Journalism

Well, journalists of the future, this is my area of expertise, so be prepared to listen to me go on and on and on…………No seriously though, Journalism is a great career if you’re interested in writing and reporting the news. I decided to study journalism because I’m quite good at English, I’m really nosy and I like to investigate things for myself instead of just believing everything I read in the papers. Journalism is classed as a ‘Creative Industry’ which is true because the journalist has the job of painting a picture in words. Whether you’re a print based journalist writing for the Herald, or the Sun, or a TV journalist reporting for CNN, STV or the BBC, the style of writing or reporting you use will change to suit what you are covering, so we journalists have to be flexible, adaptable and able to multitask! Piece of cake! A few kinds of journalism include:

TV Journalism
Sports Journalism
Fashion Journalism
Freelance Journalism – This is when a journalist isn’t attached to a particular publication, but is commissioned by different newspapers, magazines etc to write a specific piece

So no matter what your particular area of interest is, the world needs news about it! Whether you want to be a journalist for CNN or the BBC, or you want to cover gigs and concerts for a magazine such as Q or Kerrang, there are opportunities out there for you! There are loads of journalism courses out there.

The course I’m on is at Strathclyde University. Around 400 people applied last year for 40 places, so they must be doing something right! I’m going into my 3rd year, and so far I’ve studied subjects such as News-writing, Gonzo Journalism (very interesting and very weird!), the Sociology of Journalism and Journalism in film. For more info, please check out the page http://www.strath.ac.uk/ssjc/ for more about the School of Journalism and Communication.

Caledonian University also offers a BA in Journalism, and details can be found at http://www.gcal.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/p00063.html.

If you really think Journalism may be for you, I’d advise you to try to find some experience as soon as you can, whether in a local newspaper, school magazine or something similar. I approached the Young Scot Magazine ‘The Grid’ who are keen to encourage young journalists, and have been given the opportunity to write on lots of different issues, such as Social Networking and Size Zero. Also, volunteer magazine ‘The Banter’ are always looking for volunteers to write on anything that interests you! If you’re interested, email info@thebanter.co.uk and you could be on your way!

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