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Media

Research careers and find opportunities in film, TV and radio.

About

Sectors within media include film, television and radio. There are diverse career paths in each of these areas.

A recent report from PwC estimated the UK entertainment and media sector was worth £71.3bn in 2021, and it is predicted to rise to £87.6bn by 2025.

Typically the highest number of jobs within the sector are concentrated in London, the South East, the North West and Scotland. In 2022 there were an estimated 280,000 jobs in the UK in media, including the TV, film, radio and photography sector.

Working freelance is common in this sector, with 45% of people working as self-employed.

Roles and skills

The range of companies and sectors you can work in is huge and can suit graduates with a variety of skills. You can find opportunities in various roles, including film, TV and radio. This ranges from technical roles to working across production.

Job profiles for film and broadcast media

Have a look at Prospects and targetjobs to find out what roles in this sector involve and how to get into them. There are additional career profiles listed on the ScreenSkills website.

Film and broadcast media - production

For screenwriter, see Journalism and Writing.
For make-up artist, see Creative Arts, Design and Fashion.

Film and broadcast media - technical

The following job profiles include descriptions of typical duties, entry requirements and case studies.

Skills employers look for
  • team working and the ability to work collaboratively
  • working under pressure
  • initiative, resourcefulness, problem-solving
  • interpersonal and communication skills
  • flexibility/adaptability
  • knowledge of the media industry and the production process

A confident attitude, enthusiasm and motivation are essential qualities in the media sector.

Salaries

Starting salaries for graduate jobs in this sector can vary depending on the position. 

To get an idea of typical starting salaries use the following resources: 

For information about how to negotiate a salary, visit Handling job offers.

Be Inspired

It’s not always easy to know which roles to apply for. The resources in this section can help you find inspiration from previous students and know where to get further support.

Inspiration from people working in the industry
  • browse our Work Experience and Graduate Employment directories. See where our students and graduates have had work experience, or been employed
  • use LinkedIn’s Alumni tool to find out what Newcastle graduates are doing now. You could ask to connect with them, to gain advice and insights into their career. See Newcastle Alumni on LinkedIn to help you get started or watch our quick tutorial on Getting inspiration from others [3:13]
  • attend alumni events, such as Newcastle Develop, to hear directly from our graduates
  • sign up for mentoring support with  and The 1 Hour Project. These aim to match students with industry professionals who can provide invaluable insights. Register to be connected for a one-hour meeting
  • attend . Hear about graduate jobs, placement schemes, build your network and ask questions
Online reviews

Searching for reviews online can be a useful way to get an idea of what to expect from certain roles or employers. Reviews are written by employees with different opinions about what makes a good employer.

Use the following review sites for inspiration and insight into the recruitment process:

Not sure what you want to do?

If you’re not sure exactly what you want to do, we can help. You can book a guidance appointment via MyCareer. Our careers consultants can help you explore your options or plan your career.

 

Sector and Industry Insights

Researching the industry is essential, whether it’s to:

  • help you decide which area to work in
  • identify who to apply to
  • tailor your application
  • impress an interviewer with your knowledge of the sector

Here are some resources to help you get started.

Career guides

Media 

Film

TV and radio

Industry news

Use online magazines and journals to follow news from your industry. Reading about trends and developments is important for applications and interviews.

Attend events

Attend events to hear directly from professionals in the industry.

North East

UK wide

See also our recruitment events and employer & sector insights.

Student societies

Student media opportunities are a great way to gain really indepth experience

  • NSR - student radio at Newcastle University
  • The Courier - written communication skills are valued, so journalism experience can be important
  • NUTV - TV branch of Newcastle University student media
  • Student Radio Association
Social media

Use social media to find industry insights

Join sector-specific groups on LinkedIn to keep up to date. Posts often include news, events and opportunities. You can also find useful insights on careers on Instagram and TikTok. Treat these with caution, as not all content may be accurate.

Find out more about  

Professional bodies

Consider joining a relevant professional body/industry network

Professional bodies often:

  • run networking events
  • have specialist groups you could join
  • post vacancies on behalf of their members
  • have member directories, useful for speculative applications

Key organisations include:

Technical

Networks and agencies

Trade union - BECTU is the media and entertainment trade union.

Finding professional bodies worldwide

GoinGlobal’s country guides include details of professional bodies. Find them under ‘Professional and Personal Networking’ on each individual country guide.

Advertised work experience

Undertaking work experience is a great way to gain in-depth experience, however placement years are not commonly advertised in the media sector.

It may be possible to arrange a placement by researching relevant organisations and contacting them directly, through a speculative application. NCL internships can be another very good option for media with past internships including film festival internships.

Search for work experience

Use our resources to get started: 

Search the following external sites for more opportunities in media:

  • North East Screen Academy - offer bootcamps, masterclasses, workshops, careers events, on set open days and shadow placements.
  • ScreenSkills Trainee Finder - placements in film and TV, open to candidates with less than a year’s paid experience in their chosen role or department
  • My First Job in Film
  • The Network - annual four-day career development scheme with applications open in February each year
  • Grierson DocLab - training scheme for new entrants to the factual TV and film industry
  • Creative Access - paid internships for young people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds
  • GoThinkBig - internships and work experience opportunities

Major UK broadcasters and production companies offering work experience include:

Professional bodies also advertise opportunities, eg the BAFTA internship scheme.

NCL internships

The Careers Service runs flexible term-time and summer internships with local employers and on campus. NCL internships are aimed at all students, from any stage:

  • search for these under Vacancies on MyCareer. 
Worldwide experience

Access GoinGlobal for internships in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:  

  • additional vacancy websites  
  • CV, application and interview advice   
  • Advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world.  
Looking for ideas

If you’re looking for inspiration, try searching our NU Work Experience Directory. You can see where our students have had internships and placements in the last five years. To see all results in a search category, keep the search field blank. 

Graduate vacancies

When to apply

Graduate schemes are very rare in media. Instead, opportunities are often found speculatively or from networking.

Graduate jobs tend to be immediate start positions which can be available all year round. You are more likely to apply for these towards the end of your studies.

Common entry-level roles are:

  • runner
  • researcher
  • media library assistants (logging tapes etc)

Freelance work is common with professionals changing roles, companies and productions frequently.

 

Vacancy sites

 

Use our resources to get started: 

  • MyCareer - search for graduate schemes and graduate jobs in the North East, UK and overseas. Register/log in to access vacancies and sign up for personalised email alerts  
  • Graduate Jobs – lists graduate vacancy sites 

Vacancy sites for media

Worldwide vacancy sites

See  for details of overseas vacancy sites. 

Access GoinGlobal for job adverts in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:  

  • additional vacancy websites  
  • CV, application and interview advice   
  • advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world

Non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs

Not all work experience and graduate jobs are advertised. In fact, many people create opportunities through: 

A speculative approach is highly common for finding  internships and placements and graduate jobs in media. This is where you approach a company directly to ask if they have any opportunities available. 

How to access hidden opportunities

Start by identifying organisations you are interested in. Our guide to finding organisations below can help. Then use the following steps to approach them speculatively about possible opportunities: 

  1. Identify a contact name to address your cover letter to. Call or email to find out who handles recruitment within the organisation. Or, find a key contact in the department you want to work in. 
  2. Send them a tailored CV and cover letter. Express your enthusiasm for the sector. Show that you have researched the company. 
  3. Follow up your speculative application with a phone call, or email, around a week later. This shows you are serious and motivated. 
  4. If your application was unsuccessful, ask for feedback or advice, and keep trying! 
When to contact organisations

You can use this approach at any point in the year. We recommend that you: 

  • start your research as early as possible to gather relevant contacts 
  • contact organisations around three months before you want the opportunity to begin 
How to find organisations

Use the resources below to find organisations in the North East, UK and worldwide. 

North East organisations

International Newcastle - member directory

UK organisations

Film and TV

Hospital, community and independent radio

Newcastle University Alumni

Worldwide organisations

Search GoinGlobal’s employer directory for company information in 196 countries. Their country guides list professional bodies around the world. 

Specialist recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies can be useful for finding graduate jobs in media. These tend to be for immediate start positions. It's worth registering with one or two agencies towards the end of your course.  

Specialist agencies include: 

See Recruitment Agencies to find more agencies. 

Finding overseas recruitment agencies

GoinGlobal’s country guides include details of recruitment agencies in specific countries. They are listed under the following headings:  

  • staffing agencies and temporary help firms  
  • executive recruiters and search firms  

Recruitment agencies may not operate in the same way in different countries. In the UK agencies are free for job seekers, but this may not be the case elsewhere. Explore the terms and conditions of an agency before signing up to use them.  

Other ways to gain relevant experience

We've added some suggestions to help you develop your skills and gain relevant experience. 

  • sign up for free online courses to develop new skills such as camera work, radio work or editing.
  • build a portfolio of work to demonstrate your skills and interest. For example, you can create a portfolio of your work and projects to showcase your skills. This is especially helpful when doing freelance work.
  • attend events and network to make contacts and connections, eg through the professional bodies and websites above.
  • enter a related competition - prizes can often include internships. For example the student radio awards.
  • volunteer for media companies. See Volunteering for more opportunities 

Work for yourself

Working as self-employed or freelance is common in the media sector. 

The following links may also be useful: 

Our START UP team can help you explore working for yourself at any stage. Whether you want to explore an idea or have already launched a business or freelance career, you can access the following help: 

  •  support with idea generation 
  • provide tailored advice 
  • help you develop your skills 
  • introduce you to like-minded peers 
  • refer you to further support from mentors 
  • award grant funding up to £3,000

Related sectors

You may also be interested in Journalism and Writing, Marketing, Creative and Performing Arts

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