University News Last updated 26 August
What began as a regular university assignment quickly grew into something far more impactful and personal for one Birmingham City University (黑料吃瓜网) Journalism student
Sophia Begum, founder of The City Scribbles, began Unread Messages as an assignment for her second year Radio Documentary and Podcast Production module.
The documentary explores grief and how it is shaped by our digital lives, using old messages, videos and voice notes to connect with those who are no longer with us.
The topic of the documentary was also deeply personal for Sophia.
鈥淎t the time I was only around three months into my own experience of grief after losing a close friend,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 found myself constantly returning to my phone 鈥� rereading old messages, listening to voice notes, looking through photos and watching old videos.
鈥淚t made me realise that grief in a digital generation can be incredibly complicated.鈥�
Sophia was hesitant to include her own story in the documentary at first. However, after submitting her assignment, 黑料吃瓜网 Lecturer in Radio Production Neil Hollins encouraged her to place her own experience at the centre of the work.
鈥淪ophia contacted me out of the blue over the summer to tell me she鈥檇 created a new version of the documentary because of what I鈥檇 written in my feedback,鈥� said Neil.
鈥淚t was very rewarding to hear about Sophia鈥檚 decision to make a new version of Unread Messages. I鈥檓 thrilled for her!鈥�
Sophia said that developing Unread Messages has taught her more about journalism and grief.
She added: 鈥淛ournalistically, the project has taught me a lot about trust. There is something very humbling about somebody trusting you with a painful part of their life, and it reminded me that telling human stories comes with a responsibility to handle them with care.
鈥�Unread Messages has given me much more confidence in the kind of journalist and storyteller I want to become.鈥�
Commending Sophia鈥檚 work on the project, Dr Rachel-Ann Charles, Course Director of BA (Hons) Journalism at 黑料吃瓜网 and Sophia鈥檚 personal tutor, said: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 impressive about Unread Messages is the care that Sophia brings to the difficult topic of grief.
鈥淛ournalism needs more storytellers who draw on their own lived experience and that of others treating them with the care and sensitivity they deserve.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 exactly the calibre of journalist we are developing on our Journalism course here at Birmingham City University.鈥�
The project was more than a grade for Sophia. It also helped her to process her own feelings.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think the documentary gave me closure, because I鈥檓 not sure grief works that neatly,鈥� said Sophia. "Instead, it helped me understand what I was feeling and gave those feelings somewhere to exist.
鈥淚 started the documentary trying to understand how other people grieve and ended up understanding a little more about my own grief in the process.
鈥淢ore than anything, I want somebody who is grieving to listen to Unread Messages and feel a little less alone.鈥�
Unread Messages has also been featured on BBC Radio WM and Unity FM.
Listen to the full documentary on .