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Lecturers’ BAFTA role A
SENIOR lecturer at the University helped choose the winner of the Best TV Presenter at the BAFTA Children’s Awards. Dr Kathryn Wolfe, Television Production Course Leader and Senior Lecturer in Media Performance, was part of the ‘jury’ which selected Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes of Sam and Mark’s Big Friday Windup for the prize – announced by Myleene Klass at London’s Hilton Park Lane, and hosted by Jake Humphrey. Other members on the TV Presenter jury included children’s presenters Dave Benson Phillips, Michael Absalom, and Children’s TV Producers Peter Wyles, Steve Cannon and Kaz Margrie. “Our jury role was to reduce the shortlist of 11 Children’s TV Presenters to four nominations,
and then a secret vote to choose the winner,” said Kathryn, whose director credits include BBC’s Tweenies, Teletubbies, Record Breakers, Jackanory and Playschool, as well as Fun Factory for Sky and pre-school programmes for The Children’s Channel. The jury spent hours analysing performances and shows, debating and assessing. Their votes were kept a secret until the ceremony, so even Dr Wolfe didn’t know who won until the golden envelope was opened. “It was a rigorous and difficult process, but great fun too. I was very honoured to be part of the process,” said Dr Wolfe, who was also on a panel at an event for women in media. Organised by Sound Women – a national organisation to help promote women in radio and
Dr Kathryn Wolfe Photo: BAFTA/ Richard Kendal
audio jobs – the evening at BBC New Broadcasting House was aimed to help women apply for, and be successful at, industry and indie awards. Currently, women make up more than half of the population,
but aren’t equally represented in the audio industries in terms of employability and accolade. According to Sound Women’s research (in conjunction with Creative Skillset), only one in five solo voices on-air are female.
Sam Nixon and Mark Rhodes, with Myleene Klass. Photo: BAFTA/Richard Kendal
Mentorn return for student Q&A 04 Life – January 2014
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HE TV production company which brought Freshers to our screens were back at the University last month as they held a Q&A with Broadcast Journalism students. Mentorn Media’s Director of Factual, Tayte Simpson, and Freshers Series Producer, Paul Durgan, were put to the test by the students who asked the experts about why they chose Bedfordshire –
above other universities – for the documentary. The students were also keen to find out more about the other programmes Mentorn make (such as Question Time), how they market to different audiences, and how Mentorn gets its programmes commissioned and on screen. Tayte said he was delighted to return back to the University and to meet more students.
“Bedfordshire were so good to us while we were filming, so it is really great to return and give something back to the students.” Dr Paul Rowinksi, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, added: “The students benefitted a great deal from the visit. They seemed particularly interested in hearing how the commissioning process works, and how much you actually have to do to get a programme on air.”