Hello! I had a really good chat with George from Radio Jackie...have a read below to see what he had to say!

What is your job title and main responsibilities?

I’m a broadcast journalist at Radio Jackie – I read the news during the day over Breakfast and into the early afternoon. I also carry out interviews in the studio and get to go out and report – mainly on things like football, cricket and rugby.

Where did you begin your broadcast career?

I first started out doing a two hour sport show on a Saturday with a friend at the Royal Marsden hospital in Sutton and Chelsea. That was while I was doing my degree and after I graduated I got straight into Jackie after doing some free-lance newspaper work.

What made you want to work in radio?

I like the fact that it’s more personal than a newspaper or magazine – you actually feel like you’re talking to people and it’s much more interactive. Working at Radio Marsden I could see what a difference it made to people day to day - just doing something simple like playing a song for them or mentioning them on air.

Where do you see the radio industry in ten years?

I think a lot of it will be more online – especially local radio stations like Jackie. But I hope there’s a way they can work us into digital because we do play a big part in south west London giving people a radio station people can relate to. I hope that’s not something that gets lost in the future.

What makes a good interview?

An interview can only be good if you’ve researched who you’re interviewing – then from there you can really go anywhere with it. I think as well you have to be able to make people feel at ease, making sure you’re not taking it too seriously in a way so that they can open up a bit more. Some of the best interviews I’ve done have been when I’ve been able to have a bit of laugh with whoever it is I’ve interviewed. After all it’s only radio!

What has been your favourite interview and why?

It’s hard to think of just one because I’ve been lucky enough to interview some great people. Andrew Flintoff was a great one because he’s one of my heroes and was really good to talk to. Bobby Gould is a football legend and he’s got great stories to tell and is really down to earth as well. Ken Livingstone was someone I didn’t think I’d like but was great to interview – he was really honest and says what he thinks which is always great. Number one though has to be his rival Boris Johnson…such a funny man!

Thinking about your radio career, what are you most proud of?

I’m proud to be able to work for a London radio station that covers an area I’ve grown up in and that makes people feel part of a community – something you don’t get a lot in society these days. My proudest moment though was doing a 12-mile charity walk with Sir Ian Botham from Sutton to Epsom Downs. It was great to interview him and to do the walk for such a great cause – leukemia. Definitely worth the blisters!!
If you weren’t working in radio, what do you think you would be doing?
I don’t know! I’d like to think I’d be playing cricket for England but was never that good to be able to do that – same goes for being a rockstar! I do like working with people and going back to my student days maybe managing a cool bar or restaurant somewhere hot and sunny wouldn’t be a bad way to live.