How to be a Journalist

Today's guest is freelance travel writer Daniel Stables. Hear insights on Daniel's experience travelling the world to cover different festivals for his debut non-fiction book Fiesta: A Journey Through Festivity. Daniel actually trained on our fast-track course before embarking on his career in travel journalism. He's wrote guide books and freelanced for the likes of Nat Geo Traveller, so if you're interesting in taking your talents overseas this is the episode for you. Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited by James Watson and Plamedi Mbungu.Produced by Grace Crowley.Music by Alfie Smith.

This week's guest is Kennedy News and Media news editor & video desk manager Adam Wareing. Adam trained on the first ever News Associates undergraduate course 'The School of Journalism' picking up his first role at Kennedy in his final year. This episode is a part of a 20th anniversary of News Associates special. If you're curious about the transferrable skills a career in journalism can give, then this is the episode for you!Tune in for a fascinating listen.Listen to full 'How to be a Journalist' episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts 👉 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/prof...Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited by Plamedi Mbungu.Produced by Grace Crowley.

Today's guest is BBC senior journalist Sophia Alexandra Hall. Hear insights about Sophia’s career including her current role at the BBC, TEDx talk covering topics such as trauma-informed journalism and much more on the latest episode of the podcast!Sophia's story is one of resilience and belief. In researching her 'trauma-informed journalism' toolkit she travelled around the US conducting 50 interviews in 29 days - which is now nationally-recognised and a mainstay in newsrooms around the UK. She uses her care-experienced background to platform her community and inspire the next generation that there is space for them in the journalism industry. If the prospect of working in social affairs journalism, national newsrooms or even in broadcast - this is the episode for you!Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited by Oscar Stevens and Plamedi Mbungu.Produced by Grace Crowley.Music by Alfie Smith.

Today's guest is senior sports producer and BCOMS chairperson Drew Christie. Hear insights about Drew's role at BCOMS, experience covering Match of the Day and The World Cup. From career pivots and relocating to the UAE, Drew's story is one that shows the importance of diversity in media and opening doors for those that are next. If the prospect of working in football media is of interest to you, then this episode is a must-listen. Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited by Oscar Stevens and Plamedi Mbungu.Music by Alfie Smith.

Today's guest is Women's Super League chief revenue officer Zarah Al-Kudcy. Hear insights about Zarah's current role at WSL and how she drives revenue to the league as women's sport and especially women's football continues to boom. Including insights about building player profiles, her time working at Formula 1 and how she made the pivot from working as a sports reporter into the world of business. Zarah was also a trainee on the second ever News Associates journalism training course. This episode is a part of a 20th anniversary of News Associates special. If you're curious about the transferrable skills a career in journalism can give, then this is the episode for you!Listen out for Ella Toone, Daniel Ricciardo and Caitlin Clark references across the episode. Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited by Plamedi Mbungu and Oscar Stevens.Music by Alfie Smith.

Today's guest is The Observer sports reporter George Simms. Hear insights about George’s current role, experience covering major sporting events like the Tour De France and Australian Open. George trained on our 2022 sports journalism course and has gone from stride to stride since completing his NCTJ. George has carved out speciality of covering stories regarding neurodivergence in sport, interviewing the likes of James Haskell with poise and most importantly he consistently does the stories of those he interviews with justice. If the prospect of becoming a sports journalist is of interest to you, then this episode is a must-listen.Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited by Plamedi Mbungu.Music by Alfie Smith.

Welcome to the ‘How to be a Journalist’ podcast. In celebration of News Associates’ 20th Year anniversary, throughout 2026 we’re going to be interviewing people who have been there and done it. Whether it’s accomplished grads in our industry and even those who have taken the skills they’ve learnt on the course and taken other industries by storm. In 20 years, there have been many successes with NA grads finding themselves in a variety of positions from editors to MPs to athletes all using the skills they've learnt on an NA course to good use. Our special guest for our second #NA20 special is PodX chief revenue officer and #TeamNA grad Matthew Sherry. Hear insights about Matthew's pivot into the world of business founding both Platform Media and Gridiron Magazine, time working as a sports journalist for the Press Association. Matthew trained on News Associates fast-track course in 2009 when he was 18 years-old and cites the time as a period which gave him a vital grounding that then set him on the unique journey. From interviewing NFL hall of famers and launching The Good, The Bad & The Rugby with Mike Tindall, Alex Payne and James Haskell. Tune in for a fascinated listen. Listen to full 'How to be a Journalist' episodes on Spotify and Apple Podcasts 👉 https://creators.spotify.com/pod/prof... Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited, produced and presented by Plamedi Mbungu.

Today's guest is former BBC Newsnight producer and keynote speaker Sam McAlister. Hear insights on how Sam helped deliver one of the most explosive interviews of the century exposing disgraced Prince Andrew, time working at the BBC, and how her best-selling book 'Scoops' became a hit Netflix film. Sam speaks candidly about how she never allowed her working class background to stop her from making a name for herself in the media with style and determination. Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited by Plamedi Mbungu. Produced by Ajay Smith, Asha Rajoriya, Grace Crowley and Jonny Singh.

In our first 20th anniversary special of 'How to be a Journalist' our guests for this week's episode of the pod are pivotal in the story of News Associates. So, to lend Plamedi a hand in understanding the story of News Associates James Toney and Richard Parsons tell the story of NA's beginnings, highlights and obstacles faced within 20 years. Hear insights about the changing media landscape and how NA went from upstarts to the best journalism training school in the country. In 20 years, there have been many successes with NA grads finding themselves in a variety of positions from editors to MPs to athletes all using the skills they've learnt on an NA course to good use. Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Edited and presented by Plamedi Mbungu.Produced by Grace Crowley.

Welcome to the ‘How to be a Journalist’ podcast and today we’re going to be breaking down a year of the pod. In a HTBAJ-first, Grace, the producer behind the pod will be interviewing Plamedi as 2025 comes to an end. Expect laughs and anecdotes in this special one-off episode, expect more on the BHM mini-series, a live rendition of the podcast for JournoFest at the Twickenham Stoop and the story behind the podcast and how it came to be!Follow News Associates to keep up to date with each episode release. Presented by Grace Crowley. Edited by Jonny Singh and Plamedi Mbungu.