Rachael Puddephatt: Audio Reel

Audio Reel, October 2009.

So far...

The past couple of months have proved challenging as a prospective journalist about to embark on 'the real world'. However, rather than turning me off the profession, it has highlighted the challenging but integral role Journalists do play within society. I do not think the newspaper is dying - at least not in my career span. I also think the role of the journalist won't be undervalued- at least not in the industry.

The most important thing I will take away from this course is to simply be aware. Most of the issues we have been presented with will not disappear, if anything they will only get more difficult to deal with. This means that as Journalists it is not up to us to change these trends but to achieve quality journalism despite their existence.

Some interesting articles

Google's vision of the future of journalism

Josh Cohen outlines the problems with Google owning the news. (The Guardian)

Why journalism needs PR

An interesting article by Julia Hobsbawm about our, somewhat unfortunate, dependence on PR. (The Guardian)

Amateur Hour

Journalism without Journalists? By Nicholas Lemann. (The New Yorker)

The juggling act

How funny, the above cartoon depicts the level of multi tasking required by modern journalists but it also depicts exactly how I feel coming into the final weeks of my degree!

Time in class this week was used to work on and brainstorm our ideas for our major projects. I have decided, surprise surprise, to go with an audio piece. I am planning to interview Verity Webb, former editor of ABC radio in Sydney and Melanie James- our very own PR expert along with a journalism student being challenged by the ideas I will present.

The idea so far is to do a radio feature piece on the coexistence of Journalists and PR in modern news rooms. I will first gain the Journalist's perspective, followed by the PR - questions for this interview will be shaped by the comments of the journalist- then how our future news producers see the modern journalistic world. I will also include some news music to liven the piece up.

So far the piece hasn't taken off yet. I plan to conduct my interviews next week and edit it by week 12. With two 3000 word essays, a 1000 word media audit, ten minute interview and 2500 word internship report also due I'd prefer to get it out of the way! A such is the life of a modern journalist... student.