MASTERCLASSES

Thursday 13 May 2010

How to get a job in TV journalism


This video is part of a masterclass on what TV has to offer the newly-qulaified journalist, and it's taken from www.multimedia-journalism.co.uk.
It's one of three videos in which Gaby Koppel, who has produced TV series including Watchdog and Crimewatch, talks about the skills and experiecne you need to get a job, and what TV production entails.
In this video we get Gaby’s views on the training you need for television.
She puts a premium on educating yourself as broadly as possible.
Don’t worry if you lack technical expertise in broadcast journalism.
She says: “If you are bright, well-informed and well-educated you have the essentials. Our view was always if we had somebody like that we would teach them everything they needed to know.”
She says a qualification from an accredited course can only be a good thing, but adds that producers are less impressed by the fact you have a blog and are creating your own multimedia content than that you have intellectual ability and, vitally, good ideas.
Work experience is an essential preparation for getting a job, and Gaby says placements or internships are so crucial because they give a potential employer a chance to see what attitude you bring to work. They want to see you in action.
With some newly qualified journalists facing an endless round of unpaid internships or placements, Gaby warns that  you shouldn’t work unpaid for too long: “After a month or two if there’s not some sign of paid work on the horizon, its time to cut your losses.”
Jobs are hard to find but they are there.  “Look on the BBC website, get alerts to your phone.
“Also, write to individuals, but do your research, make sure you know who they are and what they do.
“Watch the programme – you’d be surprised how many people apply for a programme and haven’t got the faintest what it is.”

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