"Be distinctive”, BBC’s Peter Salmon urges media students

BBC's Director of the North, Peter Salmon urged Edge Hill University's media students to be innovative and distinctive if they want to make it in the competitive media industry.

The man who is leading the development of the world's most advanced broadcasting centre at Salford Quays delivered expert career advice to students during a special question and answer session at the University.

"I never intended getting into television," Peter told students during the event. "I've always just loved telling stories. It doesn't matter what media you use, as long as you're interested in telling stories that's the main thing. You have to be able to develop your own voice and make yourself distinctive and ask yourself how far you're prepared to go to make it."

During his talk, Peter spoke about the great opportunities that the new MediaCityUK will create when it opens next year. It will house over 2,000 staff and a number of BBC departments - including BBC Sport, BBC Children's and Radio 5 Live which Peter will head up. One third of the workforce will be newly recruited, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for Edge Hill University's graduates.

"It's a giant, ambitious idea and there will be lots of new job opportunities and creative challenges ahead. We are trying to make the BBC more open in its culture, technologies and campus, which means it's time to think differently. We want new initiatives and we want to connect with students. We need creative people. We want people who can combine ideas, who have something to say, with a notion for technology too. We can do incredible things with this place and there are great opportunities ahead."

While on campus, Peter also took part in a mock press call where students used their media skills to interview and film him before he officially opened the University's revamped television studio, which now benefit from full High Definition cameras and other cutting edge technologies currently used in the industry.