The following was written by Maryam Adhikarie on her blog about her experience as an intern. (Reposted with permission)
It has been months since I updated my blog and it feels really good to get back into the swing of things. Consequently, a few months ago I applied for my first ever real Journalistic job in media. I’d never ever thought any sort of job would change me as much as a person as working in the media industry.
Just finished my 1st year final assignments and rushed over to catch a ride to head over to an interview I never thought I would have gotten. With no prior experience to what an actual interview entails I sat sweating on the seat taking a look at the surroundings and tried not to look like this was my first time.
Think of any police, bad cop, good cop type of scenario where they interrogate the suspect. It felt and looked like that with the interviewer asking questions and the room with the glass windows. I was very unsure on how to behave and the teenager in me at the time could not stop fidgeting. It was a process that I felt took an eternity.
I got the golden phone call, and soon was in training alongside my newly wed colleagues. Thrown straight into editing as much sound as we possibly could. It was a painstaking process of editing sound that I assure you no intern liked, however, it would benefit us immensely later when it came to collecting sound.
From editing we were taken outside, which we appreciated. What we did outside was collect sound from people on the streets. A basic question on current affairs asked to as much as people as you can get on record, called a Vox Pops. This is where we learnt how to approach people properly to get there opinions on anything such as sex, sport, politics to circumcision.
I thoroughly enjoyed asking people out on the streets on there opinions about things. It showed me a different perspective on things and made me more knowledgeable about how people think, enforcing the fact that not everyone thinks the same. There are instances where I would not agree with what the person is saying, however, I would reiterate in my mind that it is not my job to disagree, my job is to get a balanced story.
A balanced story is not something I was well equipped for when I started. I had to learn what a balanced story entails. There was so much learning that had to be done, not that my first year of Journalism did not prepare me enough, it is that there is certain things you have to learn in the field when your are thrown into the deep end.
University in essence is a safety net, you can make mistakes, whereas in the media industry or more specifically radio, your name as well as the company is on the line and that is where the pressure comes from. You repeat a year or a module if you fail at University and that is really no ‘biggie’, but in the media industry if you do mess up you may not have a job the next day and no media company would want to hire you after that. Protect your name.
Radio, specifically, sounds pretty easy when you listen to it, however, think of radio as a piano keyboard, anyone can sit down and press down onto the keypads but how terrible will that sound to the ears. You need to know what you doing and it does takes loads of practice. This is called engineering.
Watching presenters engineer for themselves, playing jingles, playing sound and multitasking was an honor to watch. I laugh as I write this sentence because I soon had to engineer for myself and that was, personally, for me, the most difficult but the most rewarding when I knew how. I felt like a puppet controlling the air waves and controlling what you heard, it was and will probably always be the best.
In the couple of months that I was there, news was pouring out of every corner and it would be overwhelming at first. But, overtime you would get familiar with the influx and amount of work put in to bring out your best story. You would learn how to work alongside people. I learnt that you wont be an expert at first everything takes time, some more than others, have patience.
Other than hardship, stress and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, you also get to meet fellow presidents, ministers and politicians. Particularly in radio, because of the type of radio station I worked at you get to meet loads of different types of people from chefs to singers and dj’s, you really get a nice blend.
The media in South Africa commemorates the 41st anniversary of the infamous “Black Wednesday” which happened on the 19 October 1977, The World and Weekend World newspapers and several organisations were banned.
We have come a long way to media freedom in this country. Being Africa’s oldest community radio station project, which at one stage faced the full wrath of the apartheid government, we feel it is our duty and responsibility to promote accurate and fair reporting.
Bush Radio does not have the resources to be a “breaking news” station, but it is our duty to be accurate and give our listeners an opportunity to make up their own minds. This however can only happen if we present all sides of any argument, through good research and having access to role-players like politicians on a local, provincial and national level – this is proving harder and harder as officials simply refuse to comment or respond to questions from our newsroom and producers.
We call on all role-players who have an interest in improving the lives of the people on the Cape Flats to be accessible, especially to community media who truly speak and represent the people of Cape Town. It is only by engaging on the hard questions that we can truly claim to be improving the lives of citizens – and being a platform where people and audience can engage with political and social leaders. Thereby learning, healing and growing this wonderful city.
As a place where many young journalists start in their careers, we call upon our audience to hold us accountable and engage with us around our reporting and broadcasts.
Background on Black Wednesday:
On this day in 1977 in South Africa, then Minister of Justice Jimmy Kruger, banned The World and Weekend World newspapers by stating that these publications were “publishing inflammatory material that threatened the nation’s security” and the paper’s editor Percy Qoboza and other journalists were arrested and jailed.
19 organisations were also banned and apartheid critics were detained.
The organisations banned were BPC, SASO, Black Community Programmes, Black Parents Association, Black Women’s Federation, Border Youth Organisation, Eastern Province Youth Organisation, Medupe Writers Association, Natal Youth Organisation, National Youth Organisation, SASM, Soweto Students Representative Council, Soweto Teachers Action Committee, Transvaal Youth Organisation, Union of Black Journalists, Western Cape Youth Organisation, Zimele Trust Fund, Association for the Educational and Cultural Advancement of African People of South Africa.
Banning orders were also served on Beyers Naude and journalist Donald Woods.
As part of our Heritage Day celebrations, Bush Radio and Robben Island Museum is giving you a chance to visit the Island free on the 24 September 2018.
We are giving away 10 double tickets!
All you need to do is answer the following question:
Send your answer + the keyword RIM to 32158 and stand a chance to win a double ticket.
Lines close Thursday (20 September 2018) midday and winners will be announced on Friday in the Morning Cruise after 9am.
* This is a lucky draw, enter often to increase your chances.
* If you are selected you will have to collect before 4pm on Friday with identification.
* SMS costs R1 and free sms’s do not apply.
Bush Radio is opening applications for internship positions for those interested in getting into media. No prior formal qualification is required.
The internship will provide basic experience in journalism, radio content production and multimedia.
Please read the requirements below CAREFULLY – should the information be incomplete or incorrect, your application will not be considered.
Are you…
Curious, adventurous, always looking for a story, willing to hunt down a source, hungry to learn, energetic, able to speak, write and read in English & Afrikaans/Xhosa, willing to explore new frontiers in media?
Would you like to…
Record sound, conduct interviews, compile bulletins, read bulletins, take pictures, record video, cover events, test your skills LIVE to a listening and online audience of over 375 000 people, generate interview ideas, liaise with guests, assist presenter, research, package and present, liaise with listeners regarding programmes, updating blogs/websites, present as needed / capable, participate in outside broadcasts or events, build your career and profile?
Requirements:
No formal qualifications are required but the candidates must be computer literate and understand, write and read English and one other language (Afrikaans or Xhosa)
You will be required full-time (ie Monday – Friday) or shifts (06h00 – 14h00 and 10h00 –18h00 –including weekend and public holiday shifts depending on the area you are placed.
You must be available to start immediately.
You will not receive payment! This is a volunteer internship at Africa’s leading community radio station. Transport allowance of R500 per month for 3 months (probation), increased to R 1000 thereafter, non-negotiable for 9 months.
Shortlisted candidates will be put through a combination written test (for computer skills, language, general knowledge) and a voice test. – If selected for the test it will happen the week of the 25th September 2018
In the subject line clearly state: Intern October 2018
Application deadline: 24 September 2018
Bush Radio reserves the right not to make an appointment – Only shortlisted candidates ill be contacted – No correspondence will be entered into. If you have been contacted within one week of the closing date you should consider your application unsuccessful.
A big thank you to all who contributed during our birthday month. If you were unable to donate in August please consider doing it now or setting up a monthly debit order to help us continue our work.
Your contribution makes the continued existence of Bush Radio possible, and also makes the opportunity available to others to benefit from Bush Radio’s services.
Our bank details are as follows:
Standard Bank: Bush Radio Training Account
Account number: 071194185
Branch: Mowbray
Branch code: 004909
If you would like a receipt for your donation, email the proof of payment to: donate@bushradio.co.za
For more information contact Bush Radio on 021-448 5450.
It is the final week of August, our birthday and pledge month and we would like to say thanks to those who have pledged and donated to support the work of Bush Radio of Africa’s oldest community radio station project.
There is still time to donate and help us to continue.
Our bank details are as follows:
Standard Bank: Bush Radio Training
Account Account number: 071194185
Branch: Mowbray
Branch code: 004909
If you would like a receipt for your donation, email the proof of payment to: donate@bushradio.co.za
For more information contact Bush Radio on 021-448 5450.
During her visit, the deputy minister said that she is visiting Africa’s oldest community radio station project to better understand the challenges facing the sector and the unique challenges facing each station.
Intensive discussion with Bush Radio regarding the state of community media
After the visit to Bush Radio, Kekana addressed the National Community Radio Forum Western Cape Meeting where she said that the Sentech issue; where stations’ transmissions were cut due to arrears, was a wake-up call to the Department of Communication.
She said that the discussion on the challenges would be taken forward at the proposed Community Media Summit, and that the summit would be solution orientated.
The Deputy Minister being shown the operational transmitter used in Bush Radio’s pirate transmissions pre-1994
The Deputy Minister also discussed the role of government to provide an enabling environment for the sustainability of community broadcasters by assisting in opening doors from corporates through advertising.
Denver Toroxa Breda, First nation KHOE languages and cultural activist, artist, writer and poet shares he favorite… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…1 hour ago
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
