This area covers Media communication from in front of the camera/mic or behind the scenes....READ ON it gives you a flavour of careers in this area.

Radio

“Radio I'd sit alone and watch your light, My only friend through teenage nights, And everything I had to know, I heard it on my radio.”

Of course, these are the poignant words of the late great Freddie Mercury, and if they don’t stir something deep within your soul, we really don’t know what will! This was written some time ago, but with radio undergoing something of a digital revolution at the moment, it’s an exciting time for those of you wishing to pursue a career behind the mic or the control panel.

Virtually every home, office block, factory, café or car across the UK has a radio. Whether you’re listening to the football scores, tuning in to BBC 6 Music for a bit of air-guitar action, or chilling out with a massive mug of Horlicks, a Cuban cigar and some beans on toast, whilst listening to an episode of The Archers, it’s all good.

With digital radio becoming so prominent these days, there are more genres and more areas of radio than ever before. These include both commercial and independent radio stations that broadcast all kinds of different shows, with content ranging from sport and music to debate and news. And many of them have plenty of graduate jobs on offer!

Film

As film director, Stanley Kubrick, so fittingly put it, “if it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed.” There’s plenty of truth in this and the same principle can also apply to the career options available in this field.

The film industry is full of possibilities. It’s so broad. After all, it’s not as simple as just getting behind a video camera and seeing what happens. There’s a whole process and a wide range of people involved.

Generations have been defined by the films they’ve seen, from Casablanca and Easy Rider, to more modern classics like Fight Club and Hey Arnold! The Movie.

That’s the thing with films; they live forever. They have an everlasting appeal and can stir up a vast array of emotions in people from all walks of life. People have favourite films for when they’re happy, when they’re sad, or when they just want to be scared to the point where they’re literally hiding behind their couch, with their hooded top tight over their head, a cushion over their eyes and their fingers in their ears.

Journalism

Since the birth of the printing press, people have been getting their fix of news from the black and white gems that we call newspapers. Even now with the rise of the internet, people still crave that feeling of holding a collection of A3 sheets out in the air at the inconvenience of the people to their left and right.

The media is extremely powerful and the papers are one of the biggest influencing forces in the country. As such, careers in newspaper journalism are extremely sought after and are, therefore, highly competitive.

Newspapers have the power to influence elections and lead the public. If the papers start shouting about rising petrol costs, expect a protest. If they’re talking about the world cup, expect a surge in national pride.

Television

‘Television journalism’ covers a huge spectrum of jobs – from games journalism, showbiz and entertainment, to cutting edge current affairs documentaries and news. One thing’s for sure: if you’re picturing yourself standing in front of a camera, reporting from exotic places all over the world, then think again.

The reality of these jobs is far less glamorous, but if you’re willing to put in a lot of hard work, a graduate job in this field can be a truly fulfilling and massively rewarding environment to work in.

Technical Production in Media fields

Yeah, the director thinks he’s pretty important, sitting in his fold-up chair and dishing out the orders Likewise, the actors and actresses might think they’re the dog’s danglies, flouncing around the set and retiring to their trailer when it all gets too much.

However, these guys would be nowhere without the technical production crew responsible for operating the cameras, coordinating the lighting and recording the sound.

The technical production crew are the heart and soul of the TV and film industries. They’re probably not going to be wearing the sharpest tuxedos or the most incredible gowns on the red carpet, and they’re certainly not going to be on the cover of Hello magazine anytime soon. However, these guys are the people who truly “make the magic happen.”

Just consider life without the members of these teams:

• Audrey Hepburn wouldn’t have looked half as beautiful as she does in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
• Brad Pitt wouldn’t have appeared as devilishly handsome as he does in Fight Club
• The starkly beautiful landscape shots in No Country for Old Men would have looked like they were filmed in your back garden
• Morgan Freeman’s voice wouldn’t sound like that of the best storyteller in the world
• The volleyball scene in Top Gun would have been nowhere near as homoerotic.
• Camera, lighting and sound crews can work on any kind of television or film project, be it a feature film, a wildlife documentary, sporting coverage or a game show. People who pursue these careers synthesise their creative vision with expert technical skills to make sure what we see and hear on the screen is as colourful, sumptuous and powerful as possible.
• Cinematography  is all about the selection and manipulation of technical equipment to create eye-catching images on screen – it is what gives a film or TV show its unique aesthetic style.