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Channel 4 move offers fresh hope for students

By Matty Ramage

Channel 4’s recent announcement that they have chosen Leeds for their new headquarters could spark a rise in the number of reporters from Yorkshire.

Ella Griffith, a producer at Sky, said: “We’re hearing a lot of rumours of them having newsrooms and studios here and anchoring bulletins and that means you represent a place better.”

She added: “I think being in a city means you represent it naturally much better.”

Ella was speaking at Journalism and Media Week, at Leeds Trinity University. She spoke to students about how a career in journalism is possible even without living in London.

When asked about the Yorkshire accent possibly being a problem for non-Yorkshire viewers, she told Yorkshire Voice: “People across the country are on board with the fact that people across the country sound different and that should be something that we’re celebrating.”

Ella also spoke about her career in radio before her move to Sky, and some of the interviews she had carried out, including one with David Cameron, who was Prime Minister at the time.

Also speaking at Journalism Week was Sandy Smith, Editor of The One Show. He said: “I don’t think Channel 4 is going to let people down, but we need to see some flesh on the bone.”

He added: “You need some important decision-makers, need to be spending the money here.”

He also suggested that the jobs created by the move could go to students present at the talk. This news will give budding journalists in Leeds more opportunities in addition to ITV already having a studio in the city.

Channel 4will move roughly 200 of its staff to Leeds, as well as keeping many at their HQ in London, which will remain operational.

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