Hello, I’m Marie and I love sound. My earliest memory is listening to the rain crackling on the plastic covering of my buggy; my mum reckons I was only 10 months old. Ever since then I’ve been fascinated by noises that make your ears prick up. If you combine that with my love of story telling then doing a Masters in Radio Production is definitely a good move! I grew up in Tunbridge Wells in Kent and came to Bournemouth University in 2002 to do a degree in Multi-media Journalism and being near the sea and the Purbecks has convinced me to stay here ever since. For the past 4 years I’ve been working as a Broadcast Journalist and a Voiceover Artist. I started off at Fire 107.6 in Bournemouth as their Senior Journalist and Breakfast Show Co-host. Then in 2007 I became a freelance journalist for Global (known then as GCap) and have been working at their stations along the south coast ever since. It’s taught me the skills to find a good story and conditioned me to stay (relatively) calm under pressure! Also, for the last 3 years I have been privileged enough to teach Radio Journalism on the Multi-media Journalism and Communications and Media degrees at Bournemouth University.
I’ll always love radio news, but now I want to refocus the story I am telling. Ever since I started working in radio I’ve carried a programme and feature ideas book around with me. It’s fantastic to be on this course so I can develop some of these ponderings into ‘ear prickling’ audio. My main interests are radio drama, poetry, children’s books, and investigative features. My writing style is definitely influenced by some of my favourite authors and poets, such as Rudyard Kipling, C.S Lewis and Lord Byron. Luckily both my jobs make it vital for me to listen to a wide range of radio and podcasts, but I’m an avid Radio 4 follower and late night Radio 7 insomniac. As a journalist I find it difficult to start and end the day without the Today programme and PM respectively. I’m hesitant to admit I enjoy the Archers, but though I may only be 24 years old I am from rural Kent! As for music based radio it has to be BBC 6 Music and Xfm, both stations have some wonderfully creative presenters who make me chuckle, especially George Lamb.
My radio work as a producer and journalist is also influenced by the different community based projects I am involved in. Presently I help organise a bimonthly art exhibition of instillations and photography at St. Peters Church in Bournemouth. Also, with the support of Dorset Police, I’m an outreach worker providing pastoral support for prostitutes in the town. Giving people in Bournemouth a new creative space to explore is a significant ambition of mine.
Thank you for reading this little bit of babble about me and I hope you enjoy my work on BIRSt, do feel free to get in touch – mhorner@bournemouth.ac.uk