{"id":35307,"date":"2025-02-17T11:20:16","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T11:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk\/quench\/?p=35307"},"modified":"2025-02-17T11:20:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T11:20:34","slug":"mared-parry-interview-with-quench-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk\/quench\/beyond\/mared-parry-interview-with-quench-beyond\/","title":{"rendered":"Mared Parry – Interview with Quench Beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Journey from Uni to Present Career<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What initially inspired you to pursue a journalism career and were there any prominent figures that influenced your decision to want to go into media?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


I\u2019ve always enjoyed being a part of the media in some way. When I was a kid, I appeared on S4C, the Welsh-language TV channel, quite a lot, and it excited me so much. From a young age, I always loved being in front of the camera and being involved in the media industry in general\u2014it\u2019s something that\u2019s always felt right for me. I wasn\u2019t sure exactly what I\u2019d do, which explains why my career has been so varied, but I knew I wanted to be part of it in some capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of prominent people I looked up to, I remember seeing Fearne Cotton on TV when I was younger and thinking, \u201cI want to be just like her.\u201d Alex Jones, who is a Welsh TV presenter, was another big inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 How did your experience with Quench<\/em> shape your career in media and journalism?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t necessarily Quench<\/em> itself that shaped my career since I only contributed occasionally, but student media in general was massive for me. I had a weekly radio show on Xpress Radio from freshers until the end of third year, which gave me so much confidence in presenting. I also worked with Gair Rhydd and I was the Editor of The Tab (though I’m sure you won’t mention that haha), which really helped me hone my writing skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The connections you make through student media are so important. You\u2019re surrounded by people who are keen to go into the industry, and those early friendships can become really useful down the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  What inspired you to create Welsh-language content, and why is it so important to you to uphold and promote the Welsh language?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Welsh is my first language, and I\u2019m very, very proud to be a first-language Welsh speaker. It\u2019s always been a part of my life\u2014my family, my friends\u2014everyone around me speaks it. So creating Welsh-language content wasn\u2019t a conscious decision for me; it was just doing what felt natural and right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been so well-received, and it\u2019s opened so many doors for me in my career. I\u2019m lucky to have built a career in both English-language media in London and Welsh-language media at home, and I\u2019ll never give up the latter. For me, it\u2019s hugely important to keep the language thriving and to make cool, engaging content that appeals to young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Welsh language can sometimes be seen as a dying language by people who don\u2019t know much about it, which is absolutely not true. There\u2019s a thriving Welsh-speaking community, and plenty of young people speak it. We just need more fun, exciting content to keep it alive and relevant for them, and I\u2019m a huge advocate for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your show Tisho Fforc?<\/em> has achieved significant recognition. What does this success mean for Welsh-language youth programming?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


It\u2019s honestly been amazing to see how much Tisho Fforc?<\/em> has grown since it started back in early 2022. It\u2019s unlike anything S4C has done before, and the way it\u2019s built a cult following has been so lovely to see. I often have young people come up to me at Welsh events or even just out and about in Wales, recognising me from the show, which is beyond what I ever expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It shows that there\u2019s a real audience for this kind of fun, unique content for the youth of Wales. The success of the show proves that we need more programming like this\u2014and that investing in youth content pays off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you feel the Welsh language is adequately represented in media today? If not, what can be done to improve this?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Categorically, no. Living in London and working for English-language outlets, I see every single day how underrepresented the Welsh language is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There aren\u2019t enough Welsh-language speakers on big platforms. Media networks rarely give the Welsh language the attention or funding it deserves, and there\u2019s a misconception that Welsh isn\u2019t widely spoken. It\u2019s not just about language, though\u2014it\u2019s about representation as a whole. Most of the Welsh people we see in media are from South Wales. North Wales barely gets a look-in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need to see more geographical diversity in hires and platforming people with different accents. For example, Sian Eleri, a BBC Radio 1 presenter, is from North Wales, and it\u2019s incredible to hear her accent on such a big platform. But we need more people like her\u2014diverse voices who can showcase what Wales, and the Welsh language, are really about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was there a particular moment or project that made you feel, \u201cI\u2019ve made it\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


There\u2019ve been many of those moments because I keep raising the bar for myself. My first big celebrity interview, whether it was Michelle Keegan or Matthew Morrison (I can\u2019t remember which!), felt huge. Interviewing them at the Heart Radio studio made me think, \u201cWow, I\u2019m a legit journalist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting my first article published at\u00a0Fabulous<\/em>\u00a0Magazine was another pinch-me moment, and working my first red carpet at the Pride of Britain Awards in 2021 was massive. The biggest one more recently has been getting my own dating show,\u00a0Tisho Fforc?<\/em>, on S4C. Seeing my face on the front of such a popular show in Wales felt like a dream come true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Your advocacy for online safety is incredibly impactful, especially after such personal traumatic experiences. What changes have you seen in online safety laws since you began working with the NSPCC, and what more do you think needs to be done to protect children online?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


The biggest change has been the passing of the Online Safety Act 2023. That\u2019s something we worked on for years as part of the NSPCC campaign, and it\u2019s been amazing to see it go from the early stages of being a draft to a bill, and then finally being passed into law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was lucky enough to witness it being passed in the House of Lords. Fewer than 10 people were invited to watch it happen, and I was one of them, which was such an honour. Seeing it all come to fruition was incredible, especially knowing I\u2019d played a part in making it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, there\u2019s still so much work to be done. The law is a massive step forward, but the implementation will be key, and we need to keep holding platforms accountable to protect children online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What advice would you give to others who want to use their platform to advocate for social issues?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Go for it. If you\u2019ve got a platform, you might as well use it. And if you don\u2019t have a platform yet, you can build one by speaking out about the issues that matter to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, make sure you\u2019re well-informed before you start. If you\u2019re not prepared and backlash comes, it can be damaging\u2014not just to your cause, but to your career. Also, think carefully about how much of your personal life you\u2019re willing to share online. Once it\u2019s out there, it\u2019s permanent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I started speaking about online grooming, I had to decide whether I was comfortable with that being attached to my name forever. It\u2019s a big decision, but if you\u2019re passionate about the cause, it\u2019s worth it. Anyone who wants to advocate for something important is already doing something great, so go for it\u2014but be thoughtful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life Lessons and Future Aspirations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Looking back, what advice would you give to your university self and media students themselves who are starting out with Quench<\/em> magazine?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Network and socialise with as many people as possible. Take every opportunity that comes your way because you never know where it might lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I was at Cardiff, I never said no to anything\u2014whether it was applying for awards, working on features, or meeting people from other universities. That\u2019s what led to my first full-time job at Fabulous<\/em> magazine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I got that job before I graduated because of a contact I made through student media. That connection led to an internship, which then turned into a job offer. By the time my graduation ceremony came around, I was already working full-time as a journalist in London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, my advice is to throw yourself into every opportunity, build relationships, and take student media seriously. It can open so many doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you balance your many roles\u2014from presenter and journalist to advocate and social manager?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Barely! Honestly, I rely on my ADHD medication to get me through a lot of it, but I also love doing a little bit of everything. If I\u2019m not juggling multiple roles, I get bored, so for me, it\u2019s second nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, I\u2019ve had to learn to set boundaries, especially with working hours. I have a tendency to overwork and push myself to make everything perfect, but I\u2019ve realised it\u2019s important to clock off and protect my mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you could change one thing about the media industry, what would it be and why?<\/strong>
The fact that it\u2019s all owned and controlled by rich, upper-class, white men. And around 95% (check this stat, its not accurate but I know it’s very very high!) of the industry is made up of privileged, middle-and upper-class people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a huge lack of diversity\u2014not just in terms of race and class, but also geography. So many of the people working in the industry come from Southern England, with only a token Northerner or someone from Scotland or Wales here and there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d love to see more diverse voices, especially from less privileged backgrounds. And on top of that, journalists need to be paid fairly. The pay in this industry is terrible unless you\u2019re at the very top. Fair pay and proper representation would make the industry so much healthier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without fair pay we will never see much social mobility. The reason so much of the industry is middle-upper class is because they can afford to be paid a terrible salary, they have generational wealth and financial support from families. Those from lower income backgrounds like myself can’t always afford to live in London on a terrible salary. They shouldn’t have to live uncomfortably to follow their dreams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the best piece of advice you\u2019ve ever received?<\/strong>
My mum told me, \u201cIf you\u2019re not going to do something incredibly, don\u2019t bother doing it at all.\u201d She\u2019s never worked in the media, but those words stuck with me. They\u2019ve driven me to give 100% to everything I do and to always aim for the best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Featured images by Mared Parry, no changes have been ma<\/em>de.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is featured in our latest issue of Quench Magazine, all around the theme of CONNECTION! Be sure to check it out.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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