Becoming a journalist

[TainanCowboy]

al-jazeera is waiting for your contributions.

All you need is to get a buddy to do a 30 - 50 second video shot on any subject, speak with a semi-brit accent, upload to youtube and collect their checks (well really just have them wire-transfer into your account)

A cigar in your mug will add "hard-bitten journo realism...also use the ever present fireworks for "battle scene coverage"

Go gettem' Journo-Guy!

[ChewDawg]

Recently arrived in Taiwan and would like to start a career as a journalist. I have a bachelor's in international relations from a fairly well-known Canadian university, but no writing experience. How do I get started? Any ideas would be welcome.

Why don't you apply to the CBC back in Canada? They really love home-grown talent from Canadian universities. Especially impoverished impressionable students that believe all of the left-wing nationalist politically-correct horse shit that their profs fed them.

I can see an Order of Lenin/Order of Canada waiting for you!

[joshuaintaiwan]

Recently arrived in Taiwan and would like to start a career as a journalist. I have a bachelor's in international relations from a fairly well-known Canadian university, but no writing experience. How do I get started? Any ideas would be welcome.

Why don't you apply to the CBC back in Canada? They really love home-grown talent from Canadian universities. Especially impoverished impressionable students that believe all of the left-wing nationalist politically-correct horse shit that their profs fed them.

I can see an Order of Lenin/Order of Canada waiting for you!

Funny. This was meant as an honest attempt to seek information, and I get a rant like this. You sound very bitter. Has life been bad to you?

[milkalex]

well I gave you honest information

[ChewDawg]

Recently arrived in Taiwan and would like to start a career as a journalist. I have a bachelor's in international relations from a fairly well-known Canadian university, but no writing experience. How do I get started? Any ideas would be welcome.

Why don't you apply to the CBC back in Canada? They really love home-grown talent from Canadian universities. Especially impoverished impressionable students that believe all of the left-wing nationalist politically-correct horse shit that their profs fed them.

I can see an Order of Lenin/Order of Canada waiting for you!

Funny. This was meant as an honest attempt to seek information, and I get a rant like this. You sound very bitter. Has life been bad to you?

Not at all. I'm just saying an international relations degree from a Canadian university with no experience won't get you 'jack shit' in the international arena, unless it's kindy publication editing in Taiwan! If you're serious about journalism, why don't you go to a danger zone and string for a news agency? You need to stand out from the thousands of people that have equally unremarkable educations and CVs. In other words, get some real experience! You want a recommendation? Get a ticket to Turkey, sneak into Syria on the Southern border, and start writing stories while visiting Hama etc. If you're a shit disturber, a good writer, and like to go where the action is, you'll likely succeed. In Taiwan, there ain't that much opportunity for journos unless you really stand out. And it pays a lot less than kindy teaching.

It's a lifestyle and you have to do your time. That's all the free advice I'm going to give.

[joshuaintaiwan]

Recently arrived in Taiwan and would like to start a career as a journalist. I have a bachelor's in international relations from a fairly well-known Canadian university, but no writing experience. How do I get started? Any ideas would be welcome.

Why don't you apply to the CBC back in Canada? They really love home-grown talent from Canadian universities. Especially impoverished impressionable students that believe all of the left-wing nationalist politically-correct horse shit that their profs fed them.

I can see an Order of Lenin/Order of Canada waiting for you!

Funny. This was meant as an honest attempt to seek information, and I get a rant like this. You sound very bitter. Has life been bad to you?

Not at all. I'm just saying an international relations degree from a Canadian university with no experience won't get you 'jack shit' in the international arena, unless it's kindy publication editing in Taiwan! If you're serious about journalism, why don't you go to a danger zone and string for a news agency? You need to stand out from the thousands of people that have equally unremarkable educations and CVs. In other words, get some real experience! You want a recommendation? Get a ticket to Turkey, sneak into Syria on the Southern border, and start writing stories while visiting Hama etc. If you're a shit disturber, a good writer, and like to go where the action is, you'll likely succeed. In Taiwan, there ain't that much opportunity for journos unless you really stand out. And it pays a lot less than kindy teaching.

It's a lifestyle and you have to do your time. That's all the free advice I'm going to give.

Just so I know how seriously to take this advice: Are you a journalist yourself, or do you have your knowledge from the movies? Remember watching Nick Nolte on some cable channel doing what you suggest.

[ChewDawg]

Just so I know how seriously to take this advice: Are you a journalist yourself, or do you have your knowledge from the movies? Remember watching Nick Nolte on some cable channel doing what you suggest.

I've worked as a journalist outside of Taiwan for a paper with above 500,000 circulation. Don't do it anymore but I sometimes miss the lifestyle (loved the 3pm to 10pm hours). If you're single, crave excitement, love to travel and are a good writer, I'd recommend going where the action is. It certainly isn't in Taiwan and the people that have the coveted positions in Taiwan have a lot more experience than you do.

[bigduke6]

He is just taking the piss.
No one can be so dumb and ask the questions he has been asking.

Alternatively the Canadian higher educational system leaves a lot to be desired.

[Mucha Man]

Just so I know how seriously to take this advice: Are you a journalist yourself, or do you have your knowledge from the movies? Remember watching Nick Nolte on some cable channel doing what you suggest.

I've worked as a journalist outside of Taiwan for a paper with above 500,000 circulation. Don't do it anymore but I sometimes miss the lifestyle (loved the 3pm to 10pm hours). If you're single, crave excitement, love to travel and are a good writer, I'd recommend going where the action is. It certainly isn't in Taiwan and the people that have the coveted positions in Taiwan have a lot more experience than you do.

Times have changed, Chew. Much less freelance work available then when you were writing and what there is pays poorly (with some exceptions). The past 10 (and in particular 3) years haven't been good for papers and magazines in case you hadn't noticed.

But yes, agree that if one is to start, Taiwan is not the place. There's not a lot of interest in this place internationally, and local rags don't pay enough to make it worth your while to step out the door.

Don't agree with your comments on the Op's education level. In all my years writing, no editor has ever asked where or what I studied. Education levels would only matter if your were applying for a job with a magazine or paper. As a freelancer it's irrelevant unless pertaining to the subject you are covering.

[Super Hans]

Joshua,

I'm sorry, but from some of your responses to posts in this thread, it is difficult to take you seriously. I get the impression you are about 16 years of age and that you woke up a couple of days ago and decided that it might be good fun to become a journalist.
Well, that's great and I'm all for enthusiasm and determination.
However, you haven't even declared what field you would like to be a journalist in.
How long have you been thinking about becoming a journalist? Have you done any research into what being a journalist entails? All this should have been done in your own country before embarking on a trip around the world to a country where the national language is not English.
And this is why I don't take you seriously. To be a journalist worth his or her salt, you need to put in time, research and a lot of effort in to compiling even the shortest article or story, and it is imperative that you know, or at the very least appear to know, what you are writing about.
So on the above grounds alone, it appears that you have very little chance of making a success of this. It appears you have not researched thoroughly a career path you would like to take; instead, you have opted to ask for information on an expatriate forum where the majority of people are not journalists.
Forumosa is great for seeking advice about living and working in Taiwan, especially for the field of teaching English, but for asking about working in a specific specialist field, in which you yourself appear to not hold the necessary experience or qualifications for, is asking for noob flak off other posters.
I wish you well, but you've got to figure out what being a journalist entails by yourself and decide if it's really what you want to do, and if you you really want to do it in Asia.