Work experience - Preston FM/BBC Radio Lancashire Workshop

As part of my connection to Preston FM I was invited to an interactive workshop run by managing editor of BBC Radio Lancashire, John Clayton.
The focus on the workshop was improving presenting technique.
The main points of which were:
Being yourself
enjoying what you do and emulating it
Identifying the listener *
making it personal to the listener *
making it seem effortless

* I say listener, as one of the main points made was that as a presenter you should only present to 1 person.

I found the workshop informative and useful even though there wasn't a great deal of content.
The points raised were relevant and I hope to take them on board when developing my own presenting style.

Following on from this workshop I sourced a copy of Peter Stewart's book 'Essential radio skills - How to present and produce a radio show' in my local library. In the book he lists the qualities a radio presenter should have:

• Adaptability
• Confidence and friendliness
• Courtesy
• Good personality
• Humour
• Lots of interests*

*'The more things you can do outside work; be it seeing family and friends,keeping fit,reading,cooking,going to the cinema or theatre - whatever - the more your life will feed your work,and the more interesting your work will be. If you live,eat and breathe radio then you're probably doing it wrong. All you have to do is love it and work hard at it.'

 Francis Currie,programme director,Heart 106.2, The radio magazine 3 July 2004.

• Sociable
• Talkability
• Team Worker
• Well organised
• Be yourself*

'The listener can tell if you're bullshitting,

they can hear it in your voice.'

Jono Coleman, Presenter BBC London 94.9,

Radio academy event 2005