Guedes Machado Medeiros

Media Studies

1.  Tell us about yourself. 

I am a media entrepreneur, communication strategist, and proud Anglia Ruskin University alumnus from São Tomé and Príncipe. My professional journey has been built around a strong belief that media is not only a business, but also a tool for education, opportunity, and social progress.

Before joining ARU (2018), I founded Radio Somos Todos Primos (RSTP) (2011), which later became the first visual radio station in São Tomé and Príncipe (2022). What began as an ambitious idea has grown into a recognised multimedia platform with professional studios, a strong digital presence of more than 100,000 followers, and growing influence in the national media landscape.

Through RSTP, I have worked to create employment, develop young talent, promote democratic participation, and give visibility to the stories, voices, and potential of my country. I remain passionate about innovation, leadership, and using communication to create lasting impact.

2.  What is your fondest memory at Anglia Ruskin University?

I still vividly remember my first day in the classroom at the Cambridge campus. Our lecturer asked each student why we had chosen to study Media Studies. When it was my turn, I spoke about a question that had always stayed with me: “when the world talks about media, where is Africa?” I explained that my ambition was to help build a strong media platform where African stories could be told with authenticity, pride, and independence.

That moment was powerful because it connected my personal mission with my academic journey. I had already started building RSTP before arriving at ARU, but studying there gave me clarity, direction, and confidence that my ideas could grow further.

ARU was also an incredibly diverse environment. Being surrounded by students from many countries and cultures broadened my perspective and made me even more curious about the world. Cambridge quickly became a second home, and those years played an important role in shaping both my career and personal growth.

3. What has been your favourite job? 

My favourite role has been leading RSTP. It has allowed me to combine entrepreneurship with purpose and creativity with responsibility. Building a media platform in a small island nation comes with challenges, but it has also been deeply rewarding. Through this work, I have had the opportunity to create jobs, mentor young people, support talent, inform the public, and contribute to important national conversations. For me, the greatest success is not only growth or recognition, but seeing others develop through opportunities we created.

4.  In one word, how would you describe Anglia Ruskin University?

Empowering.

5.  How did your time at Anglia Ruskin help you? 

My time at ARU helped me transform practical ambition into stronger professional capability. I had already created RSTP before university, but ARU gave me the academic foundation to sharpen my ideas and improve my leadership. The course deepened my understanding of media strategy, communication theory, audience behaviour, branding, and critical thinking. Just as importantly, it exposed me to new perspectives and encouraged me to think beyond local limits.

It helped me understand that a project born in a small country can still have international relevance and standards.

6.  What did you love about your chosen course?

What I loved most about Media Studies was that it combined creativity with analysis. It was not simply about producing content, but about understanding the real power of communication. The course explored how media shapes public opinion, influences culture, builds trust, creates movements, and affects political and economic life. That broader understanding was extremely valuable to me because I was already building a media platform in the real world. It helped me see media not only as content, but as influence and responsibility.

7.  What advice would you give to current students as they’re preparing to graduate? 

See graduation as a beginning, not an ending. Your degree is a foundation, but what you build with it matters even more. Be proactive, continue learning, build meaningful relationships, and stay adaptable in a fast-changing world. Do not wait for perfect opportunities to appear. Sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you create yourself. Most importantly, believe that your background does not define your ceiling.

8.  What do you know now that you wish you had known whilst studying?

I now know that consistency is often more valuable than talent alone. Many people have talent, but fewer people have discipline, patience, and the ability to stay committed over time. I also understand that networking and reputation matter greatly. The way you treat people, the reliability you show, and the relationships you build can open doors long after graduation. Success is often the result of steady effort, not one big moment.

9.  Who was the biggest influence on your career?

The biggest influence on my career has been my mother. She is the fiercest and most resilient person I have ever known. No matter the challenges she faced, she always remained calm, focused, and determined to find solutions. She taught me the importance of resilience, composure, and self-belief. She showed me that difficult moments should not break your confidence but strengthen your character. Many of the values that helped me build my career persistence, courage, and determination came from watching her example.

10.  What advice would you give your younger self?

Trust yourself earlier and think bigger. Many people spend too much time doubting their potential or waiting for permission to pursue their ideas. I would tell my younger self to take more calculated risks, be patient with progress, and understand that setbacks are part of growth. Every challenge carries lessons that later become strengths. Most importantly, stay focused and keep moving forward.

11.  Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.

What most people do not know is that my journey in media began when I was eight years old. As a child, I took part in radio programmes, and that experience inspired me deeply. I promised myself then that one day I would own a radio station. Years later, that childhood dream became reality.

12.  What’s next?

What’s next for me is to help place Africa more strongly on the global media stage. When the world speaks about influential media organisations such as CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera CGTN, and others, I believe African platforms must also be part of that conversation.

As an alumnus of ARU, I came to realise that there are still too few global media references centred on Africa, which shows how much opportunity still exists. My long-term mission is to help expand the vision of powerful media in Africa, so the continent is not only seen by the world, but heard, respected, and represented through its own voices.

A key part of that mission is continuing to expand RSTP into a stronger news media platform with national and international reach, built on high standards, innovation, and meaningful impact. My goal is not only to grow an organisation, but to help create positive change through media.

I also want to continue giving people a voice, creating opportunities for young talent, and helping more people work in the fields they are passionate about. I believe media should open doors, inspire ambition, and strengthen communities.