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Spenc
Role title:
Australian radio presenter, USQ Technical Support Officer.
What roles have you held in the media industry
throughout your career?
My first media job was Assistant Manager of Queensland
Radio for the Print Handicapped (4RPH 1296). I was also
Vice President of 4RPH. From there I moved to ABC Radio,
where I presented morning, afternoon, drive and breakfast
shows in Rockhampton and Brisbane. For 15 years, I hosted
the top-rating breakfast program on ABC Radio Brisbane.
For three years, I wrote a fortnightly column for Bmag. I’ve
been a go-to commentator for The Morning Show and
Today, and now in 2017, I compile a daily morning news
email for Fairfax called ‘The Gateway’.
You can sign up at www.thegateway.email
What do you love most about the media industry?
Sharing ideas, enabling conversations, helping people tell
their stories and get the word out about their passions
and projects, bringing community together, and being a
companion and friend to readers, listeners and viewers.
What are some of the biggest challenges for
graduates in this field?
The media landscape is changing. Newspapers as we know
them won’t be around in 20 years. The business model for
television has been rewritten by the arrival of on-demand
services like Netflix. Radio has been challenged by podcasts
and streaming services. But I remain optimistic that there
will continue to be jobs in the media.
What are some of the lesser known positions or
opportunities within this industry?
The radio announcer or TV presenter on the billboards
is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to broadcast
media jobs. There are far more people working behind the
scenes as producers, making those presenters look good!
Often, you’ll find entry-level jobs in regional areas. The ABC,
for instance, has radio stations in places like Bundaberg,
Longreach and Mt Isa.
What is your advice for students or graduates
wanting to break into this industry?
1. Network (these days you can do this via social media,
especially Twitter).
2. Intern/volunteer (and make sure you’re capable, reliable
and likeable).
3. Don’t wait till you have a job - just start publishing
or broadcasting (anyone can create a blog, YouTube
channel or podcast, and community radio stations always
need announcers).
4. Go regional. Be prepared to spend a couple of years in
a country town. You might even stay longer and really
enjoy becoming part of the community.
What is your advice for students or graduates
wanting to break into this industry?
Absorb as much media as you can, and not just news stories.
From here on in, you need to be studying the pop culture
that surrounds you. Your knowledge of the films, festivals,
trends and songs of 2017 will be invaluable for decades.
Read websites, listen to music, radio and podcasts, watch
TV and movies. Also, be curious. Notice when things change
and ask yourself why.