

After chatting about Rajar, Internet hits and many other bits and pieces with our BBC and Bauer tour guides, we left for Bauer.

The radio part of Bauer Media was on the first floor, it is a huge office with lots of people at desks, with small studios all along the left side, and a few in the middle of the room to break up the desks. Walking along you see Kiss then Magic then another station all back to back. Its a slick business, but thats what it is, a business. There was a huge amount of desks for all the sales and promotion people, we passed by them and went to speak to the man behind station imaging, he played us some bits he's made for Kiss as we discussed the wonders of student radio, he was jealous of how open and enjoyable radio can be, "the best radio is often radio with no listeners", which is true, we aren't there to hit targets or sell-out, we do radio for ourselves, and luckily our friends and family like to listen from time to time too.

We also spoke to another man who worked on adverts and such for Kiss and Magic, its hard to remember his actual title because it used a lot of words I've not heard used in that context or together in a sentence. He also asked lots about student radio and showed us some of the things he does, a really great piece of music he made for London zoos entrance, and a piece for a radio promo, 30 seconds of audio worth £6000. Granted he had to make a few different ones to pitch to them, and he doesnt see the money because its all through Bauer, but still! We joked about the potential of him going freelance and keeping all the money for himself, he said he's thought about it a few times, but not in this current economic climate, at least when he's employed his got some kind of job security.

That was about it for Bauer, we finished talking and were passed on to out next guide, a man called Dave who I recognised from the Nottingham festival. We had a brisk walk south through Soho, a road full of sex shops, pretty sure I recognised someone leaving one of the shops, looked much like the restaurateur from hotel babylon, Dave thought it was Paul O'Grady, it wasn't.

We reached Leicester Square, discussing how ontop of Radio being an unpredictable beast, working at Leicester Square only made this a lot more unpredicatable, all sorts of things happen their day in day out. At the entrance of Global we had our bags checked and had to use alcohol rub to wash our hands, they were obviously more worried about bugs, which was fair enough, this building was HUGE. We started at the top of this horseshoe building, winding backwards and forwards down the levels, again as seen in Bauer, 90% of this space was people at desks, we swiftly walked through hundreds of people on phones. We then saw studio after studio after studio, all kitted out nicely, very funny how XFM were moved temporarily but haven't been put back to where they were... standing in the spare studio to one side XFM, the other was Classic FM. One of the bits I found particularly interesting was LDN, they have around 20 people at desks with mics on them, ready to go live whenever need be, constantly browsing through tons of stories coming in every second. TV's with Sky News and BBC News on silently on the walls. The studios were set up to have one man in a room with a mic, a computer and little other distractions, the room had space for 6 guests also. In the room adjacent there was a guy typing up his script on a word document which was viewable in the studio, also taking calls and everything else to keep the show going. Sadly, despite such slick broadcasting, LDN has been losing money for a long time.

Before the tour finished we were shown the branded meeting rooms, which had been mentioned a few times during the day, starting at the heart room, with sofas and such to give it a friendly atmosphere, the other side of the curtain was a 12 seat cinema, with a two way mirror projecting the image, allowing someone to walk behind it during the film and be illuminated to appear to the people watching. We were told this cinema was mainly there for the loophole of getting to have stickers in the window above the 1st floor, genius! We then went on to see each of the other rooms branded the hell out of, each for their own station. So Capital had actual bus seats, with london wallpaper, XFM's main focal point was a big stone U shaped bar, with a mini fridge full of becks and pepsi. Again, contrasting with Classic FM next door, which had soft white curtains up covering all walls, a glass dining table and even a harp in the corner. We joked about the music discussions they would have in there "I have some new music for you to play... its 200 years old"

So that wrapped up the tour, it was 4.30pm, and they had put out all the stuff ready for the "The Ugly Truth" film premier. I bid farewell to Safia, and gave Jacob a call, someone I was in contact throughout the day saying to say hello if we were shown round Radio 1. I gave him a call, and he invited me to Radio 1 to have a proper look around, of course I walked as quickly as I could back to Great Portland Street, I was pretty walked out at this point. I met Jacob outside Yalding House, the tour begun half way up the building where he finished off some work, giving me a chance to sit down for a bit. Then beginning at the top he showed me everything from 1Xta, to Newsbeat, stopping at Station Sound, where I spoke to a man in charge of the Imaging for Radio 1, very interesting chat with him there and hoping to keep in touch with him. We then went down to the Daytime and Evening Radio 1 offices, where I bumped into Hayley, someone I'd met at the Leeds SRA Con, she'd got the summer work experience and was loving it. I gave Huw Stephens a nod, I've got to be careful otherwise he's going to think I'm stalking him! We then went downstairs to the studio, showing me the live lounge, the den, which is a lovely little kitchen and seating area. We stood in a studio for a bit, Jacob showed me the computers and stuff, through the studio to our left was Zane Lowe, and ahead, the other side of the Live Lounge was Greg James. It hit newsbeat and Greg left his studio just as a Tech came in to fix something in the studio we were in so Jacob decided to see if we were allowed in to Y2 to talk to Neil and Ian, which wasnt a problem and Greg turned up. We had a bit of a chat discussing what I'd been up to that day "Ewww why did you go there" Was Greg's response to Bauer and Global, followed by "We're there just loads of dead bodies" Very funny, we left the studio to let them get on with their radio show, and I really needed to head home too. As I was leaving Jacob quietly pointed to a lady sitting at the front desk, scribbling a letter madly on a little piece of paper, apparently she's not all there, comes in daily and writes really long letters to Chris Moyles.

I might have to try that ;-) :-P

Eeek a lot of writing.

Great day

Emma

A few things I learnt at #radfest09

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:07:00 +0000

1. TechCon's are not for amatures.
2. Statistics are pretty good when its a 50/50 chance.
3. People are beginning to recognise me from twitter.
(People being Peter, who I met on twitter, many randomers who caught me tweeting whilst sitting in the conference with them, Huw Stephens (who actually said "hello thetricktolife" as he walked past to which I said hi and waved), James Cridland, who told the whole techcon my username in the round up at the end after he mentioned me winning the comp)
4. Whilst on the subject of "Cridders", he has a very strange effect on far too many of the women.
5. Whilst on that subject, there was a tally the RadAcad were doing from the Reception, they counted a total of 8 radio hotties in the whole of the delegates.
6. There were very few women speakers.
7. There were even fewer non Caucasians, one to be precise, and he was only on day release from prison.
8. The daily mail has a shared hatred amongst many of the delegates.
9. Never to throw a gathering at the Britannia hotel.
10. Nottingham is quite a nice place to visit.

Seeing as theres 10 now I'll stop there.

Yeah, I lied in the last post about going straight to bed after it, good morning everyone!

Radio Festival 2009

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:42:00 +0000

So there we have it, 3 days, many topics, many more speakers, many many more attendants and many many many more tweets with the #radfest09 hashtag. All in all, very successful from my point of view, a very busy few days in what was pitched to me as "shottingham" mere days before I went there... A value for money top floor hostel room with an Irish and Italian, for my £11 per night I got a bed and bathroom facilities, and a kitchen I didnt have time to go into.

The trip cost about £100 in the end, unforseen cost of a smart outfit for the gala dinner hit my pocket, but what was left in my pocket won me a trip to BBC, Global and Bauer, which has to all be done in one day... making the most of that!

So much happened at the festival that it would take me more then 3 days to write it all down,and its hard enough to remember it all!

Personal highlights were watching 5live recording on the first night, only now am I finding out what they were saying, damn pub patrons! Also from Monday was winning the competition. Other then that I spent a whole lot of time not having a clue what was going on! The TechCon was wonderful, before I never knew such geeks existed! They do! Its not a myth! In all seriousness, I was sitting there with Mike and a mic wondering what on earth was going on, so many words that I've never heard before. Suprisingly I wasn't their target audience, I was just there to run around with the mic.

Tuesday was a real mixed bag of sessions, a very touching moment when a prisoner who was given special day release was handed the sony award he couldn't collect at the awards ceremony. This sparked a very funny comment on twitter saying it was easier to get day release from prison then from global. Which was a shame, because global and bauer are such a large part of the commercial sector. Would have been nice to have had the chance to mingle with them. Hey ho...

Also got the "band in you hand" Augmented Reality demonstration again, no matter how many times I see it, its still very fascinating, I would love to help come up with those kinds of ideas for a living. Hugh Garry makes it sound very exciting indeed.

Then we had the very interesting gala banquet, the escalator and aircon can't have worked for years, they tried to start both up for us, but instead we had people in posh suits marching up a broken escalator and melting in the heat of the main hall, any chance we had was spent out on the flat roof out the fire escape doors.

We were treated to a sing song from Mark Moraghan (the surgeon from Holby City) and Nicky Campbell on the Ukulele which was a little surreal, and then a band call The Overtures who were very good, but unfortunately most people were still out trying to breath on the flat roof.

This morning was the last push of a very tiring few days, I will have to listen back to the whole recording because I had to leave the main auditorium to fill myself up with coffee.

All in all, loved it.
But seriously in need of sleep, so thats going to happen as soon as I press send

Much love and all that

Emma

P.S. I will get the clip of me on 5Live online somehow, and the picture of me and Richard Bacon, and the video of Nicky and Mark on stage.

Update

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:46:00 +0000

So I've been back home with the parents for a few weeks now, my rooms full of boxes, all piled up, with all my stuff in them. I'm getting really bored of having nothing to do back here too, just filling the dish washer and planning for future fun.

Next week I've got the Radio Festival, which I actually can't wait for. Going up to Nottingham for 4 days alone, I've got the train tickets and the hostel is booked. I'm just hoping I can really make the most of the festival as a helper, I should hope at least the Radio Academy people will like my help and remember me in the future, and of course, that would be much appreciated
from any of the important radio bods. Afterall, contacts are very very important, and I have 3 years to make some bloody good ones!

So I'm packing my black clothes for the daytimes when I'm helping and my Pure FM T's for the mingling times. Its a shame I haven't got my "Production Manager" ones with my name on them yet. Oh well. Also I have www.offthechart.co.uk leaflets to hand out, along with the ones being made to promote my summer show, snazzy!

I'm also going to throw together some simple business cards with email address on it for easy peasy lemon squeasy type mingling. Speeds up the process if I dont have to write it on their hand.

Nervous and excited about it.

Much Love
Emma

Bicycling

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Sun, 31 May 2009 22:56:00 +0000

Is a hell of a lot of fun, I've majorly enjoyed having my bike in Portsmouth since the Easter holiday, today I went right to the top of Portsmouth again and cycled around there in the sun, and heres a photo I took on my phone

Less then a week until I move back to Essex, not getting very far with the packing, but I'm sure it'll all get done pretty quickly and easily, theres just not much I can pack which I don't need before I go. Should be an interesting 3 months, looking forward to the next year a lot! So much planned and ready to go.

Need to sleep soon, Im shattered!

Much Love

Good Afternoon

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Sun, 17 May 2009 20:13:00 +0000

Been rushed off my feet as of recent, playing producer at Pure FM and such.
Last night I was there till 11.30pm, editing Primo Smoothies OB to be played this afternoon, got there eventually! And having Eurovision on in the background was a bonus.
Today I got up at 1.30pm hoping that if there was a problem with Primo Smoothies playout that I had missed the drama and therefore couldnt be blamed for it, of course it would have been my fault, but I sleeping was more fun then stressing about it anyways. Luckily I'd done it properly, which just meant that I went in to sort out some bits and pieces for Thom's Chart Show stint, which I sat back and chilled, like a proper producer should do. I'm sure hoping it sounded good.

3 weeks left until Im back to Southend for the summer, its been an interesting year, I've not got much to show for my £6000 loan, but its been worth every moment... kinda! Putting it like that I should have gone abroad and splashed it on life, however... I know what I want to do with my world now... I think. Plus I have Pure FM on my CV, and its going to be so good next year. Housing is sorted, we've got our 4 people, and a lovely house right where everyone needs to be for lectures, its only me who has to travel, and its not even far to go. I'll be on my bike a lot next year, hopefully it wont get stolen eh?

Everythings looking good, still a little lost in my world though, just got to catch up with my life and hope I can keep it on track.

Much Love

woop woop

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:42:00 +0000

So i got a committee position for next year on Pure FM, I'm head of production, and i'm looking damn forward to the next 7 weeks of actually having something to work towards before going home for the summer. I'm very much looking forward to our team next year, exciting times indeed. -- so its now sunday, after some sleep (hopefully) i will be tidying my room and then viewing my room for next year with next years housemates, stressed about the loan situation which is meaning i can't afford sent for here or my deposite for next years house at the moment, but hopefully it will get sorted asap. /// looking forward to some sleep now xx night night

testing

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:00:00 +0000

right i'm testing email bloging from my mobile, not sure why, i just keep thinking it would be a good idea to see if it works. Twibble have gone and changed and now it doesn't work on my mobile. Its too hot in here. Charlotte is coming out tomorrow, which is good but it means an extra night for my consecutive drinking events duely noted in my mobile phone calender, just need to remember everything and persuade charlotte to walk to asda, which should be easy if i mention that they have a large booze aisle. Lots going on in my head as usual. I took a nice long bike ride along the seafront, past langstone and via lidl this afternoon, love having my bike here, i can get out and explore and make some proper distance. I've just realised how foolish it was to write this much as a test, sods law it wont work. Emma x

Back

noreply@blogger.com (thetricktolife) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:17:00 +0000

I came back to Portsmouth on Friday, cycling through London in the rain was really enjoyable too, I blooming love London.
I dragged my bike up into my flat hallway, not knowing where the bike shed was, I dropped all my stuff on my bed, grabbed my clothes washing and a backpack, got that done, and my food shopping, came back, made chicken soup. All lush.

Saturday was quite productive for the hours I was awake too, I cleaned my bathroom, went on a bike ride, and today I cooked a bolgnaise, ready to be frozen for the next few weeks. Yum!

Thats my life at the moment, Uni isnt the same anymore, I don't got to Maths, so I'm here waiting on any next move, all of which are Pure FM based at the moment, IOW pub crawl on Wednesday, AGM Friday... so hopefully I'll be on the committee by Saturday and that'll sure give me something to do :-D Exciting times.
I just want to get on with something, anything.

Give me something to do and it will be done.

-----------> LOOK A DISRACTION..

Now I believe that it would not be a sensible thing to go on a walk now, so I might wait until the morning. Maybe Ill get up for Moyles and listen to his rant as I cycle round Pompey.

Or maybe Ill just sleep alday like I always do :-p