LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Spring has sprung and the PA Media Academy team is busy with exciting new projects across all our specialist training areas. April marks the launch of our new, studio-based podcasting courses for brands who want to use this powerful tool to connect with customers and new audiences. Enrolment has opened for our Journalism Summer School in July/August and there’s still time to save £1000 on media training with our Business Resilience crisis comms, messaging and media interview course bundles.
Bridgid Nzekwu
MD, PA Media Academy
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Discounted Podcast courses in April and May
The start of a new financial year is an ideal time to put energy and investment into new projects and approaches. To support brands looking for more ways to increase brand awareness and grow loyal audiences, PA Media Academy is offering 15% off our new podcasting courses: Podcasting Essentials and How To Make Podcasts. Podcasts are powerful tools. Done well, they can inform, educate, entertain and build authority, as well as integrate well with your overall marketing strategy and channels. As of January 2025, there were more than 1 billion monthly active viewers of podcast content on YouTube. Led by specialist digital trainers, PA Media Academy courses show you how to maximise opportunities to address an enormous audience base from developing an initial idea, brainstorming format and content to production techniques and equipment.
MEDIA TRAINING
The recent Heathrow shutdown exposed a critical need for strong crisis planning. As former BA boss Willie Walsh said, this was “a clear planning failure.” At PA Media Academy, our new Crisis Communications Course equips organisations to predict, prepare for, and manage crises effectively. From media strategy to spokesperson training, our expert-led sessions available in person or remotely ensure your team is ready to protect your reputation under pressure. Don’t wait for a crisis – prepare.
NCTJ & SUMMER SCHOOL
It was great to see so much enthusiasm about journalism at the Student Publishing Awards National Conference in Exeter (SPANC 2025).
We met a lot of undergraduates ready to make an impact on the industry at the career fair and the PA Media Academy also led a workshop where student journalists were given the chance to attend a press conference and put their interviewing skills to the test.
In the spirit of PA Media’s Stronger Together initiative, Stefan Rousseau, chief political photographer, was also at the event putting hopefuls through their paces.
A highlight of the event is the annual awards dinner and the Academy’s Head of Journalism, Sean Howe, presented the prize for the best interview.
Our February cohort of fast-track NCTJ diploma students and our part-time group are almost half way through their studies, and we are currently filling up spots for our September intake. Apply today!
Interested in journalism and want to get a feel for the industry? Our new Summer School programme launches in July and is a perfect introduction to a career in journalism. You can receive a certificate from PA Media Academy upon successful completion and even earn a discount on our level 5 diplomas. Spaces are limited, register your interest now.
APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING
Congratulations to our worthy winners and runners up at this year’s National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Awards held in the inspiring surroundings of Halle St Peters in Manchester and presented by Sky News’ award-winning correspondent Alex Crawford.
Special well done to the four winners, who were all trained by PA Media Academy. They are talkSPORT’s Dell Goonetillake, winner of Trainee Podcast of the Year; Bloomberg’s Isabella Ward, winner of Trainee Data Journalism; the Jewish Chronicle’s Imogen Garfinkel, winner of Student of the Year; and BBC News Hayley C. who won Trainee of the Year.
Competition is tough to reach the shortlist so huge credit goes to BBC’s Jonathan-Kwasi Addai, Lydia Wilson, Grace Wheeler, Annabelle Ariyanayagam, Simran Sohal, Jasmine DuFraisse; to The Telegraph’s Niamh Robinson; to talkSPORT’s Reuben Threlfall and Nara Communications’ Floris de Bruin.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
Strong communication is at the heart of business success. It builds trust, drives collaboration and helps individuals thrive in meetings, pitches and presentations. At PA Media Academy, we bring decades of journalistic and media expertise to our professional training, equipping teams with practical skills to communicate clearly, confidently and with impact, even under pressure. Our courses transform how people present themselves at work, unlocking potential and helping teams and individuals perform at their best.
SPOTLIGHT
Two of our senior leaders attended the recent Disability Journalism Forum. Rhian Williams, SEN Specialist and Roz McKenzie, Head of Apprenticeship Training (and Safeguarding Lead) were among the passionate voices advocating for better representation and accessibility in the media. Delegates at the Forum, hosted this year by Sky News and News UK, heard first-hand experiences from disabled journalists and discussed the importance of authentic storytelling and inclusive reporting. It was by all accounts a motivational and empowering experience.
