Contributed by Michaelson Gumede – Reporter & Boston Media House grad
In some way or another, we all grew up idolizing popular individuals in various professions, particularly in fields we sought to be experts in one day. When I was about 10 years old in primary school, I always looked forward to the arts and culture classes because my teacher was quite lazy and she would tell us to find an old magazine and cut out pictures, paste them in blank pages of an exercise book – sounds boring, right?
My classmates and I used to do this at least three times a week for 45 minutes and as you’d imagined, it really irked some of my mates. Ironically, I enjoyed that process because I would always come to class with two of the most popular soccer magazines in the country, ready to etch out my favourite players and engrave them into my book.
A couple of years after primary school, I fell in love with other professions like radio, particularly talk radio, and I was also fascinated with television production. Also, I always wondered how advertisers were so sure that if they splashed their products all over television, newspapers, and radio, people would flock to their stores.
Advertising puzzled me and left me with so many unanswered questions.
It’s not unheard of for recent matriculants to suffer a little confusion when it comes to choosing a career path. My mind was half made up about studying journalism but part of me was still eager to learn about the makings of radio and figure out how those advertisers’ minds worked.
And then I came across a Boston media House billboard, talking about a Diploma in Media Practices where you get to learn everything media. At that time, Boston only offered a Diploma in Media Practices, but they now offer degrees and specialisations that rage from Digital Marketing & Animation to Television & Radio.
When I saw that billboard I didn’t hesitate, I applied and was immediately enrolled in the program. Trust me, that was one of my best decisions. I came to understand how advertisers segment particular targeted audiences and they advertise their products based on demographics and something called supply & demand. This Diploma gave me the opportunity to learn in a fully equipped, state of the art studio. We were taught the technical and presenting side of things, and to be honest, I was almost convinced to dump the written word for the spoken one, but passion prevailed.
My fascination with television production was finally put to bed and now I know how you can become a film director or a scriptwriter if you’re properly armed with that qualification. Most importantly, this Diploma fully equipped me with extensive knowledge in my specialization of journalism. And in a short space of time post-graduation, I saw my dream of being a sportswriter come to pass.
A lot comes with the specialisations that Boston Media House offers. For example with radio as a major, you can headline some of the biggest stations in the land just like DJ Fresh does as a breakfast show host. If you’re an introvert and not one for the spotlight, don’t panic, there’s plenty of room for you in the background. You can work as a technical producer or a content producer. Same goes for the marketing and advertising qualifications. Opportunities range from being an account executive to a marketing strategist.
BMH Graduate Michaelson Gumede now works at The Citizen
I spent three solid years at the Media House Campus where I was brewed from raw stone to a sparkling diamond. If you read the back pages of The Citizen newspaper, six times a week, you are most likely to come across one of my masterpieces. If you ask me, the greatest thing about the institution is the intimacy of the campus. It is a lovely petite environment and the student culture is truly amazing!
