Newcastle radio student wins Brian White Scholarship

The inaugural Brian White Scholarship has been awarded to Newcastle University radio student Rachel Storer.

The prestigious prize will see Storer undertake an eight-week paid work attachment in Sydney, consisting of two weeks each at Macquarie Media, Southern Cross Austereo, Australian Radio Network and NOVA Entertainment.

“I’m very excited to be the recipient of the Brian White Scholarship,” she said. “I’m looking forward to making the most of this opportunity and gaining firsthand experience within the radio news industry.”

Commercial Radio Australia hand selected eight student scholarship finalists to attend a workshop at Nova in Sydney with Deborah Clay (ARN), Michelle Stephenson (NOVA), Erin Maher (MMR) and Natasha Jobson (SCA).

They were put through their paces across a number of areas including a general knowledge questionnaire, recording a live cross to a breaking story, writing five radio news stories and outlining how they would ensure accuracy of information if they were covering a natural disaster.

Jobson, SCA’s news director, said: “If the finalists for the Brian White Scholarship are any example of the next generation of radio journos, we’re in great shape!

“Whilst all were impressive, Rachel shone with her ability to identify the nuances between AM and FM style news, and her understanding of the importance of news to both regional and metro audiences.”