As a new journalist in the making, my news room experience has been an eye opener in what i want to do with my life and my career. I started at the Mercury on the 3rd of May with my fellow cadets from the Independent Newspapers Cadet school. I'm one of the first batch to hatch from this prestigous experiment aimed at nuturing young talent in field.
We were placed under the guidance of Jonathan Ancer, a gentle soul who scooped the Mondi Shanduka Newspaper Award for best hard news in 2004 and 2005. The opportunity to join the cadet school couldnt have come at a better time as I was stuck in a 9 to 5 government job with no prospect for future employemnt.
It was tough in the begining, I had no journalism experience and couldnt write a news article to save my life. Fresh out of writing essays at varsity I was employed by the department of public enterprises to do resaerch and write media analysis in its communications and International relations unit. My first piece of writing in this intense journalism programme was disected and torn into shreds (verbally), throwing me into a state of brief uncertainty about the future and my ability to cut in this cut throat business. Thankfully, the critisicm came with solutions and I was able to work on my weaknesses and overcome my obstacles.
There is no backing down now, my optical is limitless and i have realised that it doesnt matter what I think is right or wrong. It about the facts and having the ability to report those facts to the people in a way that they'll understand them. David Canning, the previous editor of the Mercury is my mentor and he is helping me walk the walk. I'm also surrounded by a team that works tirelesly to bring hard news to a broad audience and our editor has a vision to turn the paper into a publication that reaches all the different spheres of South African society.
I dont see mself doing anything else for the next five years. We live in a world of endless possibilities, and as long as there is a world and people living in it, their voices will be heard and their stories told.
