What University did you go to and what subject did you study?
I went to Cardiff University where I studied English literature, followed by a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism.
What Student TV Station were you apart of?
CUTV
Why did you choose to get involved with Student TV?
There wasn’t a TV station at Cardiff University, and a couple of us who were absolutely mad about student radio and the newspaper had dreams of expanding the student media experience. I had seen how other universities in the UK and the US had opportunities for students to make TV, and we had a really supportive student union which gave us money and a small room to get started.
What was the highlight of your time involved with Student TV?
As we were a new station, nothing will ever beat the experience of seeing our very first programmes come together and go live online.
How has Student TV helped you in your professional life?
It taught me so many skills that I still use today. As well as the technical learning curve, it also gave me a huge loyalty towards the outlets I work for, and a real respect to the teams who help to make programmes come on air. I suppose it also made me far more comfortable at being thrown into the deep end, dealing with broken equipment and managing delicate egos!
What did you do after graduating?
After graduating in 2009 I joined the London bureau of Bloomberg TV, the rolling news channel, where I trained as a producer. Soon afterwards I gained a place on a BBC talent pool, which eventually secured me a job at BBC Wales in 2010.
What do you do now?
Since 2012 I have been the arts and media correspondent for BBC Wales’s TV, radio and online news services.
What's been a highlight of your career so far?
I’ve had some pinch-me moments in this job, from meeting icons like Sir Tom Jones and Dame Shirley Bassey, to travelling to Venice, Sweden and Argentina in pursuit of stories.
What would you say to someone who is currently part of a NaSTA Station and is due to graduate soon?
Keep in touch with your station colleagues. It’s remarkable how many former CUTV members I bump into at industry events, as well as friends from other student media who are now in great jobs at broadcasters and publishers around the world. And when you’re looking for work, the big beasts aren’t always the best places to start. Smaller outfits, where you get a chance to do everything, can offer a much better place to hone your skills than a big broadcaster where the dreaded tea-round might be your main responsibility.
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