What are everyone's views on Journalist's?

I think i'd be aa good Journalist but am not sure, just the money for example or if i'd get 'noticed'

What are everyones views?
Thanks.

I think most journalists have to go to a college or somewhere like that to learn basic spelling and punctuation.
That's the first step and always useful where journalism's concerned.

Starman - have you got anything to do with The Star newspaper by any chance, or just a coincidence with your name? :confused:

Originally posted by Bobbit
Starman - have you got anything to do with The Star newspaper by any chance, or just a coincidence with your name? :confused:

No i just like Bowie :)

I think you learn a bit more than spelling and punctuation!

My fiance is a journalist and it has it's good and bad points like most jobs. He was a crime reporter for 14 years and came across some real nutters in his time, with regular death threats and the occasional smashed glass on his head, being fired at in N. Ireland and treading over bodies at the Hillsborough disaster with the grim task of reporting the tragic news to the people of Sheffield.

Then once he interviewed a man in prison convicted of murder and, convinced he was innocent , spent nearly two years doing his own investigations and finally found enough evidence to start a retrial. The man was given a full pardon.

He has travelled all over the world, stayed in some fantastic places, reported on the building of Romanian orphanages, the Falklands War and visited scenes of burnt out houses where whole families have perished.

At the end of the day, whatever he writes, there will always be someone who accuses him of bias / lies / glamourisation. He loves his job, it's exciting, a challenge everyday but sadly it is 'natures own pruning fork', a 'good murder' or a 'local perv' story that sells papers. And, I'm afraid he can become very cynicical at times.

Why do you ask by the way? Are you thinking of becoming a journalist?

Originally posted by Bobbit
I think you learn a bit more than spelling and punctuation!

Why do you ask by the way? Are you thinking of becoming a journalist?

Yes a music or 'fasion' journalist.
But i would prefer to be a Music Journalist.

You can study journalism at Sheffield Uni now. It's not a particularly well paid job but you do get to travel (free gigs!) and meet some amazing characters. Once qualified, you would probably have to be prepared to move area, as specialist jobs within journalism (ie music) are like 'hens teeth'. Most people start as a basic reporter then move into their chosen speciality after a couple of years.

Have a look on the UCAS website unders Sheffield University / courses.

Good luck anyway.

Originally posted by Bobbit
You can study journalism at Sheffield Uni now. It's not a particularly well paid job but you do get to travel (free gigs!) and meet some amazing characters. Once qualified, you would probably have to be prepared to move area, as specialist jobs within journalism (ie music) are like 'hens teeth'. Most people start as a basic reporter then move into their chosen speciality after a couple of years.

Have a look on the UCAS website unders Sheffield University / courses.

Good luck anyway.

Friend of mine did Journalism at Sheffield and walked straight into a job at New Woman magazine and loves it :)

It's a good course to get into things!

Getting a full time job as a journalist can be quite hrd - it's a very popular career choice.

From a personal point of view, I've been a freelance journalist on and off for about 20 years, writing articles for the specialist technical press.

You need to be able to write well and meet deadlines, do what the editor wants and stick to word counts. You alo need to be able to adopt a 'house style'. If you're writing for NME you don't use language better suited to 'Horse and Hounds'. Start by grabbing the magazines that appeal to you and see if they take freelance contributions. There's a book called 'Writer's Markets' and another one called 'The Writer's and Artist's Yearbook' that list contact details for magazines.

If there is one you want to write for, contact them with some ideas and see what's of interest to them. Freelancing usually emans generating your own ideas at first. EVentually you may get commissioned to do stuff.

I've probably had about 300 articles published over the years, in the computing and electronics press primarily, although I've had some exposure in other hobby magazines, educational magazines and some 'free' press newspapers and magazines. I've never earned enough to retire. :)

Good Luck!

Joe

* Time-Expired *

Oh yeah sorry about my spelling, i was watching the Wednesday match at the time so you know....
(My excuse anyway) ;)