Programme NotesAims:
To raise awareness:
Synopsis:
00-01.07
Introduction to Emma Brockes: she defines personality types who pursue journalism - interested in other's business, meeting different people, working to deadlines. Emma works for broadsheet paper 'The Guardian'. She goes on a journey to explore other areas of journalism: television, magazines, tabloids, sports, and celebrity. Emma earns £46,000 a year.
01.08-04.20
Emma covers the Glastonbury music festival, a classic journalistic assignment. Emma details process of finding an angle and putting a story together. She meets tight deadline. It's a front-page story.
04.21-07.39
Emma visits Lucie Cave, an editor at 'Heat' magazine. Journalism is never frivolous even if the magazine is. At the end of the day it's fun and glamorous but very hard work.
07.40-09.45
History 1: Emma talks about her early passion for writing, and her first break at 15. She wanted to make money from something she would have fun doing. She reads out her many rejection letters - most told her to bugger off but she finally scored her first contract writing for a broadsheet. Emma explains that once you get work, even if it's a small job, you are perceived as infinitely more employable. Don't be fussy - take what you can get. And write to any and everyone you can.
09.46-13.38
Emma follows Sue Turton, Channel 4 sports corespondent. She discovers telly deadlines are even tighter and rapidly changing even down to minutes before broadcast. Sue reveals how television sports casting is an ego boost - the feeling you're involved in history in the making. Sue covers a football match then takes us through the process of pulling clips from matches, editing and voicing - putting commentary to picture. She then takes her 'sports package' live from the studio. Being on television, you must care what you look like.
13.39-16.54
Emma relates her proudest story about a gangland killing revolving around a graffiti artist. She explains important skills journalists need. Because of her ability to gain confidence, Emma creates a major break in the story.
16.55-20.12
Emma visits Victoria Newton's 'Sun' newspaper to discover how the tabloids work. With 3 million sales every day and 10 stories a day needed to fill the showbiz pages it's constant work. Victoria also addresses the pressure of dealing with celebrities. There is also the element of performance in the job.
20.13-End
Emma gets an assignment to interview Richard Attenborough for his 80th birthday. She's fearful she can't find an angle on the story. But she meets the deadline - another front-page story. Part of job satisfaction is seeing your name in print and an endless variety, from hard news to celebrity gossip. If you love the sweat of a deadline and being nosy, this job's for you.
Curriculum Relevance:
This programme can be used and discussed in conjunction with courses in media studies, sociology, psychology, history, law and ethics, drug and crime issues.
Background Information:
Some figures from the film
Early life and education
Emma was born in London and grew up in Aylesbury. Received 10 GCSEs and has an Oxford University degree in journalism.
First career decision
After receiving her first £15 writing a column for a local newspaper, Emma decided to make a career out of something she enjoyed doing. She gained her first journalistic experience with the Edinburgh paper 'The Scotsman' on a 6 month contract.
The turning point Emma investigated a gangland murder labelled by the media, 'the graffiti wars'. Upon further investigation, Emma discovers no such war existed and revealed the socio-economic conditions which caused the killing to occur. She learned a great deal about earning a confidante's trust and finding out the truth. She was also awarded best new journalist aged 26 after scoring an exclusive interview with the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Conflict: The major and the minor
Emma experienced constant rejection when she first began writing letters to broadsheet newspapers seeking employment. She realised you need to apply to every possible paper you can find and take any writing assignment you're given. Part of the difficulty in features writing is finding the angle on a story as well as being interested in the subject matter.
Resolution
If you love being nosy and are interested in other people's business, journalism is a great profession. It allows you to explore human psychology and participate in human history, not to mention the fact you get to see your name in print. That's always good for the ego.
Activities:
Before viewing
In a group or class, brainstorm the following and record responses on a board or paper. Ask students what they associate with:
Briefly discuss what students personally think it would be like. Record their responses.
The film follows Emma from interest in other people's business to a features writer for a broadsheet paper. She fights a constant battle between finding a new way to tell a story and meeting her deadlines. You may wish to have groups of students focus on the following:
After Viewing
Key Questions:
has the film made students:
Discuss and compare with their original brainstorm.
Activity (Class or group)
Links:
This web page contains links to other websites that are not under the control of and are not maintained by Channel 4 Television. Channel 4 Television is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the material on them.
http://www.guardian.co.uk
http://www.bjtc.org.uk
http://www.pa.press.net
