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I read it in one sitting. That s probably because it was written, in the main, by practicing journalists. It is accessible and full of great tips which apply to any wannabe reporter just starting out, not only those wanting to practise political reporting. Put simply it is a collection of useful recollections. --Barnie Choudhury, Senior Lecturer at the University of Lincoln School of Journalism
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In the wake of 2010 s historic general election politics commands more column inches and air time than ever before. Yet most political journalists failed to foresee the consequences of a coalition government. And they are still struggling to understand and reflect the new political environment in their coverage. While there is plenty of debate about the current state of politics and journalism, aspiring political reporters receive little guidance. Are unscrupulous spin doctors simply spoon-feeding them stories? Do they push their own politically-biased agendas? This book aims to focus on helping to produce competent and confident journalists who report on politics without fear or favour. With chapters on starting out in the trade, where to find the story, how to report it, and how to deal with the political classes, this book is the essential guide for journalism students, trainee journalists and journalists looking to understand the mechanisms of Westminster and Whitehall. Edited by Sheila Gunn, who was a political reporter on The Times and spin doctor to John Major, So You Want To Be A Political Journalist features contributions from a wide range of current and former political journalists from print, broadcast and on-line media.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
An entertaining and enlightening easy-to-read introduction to the profession of political journalism
17 April 2011
Format:Paperback
A sister title to Shane Greer's So You Want To Be A Politician..., Sheila Gunn's book is a collection of thrity-two lively short chapters giving an insight into the life of a political journalist.
With an impressive cast of contributors, including Peter Riddell, Carolyn Quinn and Michael White, the book has plenty of insider information, presented usually in the style of lively anecdotal chats. This is not a tedious career advice book nor a studious academic tone but rather something that gives a flavour of what it is like to be a political journalist and how to get there.
MP Adam Holloway's contribution is the one that turns sour on political journalism, explaining how he became so disillusioned with coverage of himself that he not only ceased writing a column for the local newspaper but also stopped sending out local news releases.
The chatty style makes the book an easy read to dip in and out of, but does come at the cost of some questions being glossed over. In particular, there is a steady supply of anecdotes about how journalists managed to make the news, such as by prompting a thought in an MP, but beyond the banter there isn't any consideration of the more serious ethical issue of how often a journalist should be making, rather than reporting, the news. For people considering entering the profession, a more direct discussion of ethics would not have gone amiss.
That many of the contributors have had long and successful careers means necessarily that they cut their teeth before the internet age upended journalism, but contributions towards the end - including an excellent one from Ivor Gaber - give a flavour of how the internet is changing the way journalists operate. It is instructive just how often reading blogs features in the brief "week in the life" of James Landale, though again a new person to the profession might perhaps have been well served by a piece majoring on whether, and if so how, to use the opportunities offered by blogging and Twitter. People such as Benedict Brogan and Paul Waugh have shown how these tools can be used to enhance reputations and make connections to help further journalism careers.
These are, however, reasons to read other books too rather than not to read this collection, for Sheila Gunn has put together an entertaining and enlightening easy-to-read introduction to the profession of political journalism.
With an impressive cast of contributors, including Peter Riddell, Carolyn Quinn and Michael White, the book has plenty of insider information, presented usually in the style of lively anecdotal chats. This is not a tedious career advice book nor a studious academic tone but rather something that gives a flavour of what it is like to be a political journalist and how to get there.
MP Adam Holloway's contribution is the one that turns sour on political journalism, explaining how he became so disillusioned with coverage of himself that he not only ceased writing a column for the local newspaper but also stopped sending out local news releases.
The chatty style makes the book an easy read to dip in and out of, but does come at the cost of some questions being glossed over. In particular, there is a steady supply of anecdotes about how journalists managed to make the news, such as by prompting a thought in an MP, but beyond the banter there isn't any consideration of the more serious ethical issue of how often a journalist should be making, rather than reporting, the news. For people considering entering the profession, a more direct discussion of ethics would not have gone amiss.
That many of the contributors have had long and successful careers means necessarily that they cut their teeth before the internet age upended journalism, but contributions towards the end - including an excellent one from Ivor Gaber - give a flavour of how the internet is changing the way journalists operate. It is instructive just how often reading blogs features in the brief "week in the life" of James Landale, though again a new person to the profession might perhaps have been well served by a piece majoring on whether, and if so how, to use the opportunities offered by blogging and Twitter. People such as Benedict Brogan and Paul Waugh have shown how these tools can be used to enhance reputations and make connections to help further journalism careers.
These are, however, reasons to read other books too rather than not to read this collection, for Sheila Gunn has put together an entertaining and enlightening easy-to-read introduction to the profession of political journalism.
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