So.

Where did I leave off?

How rude of me not to wrap up blogging from my final week’s Internship at the Redcliffe & Bayside Herald.

Picking up where I left off previously, the last week of my internship, I was scarcely in the office.

That week unexpectedly eventuated in external pursuits with radio gigs and assisting on a film crew (more on that soon.)

Probably the highlight for me was when a press release was emailed to Nick Crockford the previous week, not long after I’d suggested that the Pine Rivers Press run a profile piece on Jessica Watson, who was visiting Warner Park on Sunday 18th September to open a new recreational facility for children.

Only days ago I received a call (on my mobile which I’d issued out as a contact number with the office phone) to line up a “meet & greet” with Miss Watson but it just so happened that I had already finished my interning at the Redcliffe & Bayside Herald.

I rang Nick straight away saying that they were interested in us running the story and as far as they knew no one had picked it up yet.

He was glad to hear it and thanked me.

Admittedly it would’ve been a good opportunity to meet her.

“Young Australian of the Year.” She circumnavigated the world. Solo. Nothing huge.

(Note the tone of sarcasm there.)

I’d have liked to interrogate her on why she did such a presumably daring act, BUT it had to go through the newsroom.

And I’m glad it did.

What did I come away learning from my short-lived experience in a newsroom?

• Be organised. Very organised.
• Make sure you chase up call backs. Pronto.
• Keep your diary closeby and track all your calls, emails, appointments (universal law really) but SERIOUSLY you miss a person, you miss a story.
• Be willing to do every minute task you are handed. It pays off in the long run.
• Be a good networker. On all mediums of communication.
• Be a good conversationalist. The “gift of the gab” never fails.
• Be professional but warm and be sincere when interviewing a person or a group of people, it makes all the difference.

All in all though when I popped in to say my goodbyes to Kylie and the team she was more than happy for me to interview about her life as an Editor and her newsrooms ethics and values.

She was kind enough to allow me to film her (on my iphone 4) while I asked her the questions and she did well to answer my questions clearly.

Overall I left the newsroom hoping that if ever the chance arose again to do an internship at the Redcliffe & Bayside Herald that I would prove to be more productive with their style of journalism, more community based news and in effect, produce a profile piece or feature article with a byline.

(Me & Redcliffe & Bayside Herald’s Editor: Kylie Knight)

It was comforting to know that my local newsroom upheld community values and put the people’s best interest at heart when writing stories.

Kylie made it very clear that the people of the community were important, not only as a major readership audience but for the livelihood of Moreton Bay Region’s reputation.

 

A supporting community with a solid longevity in print media.

T’was a huge learning curve and one in which I hope to experience again.

Au revoir Redcliffe. The rookie has left the building.