College News

QE Students Make Headlines with Executive Producer of Gogglebox

Two experienced players in TV, radio and print came to QE to share their expertise with students hoping to forge a career in the media industry. Executive producer and BAFTA award winner Tania Alexander, (Gogglebox, Shipwrecked, Undercover Boss & Seven Days) delivered a TV production workshop along with Phil Alexander, an editor, broadcaster, presenter and producer, who also worked with Media Studies students as part of the interactive training day arranged by course leader Jodie Freeman. “The students benefitted hugely from the opportunity to work with Tania and Phil, both of whom have had incredibly successful careers in the TV and magazine industries respectively,” said Jodie. “It gave them an in-depth insight into how to get their ideas noticed and commissioned by senior industry professionals, which will prove invaluable to their course work and especially if they choose to pursue a career in media.” 

“The media landscape is changing and the students we worked with at QE have a completely different understanding of the digital world, they can bring new perspectives and fresh ideas” Alexander said. “Despite many changes in the industry over the years, what remains consistent is that people with passion and good ideas, who believe in those ideas and themselves, are able to produce great content that can be enjoyed by large audiences. ”

While 12 QE students attended Tania’s workshops on TV development and production, casting and creative content, a further nine students worked with Phil on magazine editorial content. Phil – the former Editor-In-Chief of MOJO, Q and Planet Rock who helped transform Kerrang! magazine into a multi-media brand by launching the Kerrang! Awards, Kerrang! Radio and Kerrang! TV – helped students look at ways to apply traditional ‘magazine craft’ to the modern world. He said: “There has been a convergence of media in a number of ways, but while magazines have lost readership and distribution, the ideas and the power – the editorial principals – remain the same. Teaching young students ways to work in the new media age is really rewarding.”

Students said the workshops were ‘inspiring’ and helped them gain confidence in their own ideas. Roan McGrath, 16, from Darlington, who is studying Business, Textiles and Media Studies, added: “We were able to pitch ideas and get really helpful feedback to then critically assess our original concepts and refine our ideas to create something with substance and potential.” Jodie added: “These workshops were a fantastic and rare opportunity for QE students and we really appreciate Tania and Phil giving up their time to work with us.”