This Is MediaCity - Media News, Insights and Interviews

BBC The Late Show host, Becky Want gets up early today to join us on the This Is MediaCity couch.

This is a podcast which covers it all, from how she’s won around her new national audience on the BBC, to the incredible way she got her first television job. 

Plus working with legends including Les Dawson, Caroline Aherne and many more.

Becky has been a mainstay of regional broadcasting for years, but The Late Show is her first network presenting gig. Airing on more than 30 regional BBC radio stations, she admits that it was a really tough position to take on, with opposition from listeners at the very start.

Since then though it’s thrived. So stand by for a conversation covering everything from retirement to what one of her guests did with custard.

#BBC #BeckyWant #BBCRadio #LateShow #CarolineAherne #LesDawson #PiccadillyRadio #Key103

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Katie Walderman and Gamal Fahnbulleh are the faces of flagship ITV news programme, Granada Reports.

They’ve been presenting the show together for almost exactly a year this month, but both admitted they had big shoes to fill when they arrived.

For Katie, she grew up watching Lucy Meacock, while for Gamal, he arrived after the tragic loss of Tony Morris:

“He was just such a force of nature. And for me as well, he’s a real role model, there weren’t that many black faces in the industry when I was first starting and there definitely weren’t many black faces who were lead presenters for regional programmes. So he was somebody that I aspired to be and someone I really looked up to.”

Both passionate about the North West and regional news, they explain what it’s like behind the scenes and how their lives have changed since taking up such high profile roles. They also give their tips for the next generation and why Granada Reports is so important now.

#ITV #GranadaReports #News #Regional #Local #Media #Television 

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Broadcasting legend, or self proclaimed “ginger scruff from Salford”? You decide, because Mike Sweeney is on the podcast today and as you’d expect this is an unfiltered account of his career from working as a docker, to putting Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham on the spot each week.

“I remember, I had a pair of tight jeans on, black t-shirt, donkey jacket with collar turned up, medallion, a studded belt (in case I got into a fight), and a pair of wellies with the top turned down.”

Passionate about radio, he talks about authenticity, class and whether we could be listening to an AI-generated Sweeney in the future (don’t worry, there’s not enough computing power in the world).

Mike also explains why it was important to share the update about his “tiny” stroke and how it helped save a listener’s life.

And if that’s not enough how about still playing football for England at 78 and finding out a Beatle wanted to record one of your songs?

#MikeSweeney #BBC #Manchester #BBCRadio #AndyBurnham #Beatles #JohnLennon #AI #Radio #Local #Salford #MediaCity

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On this week’s This Is MediaCity is Kate Squire, the BBC's Senior Head of Content Production for the North East and North West, who talked to us earlier this month.

We will discuss regional BBC News and features and how it’s evolving to appeal to a younger audience, which doesn’t necessarily tune into local radio or television.

Kate will explain why she’s so passionate about representing the UK as a whole through public service broadcasting and some of her earlier experiences as one of the BBC's first female sports presenters.

This interview was recorded before the recent Panorama headlines and the resignation of the BBC Director General. So Kate’s comments are not in response to any of these events.

#BBC #News #Regional #NorthEast #NorthWest #BBCNews

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This week, we hear from Sinead Rocks, the Managing Director of Nations and Regions at Channel 4.

Based in Yorkshire, she’s overseen the biggest change in the broadcaster’s history, as it moved its headquarters from London to Leeds. That’s something she was very familiar with, given she joined Channel 4 from the BBC, where she was involved in its relocation to MediaCity.

She explains what impact being based in Leeds has had on Channel 4’s output and its dealings with independent production companies.

Sinead also talks about how indies will remain the “life blood” of the channel, despite recent changes about how it can make its own programmes.

We also look at training and opportunities in the sector and how she’s looking at attracting the next generation, as well as helping those more experienced creatives remain in the industry.

This podcast has been produced in partnership with Prolific North.

#Channel4 #Leeds #Broadcasting #SineadRocks #4Talent #London #BBC #MediaCity #BBCChildrens

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Waterloo Road, Bad Girls, Footballers Wives, Casualty, The Five, Gangs of London - Cameron Roach has an enviable CV.

The founder of Rope Ladder Fiction speaks to us as Waterloo Road moves into a major new studio space in Trafford as the BBC One hit keeps on growing.

While he’s been a Series Producer, Executive Producer, and Sky’s Director of Drama, he’s very much focused on finding the next generation of screen talent. It’s why Rope Ladder Fiction was formed, to try and ensure that underrepresented groups can get a voice.

“I’m so excited by the opportunity of people self-publishing, getting together with friends, making podcasts, making short films and being able to kind oxygenate the creative process.”

It’s a wide ranging interview from the start of his career to what could come next in Waterloo Road.

#BBC #Drama #WaterlooRoad #MediaCity #Trafford #Warner #RopeLadder #Sky #BadGirls #Casualty #HarlanCoben

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With days to go before this year’s BBC Children in Need, we caught up with Head of Content, Tommy Nagra.

“This is the business end of our year, it’s a bit like air traffic control, just hoping that all the planes will take off and land nicely.”

This will be Tommy’s 8th year at the helm of the charity production broadcast live from MediaCity's dock10 and he reveals it will also be his final one as it marks its 45th Anniversary and Pudsey’s 40th Birthday.

“It will be really emotional, but I want to make sure that this last one is fun.”

This year’s BBC Children in Need will be even bigger at MediaCity as we rename our main square, "Pudsey’s Piazza” for the night with lots of exciting things happening throughout the evening on campus.

If you want to donate to Children in Need, please visit https://donate.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/

#ChildrenInNeed #BBC #Pudsey #MediaCity #Charity #PaddyMcGuinness #SaraCox #MelGiedroyc #LennyRush #BigZuu #RochelleHumes #VernonKay

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There aren’t many people who can say they got emails from Davie Bowie and shared a cheese flan with Kate Bush.

But then, Mark Radcliffe is a bit of a broadcasting legend starting out at Piccadilly Radio and getting major shows on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music. Then there’s a Top 20 album and best-selling book. 

He sat down with This Is MediaCity to talk about all of that and being a trailblazer (our words, not his) for Northern broadcasting. Nowadays, you almost need to come from Bolton to get a show on BBC Radio 2.

“I feel really lucky. You know when people say ‘what would you say to your younger self’? I’d say, ‘you were kind of right!’ Just do things that you’ll enjoy.”

#KateBush #DavidBowie #MarkRadcliffe #BBCRadio #Radio #6Music #Radio2 #Piccadilly #MediaCity #MarkAndLard #Bolton 

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It is one of the biggest animation festivals on the global calendar, Manchester Animation Festival, returns in November and it’s even more packed than ever.

Walt Disney and Industrial Light and Magic are among some of the big names attending this year, as the Festival celebrates all aspects of the animation sector. It also has an exclusive preview of the next big Netflix animation - could it rival K-Pop Demon Hunters?

On this week’s podcast we talk about that, and also Greater Manchester’s rich history of animation, from the likes of Cosgrove Hall to Epic’s cutting edge MetaHumans.

We also discuss some of the big issues facing the sector, not least GenAI and how the Festival is pulling together a survey to demonstrate the importance of animation to the region.

All that and much more on today’s podcast.

#WaltDisney #IndustrialLightandMagic #Netflix #KpopDemonHunters #GenAI #Animation #Manchester #MetaHuman #CosgroveHall #Epic

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A brand new golf concept has opened at Salford Quays, using cutting edge tracking technology so you can play regardless of the weather…

We speak to the man behind TeeClub, Nick Holmes, who puts us through our paces on the range and reveals how he’s played alongside a Ryder Cup player and beaten a Masters champion - not a bad claim to fame.

“We wanted to create something to bring the community together. I want people to feel comfortable, welcome and come back week after week.”

The cafe and bar on site means you could replace working from home, with working from the course. But don’t tell the boss…

#Golf #Trackman #SalfordQuays #TeeClub #RyderCup #Masters #DannyWillet #TommyFleetwood #Sport

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