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Tymiah Ford

Broadcast Assistant

 

Tell us a bit about your role.

As a broadcast assistant, my role is to support the production teams of the shows, this can involve finding music to accompany a segment, or digging out clips from old interviews. There is also a post-production element to my role which includes sending out transcripts, clipping interviews for replays and editing podcasts like Matt Chorley’s Red Box Politics Podcast and Stories of our times.

What have you been up to so far?

I’ve been so fortunate at Times Radio because they’ve given me opportunities to work across many different production teams. Each show has its own target audience and unique flair.

What does an average day look like for you?

Part of my day involves sending out news lines from Times Radio interviews to the press. Typically, producers will ask me to help them out with finding a guest or writing questions for the quiz.

The station has started visualising some of its shows for online platforms. I help to get the guests set up on Zoom, making sure they’re placed well.  It’s been great to see Times Radio expand vastly in such a short time – I’m eager to see how we continue to evolve.

Why were you attracted to journalism/broadcasting?

During the lockdown, I rediscovered the joys of daytime television and it made me appreciate the value that journalists have in people’s lives.

When I was unemployed, tuning into the radio or watching the TV reassured me that there was still light in the world and that was comforting. I wanted to work in broadcasting to make content that could put a smile on someone’s face.

What were you doing before you joined News UK?

I was working part-time in a pub while completing my Philosophy degree!

What motivates you?

Trying to be better than I’ve been before. I like to be in competition with myself and to keep outdoing my previous work.

Instead of beating myself up about things that have gone wrong, I either examine it and try to learn from it or I simply move onto the next thing. There are no limits on what I can do and achieve. If something seems daunting at first, I know that eventually, I’ll be able to conquer it.

What are the biggest things you’ve learnt so far?

I’ve learnt that as a journalist, you have to be intentional about reading different newspapers, watching different news outlets and keeping up with pop culture, as well as remembering the names of the politicians and ambassadors.

I’ve learnt to not be afraid to reach out to people and ask them for a coffee! People at News UK are willing to share their experiences and give you guidance along the way. I’ve learnt about the importance of speaking up and not worrying about sounding stupid.

Tell us about your highlights on the job.

One of my biggest highlights has been booking a great guest for the show, or when I’ve written good questions on a topic that I’m passionate about.

In ten years, where do you see yourself?

I see myself living abroad, perhaps in Latin America where I’d be a correspondent for a network, writing my own column or blog.