Freelancing for Journalists

In the first episode of series 6, we speak to two freelance journalists about how to handle editor ghosting. What can you do when an editor, who was initially keen, is now ignoring your emails? We get advice from Solape Alatise, a freelance journalist with business and financial reporting experience, and Joel Snape a fitness writer and former commissioning editor at Men's Fitness. The GuestsSolape AlatiseTwitter: @solapealatise Instagram: @solapealatiseWebsite: https://www.solapealatise.com/ Joel SnapeTwitter: @JoelSnapeWebsite: http://www.livehard.co.uk/about/Resources and recommendationsLily’s long read in Runners World https://www.lilycanter.co.uk/lifestyle/runners-world-where-do-my-fees-go/Amelia Tait, freelance journalisthttps://ameliatait.com/ https://www.vice.com/en/article/3kxkd3/am-i-the-asshole-reddithttps://www.vice.com/en/article/epn8ge/millennial-buy-home-how-articleLateefah Jean-Baptistehttps://www.lateefahjb.com/ Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by Cision.

In this bonus episode podcast hosts Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson conduct an appraisal on one another.They set out how to do a performance review and the importance of assessing your work and setting yourself goals as a freelancer.ResourcesOriginal appraisal form by Laura Oliver, Society of Freelance Journalists: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oy5YhMO1pBxIyXj6phUr_ApEorqT1OIPi7tIm45aMb4/edit?usp=sharingAdapted appraisal form used by Lily and Emma in this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gZd2JfSEjjLPdluCOS7ogRMgLX5q5g8vMSdBhW7q9vw/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode, we talk about crowdsourcing stories, what it means and how to go about it. We speak to Charlotte Godart, an investigator for Bellingcat who discusses how she used crowdsourced data in a recent investigation into police violence at the Black Lives Matter protests. We also chat with Eric Reidy a freelance journalist involved in crowdsourcing information for migrant-related stories. Guests Charlotte GodartTwitter: @hicharl0tteEric ReidyTwitter: @Eric_ReidyWebsite https://ericreidy.com/ResourcesProPublica crowdsourcing example (maternal harm)  https://www.propublica.org/article/how-we-collected-nearly-5-000-stories-of-maternal-harmGuide to crowdsourcing from the Tow Centre for Digital Journalismhttps://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/guide_to_crowdsourcing.phpBellingcat https://www.bellingcat.com/Examples of Bellingcat crowdsourcing stories https://www.bellingcat.com/category/resources/case-studies/Bellingcat crowdsourcing police violence in US https://blmprotests.forensic-architecture.org/The Ghost Boat Story crowdsourcing background https://deeply.thenewhumanitarian.org/refugees/community/2016/03/15/following-the-ghost-boatBellingcat’s open training workshops https://www.bellingcat.com/workshops/Bellingcat’s digital toolkit https://credibilitycoalition.org/credcatalog/project/bellingcats-digital-toolkit/Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) resource centre for safety and security resources https://helpdesk.gijn.org/support/solutions/articles/14000036509-safety-and-securityReporting grants https://gijn.org/grants-and-fellowships-2/#reporting

In this episode we talk to about safety and security and what it means for freelance journalists. We speak to Sarah Giaziri, Director of Frontline Freelance Register (FFR), which supports the physical and mental well-being of international freelance journalists around the world. And Michael Bird, a freelance investigative journalist who specialises in reporting on drugs, slave trade and criminal gangs - where his online security is as important as his general safety. Guests Sarah GiaziriTwitter: @Sarah_GiaziriMichael BirdTwitter: @MichaelBirdUK Website: https://michaelbirdjournalist.wordpress.comResourcesFrontline Freelance Register https://www.frontlinefreelance.org/FFR Freelance Journalist Safety principles https://www.frontlinefreelance.org/freelance-journalist-safety-principles/A Culture of Safety Alliance (ACOS alliance) Safety Principles  https://www.acosalliance.org/the-principlesACOS resources and digital toolbox https://www.acosalliance.org/resources-1UNESCO report safety issues https://en.unesco.org/themes/safety-journalists/dgreport/2018Organisations which help support freelance journalists who are at risk:Reporters sans Frontieres https://rsf.org/enEuropean Center for Press and Media Freedom in Leipzig, Germany https://www.ecpmf.eu/Rory Peck Trust in the UK https://rorypecktrust.org/Media Defence in UK https://www.mediadefence.org/Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma in the US https://dartcenter.orgSafety training for freelance journalists:Freelance Journalism Assembly safety clinics: https://journalismassembly.com/conference/safety-clinics Rory Peck Trusts bursary for training https://rorypecktrust.org/freelance-assistance/training-fund/Silk Road Training https://silkroadtraining.international

In this episode we speak to two journalists about collaborative journalism.  Tina Lee, head of the ambassador network at Hostwriter, and Suchit Chavez, an investigative reporter based in El Salvador, discuss the pros, cons and practicalities of working in collaborative with other freelance journalists.The guestsTina LeeTwitter @tinaleeinberlinSuchit ChavezTwitter @suchitchavezResources Freelance Journalism Assembly https://journalismassembly.com/  Freelance Journalism Assembly free summer conference https://journalismassembly.com/conference/ Lily’s freedom of information story with Ethan Davies https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-postcode-lottery-of-business-support-grants-084924816.html Suchit’s digital tools list https://ijnet.org/en/story/10-google-tools-investigative-reporters-can-use-find-information Hostwriter https://hostwriter.org Unbias The News https://unbiasthenews.org International Center for Journalists https://www.icfj.org International Consortium of Investigative Journalists https://www.icij.org Connectas https://www.connectas.org The Arena Housing Project https://journalismarena.eu/the-networks/the-arena-housing-project/ 

In this episode we look into reporting on gender and identity.Rachael Davies, a freelance journalist who has written extensively on these issues, talks about how everyone should be learning to write without gender or identity based assumptions.And Imara Jones, creator of TransLash Media, a story-telling platform highlighting trans voices across the US, discusses how curiosity and learning can help you tell more accurate gender based stories. The GuestsRachael Davies https://rachdaviesetc.com/Twitter @rachdaviesetcInstagram @rachdaviesetcImara Jones https://imarajones.com/Twitter: @imarajonesInsta: @imara_jones_ResourcesFreelance Journalism Assembly - A freelancer's guide on gender and identity https://journalismassembly.com/resources/a-freelancers-guide-on-gender-and-identityIndependent Newsletter Awards Twitter: @IndieNLAwardsTransLash Media https://translash.org/TransLash newsletter https://translash.org/connect/Imara in Time magazine https://time.com/5880964/imara-jones-black-trans-women/TransLash podcast https://translash.org/podcast/Disclosure documentary https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81284247Trans in Trumpland https://www.transintrumpland.com/Condé Naste LGBTQ reporting https://www.condenast.com/brands/themTrans Journalist Association https://transjournalists.orgGuides to reporting on gender and identityReporting on LGBTQ stories from Journalism.co.uk https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/a-guide-to-reporting-on-lgbtq-stories/s2/a740869/Trans Journalist Association https://transjournalists.org/style-guideLGBTQI+ communities, a reporters’ guide from the European Journalism Centre https://ejc.net/uploads/downloads/EJC_LGBTQI_communities_a_reporters_guide.pdf

In this episode, we speak to two experts about reporting migration, a topic that raises a number of ethical issues for journalists to confront. Caitlin Chandler, a journalist covering migration, security and human rights and Georg Gassauer, a migration researcher and journalist based in Austria, discuss how we can do better when telling the stories of migration. The GuestsCaitlin Chandler http://www.caitlinlchandler.comTwitter @CaitLChandlerGeorg Gassauer Twitter @GGassauerLinkedIn @georggassauer ResourcesFreelance Journalism Assembly https://journalismassembly.com/  Freelance Journalism Assembly free summer conference https://journalismassembly.com/conference/ UN World Migration Report 2020 https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/wmr_2020.pdfInternational Organisation for Migration https://www.iom.int Global Journalism Investigative Network migration reporting guides https://gijn.org/migration-reporting-sources-guidelines-contests/Ethical Journalism Network migration reporting guide https://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/ethical-guidelines-on-migration-reportingExamples of Caitlin’s reporting on migrationhttps://www.thenation.com/article/archive/refugees-to-europe-do-better-than-this/https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/6-years-8-countries-an-eritrean-couples-harrowing-search-for-safety/https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/special-report/2018/01/30/inside-eu-s-flawed-200-million-migration-deal-sudan https://www.cjr.org/special_report/heiko-jessen-germany-me-too.php https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/10/sci-fi-surveillance-europes-secretive-push-into-biometric-technologyhttps://www.nybooks.com/daily/2019/01/28/rome-where-migrants-face-eviction-while-fascists-find-a-home/Georg’s reporting on migrationhttps://www.potemkinharmattan.com/post/the-financial-dilemma-of-ingos-in-syriaTrain of Hope https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.trainofhope.at/_www_/&prev=search&pto=aueHostile Environment Training and safety courses https://dartcenter.org/events/2016/10/reporting-safely-crisis-zones-coursehttps://rorypecktrust.org/freelance-resources/safety-and-risk-assessment/taking-safety-training/Grants and funding for journalists reporting on migration https://www.newamerica.org/international-reporting-project/https://www.investigativejournalismforeu.net https://www.iwmf.org/programs/fund-for-women-journalists/ Sources of info and data for reporting on migration   https://dtm.iom.inthttps://mirekoc.ku.edu.tr/about-us/about/ https://www.msf.org 

In the first episode of series five, we speak to two freelance journalists about solutions journalism, the part of journalism which seeks to offer responses to challenges in society rather than simply reporting the problem.  Julia Hotz, community manager at the Solutions Journalism Network, and Laura Oliver who recently reported on the rise of solutions journalism, discuss how solutions journalism can be incorporated into everyday reporting.The GuestsJulia Hotz https://www.solutionsjournalism.org/who-we-are/teamTwitter @hotzthoughts Laura Oliver  https://lauraoliverfreelance.com/Twitter @LauraOliverResources:Freelance Journalism Assembly https://journalismassembly.com/Freelance Journalism Assembly free summer conference https://journalismassembly.com/conference/The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/232324/the-elements-of-journalism-revised-and-updated-3rd-edition-by-bill-kovach-and-tom-rosenstiel/Solutions Journalism Network (SJN) https://www.solutionsjournalism.org/Training and webinars from SJN https://www.solutionsjournalism.org/hub/get-trainedSJN Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/solutionsjournalismhub/Laura’s Reuters report on media and journalism trends in the global southhttps://lauraoliverfreelance.com/2021/01/01/reporter-reuters-institute-for-the-study-of-journalism/Examples of Jules’s reporting on loneliness and solutions journalismhttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/18/well/mind/feeling-lonely-perhaps-youd-like-to-talk-to-some-strangers.htmlhttps://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/dirt/2019/02/25/the-new-art-of-making-friends-and-finding-communityhttps://muckrack.com/julia-hotz/articlesReuters report (2019) showing high news avoidance in the UK due to perceived negativity https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2019-06/DNR_2019_FINAL_0.pdfLaura reporting on solutions journalism outside the global north for Reuters https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/risj-review/what-solutions-journalism-can-bring-news-media-global-southInkline, an international media platform focused on solutions journalism https://the-inkline.com/European Journalism Centre https://www.ejc.net/

We finished off the series with a dualcast special with Northern Natter. We were quizzed by Katie Baggott and Katie Williams about getting your finances sorted when starting your freelance journey.The FFJ intro was edited by Anthony Coote and the main episode was edited by Northern Natter.ResourcesNorthern Natter @NorthernNatterhttps://anchor.fm/northernnatterhttps://northernnatter.substack.com/HMRC self-assessment guidancehttps://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returnsCreative Money newsletterhttps://creativemoney.substack.com/

In this episode we speak to two experts about how best to use TikTok and why journalists need to know about it. Dr Gavin Allen, digital journalism lecturer at the University of Cardiff, talks about why being an early adopter of new apps can be valuable for employability. And Neve Gordon-Farleigh, TikTok producer for JournoResources, discusses how to get the most out of the app and what kind of things to post as a journalist. The GuestsNeve Gordon-FarleighTwitter @Neve_GFInstagram  @neve.gfPodcast https://anchor.fm/uncanventional TikTok @nevethejournalist   Gavin Allen Twitter @GavinallenWebsite https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/1422775-allen-gavinResourcesTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/JournoResources TikTok channel @journoresources   ‘Should journalism schools teach TikTok?’ by Gavin Allenhttps://medium.com/the-scrum/should-journalism-schools-teach-tiktok-despite-newsroom-indifference-7b168e156914 Gavin’s student, Ffion Clarke using TikTok to bag a jobhttps://twitter.com/ffion_clarke/status/1301843144129077249Journalists mentioned using TikTok:   @abbiedewhurst Weather presenter for the BBC@Marcella Whittingale BBC Brighton newsreader/ journalist Freelancing for Journalists is sponsored by The ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service which connects you, the journalist, with PRs and organisations to secure expert comment, case studies and information for independent editorial, free of charge. ResponseSource puts you in touch with experts and PR contacts across all sectors, saving you hours of research and helping you meet your deadlines.