* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
A diverse and colourful group of 13 journalists from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the United States assembled in the Thomson Reuters Foundation training room in Canary Wharf, London, on Monday, March 26, for a five-day the Writing and Reporting News course.
Steered by two TRF trainers, the participants enthusiastically tackled a series of writing and reporting exercises, ranging from basic “what’s the real news here?” stories to more complex, fast developing scenarios in both the general and business news sectors.
The exercises were interspersed with trainer presentations on essential story structure, cultivation of sources, interviewing techniques, feature writing, legal dangers, ethical challenges in journalism and uses of social media, all of which produced lively questioning and discussion. Delegates – some from broadcast media – particularly appreciated a perfectly pitched talk by Thomson Reuters Television Business Editor Sonia Legg on writing to accompany video images.
On the final day, split into smaller groups, participants devised and presented their own story scenarios, ranging from impacts of staging the Olympic Games to a cholera outbreak among Malian refugees in Algeria, and set out how they would research, structure and source the stories.
Highlights of the first day were an introduction to the work of TRF by Programme Director Jo Weir, accompanied by a video demonstrating the growing scope of the Foundation’s activities, and a tour of the Reuters newsroom, where a newly merged editing “hub” of the general news World Desk with the Treasury and Energy units was experiencing its own debut day.
Later in the week, the group visited the newsrooms of the Financial Times in its superbly located building on Southwark Bridge. Duly impressed by the operations of one of the world’s most prestigious newspapers, delegates were totally wowed by the stunning view of the Thames, St Paul’s Cathedral and the City of London from the FT’s top floor meeting room.
From day one the training group seemed to bond and mix outstandingly well, which made for an entertaining and stimulating course. The week was also blessed by a spell of unexpectedly sunny and warm weather, which allowed for a highly enjoyable, al fresco, end-of-course reception at a Spanish tapas bar overlooking West India dock.
