The BBC Academy Podcast

Simon Smith and guests discuss the freelance lifestyle. To shed some light on this issue he is joined by Barney Newman, a freelance TV producer, David Thomas, who, after 22 years at the BBC set up a media business offering training in communication, broadcast and business skills. We also welcome back to the CoP Show Jude Winstanley, freelance production manager and creator of online jobs site The Unit List.

Emlyn Dodd, Richard Allinson and Phil Critchlow join Simon Smith in the studio to discuss the working relationship between presenters and producers of radio shows. Emlyn produces Scott Mills for Radio 1, Phil is founder of TBI media and vice chair of The Radio Independents Group and Richard is a presenter for BBC Radio 2.

Simon Smith discusses the pros and cons of rebranding with Jeff Anderson, editor of Watchdog and Mary Kalemkerian, head of programmes for Radio 4 Extra. And joining Simon down the line is Steven November, executive producer of ITV’s Emmerdale.

Simon Smith and guests discuss audience measurements for TV, radio and online content. Joining Simon are Jo Hamilton, head of Audience Measurement at the BBC, her colleague and senior planner Michaeljon Alexander-Scott, Matthew Clark, who looks after the online systems that measure the performance of the BBC website and iPlayer, and Paul Kennedy, research director at RAJAR.

Camilla Lewis, Dan Goldsack and Nicola Lees join Simon Smith to talk about getting ideas commissioned. Camilla is managing director at Cineflix UK, Dan is head of factual at Silver River and Nicola is a development producer, founder of TV Mole and author of Greenlit, a book about developing ideas from concept to pitch.

Former managing director of Talk Radio Paul Robinson, head of BBC Audio & Music's General Factual department Ruth Gardiner and Radio 1 DJ Greg James all join Simon Smith to talk about how to get into the world of radio.

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.