VISIT TO CHANNEL 4 AND IRN

On the first week of term, our class visited 200 Grays Inn Road, London to the studios of IRN (Independent Radio News) and Channel 4. I saw comedian Jasper Carrot as we went into the lift. After a guided tour of the building, which seemed to be made of glass and reach skyscraper heights, we separated into groups and went inside the production room of Channel 4 as newsreader Jon Snow went on air. We also met newsreader Krishan Guru Murphy and Head of IRN Simon Cadman who will be teaching us in term two for the broadcast module. I found the visit inspirational and taught me a lot about the fast pace of working both for a radio news room for a large media organisation and also the speed needed inside the production room where everything is controlled with military precision, yet could still go wrong at the touch of a switch. We also saw the lesser known faces who play a vital role in production and the visual aspects of broadcasting such as the animators and technicians. I'm glad I gained a greater insight into IRN because now I can put a visual image to the centre the local hospital radio station, Radio Hillingdon's (where I volunteer) source for the news when they flick the grey fader button up on the hour every hour.