Catch 22
JOURNALISM, A SKEWED PROFESSION
A report, 'Unleashing Aspirations', published by the Panel on Fair Access to Professions in July 2009, highlighted that less than 10 per cent of those entering journalism have worked their way up through non-graduate, vocational, working-class backgrounds. This is a serious problem if media companies are to reflect society in its full complexity. Trinity Mirror is aware of this.
OPENING UP THE FIELD
Trinity Mirror sponsors a project to strike a better balance by working with Catch 22. Catch 22 is a social enterprise, set up in 2007, that aims to engage, train and champion excluded young talent in journalism– those who want experience but fail to get it due to a lack of experience (see where the name comes from!).
Catch 22 targets 18 to 30-year-olds based in the London area who have not pursued the conventional academic pathway. The young people begin the scheme by taking an 'introduction to journalism' programme for three months, at the Catch 22 academy. It includes a combination of guest master-classes, practical assignments and group discussions. The focus is on print media. They then join a three month training programme with Trinity Mirror (amongst others). Trinity Mirror is taking 12 students during 2009, with the first group having started in January.
The students underwent a rigorous interview process including a competency-based interview. They receive full feedback and not everyone gets a place – it is a real interview process. Those lucky enough to get through, then spend their time learning as much as is possible about Trinity Mirror’s business. A challenge for such an expansive group with many media outlets is to fully introduce it to the students. The students spend time on the group’s regional publications and of course, some time at the Daily Mirror.
Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa, managing director of Catch 22, said: "From our experience, the industry is eager to engage talent that does not only come through the traditional routes, but before Catch 22 they did not know how to go about effectively accessing them."
Student feedback has been extremely positive, and Trinity Mirror’s publications frequently feature articles written as part of the Catch 22 work experience.
"I found my time with Trinity Mirror very useful in terms of understanding what the industry is about, and building relationships. It has given me the confidence for future placements. It also gave me a realistic idea of how things work. I found it to be a diverse experience where I was writing, interviewing, shadowing reporter and I got to see how advertising and digital works." Christine Fashugba, 26.
LESSONS LEARNED
The students take away a massive breadth of skills, including how journalists write, what journalists choose to write about and why some topics receive more coverage than others. More generally, those completing the programme gain a better understanding of the role of publishing businesses, not least how advertising works and what part it plays in journalism. Most importantly, though, they learn to understand the importance of readers and how they are defined.
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