The BBC Academy Podcast

Guests: Jude Winstanley, creator of The Unit List, Shu Richmond, author of blog, So You Want to Work in Television, Elsa Sharp, talent manager, & BBC talent manager Sarah Grout.

Amanda Lyon hosts a talk with Simon Chinn, producer of acclaimed film Man on Wire. Simon talks about his latest film Project Nim, a feature length documentary telling the controversial story of a chimp raised as a human child.

Simon Smith is joined by three experts in live TV and radio. Jo Tongue, executive producer of football phone-in 606 on Radio 5 live, Gareth Collett, deputy editor of The One Show and Lambing Live series producer Sarah Gibbs discuss what makes a great live broadcast and how to avoid the pitfalls.

How do producers find the right guests for their shows? And having got them on board what techniques do they use to get the most from them whether they are out-and-out exhibitionists, amateur chefs or vulnerable young people? To discuss casting contributors with Simon Smith is Izzy Fairbairn, a broadcast journalist and documentary maker for Radio 1 and 1Xtra, Jon Lloyd, series producer of Come Dine with Me and Claire Faragher, series producer (series 1) and executive producer (series 2) of ITV’s The Only Way Is Essex.

How do producers persuade people to share their lives and secrets with the cameras? Jane Clancey discusses access with Roger Courtiour, producer of the recent Our War series on BBC Three, Steve Robinson series producer and creative director at Indus Films whose documentaries include Tribe with presenter Bruce Parry and Andrew Tait a BBC producer who’s been responsible for such works as Trouble in Amish Paradise and Leaving Amish Paradise.

What can broadcasters do to make the best use of YouTube? Jane Clancey talks to Jamie Dolling from Google, the owners of YouTube, and the BBC’s Oran Soffair who adapts and publishes BBC content on YouTube.

Simon Smith and guests discuss location, location, location: finding them, getting access to them and balancing the dreams of your director against the reality of your budget. Guests are Andrew Cooke, Jane Soans and Neil Mac.

In this special edition of the CoP Show we talk to the producers behind the BBC Three documentary series Our War. Donna Taberer joins Colin Barr, executive producer of the show and John Douglas, producer/director of episode two, to discuss how they set about bringing the series to the screen.

The pleasures and pitfalls of using personal social media if you work in the media. Joining Simon Smith are Steve Bowbrick, Editor of About the BBC, Rowan Kerek Robertson, Interactive Lead, Social Media Exec for BBC Vision and Steve Saul, writer and social media producer.

Guests are Melanie Leach, M.D. at Twofour Broadcast, Richard Shaw, head of development + exec producer at Lion Television and Victoria Ashbourne, M.D. at Victory Television.

A simple definition of transmedia storytelling is a technique used to tell stories across multiple platforms: TV, radio, games, social media, online - anywhere a story can unfold.

To discuss the dos and don'ts of tapeless production, Jane Clancey is joined by Emma Riley of Mentorn and Sunset & Vine, Donna Mulvey Jones from Maverick Television and the BBC's production innovation executive, Rachel Joseph.

Jane Clancey and guests tackle the subject of Visualising Radio, explaining the why and how of this intriguing area.

Simon Smith and guests with some practical advice on using user centred design techniques. When designing a website or product for the web, a game or interactive application it’s very easy to think about your needs and not those of your users. In this episode we look at user focused design or how to make sure that what you build really works for the people you are making it for.

What are the differences between a digital team and a traditional broadcast team? What kind of skills and people do you need to build successful digital products?

With Simon Smith to discuss building the perfect digital production team are guests Paul Bennun, director of digital at Somethin' Else, Dan Heaf, digital director BBC Worldwide Ltd and Katherine Campbell, senior content producer of Radio 4's History of the World.

Simon Smith and guests discuss the practical techniques that content producers can use to build audiences. They look at examples of good social media practice, how to find your audience and then connect with the people who will influence them. Also under discussion is viral marketing, what works, what practical steps can be taken to make your content go viral and how to plan for when it all goes wrong.

Simon is joined by Caragh Salisbury, editor of the BBC’s user acquisition team, Marie Corin, senior marketing executive for 4oD and Chris Quigley from Rubber Republic, a specialist in viral marketing and social media advertising.

Simon Smith brings us his report on transmedia storytelling from South by Southwest (SXSW), the annual music, film and interactive conference and festival held in Austin, Texas.

A mobile application, or app, is a downloadable piece of software that allows rich interaction with services and content via your mobile phone. As well as being complex and useful, apps can also be stupid, silly and fun. In this week’s CoP Show the rapidly growing mobile apps market is put under the microscope as host Simon Smith asks why you should or shouldn’t think about creating an app.

Magnus Jern, managing director and founder of Golden Gekko Ltd, a developer of mobile marketing apps, Jessica Gwyther, global content manager for the Vodafone group and Mark Bamber from the BBC mobile applications team join Simon in the Academy studio.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is used to improve the visibility of a website or web page in search engines via the 'natural' or unpaid search results. Very few of us look beyond the first few results we get from a search engine. The higher a site appears in the search results list, the more likely we are to click on it.

So what are the tricks of the trade that content publishers use to lift pages higher in search results? To answer this question Simon Smith is joined by Duncan Bloor, a BBC search specialist; Jo Pham, a BBC producer and Doug Platts, head of natural search at iCrossing, a digital agency specialising in search.

Exactly what it is that makes a podcast a podcast? What does it offer content producers and how does a format that allows fans to subscribe and download audio onto their portable device somehow change or influence the way a podcast episode is put together? Joining Simon Smith in the studio are Helen Zaltzman and Olly Mann from the award-winning Answer Me This! comedy podcast; Andy Jones, Radio 2 and 6 Music’s podcast guru; and Jamillah Knowles presenter of Radio 5 live’s Outriders technology podcast.

In this CoP Show we look at Twitter, the microblogging service used worldwide by an estimated 190 million users. Simon Smith hosts the discussion on how Twitter can influence programmes and brands, what it offers and how to do it better. Joining him is champion of Twitter and Father Ted creator Graham Linehan; journalist Alex Hudson who looks after BBC Question Time's Twitter feed; and comedy writer Steve Saul more famous as the Twitter voice of the X-Factor.

Blogs have been used by TV and Radio programme teams to offer an insight into the production process, to add extra information for audiences and offer an immediate and responsive means of getting feedback via the comments on posts. They are easy to use, ubiquitous and inherently a part of the world of web 2.0. But all too often things don’t always go the way you want, the wrong tone, the wrong message, and poor moderation can often lead to disaster, sometimes very public disaster. So how can you make sure that a blog is a good addition to your programme, and if it is, how should you get the best from it? To answer this question Simon is joined by Jem Stone, Dan Biddle and Barry Pilling, who are all at the heart of the BBC’s blogging success.

As large percentages of younger audiences come to podcasts via YouTube, we ask, is video the new audio?

The line between video and podcasts has become blurry in recent years. It's getting harder to say that a podcast is an ‘audio only’ thing. People have been uploading video recordings of their podcasts for years. But what is a ‘video podcast’ - and how do you make a great one? And what about the purists who say, if you don’t have an RSS feed - it’s not a podcast?

To help us answer this puzzle, we speak to Alison Lomax, Managing Director, YouTube UK & Ireland and the BBC’s Head of Visualisation, Joe Harland.

You can view the visualisation edition of this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUexDfHP2DI

In this episode of Podcastology, we’ll discover some of the ground-breaking new formats pushing the boundaries of what podcasts can do. Often, these innovations come from voices and communities who don’t always get heard. We find out who they are, and how they are taking podcasts in exciting new directions.

We’re joined by Nicky Birch, who is the Editorial Executive for new formats in BBC Sounds, and Jesse Lawson, a multi award-winning freelance audio producer, sound designer and community facilitator who makes very innovative podcasts with a vast array of young people and previously unheard voices.

What are the magic ingredients judges are looking for - and do they even exist?? Well, yes, according to awards judges. But how do you quantify them? And what do you need to think about if you are setting out to make an outstanding podcast?

We’re joined by people who know the answers to some of these questions: Tomi Dixon, who won ‘best new podcast’ at the Arias, for Colouring In Britain, and Talia Randall, who won silver at The British Podcast Awards in the Environment category, and the Sustainability Award at the 2023 Audio Production Awards, for Blossom Trees and Burnt out Cars. We’re also joined by Hannah Hufford - who is a podcast development producer at BBC Audio and was a judge at The British Podcast Awards.

This sounds like a contradiction - after all, you can listen to podcasts anywhere, and the most successful podcasts have a universal appeal. But, all stories come from somewhere, and as we discover, being rooted in a local patch can bring a real richness to your podcast. There is also a growing trend for podcasts which grow from a local community.

We speak to award-winning podcast makers who know what it means to tell local stories: Andy Whittaker, a Sony award-winning radio host and podcast presenter based in Nottinghamshire, and Zoe Chamberlain, producer and presenter of the Brummie Mummies podcast. We’re also joined by Chris Burns, who is Controller of Local Audio for BBC Local and in charge of the 39 Local Radio stations in England.

We’ll look at where the medium is now, and where we think it's headed. We consider the future of podcasting, and what's coming next. What does the growing Gen Z audience want? Can technology make listening a more personal, tailored experience? Will your next podcast be presented by a bot?

With some geeky language around ‘personalisation tools’ and the effect of artificial intelligence, we gaze into the future with Aniruddh Dimri, BBC Sound’s Head of Product, Cat Agostinho, Co-Director of Imagen Insights, who researches the Gen Z audience, and the Editor of Pod News, James Cridland.

This podcast tackles sensitive and distressing subject matter, including discussion about extremist groups, suicide bombings, chemical attacks and trauma.

You don't have to directly visit a traumatic scene to be affected by it. Vicarious trauma affects those viewing or hearing disturbing material or hearing second-hand the testimonies of those directly affected by a traumatic incident.

In this podcast the BBC's Chief Medical Officer Dr Clare Fernandes speaks to journalist Abdirahim Saeed, who works for the BBC Monitoring Team which monitors and verifies social media to pull into the BBC's reporting.

You'll learn: • what vicarious trauma is • where it can affect colleagues in the BBC, including the types of roles and subject matter • how to safeguard your health, including limiting exposure to trauma and coping mechanisms • how to support and protect your colleagues • where to turn to for help

Abdirahim talks about what he's seen when covering extremist incidents, including ISIS and Al Qaida attacks and the war in Syria, how it's affected him and how he limits the effects of vicarious trauma on his mental health.

This episode is part of a series focussing on wellbeing and mental health. Further episodes can be found by searching for the BBC Academy podcast on BBC Sounds.

A transcript of this podcast is available on the episode's programme page.

Although aimed primarily at BBC staff, the advice is useful for all those working in journalism, current affairs or other parts of the media industry who may come into contact with victims of trauma or view upsetting material.

Help and support If you've been affected by what you've heard in this podcast, please search for support on the BBC Action Line website. You may also wish to contact NHS services, such as your GP.

BBC Staff can talk to their team leader, contact a peer supporter or call the Employee Assistance Programme - details are on Gateway.

Useful resources can be found on the BBC Headroom website and, for BBC staff, by searching 'wellbeing' on Gateway.

Credits The podcast was presented by Dr Clare Fernandes and produced by Kasel Kundola.

Production support was from Helena Lyons.

Exec producers for the BBC Academy were Ben Toone, Zoey Glasgow and Kirstie Andrews.

When our mental health is fragile at work it can often be difficult to know who to talk to, where to get help or just find someone to listen without judgement.

It can be helpful to talk to someone who understands the pressures of the work environment but isn't necessarily a close friend or team member. At the BBC, this role is fulfilled by members of the Peer Support Network.

In this podcast the BBC's Chief Medical Officer Dr Clare Fernandes talks to peer supporter and South-East Today Presenter Natalie Graham.

You'll learn about: - how peer supporters can support mental health difficulties, including anxiety, depression, stress or crisis situations in work - what a BBC peer supporter is - and what they're not - other support available at the BBC, including the Employee Assistance programme

A transcript is available on the programme page for this podcast.

This episode is part of the BBC Academy series on wellbeing and mental health in the workplace.

Though this podcast is aimed at BBC staff, you might find some of the content helpful if you work, or would like to work, elsewhere in the broadcast media industry.

Help and support BBC Staff can find out more about peer support by searching for 'peer support' on Gateway.

You can find further mental health and wellbeing resources by searching for BBC Headroom and listening to further episodes in this series on the BBC Academy podcast feed on BBC Sounds.

If you're outside of the BBC and need immediate help please contact the BBC Action Line or Samaritans. Staff can contact the Employee Assistance Programme by searching for it on Gateway.

Credits The podcast was presented by Dr Clare Fernandes and produced by Kasel Kundola.

Production support was from Helena Lyons. Exec producers for the BBC Academy were Ben Toone, Zoey Glasgow and Kirstie Andrews.

How comfortable are you talking about the menopause at work?

Given that 70% of those going through menopausal changes are employed and one in ten of those under 45 have symptoms, chances are a colleague or a member of your team may be experiencing it right now.

In this episode, part of the Academy series on wellbeing and mental health in the workplace, the BBC’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Clare Fernandes speaks to content producer and BBC menopause champion Justine Bateson.

Justine talks about her experiences of perimenopause, how it affected her physical and mental health and about the support she received working at the BBC.

In this podcast you’ll learn: • insights into the menopause, including common symptoms and how it can affect your mental health • how to get support for yourself, a colleague or a member of your team • the importance of sensitive line management • the types of support available at the BBC, including Support at Work and the Women at the BBC staff network

This episode is aimed primarily at BBC staff, especially team leaders, but is beneficial for all.

You can find more on the topic of mental health and wellbeing by searching for this series on the BBC Academy podcast feed on BBC Sounds.

Help and support BBC Staff can find further help and advice by searching ‘menopause’ on Gateway.

All listeners can find support on the NHS website.

There’s more content on wellbeing and mental health on BBC Headroom, as well as other podcasts in this series..

A transcript is available on the programme page for this podcast.

Credits The podcast was presented by Dr Clare Fernandes and produced by Kasel Kundola.

Production support was from Helena Lyons. Exec producers for the BBC Academy were Ben Toone, Zoey Glasgow and Kirstie Andrews.

Never forget your audience is there. On occasion you can use them to your advantage to challenge the position of an interviewee. In this minipod, BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker explains how the audience can be your invisible fan club. This is the sixth in a series of minipods on Interviewing where Julian shares his expertise to take your interviewing skills to the next level.

Dur 17’06”

Forensic listening allows you to respond to your interviewees’ questions and delve deeper into the story, peeling back the layers of an argument as you do so. In this Minipod, BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker, gives the low-down on digging into the detail. This is the fifth in a series of Minipods on Interviewing where Julian shares his expertise to take your interviewing skills to the next level.

Dur 13’10”

A confident interviewer needn’t ask long questions. Be curious and wear your knowledge lightly. In this minipod BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker, talks about how to frame your questions and to know when to hold back. This is the third in a series of minipods on Interviewing where Julian shares his expertise to take your interviewing skills to the next level.

Dur 13’05”

If you’ve done your research the chances are that you’ll already have a rough idea of what your interviewee is going to say. In this minipod, BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker shares his tips on how to prepare for what your interviewee might say. This is the fourth in a series of minipods on Interviewing where Julian shares his expertise to take your interviewing skills to the next level.

Dur 11’45”

Pay attention! Listening really carefully to your interviewee can give you the clues you need to unlock whole new areas for discussion. BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker shows how really paying attention can pay off. This is the second in a series of minipods on Interviewing where Julian shares his expertise to take your interviewing skills to the next level.

Dur 11’38”

Want to be a more confident interviewer and get the best from your interviewees? BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker shows how focusing on what you want from an interview can make all the difference. This is the first in a series of minipods on Interviewing where Julian shares his expertise to take your interviewing skills to the next level.

Dur 9’21”

Good writing connects you to your listeners, grabs their attention and makes them remember your story.

BBC Academy trainer, Sam Upton, shares some tips to take your writing to the next level.

This is the fourth in a series of minipods on audio storytelling, where Sam shares some insider tricks and tips that'll help enhance your podcast, montage or radio package.

Dur 8’40” Produced and presented by Sam Upton.

Let your listener experience what’s happening, as it happens, and give extra magic to your storytelling with a stand-up.

Academy trainer, Sam Upton, explains how the stand-up can lend your piece an extra dimension.

This is the fourth in a series of minipods on audio storytelling, where Sam shares some insider tricks and tips that'll help enhance your podcast, montage or radio package.

Dur 8’37” Produced and presented by Sam Upton.

When you’re tell a story on location, do all you can to take your listener with you.

In this minipod, BBC Academy trainer, Sam Upton, shares tips for using writing, sound and stand-ups to give that vital sense of place to your podcast or radio package.

This is the third in a series of minipods where Sam shares some insider tricks and tips that'll help enhance your audio storytelling.

Dur 8’01” Produced and presented by Sam Upton.

If you don’t use sound to help tell your audio story you make it easier for your listener to “tune out”.

Sound can give detail, create atmosphere, act as punctuation, vary texture and more. But how much sound is enough?

Listen to find out as BBC Academy audio trainer, Sam Upton, explores the many ways that sound can supercharge your podcast or radio package.

This is the second in a series of minipods where Sam shares some insider tricks and tips that'll help enhance your audio storytelling.

Dur 9’46” Produced and presented by Sam Upton.

Want to bring stardust to your audio storytelling?

In this minipod BBC Academy trainer Sam Upton shares some insider tricks and tips that'll help enhance your radio package, montage or podcast.

In this first episode Sam explains how planning your piece can give extra depth to your story.

With examples from some of the best in the business she digs deep into the elements which, if used carefully, can make your story stand out from the crowd.

It’s not just who you talk to but where you talk to them. And sound really matters.

Dur 9’35”

Produced and presented by Sam Upton.

How audience insights can guide your podcast planning

The backstage technical wizardry that brings your podcast to your ear

How to talk about politics – and entertain as well

Eli Sessions talks to Louise Kattenhorn, commissioning executive for the BBC pop hub network, Lloyd Shepherd, Head of Product at BBC Sounds, and Emmanuella Kwenorty, who develops podcasts for BBC Sounds. Where do they think the world of podcasts is heading, and how is technology changing the way we listen?

In this episode Eli Sessions finds out how to keep conversations natural, with Hannah Hufford, producer of No Country for Young Women, and Sally Heaven, who produces Evil Genius.

In this episode Eli Sessions looks at those beautifully crafted podcasts that tell dramatic stories in depth. He speaks to Rami Tzaber, the editor behind 13 Minutes to the Moon – which told the story of the moon landing in intimate detail – and the commissioner who made it happen, Jon Manel, the BBC World Service’s commissioning editor for podcasts.

In the first of a five-part series on podcasting, Miranda explains:

- what makes podcasts distinct from radio programmes - how the role of the presenter is different from that on radio - the typical situation of the listener – on a commute, listening through headphones - how to create a different relationship between listener and programme-maker

In part two of our podcasting series, hear from Jason Phipps, commissioning editor for podcasts at the BBC, and Louise Kattenhorn, commissioning editor for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.

Georgia Catt is a producer in BBC radio documentaries, who has made an award-winning podcast, Missing, for the Untold series. She also produced Fortunately with Fi Glover and Jane Garvey.

Emma Conneely is a producer in the BBC’s podcast team, responsible for getting podcasts published and promoted.

Georgia says that although she hates poor sound quality on a podcast, you can still get a good recording using a smartphone – but be aware of the kinds of background sounds you could pick up that can be annoying for the listener.

Promoting a podcast can mean anything from creating an audiogram – a clip from the podcast to promote on social media - to making other digital assets such as quizzes or articles to place online and draw attention to the podcast.

According to Rhian, promotion at the start of other podcasts “really delivers figures”. But it depends on “generosity” between podcast producers who are willing to help each other with cross-promotions.

There’s also the possibility of a podcast takeover – which is when a podcast feed directs listeners to a different podcast for a short time.

The presenters of a podcast are also an asset when it comes to promotion. Their social media presence and appearance on other media can raise awareness and drive audiences.

This episode of the Podcastology series includes a discussion about You, Me and the Big C. We recorded it before the death of Rachael Bland.

Although the first podcast featured in this episode is about sports – but ranges much wider than that – and the second is about cancer, for Mike, what unites the two ideas is that the relationship between the presenters is the key.

With Andrew Flintoff and his co-presenters Robbie Savage and Matthew Syed, Mike said he was confident about the project as soon as the three first talked together: “We sat outside a studio and within less than five minutes, I knew this was going to be amazing.”

The three presenters of the cancer podcast, Rachael Bland, Deborah James and Lauren Mahon, knew each other online before the podcast, but had never actually met in person until they recorded together.

When it comes to duration Mike is unapologetic about publishing podcasts that last an hour or more: “If the content’s good, why do you want to cut it down?” he explains.

What production kit should you take when producing radio content in the field?

Join BBC Academy trainer Sam Upton and newsgathering field producer Tom Quinn as they talk about what sort of equipment you need for radio production in the field.

In this podcast you’ll find everything from:

- what type of kit bag to use - which digital recorder and microphones works best - which apps and audio editing software you need - which cables, batteries and extra kit will be handy to take

BBC Three's new comedy Man Like Mobeen has made a big impact through social media. BBC Birmingham director Joe Godwin spoke to executive producer Ben Cavey, as well as star and co-writer Guz Khan, to find out about the making of the programme.

Man Like Mobeen is set in Small Heath, Birmingham. The production team felt it was important to film in, and cast from, the local community to give the show an authentic feel. The programme set out to tackle negative media representations and give a voice to an often under-represented community.

The four-part series tackles a number of challenging issues, such as clashes between the Muslim community and the alt-right. These themes clearly suit BBC Three's core ambitions: make you think, make you laugh, give you a voice.

In this podcast you'll learn:

- how to develop a comedy character from scratch - about different ways to break into TV comedy production - why it's important for the media to reflect a diverse range of backgrounds and identities - how Guz used YouTube to build a comedy career whilst working as a humanities teacher in Coventry

The BBC Two drama The Boy with the Topknot was based on a true story. That made the jobs of its writer, producer and director all the more complicated as they worked with actors, commissioners and those who are represented on screen.

The 90 minute film the Boy with the Topknot, shown on BBC Two, was eight years in the making. It was adapted from a memoir by the journalist Sathnam Sanghera about his upbringing in Wolverhampton and relations as an adult with his family.

Jessica Dromgoole asked Sathnam Sanghera, the film’s producer Nisha Parti and its director Lynsey Miller about how the film was made and how their work was affected by its portraying living people – including Sathnan and his parents.

The podcast presents highlights from a recent event at BBC Birmingham chaired by Jessica Dromgoole, a BBC drama editor.

It's been running continuously since 1951, comes in 12 and a half minute episodes and was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk". It's sandwiched between bursts of the unforgettable Barwick Green theme (dum de dum de dum de dum; dum de dum de dum dum).

The Archers is a national institution. BBC Birmingham, where it's produced, recently held an Archers weekend, so that fans could find out more about the series. As part of it, at an event in the Archers recording studio, an audience heard from two actors, a writer and a producer on the series about their jobs and a wealth of interesting details about the how the series is made.

This BBC Academy podcast presents highlights from the event, where you'll hear about

- how the Archers is written - the invention of the character of Rob - how Lilian and Justin's bedroom scenes are recorded - how the child actor playing Henry never knew about the disturbing scene between Rob and Helen that he was part of

Taking part were actors Sunny Ormonde and Simon Williams, writer Tim Stimpson and producer Kim Greengrass.

Daytime television was once thought of as the nursery slopes of a TV career. Today its complex formats and production requirements are seen by many as more challenging than peak-time programming.

“You will learn more making a daytime show than any other.”– Rachel Innes-Lumsden

Smaller teams, smaller budgets and tighter schedules mean there’s little room for error. That makes a daytime production team a well-oiled machine where everyone knows their job.

Street Auction (above) and Dom on the Spot are two BBC One daytime series that were given the green light by commissioning editor Lindsay Bradbury. Alongside Lindsay in this week’s podcast are Julia Foot, series producer of Street Auction, and Rachel Innes-Lumsden, executive producer from the independent production company TwoFour which makes Dom on the Spot

In this podcast you’ll learn:

- the pros and cons of working on daytime programmes - the daytime TV production process - the relationship between commissioning editors and programme producers - the schedules for daytime productions

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

In an era where fake news is fashionable, data can help distinguish the facts from the fiction. But how do you interrogate a spreadsheet and hold the data to account? And how can journalists use data to find stories?

The BBC has placed the "interrogation of data" at the heart of its annual plan for 2017/18 and subsequent three-year strategy. Around 12 new staff are being recruited, including data journalists, data scientists, developers, designers, a cartographer, and a first head of statistics who will start in August 2017.

Data is clearly becoming an increasingly important storytelling tool. But is data journalism new? And is it a specialist skill or can anyone do it?

In this podcast you will learn:

- the skills you need to be a data journalist - what makes a good data story - if you need to know how to code or be good at maths to create stories - how 'scripting' can be useful when working with data - how long it takes to learn the spreadsheet skills you need to work on data stories - how quickly you can go from idea to publication

"I really hope that sometime in the future we drop the term 'data journalism' because it's just journalism" – Helena Bengtsson

Presenter Daniel Wainwright of the BBC England Data Unit is joined by BBC data journalism editor John Walton, Guardian data projects team editor Helena Bengtsson and Paul Bradshaw who leads the new MA in Data Journalism at Birmingham City University.

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

With more and more cyber-attacks in the headlines, including this year's NHS attack, BBC Information security specialist Andrea Walker and BBC News technology broadcast journalist Chris Foxx cut through the jargon to show you how to defend yourself against online threats.

"We have to keep our information safe so we're not letting other people know where our children are, or our bank details, or where we're going on holiday."– Andrea Walker

In this podcast you'll learn about:

- the significance of cyber-security - the different types of online risks - spotting hazards - protecting your social media

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

The BBC wants more women to apply for engineering jobs but the advice given at a recent BBC Design & Engineering event could be useful to everyone.

In this podcast you’ll hear:

- what it’s like to work at the BBC - tips on how to approach a job application - thoughts about changing career direction and goals - specific advice for women

The question-and-answer session was chaired by Rebecca Salsbury, interim director of platform in BBC Design & Engineering. The panel included:

- Frances McNamara executive product manager at iPlayer - Sareh Heidari, a software engineer in BBC News Products & Systems - Murray Fortescue, head of architecture and engineering for Audience Platform - Dave Walters, head of product, systems and services for BBC TV, Radio & Archives

As Sareh Heidari said at the event, “almost pretty much whatever you’re interested in, there’s probably a role for you here at the BBC”.

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

Virtual reality (VR) and 360 video are the new cool kids on the media block but how will this impact media organisations? Over the past couple of years, projects have been produced on a wide range of subjects, such as Notes on blindness, The Arctic and even one filmed from the International Space Station. The BBC has produced its own VR content too.

There's no doubt that VR and 360 both give the user something extra, taking them somewhere they couldn’t go in real life and providing an 'experience' rather than just something to watch. So how should media organisations approach the challenge in terms of creativity, production and distribution?

"You have to be prepared to hand over control to your viewers which has implications for how we report on TV."– Zillah Watson

In this podcast you will learn:

- the difference between VR and 360 video - how broadcasters are currently using VR and 360 - how other industries are using VR and 360 - what's augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) - will there be a killer app?

Zillah Watson, from BBC Research & Development, is an editor who’s been responsible for a number of VR projects at the BBC. She wrote a recent report for the Reuters Institute on VR and 360 in news organisations.

Si Lumb is a senior product manager for BBC’s Research & Development Future Experiences team.

Rebecca Gregory-Clarke is the lead technologist for immersive technology at Digital Catapult, a government-backed agency that promotes technological development in the UK.

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

The Radio 1 breakfast show with Nick Grimshaw achieves more than five million listeners a week, thriving on a diet of the latest music releases, news and guests. The BBC Academy's Roxy Ebrahim-Khan spoke to producer Will Foster, assistant producer Fiona Hanlon and Nick Grimshaw himself to find out what it takes to work on this fast-paced show.

In this podcast you'll learn about:

- the different responsibilities of presenters and producers - the preparation that goes into each programme - what's most challenging and most enjoyable about working on the show - team dynamics - ways to get your first break in radio

"If it's a good vibe in the studio and we're getting on as a production team you can hear that on the radio. You want to be part of it - it feels inclusive." – Nick Grimshaw

The production team also shone a light on staffing issues, booking guests, roles within the team, where they get their ideas from, and what happens if teams don't get on or guests don't work out.

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

Billions of people are using chat apps. Can brand owners and broadcasters make themselves part of these private conversations? And should they?

The BBC World Service, the Weather Company USA and youth-led creative network Livity have been exploring ways to engage with these hard-to-reach audiences.

This podcast explores how organisations are using short animated images such as gifs as well as chatbots - computer programmes which simulate conversations with humans - to become part of the conversation in private spaces.

Communications on these text, email or instant messaging apps is referred to as 'dark social' because, unlike a Facebook share or a retweet, it’s harder for brands and broadcasters to see what’s going on ‘in the dark’.

In this podcast you'll learn:

• how big-name brands are using ‘dark social’ to promote themselves • what the Weather Channel learnt from audience interactions with its chatbot • about the insight the BBC World Service gained from its first attempt to deliver original journalism via a chat app

This podcast is presented by Charles Miller, editor of the BBC Academy blog. He's joined by BBC World Service assistant editor Vladimir Hernandez, series-producer of Young, Angry and Connected, a story of political activism in Africa and the BBC's first WhatsApp journalism project.

Also on the panel are Alan Bryant, a planner and strategist at Livity, which helps organisations reach young people, and Domenic Venuto, general manager of consumer products at the Weather Company in the US.

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

Editing an hour-long factual film can take a couple of months. The editor and director work closely to make the most of what’s been shot and to tell the story as clearly and engagingly as possible.

This week’s podcast goes into the cutting room to examine this intense and creative process with two experienced professionals.

Sam Billinge is a factual film editor who has worked on a wide range of documentaries for the BBC and other broadcasters in genres including science and business.

Jacqui Farnham is a former BBC producer/director and series producer who has made films for Horizon, science biographies and social history programmes.

"The film-making process is personal as well as professional. You’re making subjective decisions based on your own feelings and instincts." – Sam Billinge

The podcast includes Sam and Jacqui’s take on:

- how to brief an editor at the start of an edit - who writes the commentary and picks the best bits of the interviews - how an editor can bring the director a fresh perspective on the rushes - how to handle viewings - what happens in the closing days of an edit

Sam and Jacqui also discuss the pressures created by having to rely on a colleague who you may never have met until the start of the edit.

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

BBC Three won this year's Royal Television Society Channel of the Year award despite no longer being on television. But how have its commissioning and production processes changed?

The BBC Academy's Jas Rao spoke to controller Damian Kavanagh and assistant producers Poppy Begum and Catriona White.

"There’s an opportunity in this world about really listening to your audiences and trying to tell stories that will provoke them to have conversations and form communities."– Damian Kavanagh

In this podcast you'll learn about:

- connecting with audiences - the BBC as a youth brand - pitching programme ideas - the skills required of online content producers

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

You can use sound to tell stories in different ways - whether that's a soundtrack, a character's voice or sound effects for a radio drama.

A recent Producers’ Forum session at the BBC studio used by The Archers and Home Front saw a lively debate about the range of skills required in sound production.

BBC Academy director Joe Godwin spoke to Neil Hillman, an award-winning sound designer and editor, Marc Silk, a voiceover artist for cartoons, video games and films, and Alice Truman, a soundtrack composer in film, radio and TV.

In this podcast you will learn:

- how a sound designer creates a film soundtrack - whether to use a boom mic or radio mic to record on location - how a voiceover artist creates characters - how a soundtrack composer works within a film production - how to turn an ironing board into a farm gate

Archers editor Huw Kennair-Jones and Home Front editor Jessica Dromgoole meanwhile explain how they use props in their recordings.

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

In this era of data journalism and interactive online content, what else can people trained in writing and broadcasting do to tell their stories and reach wider audiences? Coding is one answer.

BBC data journalist Daniel Wainwright spoke to BBC News Labs engagement producer Allison Shultes, software engineer turned journalist Niko Kommenda and assistant professor in information and communication studies at University College Dublin Bahareh Heravi.

"We need to have skills to be able to crunch this data and bring different datasets together to come up with stories." – Bahareh Heravi

In this podcast you'll learn more about:

- what exactly is meant by ‘learning to code’ and what it allows journalists to do - why newsrooms are looking for hybrid journalist-coders - what all journalists need to understand in order to work with developers in a 21st century newsroom - how journalists can get started with coding

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

Live radio requires a lot of effort at the best of times - more so when you're dealing with sensitive issues, vulnerable contributors and medical advice. We find out how the team behind BBC Radio 1's The Surgery put the show together and deal with a wide range of medical issues from callers, especially mental health problems.

In this podcast you'll learn about:

- specialist production and presenting skills - the processes in place to protect callers - the issues around offering advice - the duty of care towards listeners

"It is really hard, I'm not going to lie. I don't think it would be fair to say it's easy to present a show of such a sensitive nature."– Gemma Cairney

The BBC Academy's Jas Rao spoke to the team: presenter Gemma Cairney (above, left), resident GP and co-host Dr Radha (above, right) - formerly of Channel 4's The Sex Education Show and BBC Three's Make My Body Younger - and producer Becky Griesdale-Sherry, a former producer of the Vanessa Feltz phone-in show on BBC Radio London.

Find out more about BBC Academy: Website – www.bbc.co.uk/academy Facebook – www.facebook.com/bbcacademy Twitter – www.twitter.com/bbcacademy

To get a programme on television, you first have to master the commissioning process and pitch to someone who’s in a position to give you the go-ahead.

“When it works it is absolutely the best feeling in the world,” says Lisa Hazlehurst, head of Lion Television, Scotland. “When it doesn’t work you really do have to pick yourself up.”

"The key to success is serendipity and something that punches your show above the noise – and that’s often the talent.”– Alan Tyler

In this podcast presenter Sally Magnusson speaks to TV commissioners about:

- what they’re looking for - the best way to approach them - what goes into a taster tape

Producers who win a commission should enjoy the moment, warns executive editor at BBC entertainment commissioner Alan Tyler. As one producer explained to him, it’s “30 seconds of ecstasy when you get the commission, followed by the horrible realisation that you now have to make the bloody thing".

The guests on this panel include Alan, Lisa, the BBC commissioning editor for daytime and early peak Jo Street, BBC commissioning editor for science and factual Craig Hunter and BBC Scotland commissioning editor Ewan Angus.

There are so many options when choosing a career, the competition is tough, and most school leavers have little practical experience.

The BBC Academy's Kris Bramwell spoke to BBC new talent schemes coordinator Affie Jeerh and National Careers Service adviser Rachel Locke to hear their advice.

"What I firstly advise people to do is have a real, hard think about what it is that makes them the person they are."– Affie Jeerh

In this podcast you'll learn more about:

- getting your CV right - how to write brilliant covering letters - what are the options for people starting their career today - transferable skills - how to stand out for the right reasons

Changing your career, whether through choice or redundancy, can be daunting. You can feel inspired and confused at the same time.

But where do you start? And what do you need to consider?

"The average millennial, by the time they retire, will have probably changed their job at least 14 times."– Mel Barclay

In this podcast you'll learn more about:

- the risks involved - why more people are making the leap - techniques to help you plan - the help available for BBC staff

The BBC Academy's Jas Rao spoke to Mel Barclay, head of career transition at LHH Penna - an organisation that’s worked with the BBC over a number of years to help redeploy staff. He also chatted to Natasha Stanley, head of content for Career Shifters - a website that provides support for people changing careers - and hears from Nina Ridge, a former BBC weather presenter who became a school teacher.

The stories aren't about sound - they are created using sound.

Hugh Sykes uses sound to tell evocative stories and paint pictures in the audiences’ minds. The renowned foreign correspondent plays clips of his work - from the whistling winds of Pakistan to reporting the aftermath of the Tunisia terror attack in 2016.

"One of my golden rules is that a radio reporter has to wear headphones like a camera operator has to look through a viewfinder." – Hugh Sykes

In this podcast, you will learn how to:

- effectively tell stories on the radio - get the best sound for each story - approach difficult situations for newsgathering - tackle sensitive topics

If you work in the media you're most likely to be involved in regular creative ideas sessions (like the one above). But what form can they take - what techniques can you use to improve them?

The BBC Academy's Charles Miller spoke to former BBC journalist and development producer Steve Rawling, the founder of creativity training company Now Go Create, Claire Bridges, and Facebook product designer Tanner Christensen.

“It's about understanding how to create what I call a 'whole brain team'... Understanding what everyone brings to the table in relation to creativity.” – Claire Bridges

In this podcast you will learn:

- techniques to spark ideas - methods leaders can employ to help their whole team think more creatively - whether creativity is a skill you can develop or a gift you're born with - the benefits of creative sessions to teams across the media

BBC Academy director Joe Godwin spoke to comedian Janice Connolly and BBC Comedy executive Rebecca Papworth about taking unconventional Birmingham housewife Barbara Nice from a stand-up act to a rounded radio sitcom character.

Janice developed her Barbara Nice character in the late 1990's and it led to her being spotted by Peter Kay.

“As an artist it's important you have a relationship where you think you're being talked to properly - the person you're working with gets you artistically but is also very honest with you.” – Janice Connolly

In this podcast, you will learn how to:

- go from stand-up to sitcom - become comfortable with radio technology - develop a character - build the relationship between performer and producer

Janice has a string of credits as a musician, actress, comedian and artistic director.

Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs has earned its 75 years on the air by consistently producing revealing interviews with well-known guests like US actor Tom Hanks above.

We asked series producer Cathy Drysdale to explain how the show is made:

- how to book big-name guests - how their lives are researched - what happens during the studio recording - how the programme is edited - what personal qualities you need to work on the series

Cathy reveals the way her team works flexibly to fit in with guests' busy schedules. She also talks about how the producer and presenter Kirsty Young must trust each other explicitly in the studio.

"When I’m looking through the glass and I see Tom Hanks there I am pinching myself. I allow myself five seconds of pinching and that’s it. Then you have to be completely professional.” – Cathy Drysdale

Desert Island Discs airs on Sunday at 11.15. More than 2000 episodes are available on the programme website.

The way UK television script-writing teams work is changing fast. While today's fragmented digital industry offers less in-house stability, there are more opportunities with international and online broadcasters.

We spoke to TV writer Sophie Petzal, BBC Writersroom development producer Abigail Gonda and Doctors script editor Nasreen Ahmed.

“We're less hamstrung by the needs of channels now... I feel like now, more than ever, is the time to get into television.” –Sophie Petzal

In this podcast, you will learn about:

- BBC initiatives to nurture budding script-writers - The demands of working as a TV drama script-writer or script editor - Why the relationship between the script editor and writer is so important - The new challenges teams are likely to face in the coming years - The value of script-writers and script editors in the production process

Advanced tech, behind-the-scenes experiences, full games on social media - how do the latest digital innovations affect the traditional broadcast industry?

And what do they mean for you if you're trying to get a job as a sports journalist or producer?

"There are completely new players delivering big audiences through online only platforms... it does feel like it's a bit of a Wild West at the moment." – Professor Andy Miah.

In this podcast you'll learn more about:

- the new digital innovations being used across a range of sport - the future of sports consumption habits - the impact of these changes on existing broadcasters - the importance of storytelling

The BBC Academy's Jas Rao speaks to Professor Andy Miah, author of ‘Sport 2.0: Transforming Sports for a Digital World’, and Stuart Rowson, younger audiences editor at BBC Sport, as well as hearing from Manchester City FC's social media manager Chris Parkes-Nield, Table Tennis England's head of commercial Mark Taffler and Hashtag UTD striker Seb Carmichael-Brown.

New internet devices that use voice are starting to appear in our homes: you speak and they answer back. So what is the likely impact of these so-called digital assistants?

The BBC is looking into the possibilities while independent developers are already creating content for such devices.

"It is an opportunity for those of us who are producing content because every platform that is hungry for content has to be filled.” – Flora Graham

In this podcast you will learn:

- how digital assistants work - what kind of content is already popular - what new ideas the BBC is developing - how the technology is likely to develop in the years ahead

We also put two devices through their paces, challenging them to translate a sentence into German and to "tell me something interesting".

The BBC Academy's Charles Miller speaks to Henry Cooke, senior development producer at BBC Research & Development, independent technology developer Robin Jewsbury and New Scientist digital editor Flora Graham.

The BBC’s media editor Amol Rajan asks James Ball, special correspondent at BuzzFeed News, and Mark Frankel, social media editor at BBC News, about the different meanings of 'fake news' and how journalists should respond to it.

The prospect of presenting your first ever live show on national radio can be both daunting and exciting in equal measure but how do you get to that position in the first place?

Roxy Ebrahim-Khan talks to Jasmine Takhar about her journey from broadcasting on two community radio stations to launching the Friday Night Residency on national radio station Asian Network.

Also, hear from producer Che Chumber who was tasked with the challenge of launching and developing a new presenter and getting them ready to broadcast live.

“Something clicks when you work hard. Persistence and determination always gets you there.” – Jasmine Takhar In this podcast you will learn how to:

- secure your dream job - Deal with nerves before going live on air - Build producer/presenter relationships - Use social media to launch and establish your career

Jasmine presents the Friday Night Residency from 21:00 to midnight every Friday. She was previously a presenter on community radio stations Kemet FM and Westside of London.

Che Chumber has worked on Strictly Come Dancing, The Gadget Show and as a social media producer at Somethin’ Else.

2016 is nearly at an end, so you know what that means - it's highlights time!

Kris Bramwell, Roxy Ebrahim-Khan, Zayna Shaikh and Charles Miller, aka the BBC Academy Podcast team (left to right above), share their favourite clips from the past year to mark the end of the current series.

Peaky Blinders producer Simon Maloney, Operation Gold Rush’s Dan Snow, BBC News presenter Maxine Mawhinney, journalist Vanessa Feltz, television producer Jon Plowman and Sima Kotecha, a reporter for Radio 4’s Today programme, all feature.

In this podcast you will learn:

- about the personal qualities Sima says you need to be a journalist - what makes good video content for social media - how good ideas come first, and the platform second, when telling stories - what Vanessa looks for in a caller to her radio phone-in - and more!

Charles Miller is the editorial lead for the BBC Academy Podcast and also writes the BBC Academy blog.

Roxy Ebrahim-Khan, Zayna Shaikh and Kris Bramwell are producers in the BBC Academy’s digital content team.

The challenge for Home Front's production team has always been to create a historical drama that’s true to the time yet connects with today’s audiences.

In this podcast you will learn:

- where to start researching the history - how to write a radio drama series - about the role of digital content - the scriptwriter’s role during a studio recording - the difference between performing for radio and TV

"The thing that's at the heart of all audio storytelling for me is why are they listening? Are they still listening? Is it the best listening experience that it can be?"

– Allegra Mcllroy

Each 12-minute episode of the Radio 4 drama series is set exactly 100 years before the date of broadcast and tells the story of a fictional character living in the UK during World War One. The drama has been on air since 2014 and will run until 11 November 2018 – the centenary of the armistice.

Sebastian Baczkiewicz - the BBC’s first writer in residence in 2000 - was the lead writer on the first season.

Allegra Mcllroy is producer/director.

Ciaran Bermingham is the historical researcher and known as an authority on all things World War One.

Actors Laura Elphinstone and Kathryn Beaumont play Marion Wardle and Edie Chadwick.

Journalist, author and screenwriter Dan Lyons questions many of the norms of tech businesses, including the practice of building loyalty through a written ‘cultural code’.

BBC managers past and present - Simon Waldman, Sara Shepherd and Karen Hannah - discuss the dilemmas, challenges and rewards of making the step up.

Millennials, Generation Y, people born between 1980 and 2000 - turns out there’s 14 million of them in the UK.

They’re tech-savvy, spending hours online: reading, listening or posting their own content. And it turns out they don’t just want cat videos.

So what do they want and how can you give it to them?

“Without a good idea and without good storytelling at the heart of whatever you do, regardless of the platform it’s on, it probably won’t fly.”– Max Gogarty

Who better to get the answers from than people who are already doing it well.

Vlogger and YouTube star Grace Victory (above) talks about what to think about when creating content on different platforms - like the similarities and differences between online and TV.

Dan Murdoch made the documentaries KKK: The Fight for White Supremacy, Black Power: America’s Armed Resistance and Transsexual Teen Beauty Queen. Dan talks about the life of a freelance documentary-maker and gaining access to controversial contributors.

Max Gogarty is BBC Three’s content editor, has been a producer/director with credits including ChemSex - not to mention winning a Bafta for his work on Skins online.

In this podcast you will learn:

- how the commissioning process works - about the relationship between content creators and commissioners - what comes first - platform or content? - tips for creating content for Generation Y

Is life across the pond different for writers and producers compared to over here? Steve Lightfoot is an executive producer and writer who has worked on BBC One's Casualty and the Emmy-award winning House of Saddam. He is currently showrunner on Hannibal on the American network channel NBC. Having made the leap from the UK to the USA, he shares his experiences with BBC Writersoom's Henry Swindell.

In this podcast we speak to presenters and producers alike including Capital Xtra's Marvin Humes, Radio 1Xtra's Yasmin Evans, Radio 1's Greg James and award-winning BBC Three Counties presenter Iain Lee on what radio producers do and how having a great the producer/presenter relationship is beneficial to both roles. The producer/presenter relationship is such a vital aspect to radio that Greg James says he wouldn't be the presenter he is today without his producers. Both parties have to trust, support and give each other the confidence to grow. But how do you go about building the relationship to get to that stage? We find out in this podcast.

Bloodthirsty hunters or social and complex creatures? Natural History Unit producer Simon Blakeney talks to us about the making of the landmark series Shark, a new three part trilogy by the BBC's Natural History Unit.

What place do traditional broadcasters have in this ever-evolving online world? Is there really one law for broadcasters like the BBC and another for nameless individuals? Gathered around the table to discuss social media, broadcasting and the law are Anna Doble, online editor from BBC Newsbeat, Mark Frankel, assistant editor from BBC Social News, and producer Tim Johns from BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show.

In this podcast, we meet some of the latest intake from the BBC's Radio Journalism Apprenticeship scheme - Ben Mitchell, Daniel Parker, Kathryn Twelvetree and Thomas Harding Assinder. They take a fresh look at one of the new ways to get on the media career ladder.

Expert Voices is a nationwide BBC initiative which aims to get more Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) experts from a wide range of fields on air and on screen. The all-day training events give delegates the chance to meet senior industry figures, share their own knowledge and expertise with other like-minded people and to learn skills that could help them work on air as contributors or presenters. We joined the event in Birmingham to talk to delegates about their experiences as they learnt to take part in television interviews, radio panel discussions and also recording pieces to camera. Most importantly they received feedback from media experts including keynote speaker BBC Asian Network DJ Noreen Khan, former Blue Peter presenter Andy Akinwolere and journalist and broadcaster Marvarine Cole.

We went to the RTS Futures Careers Event – the first of its kind – to speak to broadcasters such as BBC, ITV and Channel 4, as well as organisations such as the Mama Youth Project and Creative Access, to find out exactly what schemes they had on offer. You'll also hear from apprentices past and present as they talk about their experiences of applying, what they did during the scheme and what they've done afterwards. So whether you want to get into development, become a journalist or want to do the artwork for productions like Channel 4’s Indian Summers, there’s a scheme for you!

In this podcast we hear from Pat Campbell, production designer on the hugely successful BBC drama Wolf Hall starring Mark Rylance and Damien Lewis. Pat outlines the role of the production designer on set and tells us about the starting process for any project - scouting for locations. She also talks about the scale of the art department with its many different roles, discusses the relationship of production designer with other members of the production team and also reveals how she got into this field.

In this podcast we hear from costume designer Joanna Eatwell, lead designer on the landmark BBC adaptation Wolf Hall starring Mark Rylance and Damien Lewis. She tells us how she "fell into" costume design initially training in theatre and moving on to work in music videos - but now with nearly thirty years experience under her belt, she describes it as "the best job in the world." She talks to us about the research process for each project, outlines the range of roles within the costume team, and offers her advice for anyone interested in getting into the industry.

Joanna's wide body of work ranges from films like Hawking starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and Sex,Drugs & Rock & Roll, the biography of Ian Dury. She was nominated for a BAFTA and a Royal Television Society Award for her work on the film Eric & Ernie, and she has also worked on TV series like Channel 4's The Mill and BBC One's The Paradise.

From ingesting to cutting to colour correcting, editing can be one of the most time consuming and costly processes of programme making. In this podcast, we go back to basics with editor Garry Paton, and discuss what editing is, who’s involved, why it matters to your production and how to overcome the challenges to make the editing process a little smoother.

How easy is it to go from acting to writing drama or comedy? Sarah Solemani, star of Bad Education and Him and Her, talks about her writing for BBC One's The Secrets and beyond.

We go behind the scenes of the BBC's urban youth station as presenter Mistajam chairs a panel with 1Xtra breakfast presenter Twin B, Radio 1 and 1Xtra controller Ben Cooper and assistant producer Elise Cobain. They talk about the production roles at the station, from team assistant to producer, what it takes to be a presenter and routes into the industry.The panel also talk about the difference between the producer and presenter role. Elise, Twin B and Ben talk about the passion and creativity you need to work in radio, what can give you the edge for working in a station like 1Xtra and how to progress in the industry.

What do the BBC production trainees get up to during their placements? And once the scheme is finished where can you go next?Back in March 2014 we talked to some of the latest intake of BBC trainees as they started their first placements at the BBC. Now the trainees are trainees no more and are fully fledged assistant producers and researchers working across the BBC in radio, TV and online. We talk to Amanda Litherland, Harry Pick, Emily Spooner and Melanie Brown to find out what they've been up to, where they are now, what they have learnt.

It’s been another great year on the CoP Show. We’ve spoken to a wide range of people in the broadcast industry, all keen to share their tips and TV, radio and online know-how. We heard from Radio 1’s Greg James, Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young, comedy genius Richard Curtis, Bob Shennan, head of BBC Radio 2, 6 Music and The Asian Network, Tania Alexander, creator and producer of Channel 4’s Gogglebox and Steven Knight and Colm McCarthy, the writer and director of BBC’s massive hit Peaky Blinders. We also caught up with some of the rising stars in TV, radio and online broadcast who shared their inspiration and advice for those who want to follow in their footsteps.