The BBC Academy Podcast

Denise Roach talks to three radio studio managers, Ian Deeley, Bob Nettles and Ian Painter, about why the studio manager is so integral to speech, news and other radio recordings. They give their tips on sound recording and editing for anyone wanting to create great sound, whether they’re a radio producer or a bedroom based podcast maker. The panel also talk about routes into the studio manager ro...

The second of two podcasts on storytelling for natural history programmes. Ben Toone talks to the BBC Natural History Unit's Jonny Keeling about storytelling for children's programmes and Steve Greenwood about BBC Two's Natural World series. Ben also talks to the BBC Academy'€™s Hazel Marshall, who teaches storytelling acoss the BBC. She gives her take on why storytelling is important, the process...

In the first of two podcasts on storytelling for natural history programmes, Ben Toone talks to producers James Honeyborne, Verity White and Rupert Barrington of the BBC's Natural History Unit in Bristol, who all worked on one of the unit’s most celebrated landmark series, Africa.

With the likes of Mary Beard and Lucy Worsley now appearing regularly on air, this week's podcast hears from three guests who examine the challenges of being an expert woman in the broadcast industry. Denise Roach is joined by experts Tina Miller, Charlotte Connelly and Sally Marlow, who each found themselves in the spotlight after attending the BBC Academy Expert Women event. They tell us about t...

With the likes of Ricky Gervais now moving to producing content exclusively for YouTube, and with global companies like Intel and Toshiba funding social media driven dramas, many in the traditional broadcast industry are asking 'Where next for drama and fiction in broadcasting?'. BBC Academy did its best to provide a few tentative suggestions in its latest open forum, the Fusion Future Fiction day...

For many programme makers and viewers, the word 'archive' conjures up images of flickering black and white footage and grainy recordings dug up in a dusty library. But good archive can come from many sources and offer productions a rich and immersive window onto the past as well as giving contemporary stories a new perspective. This week, Denise Roach talks to radio producer Heather Davies, freela...

Making the break into paid, professional radio can be hard. So if you’re broadcasting on community, student or hospital radio or producing your own podcasts, how do you get into paid employment in the sector that you love? Sophie Lording gets some tips from radio presenter Sean Thorne, freelance comedy producer Dave Cribb and BBC Radio's James Cook, Maggie Ayre and John Byrne at the Student Radio...

What are the secrets of successful independent budget film making, and if you're not born with a silver spoon in your mouth, how do you take your fledgling film to the next level? Simon Smith is joined by film makers Dominic Brunt, Marc Price and Chris Jones, who share their experience of the many decisions film makers need to make about kit and post production and offer their advice to budding fi...

Controller of BBC Information & Archives Sarah Hayes, senior media manager Elaine Narrie and freelance director of photography Chris Jones join Simon Smith to discuss the challenges of managing your media successfully. Digital files offer huge potential for film-makers to access and share material on an unprecedented level and to collaborate around content from the early stages of a project. Y...

Science presenter Michael Mosley and development producer Helen Docherty talk to Sophie Lording about how we can make engaging science television. They discuss how to find and develop an idea, finding the right format and presenter and how to communicate the science in a way that the audience understands without dumbing down the subject.

EastEnders online video producer Matt Taylor, The Royal Opera House's head of media Tony Followell and digital consultant and founder of Storythings Matt Locke talk about the ways you can make digital work for your programme, organisation or project. Whoever you are, digital brings new ways of reaching your audience. Whatever content you create, whether fact or fiction, you can use digital product...

The editorial and legal pitfalls of programme making. BBC Editorial Policy's Su Pennington, programme lawyer Clare Hoban and producer and journalist Maire Devine join Paul Buller for this second podcast. They talk about dealing with consent, privacy and online content.

BBC Science’s Andrew Thompson, Charles Colville, producer for BBC Factual, and Lizzie Faulkner, series producer for Sky Atlantic, BBC One and RTE, join Hazel Marshall to discuss scriptwriting for factual television.

The editorial and legal pitfalls of programme making. BBC Editorial Policy's Su Pennington, programme lawyer Clare Hoban and producer and journalist Maire Devine join Paul Buller to offer a guide to not getting your TV or radio programme pulled. A non-commercial perspective on how to avoid those legal or editorial pitfalls which could result in you having to scrap or retake material or even find y...

The Secret History of our Streets' Jaime Taylor, Bang Goes the Theory's Mark Edger and The One Show's Charlotte Denton discuss the essential skills needed to be a researcher for factual TV and the importance of sources, stories and keeping notes. Whichever area of the industry you're in, the ability to research and tell stories is essential, but to get ahead of the rest it's going to take more tha...

Executive producer of Our War Colin Barr, Drugs Live: The Ecstasy Trial producer Dan Murdoch and BBC broadcast lawyer Clare Hoban join Simon Ford to talk about how to put together a television programme that tackles controversial subjects. They discuss the differences between simply being controversial and the editorial and legal responsibilities of programme makers covering a controversial subjec...

BBC Radio 1 Breakfast's Laura-May Coope, managing director of Somethin' Else Steve Ackerman and Jack FM Oxfordshire’s Sue Carter offer their views on how to innovate in radio. The panel discuss how social media has been a game changer, and with tools like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr now enabling greater audience engagement, having a conversation with your audience is clearly important. Even YouTu...

What production techniques and programming will we see in 2013? Channel 4 multiplatform commissioner Jody Smith, radio futurologist James Cridland, BBC entertainment commissioning editor Mirella Breda and the BBC Production Innovation Unit's Dean Matthewson gaze into the crystal ball with College of Production website editor Paul Buller. They talk about what we have learnt from the best, the worst...

Simon Smith guides us through some of our favourite CoP Show moments from 2012. With Louis Theroux offering an insight into his documentary-making methods, Louise Minchin on presenting for the Jubilee, Matthew Pinsent talking about World Olympic Dreams and Bush Radio's Zane Ibrahim on why we love radio. There's advice on getting into comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe and how Iggy Pop can cause troubl...

From Hackney Weekend to Glastonbury, major live music events present a great opportunity for broadcasters. But if you fail to properly plan and prepare for health and safety issues your broadcast or event could be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Simon Smith is joined by Radio 1 and 1Xtra event producer Antonia Kyle, MRL safety's Julian Bentley and BBC Safety advisor Stuart Page to hear about...

Simon Smith talks to Jo Twist, Jon Howard, Martyn Jones, Kieron Collins and Alice Taylor at the BBC Academy Fusion summit on games and broadcasting. Where are we now in terms of broadcasting and games, and what can the television learn from the games industry? Tell us your thoughts by tweeting @BBCCoP using the hashtag #FusionGames.

Digital content production is no longer the preserve of broadcasters as more and more organisations are taking advantage of the opportunities digital brings. The arts are no exception. Simon Smith is joined by Artangel's Seb Emina, Helen Jeffreys from the London Review of Books and the director of the BBC Academy Anne Morrison. They talk about the possibilities and challenges of producing digital...

A returnable format is the Holy Grail that all factual and entertainment TV programme makers are searching for. But where does the inspiration come from and how do you build and develop them? This is a recording of a masterclass from the BBC Academy’s Fast Train North event held on 20 November 2012. The BBC Academy’s Hilary Rosen is joined by Tom Edwards, commissioning executive producer for featu...

In this CoP Show special executive producer Alison Howe talks to us about how her Glastonbury team mastermind the television coverage. In discussion with Amanda Lyon from the BBC College of Production.

Santa Simon Smith and some friends of CoP run a critical eye over the past year’s output from the world of telly, radio, social media and the web. We also have a bit of a quiz. With Steve Bowbrick interactive editor for Radio 3, The Proms and the performing groups at BBC, Dan Biddle BBC Vision’s social media editorial lead and Jude Winstanley,a freelance production manager and creator of online jo...