Where can student media take you?: In conversation with MMG graduates.

Student media is a staple of the quintessential image of university (think: students in knitted jumpers handing out newspapers on campus) and is an important part of the fabric of studenthood. Here at the University of Manchester, we have Manchester Media Group (MMG), which is comprised of The Mancunion, Fuse FM, and Fuse TV.

Thousands of students have worked within MMG over the years, including Jack Whitehall, who began his career on Fuse FM! For me, coming to university meant the opportunity to get involved with student media but I have since learnt it is something many new students are unaware of; or, if they are aware, getting involved can seem daunting.

Involvement with student media is not just a social and enjoyable pastime— it allows you to hone skills and gain experience that can be directly translated into future careers. We spoke to three recent graduates who were involved in MMG to demonstrate where it can take you.

Alex Cooper

Alex is an apprentice reporter for the Isle of Wight County Press, working towards his NCTJ diploma. Alongside this, he is the Alumni Officer for the Student Publication Association (SPA) because, as he told us, could not 'bear to leave student media' and wanted to 'give back'.  

In his new role, Alex feels he is putting the skills he learnt in student media to good use (while ‘still making mistakes!') and has even interviewed Miriam Margolyes at Charles Dickens’ holiday home. 

Alex started his journalism career at The Mancunion in 2022, where he remained until graduating in 2024. Throughout this time, Alex wrote for various sections and spent time as both the Deputy and Head Music Editor. He also hosted a collaborative radio show on Fuse FM. 

When we spoke to him, Alex said:

“I got involved [with MMG] because I have always loved writing, and I was looking to make friends after struggling in my first semester. I was terrified of putting myself out there, but I signed up to write a single review of a band I loved, and then, a week later, I opened the newspaper, and there it was! I got the bug and kept going back".

There are a variety of standout moments from Alex’s time at The Mancunion; most notably, he interviewed Noel Gallagher in April 2023, which became a cover story. From this, he got commissioned and paid to write for Hunger magazine just a few months later.

“If you can take on a Gallagher, you can interview anyone, right?” He quipped. 

We asked Alex what he gained from his time with MMG (aside from a myriad of free gig tickets) and what he would say to students considering getting involved. He said: 

“MMG will give you gift after gift if you are open-minded, stick your hand up, and run with it… I learnt how to write properly and edit; I made loads of mistakes that I won't have to make again when they really matter; I learnt how the journalism and music industry work and discovered what I love doing… MMG taught me as much, if not more, than my degree".

“If you are thinking about it, do it! I wish everyone got to experience the gifts of student media, but the reality is that it is the ones who show up and do the work who get the most out of it. Anything can happen in MMG… write things off at your peril. Take all the chances you can, and you will have a brilliant time".

Rob McGowan

Rob presents the early morning breakfast show on Cheshire's MIX 56, which he jokingly described as ‘keeping Manchester Airport shift workers company’. He has also covered both the breakfast and evening shows, quickly becoming well-versed in the world of radio presenting. When asked, he said that his favourite thing about his new job is getting the opportunity to work with experienced presenters. 

When he first arrived at university, Rob was interested in getting involved with Fuse FM due to his childhood love of radio, but was not sure where to start. After some deliberation and the curveball of a global pandemic, he attended a welcome meeting and commenced his radio career from there. 

He presented his own show on the Fuse FM radio waves for three years. During this time, he won Fuse FM Presenter of the Year 2023 and worked as the Deputy Head of Talk Shows. This role saw him coordinate the broadcast coverage of Alive! Festival, as well as interview TikTok star and etiquette coach William Hanson. 

Rob attributes 'everything [he has] learnt about radio so far' to his time with Fuse FM, from skills like 'how to structure a link' and 'how to plan a show' to figuring out 'the sort of features that work well… as well as the things that do not'.

He would encourage students to get involved with Fuse FM due to the networking opportunities, having struck up a conversation with the head of BBC Radio 1 at the Student Radio Association conference this year. Such interactions have been really valuable in helping students get their foot in the door of the media industry, which can at times seem a difficult task. The access to Fuse FM's professional equipment, which is otherwise difficult to come by, was also a huge perk. 

In an attempt to gain more experience during his time as a student, Rob reached out to MIX 56. 

“Nothing came of it at the time, but when the owner saw something I had shared on social media about my Fuse show, he decided to tune in and listen. That was what led to him messaging me. We had a chat, and he asked if I wanted to do the early breakfast show".

One day, Rob would like to host a show on BBC Radio 1. 

Daniella Alconaba

Daniella started her MMG journey in her second year, ‘writing sporadically for the film section’. She went on to become Deputy Editor of the film section and then was promoted to Co-Editor. 

“I wanted to be involved with The Mancunion as I wanted to write and be a part of something bigger than myself. I love films so I wanted an informal but professional platform to be able to articulate myself”, she told us. 

In her time with The Mancunion, Daniella developed her skills in time management and she gained confidence in articulating her ideas aloud. 

Thanks to her involvement with The Mancunion, she was given a press pass to attend a documentary screening at HOME cinema. While there, Daniella ‘mustered up the courage’ to speak to the directors after the film. From this, she exchanged emails with them and interviewed film director and programmer Jane Giles two weeks later. 

“I remember feeling so elated and proud of myself for going up to them that I walked out of the cinema in such a haze. Halfway walking home, I realised I was still holding a cup from the cinema. I still have that cup at home and consider it a souvenir – I have not returned it".

It was through this interview with Jane Giles that Daniella was invited by the British Film Institute (BFI) to London to speak in front of an audience about explicit content in films. Speaking about this experience, she said:

“I was so terrified as public speaking is one of my biggest fears (it still is), but I managed to do it and enjoyed the experience so much that I could not stop smiling on stage. It was such a pinch-me-moment; I could not believe my hard work got me to the point where I was the youngest speaking to industry professionals on a stage at BFI and that the people in the audience paid to watch me speak".

As well as speaking at the BFI event, Daniella considers meeting and befriending her Co-Editor, Daniel Collins, a standout moment from her time at The Mancunion. She describes him as one of her closest friends, demonstrating how involvement in MMG leads to so much more than producing content. 

Since graduating, Daniella has been working to ‘bulk up’ her CV, describing herself as a freelance film writer who has not ‘quite figured out what [her] title is yet’. She has written for Sight and Sound magazine and spent the summer working as a Curatorial Assistant for the Odyssey Film Festival (meaning she judged short films to see whether they should be included in the festival). At the opening of the festival on the 16th of September, Daniella introduced the opening film to the audience. 

We asked Daniella if she had any advice for students considering getting involved with MMG, to which she simply said: “Yes, just jump right in!”