Former students joined university staff and representatives from the BBC, commercial radio and television, to help celebrate the tenth anniversary of a successful postgraduate broadcast journalism course.

Among the guests at the University of Central England in Birmingham was Owen Bentley who, as the then head of regional and local programmes at Pebble Mill, made the first approach to the university to set up the course to train future broadcasters for the region.

Since then the course has grown and former students are now working in all areas of the BBC and independent broadcasting.

The close links with the BBC have been maintained with the corporation giving financial support to five students each year.

In addition Carlton (Central) Television funds three bursaries and regional station Heart FM also helps to support a student. Laurie Upshon from Carlton and Sue Owen from Heart were also among the guests for the celebration.

Course director Diane Kemp said: “It was great to see so many former students and to learn more about what they are all doing now.

“Our track record of helping students get their first work in the industry means that we now have past students working in virtually every area of radio and television.”

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