Murg lead the debrief by discussing the reporters as individuals themselves, explaining how it is important to look comfortable on screen, and "be who you are", we can only be ourselves, and find our own style that we feel comfortable with. If we look comfortable on screen, the audience will feel more comfortable too. As journalists we are the "eyes and the ears of the public", we need to be aware of the agenda and ensure our story is of public interest. She also urged that we develop a quick obsession for note taking - we should treat every meeting and conversation as an opportunity for quotes, we should constantly have a notepad and pen to hand, we cannot rely on our memories!
In terms of finding stories, a lesson well learnt this week, is that we should not be relying on other papers to lift stories. We should be signing up to press releases, talking to people, making calls and networking to find our own stories, "you're not copywriters - you're journalists". When it comes to looking for stories, we should be thinking about how we would pitch the story in 30 seconds (90 words) to our news editor, and who will actually care about the story? The best way to get a story is building up relationships with contacts, who can grow to trust you. Once you have earned the trust of someone they will be more willing to assist you, this way you can get fresh evidence, and potentially hear about something no one else has. When it comes to interview's, explain to the interviewee the agenda and why is it in their best interest to answer your question. "Don't take no for an answer".
The real question is, if you want to be a journalist - "Are you curious?". - Claudia Murg
WINOL BULLETIN 14/11/12
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