Are you enrolled as a student? Click

Teaching Online

A Chat with Krys Wareing

by Mark Toner

Mark: Krys, can you give us a brief overview of your course "Understanding Journalism"?

Krys: Thanks, Mark. Mysterious gunfire has just been heard at the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill, in the USA. A firecracker going off? A car backfiring?

Mark: Sounds intriguing.

Krys: A ‘true’ news-seeker would not rest until the answers are found to this dilemma – what caused the FBI to investigate? Are our leaders under threat? Journalism blends the highly practical with the highly idealistic. On one level, it’s a career that people, once ‘hooked’, tend to stay with for life. It can be creative, fun, responsible, but frustrating, too. It brings its workers in touch with the law – media law – and with controversial people, too. It is never freeflowing, unfettered, communication; chains of society bound. But it can be also a hugely satisfying pursuit, when people are helped by knowing the ‘truth’ about people and about events. Understanding Journalism tries to give people an idea of what it is to be a practising journalist: not all sequins and champagne, perhaps. But creative, too, in its own way.

Mark: It sounds like a really interesting course, Krys. What would be involved in it for a student?
Krys: Thanks, Mark. The most important quality that a student would need would be curiosity. This drives forward all things. I have never known a journalist NOT to have curiosity about the world around them. It's not unlike interest in science, actually. Curiosity about how the world works is important to understand it.

Mark: So students from all backgrounds could benefit from this as long as they have a need to know more?

Krys: Oh absolutely. My students have included science graduates (physics, for example) who benefit from knowing how journalism is structured. For example, shorter words have more impact than longer ones, hence cliched use such as words eg go, bids, slams and so on. These words don't take up much space, whereas 'polysyllabic' ones do. Journalism is about practicalities. The use of IT, too. My greatest 'mentor' in that was media magnate Rupert Murdoch.

Mark: What did you learn from Mr Murdoch?

Krys: Oh - lots. We (ie at Cumberland Newspapers, in Sydney) were there when Rupert Murdoch first began to develop his awareness of what 'sells' in journalism, and what meant 'business skills'. Contrary to popular opinion, he never sacrificed people's skills for the 'bottom line' financially. His endeavours were in streamlining operations to make them work. Good journalism, satisfied workers, and effective business practice.

Mark: I see. Actually, I've just realised that one of my NCS students was a colleague of yours. He's based in Adelaide - Steve Bray. Another member of the Murdoch empire.

Krys: Now that is interesting!

Mark: So you have a lot of experience in Journalism to pass on to our students. Can you give us a potted bio?

Krys: Well, I was one of the top apprentices at Cumberland. Among my journalistic experiences is time at New Scientist magazine, which was exceptionally rewarding. I have worked through mainstream newspapers, magazines, books and internet.

Mark: That's quite a broad swathe of styles. You should be able to give advice to just about anyone, including occasional science writers like me.
Krys: Thank you Mark! Actually, we have a saying in journalism: it's far easier to teach a specialist how to write than it is to teach a generalist how to write specialisms

Mark: So who would you encourage to take your course?

Krys: Anyone on a voyage of discovery, in short.

Mark: Thank you, Krys.

Krys: Thanks, Mark. It's been nice to chat!

 

Krys's course, Understanding Journalism will be available later in the year.

 

 

 

 

Contents