The final day of Supporter to Reporter has almost come to a close.  The students today have been looking back on the weeks training and have put together radio packages on their personal space to reflect this.   On her blog Donna commented that the training week had been “tremendous”.   She also explained how she “learnt how to have a proper interview and how to use equipment properly.”  She summarised the week by stating that “It has just been one of those experiences that you can’t just have when you want it.  It has been a once in a lifetime kind of thing.  The staff have been so fabulous to us all.”

The students have started preparation for the match day that they will be reporting on at Sixfields on the 15th November.  After this match day the Supporter to Reporter experience will not end, in February this group of young reporters will move on to the Saints Study Centre to further develop their sports reporting skills.

To view blogs and listen to the radio programmes that have been produced this week please visit the Supporter to Reporter Website.

Today the trainee reporters at the Cobblers Study Centre were treated with a rare chance to visit local radio station Northants 96.  The mission of the day was for each young reporter to learn from the professionals how to record, edit and broadcast a radio programme. 

The morning began with the young reporters observing a press conference at the Sixfields Stadium.  Stuart Gray the Cobblers manager was being questioned about the teams forthcoming fixture at Walsall on Saturday 1st November.  All the young reporters were surprised at how low key press conference seemed as they were expecting a more formal question and answer session. 

The young reporters then headed back to Northants 96 to learn how professional recordings are edited until they are suitable for broadcast on the radio.  At the radio station the students were greeted by the stations events and marketing manager Gemma and Head of News Richard Purvis.  The students interviewed both the employees and picked up lots of advice about getting involved in the media and interviewing techniques.

Tomorrow is the final day of Supporter to Reporter training week at the Study Centre.  To listen to all the interviews and radio programmes conducted by the young reporters this week check out the Northampton space at the Supporter to Reporter website.

Day two of Supporter to Reporter at the Cobblers Study Centre was very successful with the students being given a chance to record interviews with members of staff from Northampton Town Football Club.  In the morning the students were introduced to Gareth Wilsher who is Head of Media at the Cobblers.  They  questioned him about his job, his past work experience and match days.  Gareth offered the students advice on interview technique and the importanceof the Internet in promoting football clubs.  In the afternoon the budding reporters had yet another chance to put their interviewing skills into practise when they were visited by Dan Walder, a Senior Football Development Coach at the club.  The afternoon was rounded off with the students editing and uploading their work onto their own personal space on the Supporter to Reporter website.

The students blogs, vox pops and interviews can be found on the Supporter to Reporter website.

This half term a group of young people are attending the Study Centre to take part in the Supporter to Reporter project.  Supporter to Reporter is a project inspiring young people to become engaged and involved in sports reporting. This motivating media project was first run in Trafford and has given young people an opportunity to create radio and video reports and publish them on a dedicated sports reporting station. 

This week participants in the project are going to be kept busy.  Tonight they will be watching the Northampton Tonight vs Colchester United match at Sixfields.  We are looking forward to hosting the project and will keep you updated as the week progresses.

To find out more about the project check out the radiowaves website.