I’m Rob Watson, Principal Lecturer at De Montfort University in Leicester. I run our BSc Radio Production course in the Faculty of Computing Sciences and Engineering. I have about sixty undergraduate students at present, engaged in all aspects of Radio Production, from content generation and audio recording, to station design, systems and management.

I’ve been working with Conor Lennon for the last eight months or so, and now with Jeremy Mortimer at BBC Radio Drama, to bring the Audiotheque website to life. Now that we have our site, it’s time to get users and members involved.

I’m drawn to the idea of short form audio drama because it will give my students an opportunity to explore and experiment in a form and type of radio that is almost alien to them. I want to tap into their imaginations and develop their dramatic sense by going beyond the stereotypical view of radio drama, and to experience some of the effective, exciting and engaging audio work that is around.

I’m also very interested in talking with professionals in the industry, in education and people who have a strong interest in developing this form of audio just for their own enjoyment.