University of Newcastle’s community radio station 2NURFM has received a national accolade for its news training program, which has helped launch the media careers of hundreds of students.
2NUR’s News Work Integrated Learning Program won the Excellence in Training Award at the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBBA) Radio Awards in December last year.
News Director at 2NURFM Ian Crouch said the Student News Program had been enormously successful in preparing aspiring journalists and producers for rewarding careers.
“We have developed a reputation for producing outstanding journalists who are job-ready,” Crouch said.
“In the past 12 months, several students have secured positions with ABC Radio, commercial radio and commercial television newsrooms, while others have gained employment in print and online media and other media organisations.
“It’s a joy and a privilege to guide and mentor so many wonderful young people, and it’s especially gratifying to see the Work Integrated Learning program recognised nationally in the 2021 CBAA Awards.”
2NUR began broadcasting in March 1978 and is funded by listener donations and sponsorship from businesses across Newcastle and the greater Hunter.
Its newsroom started in 2009 with three students providing local news bulletins up to three days per week.
Former radio journalist Ian Crouch joined in 2010 as news director while also leading the practical training program for students undertaking their communications degree at the University.
Since its conception, the number of students participating in the radio program has grown considerably – 48 in 2016, 39 in 2017 and a record 53 in 2018.
The university said 46 students participated in 2019, although conceded that numbers had dwindled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the program supporting 26 students in 2020 and 29 in 2021.
University of Newcastle Alumni Jessica Rouse and nominee for two Australian Commercial Radio Awards including Best Current Affairs Presenter and Best Talk Presenter said the training she received at 2NURFM was “second to none”.
“The difference between when I started and when I left in both my reading and writing was amazing,” Rouse said.
“I left that newsroom ready to work in any radio newsroom in the country equipped with all the skills I needed. I am now the news director at NewFM and 2HD.”
The alumni added that she learnt how to lead a newsroom under Ian’s Crouch’s mentorship and was trusted to act in his place when required.
“Everyone who mentions they’ve been through the newsroom at 2NURFM knows the great reputation of the newsroom training program and that they have been taught very well on how to chase, write and read news stories.”
The News Work Integrated Learning Program aims to give students a wide and varied experience as a radio journalist.
When undertaking training, students develop interview techniques, recording and editing skills and an ability to identify a story based on the needs of their listening audience.
They also learn to use the NewsBoss software program – the most widely used and regarded news preparation program in Australia.
Opportunities are offered for students to attend media conferences and do field reporting.
As their writing skills advance, they receive voice coaching to prepare them for news reading on air.
Students also publish work on the station’s online and social media platforms training them to get “job-ready”.
A former journalist at Central Coast Community News and UoN Alumni Jarrod Melmeth said taking part in the student volunteer program was the best thing he had done for his career and was forever grateful for the opportunities it had provided.
Information source: University of Newcastle