Radio Journalism Course (BJTC)

Applicants to the NBS Radio Journalism Course should have a university degree. Exceptions may be made for those with relevant media experience.

BJTC Accreditation

The NBS Radio News course is BJTC-accredited. BJTC (Broadcast Journalism Training Council) is the kite-mark of broadcast journalism training. Many employers regard it as essential.

Read the full BJTC assessment

Our aim is to give our radio news students the skills and confidence to match radio news staff that have been in a full-time job for at least six months. 

Our NBS radio news graduates have moved into full-time careers at a wide range of excellent organisations, including the BBC and commercial radio groups.

The NBS radio news course covers a wide range of skills but it focuses on four key areas – the skills to which radio employers attach the most importance. These are news presentation and voice quality, radio news writing, broadcast law, the kit and software. In addition, we teach a range of other relevant skills. The course is demanding, intensive and practical. 

News students form a news team which, within a week, starts to provide the news and sport content for the NBS in-house station, Red FM in Brighton. In Liverpool there may be opportunities to contribute to the output of Sony Award winning Radio City  or City Talk!

Outside their news shifts, NBS radio news students complete a weekly written test on broadcast law; they are also required to produce features and other content which they've been assigned.

At the end of their time in the NBS newsroom, they go on a formal work attachment at a fully operational, licensed radio station.

The News and Production Course modules include:

Radio Journalism  

What makes a great radio journalist; what to expect; how to behave and how to thrive; the obligations of a radio journalist to listeners.

Voice            

Voice training –maximising the potential of your voice; using and caring for your voice; ironing out those vocal idiosyncrasies. 

Radio News Writing          

The craft of good radio news writing; connecting with listeners; tricks to make stories memorable; writing news for different formats. 

News Presentation           

Mic techniques; how to rehearse; how to “connect” with the listener by performance; news presentation for different formats. 

The News Studio  

The presentation desk; mic techniques; reading off-screen; settings; levels.

Interviewing            

Researching and setting up interviews; techniques for interviewing on location, in the studio or on the telephone; building trust and confidence; framing questions; structure; the rules - fairness and privacy; news and feature interview styles. 

Broadcast Law Modules

Introduction to Law; The Justice Hierarchy; Crimes; Magistrates Courts; Crown Courts; Court Reporting; Contempt of Court; Defamation; Juveniles in the News; Youth Courts; Inquests; Privacy; Introduction to European Law and other modules; visits to courts; “real” reporting from courts.

Broadcast Law

Weekly examinations and external marking.

News Software

Team News / Burli news software; copy editor; bulletin producer; digital sound editor; audio transfer; bulletin compiler; web searcher.

Production Software

Dalet / Adobe Audition 1.5 – beginners, intermediate and advanced modules; editing, mixing and multi-tracking. 

Feature Production

Telling a radio story – news, showbiz and human interest features, in various lengths from one to five minutes; using radio creatively; structuring a feature; writing-style for radio features. 

News Judgements

What makes a good news story; how to make it good radio; matching stories to audiences; “owning” stories.

News Bulletins

Organisation; preparing a news bulletins, in various styles; content; running orders;  balance; timing; use of resources; news sources.

Creativity

Creative thinking techniques; creative thinking to make creative radio; pictures with words and sound.

Regulation  

Ofcom and BBC editorial and programming codes.

Contacts      

The importance of contacts; developing and managing contacts; creating an effective personal contacts system. 

Risk Assessment

Safety routines in a radio station and on assignment.

UK Radio

How UK radio is structured – the BBC, commercial radio and internet radio; research and the ratings; the way a radio station works.

Digital Radio           

DAB, DSat, Dir and Podcasting, convergence – who listens; how it's used by listeners; how it connects with other technology; the journalist's role; the creative potential; opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Jobs

Job functions in a radio station; sample and demos; CV's; work attachments; job interview techniques. 

Work Attachments

For a minimum of a fortnight.