Last week, I completed three days of work experience at Harborough FM. It was a great chance to discover how a radio station, in particular a local radio station, actually works.
On Monday, I arrived at 10 o’clock and we headed straight down to watch the veteran’s remembrance service in the town centre to commemorate Armed Forces week. It was a really valuable opportunity to speak to the leaders of some veterans support groups in Market Harborough. We did a couple of interviews before heading back to the station. I found it fascinating to see how they edited the audios from the interviews into clips for the news. The majority of the pauses are removed and only a small chunk of the interview is actually used.
On Tuesday, I was back for my second day, and I spent the majority of it with Nick Shaw, who organises the news at HFM, records the news before every hour, before editing it so any mistakes can be re-recorded. He was very punctual, placing the news into its slot (so the radio presenters can simply press play) a mere minute or so before. Talk about timing! In the afternoon, I wrote a short paragraph about several upcoming events in the local area that the presenters would announce to make the public aware of them. I also found it really interesting to observe the relationship between the media and other organisations, such as the police or the council. They communicate regularly with one another to ensure not only that the local people are well-informed, but also everyone is up-to-date with any incidences.

Finally, it was my final day at HFM. On Wednesday, I arrived with biscuits, which brought a smile to everyone’s face. I continued to do some write-ups and I also sat in with Dave Smith, one of the presenters, and listened to his show live in the studio. Unlike Tuesday, I didn’t get to go live on air, but it was just as exciting to see how the presenters coped with any problems they faced on air. They have to multitask constantly!
Overall, it was a brilliant experience! Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay for the remainder of the week due to my Year 11 prom, but the three days have inspired me to consider radio as a potential career in journalism.
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By Natasha Callis
Photo credit: moinzon on Pixabay
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