How to succeed on air

Tune in to two locally made programs over the Christmas period and you could be treated to a glimpse of the future.

Up-and-coming newsreaders, presenters, journalists and producers will showcase their talents when Edith Cowan University's student-produced news programs, Rough Cut and Project WA go to air over the next two weeks.

ECU broadcasting course co-ordinator Jo McManus said students sourced, shot, wrote, edited and presented their own stories.

While most of the stories were WA-based, some postgraduate students followed their chosen stories overseas for Rough Cut, with one travelling to Bali to report on an elephant rescue park and another shadowing Perth dentists as they volunteered to help poor Vietnamese children.

Other reports included a serious look at the amount of vegetables wasted in WA for being "too ugly" and a more lighthearted segment on a local dog whisperer.

ECU's undergraduate broadcasting students have been responsible for Project WA, which airs this weekend.

The two half-hour episodes, created entirely by the students, include reports on a rare illness that forces people to eat, the dangers facing young pilots in the North West of WA, and a story about hopes a popular theme park might be restored to its former glory.

McManus said it was testament to the quality of the students' efforts that the majority of them found jobs within three months of graduating and many former students had gone on to become familiar faces to viewers around the country in their profession as journalists or presenters.

"As an experience, it is invaluable. For a student doing a course to get their work published is the best thing but to have a whole program go to air on a free-to-air network is quite extraordinary," she said.

"It also creates a feel of what the real world is like because it is a competitive process, so every student does a story but only the best ones make it to TV."

Rough Cut producer, postgraduate student Braedie Marsh, learnt first-hand how tough the process was - her own story was cut from the final program.

The 24-year-old said while time constraints meant they could not include everyone's stories, all had the chance to be involved in the program and had the chance to present or work behind the scenes to create the final program.

"When we actually did the filming in the studio, seeing everything come together and the set come together, was definitely the highlight," she said. "There was a lot of effort from everyone to make sure it stood out."

With Rough Cut celebrating its 10th year on air, McManus said Seven's support for the student- made programs was "fabulous".

"The fact Seven has had enough faith in our postgraduate show that now it will have a look at what our undergraduates are doing and give it a run is really exciting," McManus said.

"It is wonderful because Seven's support extended to the Made in WA, which aired mid-year, and Project WA shows produced by our undergraduate students."