Glen O’Glaza – Q&A

Name?
GLEN OGLAZA

Age?
44

Where are you from?
LONDON

How did you get started in Broadcasting?
AFTER UNIVERSITY, APPLIED TO EVERY RADIO & TV STATION IN BRITAIN. EVENTUALLY OFFERED THREE JOBS AT ONCE! TOOK ONE AT METRO RADIO, NEWCASTLE, WHERE I STAYED FOR 3 VERY HAPPY YEARS AND LEARNT MY TRADE (NEWS REPORTING/PRESENTING) BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO NATIONAL RADIO BACK IN LONDON. AFTER 6 MONTHS OF THAT, JOINED ITN AS A REPORTER, WHERE I STAYED FOR TEN YEARS, LATTERLY AS A SENIOR REPORTER, COVERING STORIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, WITH EXTENDED STINTS IN WASHINGTON, MOSCOW AND THE MIDDLE EAST. RTS WINNER/BAFTA NOMINATED TWICE. JOINED SKY 6 YEARS AGO. WORKING NOW AS A POLITCAL CORRESPONDENT AT WESTMINSTER

When was that?
MID-80s

Why News broadcasting?
GOOD QUESTION – WICH I’D ASKED IT AT THE TIME! FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE AND TRAVEL, AND OCCASIONALLY SHOW OFF! I AM FORTUNATE TO HAVE A GOOD BROADCASTING VOICE AND AN INSATIABLE CURIOSITY

Where else would have viewers seen or heard you before?
ITN

What is your Best on-air moment?
PROBABLY NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1989: THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL, FOLLOWED BY THE VELVET REVOLUTION IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA, FOLLOWED BY THE FALL OF CEAUCESCU IN ROMANIA. I WAS THE ONLY TV REPORTER TO COVER ALL THREE (SO FAR AS I KNOW!) ALSO: CREATING THE KURDISH SAFE HAVENS AT THE END OF THE 1991 GULF WAR. FOR TWO WEEKS WE WERE REPORTING FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN IRAQ, SAYING THESE PEOPLE NEED HELP. THE US AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS CREATED THE SAFE HAVENS, AND WE SPENT ANOTHER FEW WEEKS WATCHING PEOPLE WHO WE’D FEARED WOULD DIE RECOVER.

What is your Worst on-air moment?
EVEN THE BAD TIMES ARE GOOD!

What would you like to do before your career ends?
GO LIVE FROM ALL THE BIGGEST STORIES/REGULARLY PRESENT A MAJOR NEWS PROGRAMME /WRITE A BEST-SELLER

What do you like to do in your spare time?
FAMILY STUFF/CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERTS/CINEMA/THEATRE/ THINK ABOUT GOING TO THE GYM/READING/TRAVELLING

What advice would you give to anyone that would like to get into the broadcasting world?
PERSEVERE! IT TOOK ME NEARLY NINE MONTHS AFTER GRADUATING TO GET MY FIRST PROPER JOB IN RADIO, AND I’M SURE IT’S EVEN TOUGHER THESE DAYS. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE ARE A LOT MORE RADIO & TV STATIONS THAN THERE USED TO BE, SO THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT THERE. GET AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AS POSSIBLE – TRY YOUR LOCAL STATION, SEE IF YOU CAN GET WORK EXPERIENCE, ORGANISE AN AUDIO TAPE/SHOWREEL.

A big thanks to Glen for taking part.

Posted by on Thursday 21 May 2009
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