Careers

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Are You a Real Journalist?

Return To Simon Townsend With Next Assignment, Not By Itself STUDENT's NAME ??????????????????????????? What makes a REAL journo...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Be What You Want to Be

Reprinted with permission Be what you want to be Author: Juan-Carlo Tomas Publication: Sydney Morning Herald The point: You're...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Career Advice for Journalists

Career advice Can I advise you on what direction to take in your journalism career? Well, I can't advise anyone how to make up...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Characteristics of a Good Journalist

What are the tried and tested main characteristics of a successful freelance journalist? Well, my answers are all cliches, and...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Clippings: The Only Proof You Are a Journalist

ARTICLE WRITTEN FOR 'MEDIA' (Thursday liftout) IN 'THE AUSTRALIAN' Clippings the only proof Do journalism graduates have job...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Curiosity is Essential

Lack of curiosity is some students' downfall I love tutoring. But it has ups and downs. And the worst down is realising that...

Building Your Article

Dates

You must write dates correctly. I had students who thought it amusing to write dates like this: Monday, the 11th day of the month...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Do Editors Hire Journalism Graduates?

Editors: do they hire graduates of your journalism journey? Students often ask if your journalism journey is respected in the...

Have Some Fun

Euphemisms: A Quiz

Send Back To Simon . . . But Only With Your Next Assignment Euphemisms . . . the use of a mild, vague or over-polite word or...

Getting the Story

Interviews: How to Do Them Right

Interviews: how to do them right (5 pages) Obtaining an interview Phone the person and ask. Or go through another person, such as...

Selling Your Work

Market-study yours

'Study your market' means, if you're interested in writing about food, then study all the newspapers and magazines that have...

Selling Your Work

Newsagent

Me and my newsagent Little newsagencies, often combined with mixed businesses, won't be much use to you. They simply don't have...

The Craft of Writing

Obscenity, how to write it

How to write obscenity Obscenity . . . how do you deal with the use of profanity in print? Today swearing, sexually-charged words...

The Craft of Writing

Plaigarism ruins careers

Plagiarism . . . how it ruins careers Although I am writing very firmly in this article, I'm really trying to help students who...

Wisdom and Inspiration

Rights

You ask about 'rights'. After four decades in print, radio and television journalism, I am extremely familiar with the assigning...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Simon Townsend's Biography

Biography updated January 2009 Born to be a journo Simon Townsend's personal and professional biography By G R Hart Simon...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Studying Journalism in Australia

Simon did not go to university. He went to The Gosford Express at sixteen, and from there to the Sun, the Weekend Australian, A...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

The Journalist Code of Ethics

Code Of Ethics Members of the union MEAA engaged in journalism commit themselves to: Honesty Fairness Independence Respect for...

Wisdom and Inspiration

The Walkley Awards

The Walkley Awards are Australian journalism's most prestigious honours. They were founded in 1956 by Sir William Gaston Walkley...

Have Some Fun

Time mangement skills

Republished and adapted with permission of the University of Perth (c) 2006 Time management in journalism studies Are you an...

Selling Your Work

Traineeship Guidelines

Reprinted with permission from The Sydney Morning Herald website Fairfax editorial traineeships John Fairfax Ltd offers graduate...

Specialties

TV Presenter Advice

A career as a TV presenter How do you establish a career in television? People ask me this all the time. I don't know. Though I...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

When an Editor Explains Rejection

Editors owe you nothing Well, an editor is not a teacher. He's not there to help you or to foster your career. That's my job. Use...

Tools of the Trade

Wikipedia: A Guide for Journalists

Wikipedia (trust it or not?) Students constantly ask me: 'Can I trust the internet encyclopedia Wikipedia for facts and...

So You Want to Be a Journalist

Will a Diploma Get You a Job?

Your qualification guaranteeing you a media job Many of my students ask me if winning their diploma guarantees a media job. You...

Tools of the Trade

You Must Be a Touch Typist

Learn to touch type online FREE Don't remain a 'hunt-and-peck, two-finger' typist the whole of your career in journalism Being a...