TV’s future stars sign up for dream course

FANCY being the next Pat Kenny or Miriam O’Callaghan?

Aspiring television presenters are being given the chance to sign up for a course specifically aimed at presenting programmes within the deadline-driven environment of news and current affairs.

The 14-week programme will be taught nationwide with a number of former television presenters and producers giving students tips on how to keep audiences entertained.

The innovative Diploma in Television Presenting for Current Affairs will start this October.

It is accredited by the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) in Britain and courses will be delivered part time, on campuses in University College Dublin, University College Cork and the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.

However, the chance at getting a shot as a presenter will not be cheap.

Students will need to fork out €3,750 for the course, which is being run by the Irish Academy of Public Relations.

It will cover all elements of television presentation, including research, presenting, wardrobe and makeup, single and multi-camera presentations and studio and outdoor location shooting.

Students will train in different environments, including lecture theatres, location shots outdoors and within a television studio.

While most of Ireland’s top entertainers did not have the advantage of such a course, diploma students will also have to sit a written examination on completion of studies.

“There has been no professional qualification for television presenters until now. This course will benefit new entrants and the industry,” said the director of the Irish Academy Ellen Gunning. “Television presenters are polished professionals who gain a huge amount of experience on the job.”