Steve Parkinson - Radio is the Theatre of the Mind

When Steve was asked about his path from high school to where he is now, he told us that it was a winding one! He “had no idea" that he would go from working as a teenager at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen, a Saturday at Debenhams and a six week stint at Wimpy Burgers to being Group Managing Director today of seven national radio stations.

In order to get to where he is now, Steve, after graduating from drama school, went to work in theatres and cruise ships as a stage manager. He then moved onto TV presenting in Newcastle. This lead to jobs in radio stations all over the UK where he worked his way up from producer to marketing to commercial roles.

“I can’t say I mapped it out.”

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Steve went on to tell us that the thing he loves the most about his job is the variety. “Although I set out to work in theatre and TV, radio oddly gives me a fix of everything. Audio, video and a lot of events.”

“Radio is the theatre of the mind!”

Funnily, Steve also said that the worst thing about his job is the variety:

“As much as I love it, radio is 24/7. If a transmitter goes down or if there’s a massive news story that needs a news flash or a change of music to fit a more sombre mood, we’re on it whenever.”

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What advice would you give to someone who would like to get into the creative industries based on your own personal experiences?

“Show interest and enthusiasm and you’re half way there. Be flexible, be positive and be helpful! Learn quickly, and be prepared to move around if you want that job. Studying at school/College/Uni is good as it shows not just the qualifications but that you can commit to something. But pastimes and hobbies are useful too, as it shows you have interests and motivations in a broader sense.”

Bauer Media: https://www.bauermedia.co.uk
Working in radio: https://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/workinradio.html
MGA Edinburgh: https://www.themgaacademy.com

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