March 2017 Online #MediaCareerQ&A
Hannah Ojo, Award-winning reporter with The Nation
Keeping applying but learn from past mistakes. Read winning works and profiles of winning journalists.
Wale Fatade, Executive Director, Media Support Centre
Don’t give up, that’s all.
I was named ‘fellowship editor’ until I got my first opportunity to travel outside Nigeria. Colleagues I gave forms as far back as 1999 and 2000 were usually picked leaving me behind but I never gave up, remembering that what you make happen for others will surely happen in your life as well.
Again, search strategically as you will never be picked if you do not meet the criteria for such fellowships and also start your application early because of deadline, it will never be waived and the applications are usually long.
On awards, I’m shocked today that colleagues write or report specifically for awards, it has never been so in my career. All the awards I won by God’s grace were stories I reported routinely in the course of my work and not because I set out to win awards with them.
Continue doing you best in every assignment and fortune will surely smile on you one day. I wanted to win awards in feature writing, political reporting and what have you, but it was entertainment that gave me my first award and I’m not an entertainment reporter.
When preparation meets opportunity, success is inevitable. Keep reporting with excellence giving your best in every assignment and awards will come logically.
Warees Solanke, Head of Strategy and Training, Voice of Nigeria
I have stated this elsewhere. First keep doing a great job or keep churning out masterpieces of public relevance and can galvanize policy action and reaction. Most of the awards or fellowships want to see what impact or outcome your work stimulate.
Secondly, your best time to win awards and fellowships are your early and mid career, two to five years on the job, with good degrees, strong recommendation and clearly articulated goals and action plan.
Thirdly, the organisers are always looking out for potentials or leadership prospects. One fact. Your international passport. While filing for application, your passport is your ready identity number and to process travel documentation at short notice. There are some opportunities that they will just request for nomination from your employers requesting just the names, email, phone and passport numbers and the next day you are asked to come the embassy with all the documents and air ticket sent to you.
In less than one week of processing, you might be on a fully paid programme that will last six months. Your health status is also important. Nobody wants to take any risk, admitting someone with health challenges.
For women, pregnancy is no no as you can be stopped from the programme if they discover.
I have introduced a number of opportunities to some potentials only to begin the process and discover the albatross. No going further. The first thing every journalist should acquire is your passport, driving licence.
Proficiency in more than one international language is an advantage. Imagine a fellowship or training opportunity in Egypt. Even if you are not a Muslim, knowledge of Arabic will enhance your prospects for selection. Meanwhile, participation in many German programmes requires you to undertake basic German language before departure and intensive one there.
How can I get funding my media projects ?