Universally Challenged

New radio show helps students to get hands-on media experience

Radio production students from Stoke on Trent College are set to gain real life experience on a new comedy panel show.

The first pilot of Universally Challenged has been recorded by Potteries based comedian Chris Douglas at the college’s Performing Arts Centre.

Chris, from Norton, has devised a show which he describes as like “a handful of builders commenting on the news while having a tea break.”

Chris, a Director of YMCA North Staffordshire based Knot FM, is hoping to get the show broadcast on stations across the UK.

Students from the newly formed creative media production (radio) course at Stoke on Trent College will gain experience by helping to produce the show.

The college has recently set up the Signal Radio Media Academy which will give students the chance to study a Level 3 BTEC in radio production.

 “We will invite up and coming comedians to Stoke-on-Trent to perform on the show,” said Chris a member of the Manchester and West Midlands Comedy Forum.

“When I was exploring how to get the show recorded, the college’s recording studios at the Burslem campus were suggested.  The facilities are superb and the enthusiasm shown for the project by the college has been fantastic.”

Lee Beddow, from the Performing Arts team, said: “It was recently announced that we will be running a radio course from September and the agreement to work on this show will give students a real hands-on experience of radio production.”

Stoke on Trent College is working in conjunction with Signal Radio on the radio production BTEC course.

The curriculum will include work experience at Signal Radio, Stoke-on-Trent, alongside college tutorials and practical work.

The college is also offering a shorter Level One evening course for people who want a grounding in radio production.

For more information visit www.stokecollege.ac.uk, join us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/StokeonTrentCollege