ABSTRACT
Most newcomers to journalism are armed with degrees. Some have directly related degrees in journalism – multimedia, broadcast or magazine journalism – while others have more general degrees such as media studies that include elements of journalism practice. Graduates may also have in addition – or alternatively – National Council for the Training of Journalists’ qualifications, or a diploma from a College of Further Education or private college. Editors are looking for writers with some specialist knowledge within their publications’ areas of interest and who know how to communicate it to their readers. The digital age is a challenging time for the media. Publications are downsizing, making both staff and freelance work harder to find. One way to get knowledgeable about both the selected subject areas and the latest controversies about them is to engage in debate and commentary on the magazine’s social media or letters page.
