Radio professionals will benefit from a full day of free training at the second Fast Train event, which is to be held at MediaCityUK in February 2012.
Hosted by the BBC Academy in partnership with Skillset, the event will be produced in association with The Radio Academy, The Radio Independents Group, The Radio Centre, and Community Media.
Radio Fast Train will focus on a day of training sessions for freelancers and independents in the radio sector.
The event follows the Fast Train for television day in May 2011 – a training and networking event hosted by the Academy and sponsored by Skillset which attracted around 350 TV freelancers to taster sessions and masterclasses – for free. Fast Train, in May, showcased some of the biggest names in the industry including BBC Controllers, leading independents and renowned programme makers.
Donna Taberer, Acting Head of the College of Production said, “We saw an unprecedented reaction to Fast Train in May. Informal feedback from that day showed just how much training is valued by freelancers. Now it’s the turn of those working in radio to benefit from our experience and to get the most out of the radio event for themselves – for free.”
Skillset’s deputy chief executive, Kate O’Connor, said: “Our radio industry needs professionals who are constantly improving their skills, making them more employable and giving them the capacity to produce ever more compelling programming. Fast Train Radio is a fantastic way to drive this, for free, while also giving our professionals the rare opportunity to come together and network under one roof.”
Radio Fast Train will centre on four themes: Ideas, Technology, Skills and Business. Sessions and Masterclasses will include Pitching, Co-commissioning, Beefing Your Ideas, Visualising Radio, Audience and Social Media, Broadcasting with your iPhone, Event Radio, Writing for Radio, Taming the Talent, Making Money from Audio, Managing Your Business, What is Your Brand?, Negotiating, Networking and Syndication’.
The event will be project-managed by Debbie Kilbride. 
Debbie, who won Sony Gold & Silver Awards for her work on BBC Radio 4 and Saturday Live, has worked in local, community & network radio for BBC Radios 1, 2 & 4 and in both production & interactive teams.
More details, including instructions on how to register, will be announced by Skillset and the BBC Academy over the coming weeks and months.
Posted on Friday, October 21st, 2011 at 12:03 pm by RadioToday UK