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| Carol
Malia |
It
seems a long time since I was sitting in a classroom at
the age of 14 talking to a teacher about my future.
She
suggested journalism as a career because "I was nosey
enough" and could write reasonably well.
That
well and truly planted the seed and I eventually qualified
as a senior journalist after training in Darlington and
working as Chief Reporter for the Hartlepool Mail in 1989.
I
enjoyed spells in BBC Radio Cumbria and Border Television
in Carlisle before ending up this side of the Pennines again
to work for Tyne Tees.
I've
been presenting Look North for the BBC for more than seven
years and it's my dream job. Which other would have given
me the opportunity of walking along the wing of the Angel
of the North with its creator? (It was still to be assembled
in a steel yard in Hartlepool at the time.)
But
outside of work duties, my real love is the outdoors. Nothing
beats that feeling of achievement when you've hiked up a
3,000ft hill or finding yourself in a pile at the bottom
of one you've just skied.
However,
a long-proclaimed desire to learn surfing at Tynemouth has
never been realised.
Strangely,
I just can't motivate myself to be plunged into the freezing
depths, while being heckled from the beach by well-wishers.
But it's a promise I stand by so you may well see me one
fine, hot day in 2012 attempting the sport.
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| Sharon
Barbour |
Growing
up in New Zealand my two big dreams were travel and broadcasting.
I would fall asleep listening to the BBC World service.
I
went to the Australian Film and TV School and worked as
a reporter and presenter across Australia and New Zealand.
It
is a job full of excitement and challenges - once I had
to read the news while abseiling down a clock tower!
I
began work with the BBC at Radio Humberside. I then joined
File-on-4 in Manchester and the BBC's Special Documentaries
Unit where I worked on stories all around the world - Russia,
across Europe and the United States.
I
moved to Newcastle after I met my (now) husband - and read
the Night Network News for Radio Newcastle, Cumbria and
Cleveland - while studying at Newcastle University by day.
I
then joined the TV newsroom - and worked for News24 - reporting
on anything from ferret racing to interviewing the PM on
his wife's pregnancy.
I
feel very lucky to be here (where my father's family lived)
and working for the BBC.
When
I first visited friends in Ullswater in Cumbria 12 years
ago - it felt like home.
I
also love Scotland - and the coast and countryside of Northumberland.
Of
course I miss New Zealand - but apart from there - what
better place in the world to live?
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| Lara
Rostron |
Ever
since Jim'll fix it I've wanted to be on the telly
- I wrote to him once but he ignored me.
But
it taught me a valuable lesson for working in the media -
never give up!
After
a spot of teaching in the Himalayas, a bit of building work
in Zimbabwe, and a stint working in a Little Chef, my poor
parents wondered If I'd ever settle to one thing! But I got
there in the end.
At
university I worked for the local radio station and loved
it.
I
quickly did a post grad in broadcast journalism and got a
job with Radio Newcastle, as their Durham District reporter.
Then
I started working for Look North as the Cumbria reporter before
coming back to Newcastle to present the Late Look North bulletins
and stand in for Carol on Look North.
I
love my job and can't think of anything else I'd rather be
doing ... although lying on a tropical beach does sound
pretty tempting!
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| Jeff
Brown |
Signed
from Tyne Tees TV for a (very) small fee, I'm delighted to
be the centre forward for the Look North sports team.
All
right, at 5ft 6ins I'm more of a midfielder ball winner, but
it's fun just being on the team.
I
was a newspaper journalist for 14 years, kicking off at the
Birmingham Post & Mail before heading back home to the
North East and being transferred to the sports desk of The
Journal in 1986.
After
10 years in Newcastle's Bigg Market, working, not drinking,
I moved into television.
Now
I'm at the BBC, my mum and dad think I'm on "proper telly".
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| Colin
Briggs |
I
originally came here to run the Radio Newcastle sports desk
for a short while.
Two
children and nearly 15 years later I am still here!
I
started off in women's magazines (even writing the knitting
pages ...) before settling into motoring journalism, PR and
the odd bit of broadcasting.
That
odd bit just grew and grew and I gave up a proper job to play
rock and roll on the radio in Wales.
It
felt like running away to join the circus.
Since
then I have enjoyed verbal sparring with politicians, reporting
from all manner of places and situations and meeting some
of my heroes. Brilliant.
Short
of being a test driver for Ferrari, flying Spitfires and fronting
Led Zeppelin I really cannot think of a better job.
Even
when the alarm goes at 04:00 hrs every morning.
Just
reading that back I really do think it is time I grew up!
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