Radio Skye’s youngest presenters share what it is like to learn about the world of media – all from a studio in Portree.
There is a notion that lingers in Scotland’s rural areas: if you want a ‘good career’ then you must move away.
Despite this, there is a sunny disposition on the Misty Isle.
Local station Radio Skye are showing the younger generation they don’t need to travel far to obtain a career in media.
In fact, they could learn in their own home patch.
Joni: a nine-year-old with something to say
Joni Mackillop is a nine-year-old with her own radio show.
Her mother, Suzy Lee, is Radio Skye’s station manager as well as a presenter, showing the talent runs in the genes.
Joni describes sharing such a unique, special passion with her mother as ‘amazing’.
She first presented her show, Kids Mix, in April which now airs every Tuesday at 4pm.
Each week, Joni interviews a pupil from her local school about their favourite subjects in her ‘Kid Experts’ feature.
She shares that her favourite thing about interviewing people from her school is ‘finding out what they have to say’.
She says: “I like bringing people up to the station and finding out more about their favourite subject.”
“My friends have been asking to come back!”
Aged just 11, Somhairle Burrows also had an early start with Radio Skye.
He got involved with the station during the summer holidays last year as part of High Life Highland’s School’s Out programme.
“I had some ideas,” he says. “So I decided to start a show – something not too long, and pre-recorded.”
Somhairle enjoys how easy it is to get creative on radio. “If you have an idea, you can just switch on the mic, record it and go on air.”
He hosts ‘the Half Hour Show with Somhairle Burrows‘ every Monday, where he brings listeners a wide range of content from shinty reports to dad jokes.
For his birthday, Somhairle took his friends to Radio Skye. He says “every chair in the studio was used.”
“My friends have been asking to come back!” he says. “They want to do it in the summer holidays when we’re all off school. They found it quite fun.”
Youth Space scheme is ‘tailored’ to trainees
Robert John MacInnes started out with Radio Skye as a presenter in 2016.
Today, he is not only a presenter, but is also a member of the Radio Skye board and a Youth Space mentor.
His role involves helping Skye’s younger generation to learn new skills – from media to confidence building.
“In a rural area, like here on Skye and Lochalsh, it can be very difficult to find specialist opportunities,” he says.
“Quite often that means they are having to move to Inverness or Glasgow because it is such a specialist subject.”
“The Youth Space scheme gives people an opportunity to do that whilst staying in the local area.”
Robert also shares that the Youth Space programme is tailor made to the trainee.
It’s #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek and #RadioSkye has a great opportunity for those aged 16-24 who would like some help to grow their confidence in a fully supportive and unique environment. It will also offer tools to help cope with stress and anxiety.
📧 robert@radioskye.com pic.twitter.com/0lkGtxApkt— RADIO SKYE (@radio_skye) May 18, 2023
“They do not have to have any prior media experience and can operate at their own pace,” he explains. “For example, there is no pressure to present live.”
“So, if you wanted to come and learn all the skills but keep it as more of a hobby or a confidence builder, we can do that.”
Youth Space has made Sam ‘more confident’
Sam MacLeod was the very first recruit of the Youth Space programme, and has been involved for just under two months to date.
Sam wants to pursue a career in media once he leaves school, particularly in sports journalism or punditry.
Within his first month, he had already read the news live on air alongside his mentor, Robert MacInnes.
“When I came in, Robert was telling me I was going to read the news, and I was like – am I?”
His favourite part of the mentorship so far is the feeling of accomplishment he gets once he leaves the studio at the end of a session.
“You feel like you have achieved something,” says Sam.
“Every time you come in, it gets easier and that makes me more confident. You know you have worked hard to get something.”
“It’s not hard to be here – I am here because I want to do it, and I really enjoy it.”
Conversation