Katy White – Freelance Broadcast Journalist, Bauer, Global, BBC

Katy White started out on her school radio and is now making a living out of reading the news. Katy used to work with Big John @ Breakfast at Hallam FM but recently has become a freelance newsreader working for the Bauer radio group, Global and the BBC.

How did you become a news reader?

I helped out on my school radio station when I was a teenager. As part of that I went to local radio stations to interview various presenters and journalists about the job they do. On a visit to Peak 107 (now PEAK FM) in Chesterfield and I had the pleasure of speaking to the late Dave Kilner who asked if I would like to do a work placement with the station during the summer holidays. I did and that gave me the inspiration to work hard at college, get my A Levels and then go onto university where I studied Broadcast Journalism at Nottingham Trent University. I then did various placements at radio stations as part of my degree and was offered weekend work on Peak 107. I worked there for a year before graduating with a 2:1 degree and I was offered a job at 96 Trent FM in Nottingham, from there I went on to become the Ram FM breakfast news reader before applying for the job at Hallam FM and being promoted to breakfast news reader for Big John @ Breakfast.

 What’s the best thing about being a broadcast journalist?

For me it has to be the diversity of the job. No 2 days are the same. You could be covering anything from a 2 million pound lottery win, to a neighbour risking their own life to save the family living next door whose house has been set on fire. You speak to a variety of people from local heroes to national celebrities.

What are your main duties during the day?

Reading and writing the news for Big John at Breakfast and through to our 1pm programme. I also hold the daily prospects meeting and help decide what we should and shouldn’t be covering that day.