WORK EXPERIENCE COMPLETED: 15 DAYS IN A NEWSROOM.

I am finally relieved to discover I have completed my required 15 work experience in a newsroom environment, as part of my MA in Journalism course required as part of the NCTJ accreditation. I have had the wonderful opportunity to develop both in print and broadcast journalism through volunteering on three radio stations and my local newspaper The West London and Bucks Gazette series. I have had 20 vox pops published for the Gazette and various other articles from animals tales to issues concerning councillors and disabled parking bays. At Hospital Radio Hillingdon, I have been a volunteer since March 2007, and have assisted with fundraising days from the Autoshow to a school fete in Northwood. I also read a 4 minute local news bulletin once every five weeks which is broadcast to patients for a whole week. Part of the process is to read 3 short news stories and the light hearted "And finally..." I also have to edit my recordings on Adobe and transfer the files onto the system. This process often takes 2-3 hours from beginning to end. I have also helped on Steve Hickman's 'Out and About Show' on a few Sundays to visit patients on the wards and record their voices on a broadcast vox pop. I have also been doing work experience at The West London and Bucks Gazette Series since July 2007. Since the course started I have been in the newsroom almost every Friday plus I have attended 2 Mondays. 91.8 Hayes FM asked me to join 'The Gerard Conway Breakfast Show' in November 2007 as a newsreader. I spent 2.5 weeks there, plus Christmas morning in the studio. My main job is to read the national news headlines, but I have also assisted with on air role plays, 'What's On' Guide in the local area, reading the local news, and interacted on Gerard's show answering questions on air. I will return in February. And finally, I have presented a 2-hour news programme with Jennelle Dronkers on University Radio Brunel called 'News and Reviews', and I also assist the marketing department. At the moment I'm helping to write a story about the relaunch of their station. Hopefully this does not mean an end to life in the newsroom just yet. I have enjoyed my time in all of the newsrooms and will now return to broaden my experience and finish my NCTJ portfolio. I still have five news stories and one feature to write. I'm off now to revise for those vital NCTJ exams. I will get back to blogging on the Uxbridge News Desk within the next two weeks.