A MEDIA centre has been offically opened by Tyne Tees news anchor Pam Royle.

The media hub, C: The Box, has a studio, with the latest green-screen technology and full production and editing equipment, and is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to develop media skills.

The project involves The Northern Echo and Darlington Borough Council’s early intervention and prevention team working together to give young people the chance to be trained in filming, producing, scripting and editing their own movies, animations and documentaries; music creation; podcast creation; gaming and photography.

Located at the newspaper’s offices in Priestgate, Darlington, the centre was officially opened by Ms Royle with a ceremony followed by an open afternoon.

Those in attendance included Darlington Mayor Lee Vasey and the council’s cabinet member for children and young people, Cyndi Hughes.

The early intervention project’s media team has worked with The Northern Echo over the past four years on the rE-view project, an internet platform for young people to voice their opinions and views in a written format.

The team has been based in the centre for the past year and has already established a number of successful youth groups and projects, including a Gameaholics group and spoof news programme Exposure.

Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo, said: “We just thought it would be a fantastic idea to develop a meeting place for young people in the heart of the town, and have a TV studio where young people could get media experience and be linked into a newspaper like The Northern Echo.

“It is a great pleasure for me to be involved in this.”

Opening the studio, Ms Royle said: “I can’t believe how wonderful this equipment is. I just think the world really is going to be your oyster with the skills you are gaining here.

“If you want a future in the media industry, I wish you the very best. It is a facinating and exciting industry, but a challenging one.”

* Young people aged 11 to 19 who are interested in C:The Box projects can call 07903-825549 or email michael.clark @darlington.gov.uk