Areas of special interest and/or knowledge that I’ve been able to draw upon for many of my programmes:
Film
I’ve got over three years’ experience writing, reviewing and making jokes about films and the industry, thanks to Taylor Newspapers, BBC Radio Oxford, BBC Berkshire and the Super Bailey Bros podcast.
I’m connected on the screening circuit and have both an analytical and ‘standard seat’ approach to film criticism.
Plus – I love it!
Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Friday evenings on BBC Radio Oxford covered Oxfordshire’s cultural scene between Aug 18-Sept 19 thanks to my weekly 3-hour arts programme.
My insightful but accessible interviews and clear advocacy for art, theatre, concerts and exhibitions across the county won me many endorsements.
Listen to a long-form interview with a local artist below, aiming to present the artist and her work as relatable and interesting for a general audience,
New Media
I’ve long been a champion of new media on and off-air, starting with my weekly radio feature ‘The New Media Review’ and ultimately culminating in my successful BBC programme pitch ‘The New Media Show’, which featured interviews with established and rising stars on youTube, podcasts, blogs, streaming services and other forms of new media.
My interviews showcased an intimate knowledge of the emerging field, having started my career in podcasting, and an obvious enthusiasm for its unique angles and opportunities.
Guests praised the programme’s original mandate and format, and it succeeded in drawing a new audience to BBC Radio.
In the end, I was unlucky (or too perceptive) and accidentally pre-empted a country-wide strategy from the BBC! The show was replaced by the only-just-too-similar ‘BBC Upload‘, rolled out to all BBC regions in Jan 2020, which I was asked to present.
Gaming & Game Music
I fell in love with games thanks to my SEGA Master System (Sonic, specifically!) and have been a composer, remixer and fan of game music for 16 years or so. Head to Music for a few remix snippets.
I worked to increase BBC Oxford’s gaming coverage while making Time Out with Laurie Bailey, having spotted that the expansion of the industry meant greater mainstream interest opportunities.
Alex Graham from BBC Solent & Jo Taylor from Rebellion Games contributed game reviews and industry news, aiming to make it accessible to BBC Oxford’s demographic (i.e. varying existing knowledge), and we had some fun with the coverage too – listen below for Alex & I running down his top games of 2018: