Courses in journalism can lead graduates to many fields. For Yorkshireman Richard Bilton, the destination was broadcast journalism. Now a TV news reporter for the BBC Six O'clock news, Richard says it's a difficult world to get into and the work's tough, but for him, it's all worth it. He explains how a boy with no celebrity connections and a sometimes half-hearted attitude to study managed to come so far...
Did you always want to be a journalist?
I enjoyed writing and the idea of doing it for a living seemed great but I wasn't sure how to "get in". I'm from a working-class family in Leeds and initially, at least, I felt it wasn't a realistic career for someone with my background.
What was said about you in school reports?
It wasn't great! I was quite lazy at school and didn't really think about a career until it was almost too late. My reports all said I had ability but that I wasn't focused. I was lucky that I had a couple of teachers who took me to one side before my A-levels and said that now would be a good time to put in some hard work!
What was said about you in the playground?
I was always someone who liked to mess around definitely not a bookworm! Certainly, lots of people who knew me at school seem surprised I can hold down a relatively serious job! It's one of those things. There seem to be lots of people like me who found it hard to get motivated by school or college but discover a new level of enthusiasm when they find a job they like.
What and where did you study?
I went to school just outside Leeds and got three A-levels, English, Maths and Economics. I was involved in the school magazine, so I suppose there were signs of what was to come. I then went to the University of Central England and took a degree in Communication, ending up with a 2:2. The degree was a mixture, half being the sort of stuff now common on media-type courses, like studying the industry and how it works, while the rest was a more academic look at communication and language. I really enjoyed it. The practical elements, like writing professionally and video making, were fairly useful but in truth it was the contacts that pointed me towards journalism.
How did you get your foot in the door?
Those contacts were crucial. In my teens, I'd done some work for my local paper, the Yorkshire Post, so I'd seen what journalism might be like. Then, through placements, I managed to get into the BBC in Birmingham. I was offered some research shifts at the local radio station. I did the work, the BBC were happy, more work followed. From there, more training and a gradual move towards broadcasting. The general rule I applied then and still do is: be keen. Broadcasting depends on enthusiasm and team work. It sounds horrible but it's true. If you show willing, it'll be rewarded.
Who was your mentor?
Where I've been lucky is in having a few mentors. Eric Roberts at the Yorkshire Post, Roger Kilner my first news editor in radio, Kevin Hill my first editor in TV and, more recently, Jay Hunt - editor of the Six O'clock news. All have been fantastic at passing on advice. Mentoring sounds like some dreadful corporate nonsense but it's amazingly important. It's a great way of using other people's experience
Who is your hero?
Journalistically, there are plenty in the Beeb: John Simpson, Ben Brown and Matt Frei are all people who are amazing at what they do. Away from work, one of my dreams is still to interview Nelson Mandela.
Looking back, what has been the high point of your career so far?
It was incredibly rewarding and moving, actually to cover the foot-and-mouth crisis from beginning to what seems like an end. I want to be involved in journalism that's about the way ordinary people live their lives, and so many communities were touched by the outbreak. For sheer excitement, it would have to be the first live report from the Galapagos Islands. We were the first news crew to get to this January's oil slick. I was patched through to the 10 O'clock news seconds before we went on air.
And the biggest disaster?
Plenty! Someone once reversed a car into me during a live broadcast. On the road for this year's election campaign, during a live interview, an elderly lady asked me if I knew where Thompson Street was. I didn't, so she asked the interviewee. He then told her and all our viewers where the street was. She thanked him and walked off!
What's the best thing about your job?
I think I'm very lucky. No week, no day is ever the same. I go to some amazing places, meeting extraordinary people while covering stories that matter to millions.
And the worst?
It's hard work. The hours are long, and I have to go away a lot. On one level that's very exciting, but I have a young family and I spend a lot of time away from them, which can be quite hard. Broadcasting is a great life but there are good and bad sides like any job.
What advice would you pass on to those wishing to follow in your footsteps?
Be keen and be confident without going overboard on either! Broadcasting's big strength is that background and qualifications are not as important as your ability to do the job. So have faith in your own strengths, try to learn from as many people as possible and you'll be on the right track.
What would your motto be?
I think "Be yourself". All the TV reporters I admire are just the same away from the camera as they are in front of it. Broadcast journalism works best when it's straightforward and it's the best way to deal with the industry.
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