Matthew Byard
Bio
I am a second year Radio Television Journalism student at NSCC in Halifax. Prior to that, I’ve had experience compiling television news stories at a privately funded media college. I’ve posed questions to people like Jack Layton and Stephen Harper. I also did a story where sitting prime minister, Paul Martin, and other dignitaries, saw off Canadian troops to help with the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. In the past, I’ve worked in the audio & lighting production department for Dalhousie University – setting up and working various lectures and concerts on campus. From there I went on to sit as the Black student representative on the student council. Through the radio studio at school, I created a radio call-in show that I stream through Facebook Live, dubbed the “Soundtrack to the Struggle”, initially for an assignment. Through this platform, callers and I discuss various issues, and often how they relate to Black people. Through the pandemic, I have acquired equipment in order to continue doing this at home. I enjoy this as a pass time but also as an opportunity to hone my skills. In the past I’ve ran a website that catalogued stories in the regional news media pertaining, and/or of interest to Black people in the Atlantic Canadian region. Though website is not active at present, I have preserved over 8000 of the site’s online following through social media. Through my program at NSCC, I hope to learn things that help build the following to something big and sustainable.
Twitter: @BlackNSnews