Breaking into News UTV finalist explores the rise of Northern Ireland as a university hot spot

Posted 20 July 2018

Having made it to the final of our Breaking into News competition run in partnership with ITV News, our Northern Ireland finalist Peter Moor had the chance to create a news report with the support of a team of journalists from UTV. Peter used the opportunity to report on the rise of students from Great Britain studying at Northern Irish universities, something many would think of as unimaginable just a couple of decades ago.

I’m a second year student at Queen’s University, busy studying English. Once I graduate, I want to become a journalist so when I saw the Breaking into News competition, it was the perfect opportunity for me. So many graduate jobs want to see examples of your work. Having a professionally made TV news report will be brilliant when I’m applying for different roles next summer.

A postive destination

Although I’m studying in Belfast, I’m actually from God’s own county of Yorkshire. My background as someone from England studying in Northern Ireland inspired my news story: over the past five years, there’s been a 59% increase in students from Great Britain studying at Northern Irish universities. This is very much a positive news story for Northern Ireland, and also for young people, making this story quite a unique one! I want to show local people that Northern Ireland has moved on greatly from its troubled past and is now seen as a positive destination by a post-Good Friday Agreement generation.

Peter holds a microphone to interviewee while filming his report at Queen's University, Belfast.

Peter filming his report at Queen's University, Belfast.

My filming day was a great opportunity to put all of my preparation into practice. During the day, we filmed at Queen’s University, talking with current students from Great Britain about their experiences of studying in Northern Ireland. We also interviewed a representative from Queen’s whose job it is to recruit students from outside of Northern Ireland to their universities. The most daunting part of the day was definitely the piece to camera – it took several takes but we got there in the end!

Before filming day, I had numerous meetings with my mentor, Judith Hill, an onscreen journalist at UTV - a job I’d love to do one day.

Before filming day, I had numerous meetings with my mentor, Judith Hill, an onscreen journalist at UTV – a job I’d love to do one day. As well as helping with research, scripting and filming, she’s given me loads of advice about getting into journalism.

I’ve also had a few hours timecoding the piece, which involves bringing all the footage together, as well as editing sessions with the team at UTV.

Gearing up for the final

A couple of weeks ago, I travelled to Leeds to pitch my story to a panel of expert judges from across the world of journalism. It was also a chance to catch up with the other nine finalists.

In a few days, we’ve got the awards ceremony in London where we find out the overall winner, so it will be tense wait till then!

Watch Peter’s final report created with support from his mentor UTV reporter, Judith Hill and UTV team.

Peter will join nine other finalists, each representing a different ITV News region, at the Breaking Into News final on the 25 June where the 2018 winner be announced.

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