News
Wednesday 24th, September, 2014
Audrey Donohue Interview
Audrey Donohue is 26 years old and hails from Co Galway. She has worked with RTÉ Radio for 4 years and is currently working in Independent Radio Productions and the Radio 1 music department. A graduate of Journalism and Irish from Dublin City University, she started in RTÉ 4 years ago in Irish language documentaries in RTÉ Television before moving to radio. She produces reports and documentaries in her spare time, and she has contributed live on air for The Mooney Show and The John Murray Show on RTÉ Radio 1, and several programmes on Raidió na Gaeltachta.
When and why you decided to take up your chosen career?
I decided to pursue a career in media production when I was a teenager as I had a great love of news and current affairs and a curiousity about what was going on in Ireland and the world. I cared about the news agenda from an early age. I felt I had some of the inate skills that you need to establish yourself in media - I had good interpersonal and communication skills, ambition and a hard work ethic - but I had (and still have!) a lot to learn.
Did you find it difficult to break into this industry, what tips would you give to any young person trying to break into your industry?
Media is a notoriously difficult industry to break into, but luckily my college course involved a work placement scheme in the final semester which I really think is a huge advantage to breaking into the industry, so I would reccommend that a student looking to get into for instance a radio station would look at choosing a course with in-built work placment. However, it is just as effective to organsise your own work placement in media outlets while in college. You could research for a local radio show, produce video packages for a YouTube channel, or write articles for magazines or blogs.
It is so vital to know that you do not neccessarily have to do a media degree to work in media and indeed, some would argue that it is an advantage not to. For instance, if you are passionate about law, perhaps persuing a law degree might be a good idea, and you can build up your production skills in your free time. This means also that you have a specialist area which will set you apart from other media degree graduates.
Who is your greatest influence regarding your chosen career?
My greatest influence is probably journalists I watched on TV growing up and seeing how they could process a huge amount of information and communicate it in a easily-understood way, often live on air. It always struck me as a very difficult thing to do.
RTÉ presenter Áine Lawlor was also an inspiration. She gave my class a talk while I was in college and I was inspired by her obvious intelligence and knowledge, as well as her warm personality.
I am a huge fan of the late Mary Raftery, a investigative journalist/producer whose biggest professional acheievement was exposing clerical sex abuse.
What is the most challenging project you have ever worked on?
The most challenging project I ever worked on was RTE Radio 1's Marquee at the Westport Festival of Music and Food this year. It was a huge undertaking and involved a huge amount of event planning / management on my part. It was a tent full of music and arts content and it attracted large crowds at the festival over the weekend.
What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?
Learn as many practical skills as you can. Always be thinking of ideas. Say yes to every opportunity that comes along.
Noise Careers: "Careers in Radio, Television & Journalism" takes place in Tallaght Library from 5.30 to 7pm on Monday 13th October. To book a free place please contact Tallaght Library at talib@sdublincoco.ie or on (01) 4620073.