I’ve been fortunate enough to have the privilege to be an intern journalist at one of Namibia’s biggest newspapers, New Era.
I am currently studying towards my Bachelor of English degree at the Namibia University of Science and Technology and I’m a final year student.
My experience here has been awesome. The environment is very good. It’s quite peaceful. My colleagues have been very welcoming and helpful. My mentor has been helping me through every step. I could not have asked for a better team to work with.
During the first few days the senior journalists helped me construct my own reports. They showed me how things are done and how to go about interviewing people.
During my first few days, I went out into the fields with experienced journalists and observed how they go about their work. The experience is overwhelming.
When I did my first story, I was excited because I could now practice what I have been observing. I was a bit nervous at first, but I eventually snapped out of it. I interviewed different people on the phone and each shared a different opinion.
I had to make sure my story is balanced and not biased and I had to try and write everything my readers would want to know about the subject. I also had to make sure I had both sides of the story and that I was not favouring anyone.
In this profession that I am venturing into, one has to learn how to engage with different people on a daily basis. Remember, all that glitters is not gold and every cloud has a silver lining. Therefore, a journalist can also be faced by awkward situations, like bad weather in the field.
A scribe might also be exposed to violence, as some people do not like the media at all. A journalist therefore needs to be prepared to do stories at any given time. I am looking forward to any challenge that comes my way.
The good, the bad and the ugly of this profession will help me grow intellectually as a person and working independently will enable me to explore and discover my fears and get over them. This way, in future I will be able to tackle the challenges alone.
We come across different types of people with diverse backgrounds and beliefs. So, practicing intercultural communication skills and not being ethnocentric will definitely prove an advantage to a good and professional journalist.
I have been learning how to listen to and be with people. My public speaking skills have been paying off quite well so far. I am now able to face a big crowd of people when taking pictures and being acknowledged as a media person at events.