Phil is a Freelance Journalist who is recognised for creating high quality content and delivering professional standards of work to different clients. He is creative, reliable, and has experience of a wide range of industry systems and processes.
Before entering the industry, Phil spent over two decades working in leadership roles in retail. This allowed him to develop a range of transferable skills, including the ability to work at speed and engage with a wide range of people.
SKILLS
- Ability to work accurately and at speed – including using software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Audition as well as mobile apps like iMovie and Adobe Express for fast social media content
- Good understanding of poverty and social affairs – proud to have grown up on a council estate in a single parent household
- Organised, punctual, and able to work to a strict deadline – offered freelance journalism work off the back of a work experience placement because of this
- Excellent written and spoken communication skills – praised for content and quality of regional newsletter created when working for Odeon Cinemas, and regularly asked to contribute to national initiatives
- Confident talking to large groups of people – led many meetings and workshops with good feedback
- Personable and able to have both difficult and light-hearted conversations – built up over years of retail customer service and management roles
- Excellent listening and interviewing skills – frequently used to conduct disciplinary and grievance investigations and wellbeing meetings
Experience
Radio News Hub
Freelance Broadcast Journalist
Researching, writing and presenting a range of bulletins, including hourly national news bulletins for over 400 radio stations and bespoke local bulletins. Bulletins are produced in professional studios using Myriad and Adobe Audition. Also writing and scheduling posts to social media and the RNH website, which provides a news feed to radio station websites.
Software and Systems used:
- Myriad
- PA
- Adobe Audition
- Radio News Hub bulletin dispatch
- Meta Business Suite
- Radio News Hub website article publisher
Bulletin demos:
CNN Diversity Open Day
Anchor
Worked in a team of five to produce a section of a newscast, and fulfilled the role of in-studio anchor.
Leeds Climate Conference
Interviews, filming and post-production
Creation of video package for climate campaigner Katie White, which involved interviewing Katie and Shadow Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, along with post-production using Adobe Premiere Pro. This included editing together footage of a multi-camera event.
Deershed Festival
Production Intern
Production of podcasts and social media content to be used to promote the event in following years. Activities included carrying out ‘vox pop’ style interviews with festival-goers and filming of activities over the course of the weekend, to produce a “Deershed is…” podcast to give a flavour of the event.
Born in Bradford
Production Intern
Production of podcast and social media content covering the ‘Age of Wonder’ event. Activities included filming of activities, and carrying out interviews with event organisers and council leaders.
EDUCATION
Leeds Trinity University
MA Journalism (including BJTC and NCTJ accreditation)
September 2023 to August 2024
Leeds Trinity University
BA (Hons) Broadcast Journalism
September 2022 to June 2023
(Only Level 4 completed – fast-tracked to MA programme)
OTHER WORK
Waitrose & Partners
Delivery driver
September 2022 to present
ODEON Cinemas Limited
General Manager / Cinema Manager
March 2015 to September 2022
(Original hire May 2001)
Phil Towers 