For the past 12 months or so I have been filling in for presenters at 2RPH. Sometimes this has been quite ad hoc, a program here and a program there. Other times I have been lucky to have a run of a few weeks or months. The latter is usually preferable since you get to know the reader and the general setup. You can also stamp your mark stylistically on the show and tweak the format a little. Our objective is to faithfully  read the daily news as clearly as possible, remembering that the listener is our primary focus. Within this remit, there is scope to create a program that offers as much variety as possible within the time constraints. There are certain parts of the paper that must be read in full, such as the front page and the editorials, but other than that, there is some room for flexibility.

So it was with some joy that today I was given my own permanent shift on a Wednesday. I have been doing this fortnightly gig for a three months - filling in - but now the job is mine! I guess that I must be doing something right, or, at least, not a lot wrong. I am not as nervous as I was on those first half dozen shifts when the board, the computer and the role kept me on the edge constantly. I have had some very good mentors and role models, for which I am very grateful. The road ahead is not without briars. But then, what other worthwhile road is there for one to take?