The BBC Academy Podcast

Live radio requires a lot of effort at the best of times - more so when you're dealing with sensitive issues, vulnerable contributors and medical advice. We find out how the team behind BBC Radio 1's The Surgery put the show together and deal with a wide range of medical issues from callers, especially mental health problems. In this podcast you'll learn about: - specialist production and presenti...

To get a programme on television, you first have to master the commissioning process and pitch to someone who’s in a position to give you the go-ahead. “When it works it is absolutely the best feeling in the world,” says Lisa Hazlehurst, head of Lion Television, Scotland. “When it doesn’t work you really do have to pick yourself up.” "The key to success is serendipity and something that punches yo...

There are so many options when choosing a career, the competition is tough, and most school leavers have little practical experience. The BBC Academy's Kris Bramwell spoke to BBC new talent schemes coordinator Affie Jeerh and National Careers Service adviser Rachel Locke to hear their advice. "What I firstly advise people to do is have a real, hard think about what it is that makes them the person...

Changing your career, whether through choice or redundancy, can be daunting. You can feel inspired and confused at the same time. But where do you start? And what do you need to consider? "The average millennial, by the time they retire, will have probably changed their job at least 14 times."– Mel Barclay In this podcast you'll learn more about: - the risks involved - why more people are making t...

The stories aren't about sound - they are created using sound. Hugh Sykes uses sound to tell evocative stories and paint pictures in the audiences’ minds. The renowned foreign correspondent plays clips of his work - from the whistling winds of Pakistan to reporting the aftermath of the Tunisia terror attack in 2016. "One of my golden rules is that a radio reporter has to wear headphones like a cam...

If you work in the media you're most likely to be involved in regular creative ideas sessions (like the one above). But what form can they take - what techniques can you use to improve them? The BBC Academy's Charles Miller spoke to former BBC journalist and development producer Steve Rawling, the founder of creativity training company Now Go Create, Claire Bridges, and Facebook product designer T...

BBC Academy director Joe Godwin spoke to comedian Janice Connolly and BBC Comedy executive Rebecca Papworth about taking unconventional Birmingham housewife Barbara Nice from a stand-up act to a rounded radio sitcom character. Janice developed her Barbara Nice character in the late 1990's and it led to her being spotted by Peter Kay. “As an artist it's important you have a relationship where you t...

Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs has earned its 75 years on the air by consistently producing revealing interviews with well-known guests like US actor Tom Hanks above. We asked series producer Cathy Drysdale to explain how the show is made: - how to book big-name guests - how their lives are researched - what happens during the studio recording - how the programme is edited - what personal qualities...

The way UK television script-writing teams work is changing fast. While today's fragmented digital industry offers less in-house stability, there are more opportunities with international and online broadcasters. We spoke to TV writer Sophie Petzal, BBC Writersroom development producer Abigail Gonda and Doctors script editor Nasreen Ahmed. “We're less hamstrung by the needs of channels now... I fe...

Advanced tech, behind-the-scenes experiences, full games on social media - how do the latest digital innovations affect the traditional broadcast industry? And what do they mean for you if you're trying to get a job as a sports journalist or producer? "There are completely new players delivering big audiences through online only platforms... it does feel like it's a bit of a Wild West at the momen...

New internet devices that use voice are starting to appear in our homes: you speak and they answer back. So what is the likely impact of these so-called digital assistants? The BBC is looking into the possibilities while independent developers are already creating content for such devices. "It is an opportunity for those of us who are producing content because every platform that is hungry for con...

The BBC’s media editor Amol Rajan asks James Ball, special correspondent at BuzzFeed News, and Mark Frankel, social media editor at BBC News, about the different meanings of 'fake news' and how journalists should respond to it.

The prospect of presenting your first ever live show on national radio can be both daunting and exciting in equal measure but how do you get to that position in the first place? Roxy Ebrahim-Khan talks to Jasmine Takhar about her journey from broadcasting on two community radio stations to launching the Friday Night Residency on national radio station Asian Network. Also, hear from producer Che Ch...

2016 is nearly at an end, so you know what that means - it's highlights time! Kris Bramwell, Roxy Ebrahim-Khan, Zayna Shaikh and Charles Miller, aka the BBC Academy Podcast team (left to right above), share their favourite clips from the past year to mark the end of the current series. Peaky Blinders producer Simon Maloney, Operation Gold Rush’s Dan Snow, BBC News presenter Maxine Mawhinney, journ...

The challenge for Home Front's production team has always been to create a historical drama that’s true to the time yet connects with today’s audiences. In this podcast you will learn: - where to start researching the history - how to write a radio drama series - about the role of digital content - the scriptwriter’s role during a studio recording - the difference between performing for radio and...

Journalist, author and screenwriter Dan Lyons questions many of the norms of tech businesses, including the practice of building loyalty through a written ‘cultural code’.

BBC managers past and present - Simon Waldman, Sara Shepherd and Karen Hannah - discuss the dilemmas, challenges and rewards of making the step up.

Millennials, Generation Y, people born between 1980 and 2000 - turns out there’s 14 million of them in the UK. They’re tech-savvy, spending hours online: reading, listening or posting their own content. And it turns out they don’t just want cat videos. So what do they want and how can you give it to them? “Without a good idea and without good storytelling at the heart of whatever you do, regardles...

Presenter and historian Dan Snow and producer Ben Crichton discuss the vast challenges of making Operation Gold Rush.

Jessica Dromgoole, editor of Radio 4's Home Front, and Birmingham's first writer-in-residence, Caroline Horton, answer questions from aspiring playwrights on writing radio drama.

Live social video is everywhere right now. You can’t move these days on social media sites without seeing your followers 'going live' from somewhere - no matter how mundane the subject matter. Broadcasters and brands are getting involved too, with reporters pressing the live button at scenes of breaking news, including the Brussels bombing earlier this year and the Soho vigil in response to the Or...

Even media professionals need to hone their presenting skills. Whether you speak too fast, forget to breathe, get nervous, or just need to put some energy behind your words, you can do lots of simple things to improve how you sound on air. Voice and presentation coach Elspeth Morrison recently visited the BBC Academy podcast team in Birmingham to deliver a coaching session. In this fly-on-the-wall...

We’ve all got a smartphone and a story to tell. So technically we could all be mobile journalists, right? Turns out you might need some other bits and pieces too. In this week’s podcast we speak to two journalists who have both tried the mojo (mobile journalism) way to make completely different kinds of films. Dougal Shaw is a business reporter who creates features for BBC News. He recently put hi...

When it comes to television sitcoms, producer Jon Plowman (OBE) says the reason audiences tune in is simple: “We like the characters and we want to have a good time with them.” Plowman’s CV reads like someone has cherry-picked their favourite comedies and placed them in one dream career. He’s produced The Office, Vicar of Dibley, Absolutely Fabulous, League of Gentleman and Little Britain, to name...

Radio London breakfast show host Vanessa Feltz and her producer Gemma Stevenson explain how they make three hours of live radio five days a week. In this podcast they give advice about: - What kind of callers the show wants - How callers are screened - What topics work best - The importance of regular callers - How the presenter and producer communicate during the show - How much a phone-in presen...