Josh Rom is a broadcast journalist based in London. He trained at City University of London specialising in Entertainment journalism. As a student, he was a member of Nottingham Student Television (NSTV) and won the Highly Commended Award for Light Entertainment at the 2015 NaSTA Awards.
Josh is an entertainment reporter at GB News. Before that he freelanced for a few companies including talkRADIO where he was involved in breaking entertainment news coverage, including 3 consecutive Oscar nights and Demi Lovato's overdose. He’s interviewed some of the biggest stars in the world one-on-one, including Samuel L.Jackson, Keira Knightley, Gillian Anderson and Reneé Zellweger. He’s also appeared on BBC News, Channel 5 News, MBC and more.
What University did you go to and what subject did you study?
I first studied Classical Civilisation at the University of Nottingham. After that I did a masters in Broadcast Journalism at City, University of London.
What Student TV Station were you a part of?
I was a part of NSTV (Nottingham Student Television). But I think for the record, it’s important to say we collaborated A LOT with Trent TV, I basically became an honorary member (although some may disagree, I did offer to pay a membership fee!). Also for the record, I did lots with URN (University Radio Nottingham) and Impact Magazine as well as contributing to FLY FM to. How I ended up getting a 2:1 is beyond me!
Why did you choose to get involved with Student TV?
Well, I used to present shows in my room to my laptop camera since the age of 13, so TV presenting has always been in the back of my mind. I grew up watching Entertainment News shows like E! News with Giuliana Rancic, Fashion Police with Joan Rivers and of course all the coverage from the award shows. I also grew up watching the likes of Richard Arnold and Fiona Phillips on GMTV sitting on my parents' bed before school and I knew I wanted to be like them. But also growing up, I thought I wanted to go into law - to be a barrister. To be frank, presenting a case in a courtroom to a judge, effectively putting on a show for trial purposes, doing plenty of research and reading, meeting clients and getting to know their story whilst grilling others on the stand really appealed to me – let's be honest, most of those are transferable presenting skills. So I came across the Student TV stand at Freshers Fair and then there came what I could only describe as a watershed/epiphany moment.
What was the highlight of your time involved with Student TV?
Obviously the first thing that comes to mind was when we won the Highly Commended Award for Light Entertainment in 2015. Varsity Ice Hockey brings back memories (I got a bud from an in-ear monitor stuck in my ear canal and so I was rushed to A&E!) but the more I think about it, I think the live launch of Series 2 of The Panel in my third year. Everyone from both stations was so incredibly passionate about the show and going into our second year doing a full series collaboration, we were taking the show in a slightly different direction and also down a fully LIVE route! It was also with a different exec producing team, out of the original team I was the last one left, I was now the oldest so it was like I leaving my Student TV parents! In the run-up to the show we filmed a really cool promo in the CBJ Studio (Centre of Broadcast and Journalism at Nottingham Trent University) and it was all really exciting. I didn’t sleep the night before and the show had a full 4 minute countdown clock before the show started. I will never forget that feeling sitting next to the Trent TV Host, Lydia and watching the clock go down, it was just so exciting.
How has Student TV helped you in your professional life?
It has helped me in so many ways. Without it, I would have never have gotten into my journalism Masters, and that then led to other things, which then led to other things. Student TV was the beginning of that chain. I know I sound like a university lecturer here but it really did give me the time to train and develop my craft, learn the basics, in a completely safe place where it was perfectly acceptable to make mistakes whilst also learning how to properly work with others in that sort of environment. I have also made incredible friends and we help each other professionally too!
What did you do after graduating?
Well straight after graduating, that weekend I did my last live show on NSTV that weekend! I know what you guys want here, so after graduating my Masters I went into the Showbiz News world. I did freelance red carpet reporting for BANG Showbiz during my Masters year, showing them my skills and I was given a lucky ‘In’ with talkRADIO from some of my Masters colleagues who were interning there. We've basically continued from there.
What do you do now?
I am a freelance Entertainment Broadcaster/Presenter, currently working as a Video Journalist/Presenter for BANG Showbiz and I’m on air on talkRADIO as their film correspondent. I’ve been so lucky to have interviewed some of the biggest stars on the red carpet such as Emma Thompson, Cate Blanchett, Jim Carrey, Robert Downey Jr, Emma Stone and have sat down one-on-one with the likes of Keira Knightley, Samuel L. Jackson and Bill Nighy. As an entertainment reporter I’ve also appeared on BBC News, Sky News, 5 News, MBC and more. I’ve also presented some online content for the Evening Standard and done some exciting other corporate things too. I’ve been very very very lucky!
What's been a highlight of your career so far?
I think the whole experience involving the film JUDY. I interviewed Renée Zellweger one-on-one for talkRADIO. I got 10 minutes with her (which might not sound like much but for film junkets the slots are usually 3-5 minutes!) I was also supposed to only have 5 but we were both enjoying the interview so much that the publicists never cut me off! That NEVER happens. I also never know if something I’ve done is good but I had a good niggle feeling about this one. She was just amazing to be around, a genuine sweetheart and one of my all time favourite actresses as she is SO versatile. After the interview one of the publicists from the PR Agency looking after the film called it “The interview of the press tour!”. I WAS SHOCKED! The audio for the interview was used on 3 different shows on talkRADIO as well as the news bulletins. Then it was picked up by The Mail Online. Then the studio decided to use a quote from my review on the DVD cover for the movie. Then Renée won the Leading Actress Oscar for that role. That feeling on Oscar night, when I was covering it on-air, knowing I interviewed an academy award winning actress in the year and for the role she won the award for was just incredible, a true dream come true. I cried. That whole experience working on that movie was pure magic and I dream of having it again.
What would you say to someone who is currently part of a NaSTA Station and is due to graduate soon?
Three things.
1.) Be Nice to everyone even if they aren’t to you.
2.) Don’t look at other peoples best work at night like showreels. Don’t compare your progress to others, it will only make you feel worse about yourself for no reason when you are your own person.
3.) NEVER GIVE UP. I have always been a believer that if you are prepared to work your arse off and fight for what you want then you can do anything. I feel silly giving this advice myself because I know I have a lot of learning and growing to do and for me I’m only just starting to scratch the surface. But It’s true, keep fighting, we all have LONG journeys ahead.
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