Sophie Benzing: Broadcast Journalism MA graduate
As newsreader on BBC Radio 5 Live, I work in a highly pressured environment on breaking news stories so staying calm is essential.
I'm no good to anyone if I am flapping, but as long as I am prepared I'm OK. Falmouth taught me that.
I would definitely recommend the course at Falmouth, it was a great learning curve. We were running a newsroom on the course, so I got to make mistakes doing that rather than in my job. I had most things thrown at me whilst studying so it wasn’t such a shock when it happened in reality.
Since starting at 5 Live as a newsreader in 2000 I have had to deal with most of the major news stories live on air. I was on shift when the Queen Mother died, when the Pope died, and when September 11 happened. The newsroom certainly leaps into action on big events like those. I present for extended periods if there is major news, keeping up to date with the very latest reports from correspondents, news agencies and local radio stations. If news is breaking, I don’t get a chance to read through the summaries or stories beforehand, so the job can be extremely pressured. The key is to speak with confidence and conviction.
But dealing with sensitive issues on a daily basis is not just about coping well under pressure; you have to know your industry inside out. I was really interested in the law element of my course and I’ve not stopped relying on it. My job depends on knowing libel laws so I don’t get sued.
It also really helped that our lecturers had all worked in TV and radio and lived to tell the tale; they could share their wealth of experience with all of us on the course who wanted to break into broadcast journalism. I spent all my holidays and used allotted work placements on the course to gain work experience with 5 Live, where I started out as a researcher straight after graduating. My course provided me with the skills and confidence to succeed at gaining work placements, and because I’d learnt to edit and write scripts as part of my course, they found I was extra useful to them.
From there it was a move to television then local radio and Sky Radio before being offered a position as a newsreader back at 5 Live. The principles of working in radio and television are the same, and again something I learnt at Falmouth. Most people tend to start in radio but go on to television – it’s a good springboard. However, I am extremely happy in radio. We can run stories that television can’t because they have to have pictures. Not to mention that as a presenter on the radio it doesn’t matter what I look like! It’s not always easy looking presentable at 5am!
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