Jschool Student Blog | A blog by journalism students at Jschool: Journalism Education & Training, Australia

I Came, I Wrote, I Conquered

By Kate | Published: Friday, 23rd September, 2011

Week 2, Day 3 & 4

My last couple of days were probably the hardest. After two weeks I was hooked. As much as I wanted to return to Brisbane for my friends and family, and of course a pay check, I didn’t want to leave a job which I was thoroughly enjoying.

By the end of my week I had a total of 10 published stories and nine bylines. Needless to say I’m on top of the world.

It’s certainly an experience which has motivated me immensely and has definitely put things back in perspective.

Back to my time at The Chronicle.

In my remaining time there, I had the opportunity to do a couple of more interviews. The one I remember the most was a group of gardeners. They ran a rose garden in town through public and council donations. They were lovely people and they all had lots of stories which were fascinating to listen to. I suppose the reason it was memorable to me was because I knew how much mum would love to have been there. Roses was her favourite flower, she would have been in her glory, surrounded by hundreds of roses.

On the topic of garden’s I also wrote a come more pieces about winners of the Toowoomba Carnival’s Flower, Food and Wine Festival. Thank goodness by the end of week two, the carnival was almost at an end, and so was its coverage.

Now, I can’t forget my daily vox pops with fellow intern Sophie. While a detested chore by most, Sophie and I enjoyed the chance to get out of the office. We certainly met some interesting people along the way.

On my second last day I finally had the chance to interview the man himself, news editor Michael Roser. With 35 years worth of experience, he certainly had a few stories to tell and no doubt will make for an interesting story.

All in all, I learnt a lot from my two weeks at The Chronicle and I had a fantastic time.

So until next time, goodbye and good luck to everyone at The Chronicle.

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Tony Abbott just arrived here!

By Abanob | Published: Friday, 23rd September, 2011

I can’t believe my two weeks at the Herald Sun are over in a few hours. Like all my fellow Jschoolers who completed their internship, it has been an extraordinary experience.

Besides the crazy 4 seasons in an hour back home, everything seems to have gone very well. Oh and the fire yesterday, that was interesting!

My first week was in Features and I walked in a little worried how I would survive the week, but I was warmly welcomed and settled in fast. First day- quiet. I was moved up to News to work on the Facebook page. Lots of fun.

Second day, I really started researching, writing and editing my stories. Kamahl, who is the Your Time editor, gave me a story to work on and we discussed the possible ways of going about the story. After researching the story on “anti-bacterial products and their effectiveness” I managed to call and get comment from an expert at Monash University. This expert was not only useful but was great at simplifying difficult scientific concepts in plain English and fantastic analogies (Katie do you remember the story we did together and the fish back analogy?) I rang back to check a few facts and it proved to be worthwhile because he gave me more information.

I have to say, the skills I learnt from Desley on getting “expert opinion” and using them in my stories really helped me. Thankfully, I managed to finish the story which I’m glad I turned it on its head and sent it to Kamahl to edit.

Peter, the Features Editor, was extremely helpful and his advice was gold. I was given another story to research and work on- back-to-school bugs. Honestly I had no clue what to do and me and science aren’t best mates! Research and the help of Kamahl were paramount in getting this story up.

Once again, to give legs to the story I called the Australian Medical Association and sought comment from them on the story. Within a few hours I received an email with all my answers! As Kamahl was away, I walked in to seek Peter’s advice on how to structure the story. He sat me down and explained a few ways and said that in features they’re more relaxed on structure and gave me helpful hints. I followed his advice and Kamahl was glad when she returned to see this story.

Everyday I walked in Features Kamahl would provide me with a story and sit down with me and explain to me the mistakes she found in my story and how to get better at writing another one. Her advice, encouragement and belief in me made my week there the best of the 2 weeks- except the fire which happened yesterday!

In the afternoon, I was given a copy of the lift out to check before it goes to print. I picked up on a few mistakes and gave them to Peter. He was glad I picked up the mistakes in the Cars Guide. Oh, I forgot to mention I attended a few news conferences both morning and afternoon and it was amazing to see the paper in progress. Yes, it was pretty cool meeting the editor of the Herald Sun himself!

Tony Abbott just arrived! Wow! I didn’t expect that. I better go get a photo with him. See you all later!

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Week 2 Hervey Bay

By Emily | Published: Friday, 23rd September, 2011

One of my problems as a journalist, I believe, is being scared of chasing stories and my tendency to be nice and agreeable.

In Quest where I was writing very fluffy feel good stories, I’ve been fortunate to write more news stories at the Chronicle.

This means I’ve had to be persistent with getting answers and asking harder questions.

An example of this is getting comments on negative ideas, such as unemployment in the Fraser Coast. People tend to baulk at wanting to give too much information and putting their name against negative comments.

On Wednesday, I was doing a story that had a positive take on the unemployment issue, but people were still hesitant to give the information.

The story was on a single mum getting a job with the new hogs breath café. It was a good follow up after last week’s article highlighting the area’s unemployment rate of 12.3% – a seven-year high.

(No doubt this is a reason why my car got smashed. $600 by the way for the front and back screen, and I’m just leaving the back passenger window as a “nice” air vent until I find a cheap cover option.)

While being here, I’ve noticed somewhat the need to make stories more colourful and interesting (not completely separate from beating it up perhaps?).

I’ve had a bit of problems with my intros here, that I didn’t have in my previous internship. I do the; who, what, where, when, how usually in a concise 25 word sentence. I know the structure and think I can do it well.

But every time I send my story to the Deputy Editor he tells me to “shine a sunbeam on it”. So I try, with more colourful words, but it just doesn’t seem to work.

Here’s an example. (This is after trying to make my intros more colourful for two weeks.)

1^st Edition. Community spirit is awash in the Fraser Coast, as local businesses contribute their time and money and thousands prepare to participate in a Walk for Daniel tomorrow morning.

2^nd Edition. A show of solidarity to the plight of child safety will amass in a sea of red tomorrow morning, as locals and business unite in a Walk for Daniel.

Printed (Subbed) Version. A show of solidarity will bring attention to child safety and a sea of red shirts will highlight the issue tomorrow morning as locals and business unite in the Walk for Daniel.

Word Tally – 1. 29 2. 29 3. 32

I actually don’t see much difference in my first intros to what gets printed in other people’s stories. I’m not sure if the dep editor is just trying to make a point to make my writing more interesting.

But moving on. I’ve noticed networking plays a huge part in getting good stories and quotes. The Chief Reporter here is a local and is friends with a lot of people, including police, and it’s helped her make quite a few breakthroughs.

I’ve had a good time in Hervey Bay. I went whale watching and swum at the beach in my spare time. Staying with one of the journalists really made my experience more integrated. I met the other journalists for drinks and dinner, and got to learn more about the culture and the office politics at the paper.

I’m glad I did a regional internship as it has helped to tackle my resistance to moving away for a job. I can see it would be hard, but having that work environment would help the process.

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Clarion Awards Night 2011

By Christina | Published: Thursday, 22nd September, 2011

Saturday, September 10th, 2011. This was an amazing night!

I was lucky enough to be part of such a grand and dazzling evening in the presence of our country’s most elite media celebrities.

Laurie Oakes. Tony Koch. Bruce Paige. The list was full.

Siobhan Baillieu and myself were assigned the privellege of selling raffle tickets to all the attendees to win a much sought-after Nikkon DSLR Camera and some other fabulous prizes all in support of the Media Alliance’s journalism fund.

Upon entering the room it was a magnificent and austere collaboration of exceptional colour, mood-lighting and impressive event management.

Held at the Brisbane Convention Centre, the halls are long and grand.

Trays of divine food being wheeled in by caterers and pre-dinner drinks were second to none.

Gourment entree’s, mains and desserts all looked tantalizing.

I have to say the wine served that night was the most palatable Sauvignon Blanc I’ve ever tasted. Truly.

The champagne wasn’t too shabby either.

We proudly cheered on Jschool’s former student and the now the Courier Mail’s own Anthony Gough, a Clarion Award Finalist second year in a row (yes John we remember your roar from the crowd! Very cool.)

What was so incredible was every table I circulated, held Australia’s best journalist, editors, radio announcers, anchors, reporters, producers etc. and each and every one of them were so down-to-earth and full of personality and warm conversation.

Amongst a night of generous donations, exchanges of raffle tickets and conversation I was fortunate enough to meet Spencer Jolly and Laurie Oakes.

Now I wasn’t my best composed self. After over indulging slightly in the vino, things felt like a nice blur.

Spencer personally gave me his phone number and asked me to call him about the position/s of two reporters needed (after channel 9′s loss of two journalists) to arrange for a job interview.

Meanwhile Laurie and Siobhan were having a lovely chat.

Once again another surreal moment. I was at the table of two very important figures in Journalism.

Political Journalism. They’re giving us money and we’re all happy.

Woah.

Meeting Channel 9′s Weather Girl and Reporter, Sylvia Jeffrey’s was yet another wonderful memoir.

Amidst her tasting gourmet chocolates, we introduced ourselves and she politely giggled, apologised and proceeded to have a conversation with us about inside tips and valuable advice on getting into the fold.

I complimented her on her coverage of the Brisbane Festival. She took it modestly.

She is so elongated and graceful. Taller and even prettier than on screen.

Lovely Girl.

Media Awards Coordinator, Anna Magnus was very pleased with our raffle ticket abilites and thanked us for our efforts to raise money that night.

It was my pleasure.

What an honour.

What an enchanted evening!

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Radio? TV? Meet your newest member.

By Christina | Published: Thursday, 22nd September, 2011

It was Father’s Day on a Sunday morning that I had my first chance to go on-air with Clint and Greg at 99.7FM’s Radio Station.

I had a bawl with the guys.

It was actually a 70′s show with all-time classics carefully compiled together for the celebrationary Father’s Day theme.

I walked into the station and felt that happy-go-lucky-feeling of familiarity.

I’ve walked into a radio station before (a few years back) and this defintely had something distinct and special about it.

So, Clint. He is very technically-savvy and is the nominated guru of, well, technical jobs around the studio and the station and of course a Drive Host for 997fm.

Greg is a jovial bloke. He’s the General Manger of the station.

He always makes wise-cracks and loves a bit of controversy or more lightly to stir the audience a little with his show/s. He’s great value with a sense-of-humor but he runs a tight ship.

Great manager. And coincidently my neighbour.

So the guys put me on the spot with a few jokes and questions on-air (while my fianc’e was INTENTLY tuning in, waiting for a shout out which he missed, after all that!)

Richard Lancaster. A-jack-of-all-trades. He hosts an arts radio show called “In toto” and he also writes the “Culture Vulture” Column in the Redcliffe & Bayside Herald.

Richard’s son, Paul Lancaster was one of Jschool’s first graduates and also the ex-editor at the Redcliffe & Bayside Herald.

(John, Paul’s contact details I’m still to get for you!)

Small world isn’t it?

It was at this moment that Richard and I started having a good old yarn, when I said I was very interested in videojournalism and gaining experience behind a videocamera and so on and so forth, when he offered me to assist him in shooting a television series in Redcliffe & Scarborough (airing on Digtal31, formerly Briz31, in October this year.)

Over the upcoming weeks while I was on holiday and available he gave me a chance to be part of his team and get all hands-on experience required to shoot a t.v. series.

I almost jumped out of my skin with excitement at the offer and said I was available the following week.

WOW.

Things felt pretty surreal at this point. I couldn’t wait to be part of this project. (That’s is another blog story, to come.)

Back in the studio the guys wrapped up their fun-filled 70′s show (2hours really flies by) and I went back to Clint’s recording studio.

This is when the real fun began.

(Clint Yates – Drive host -997fm-Moreton media group)

I was asked to read my very first promotion.

Spontaneously.

To record.

To go on air that same afternoon.

Oh.

They needed another voice as they were down one.

I hadn’t tuned my broadcast vocal chords for a very long time. (8 years to be exact.)

Ahem. Testing. Testing.

I met Emma. Also a young journalism student, and a regular voice for promotions who had a soothing and smooth sound.

She had a fantastic luring voice.

Could I live up to it?

Well. We both ran through the script a few times.

Doug, another announcer, also joined in the promo, which gave it a good balanced sound.

Clint did sound checks, and before you knew it it was ready for post-production and Voila!

Queued to air. The process was that quick.

One thing that caught my eye in the lounge section was this poster

I loved it. It broke up the day nicely…

It was at that point after Clint and Greg did the playbacks that they said that I had a “good voice” and they’d love me to do further promotions for them.