Rules are Rules
File Away Issue #5
Well, well, well, what time do you call this? I’ve missed a couple of weeks of the newsletter, mostly to give myself a break over the Easter hols. I’d rather each issue be good quality instead of throwing something together at the last minute.
So, the UK is starting to open up, with hospitality reopening for outdoor seating. It was funny reading about it in the local Alicante paper, with the reporter giving credit to Brits for facing “arctic” conditions for a pint. Our rules have changed from 4 to 6 people at a table - not much but at least we’ll have lunch with friends without shouting across several tables.
The AstraZeneca wars are raging on. Spain have suspended the vaccine’s use in under 30s, which leaves my friends and I facing a conundrum. If anything, the pandemic has shown me how to deal with ZERO. CERTAINTY. AT. ALL.
In other coronavirus news, Spain have made it mandatory for mask wearing on the beach. Police were coming up to check the IDs of people who weren’t wearing them, and an old lady waved her hands in my face when I wasn’t wearing a mask on a run. I’m looking forward to the tan lines.
Pitches & Jobs
Brian Anderson is now accepting pitches for Vox’s new biodiversity reporting initiative (launching next month). He’s particularly interested in future-forward stories on the science, politics, and economics of the global biodiversity crisis. Email brian.anderson1@vox.com.
Sophia Jones is back at her desk at The Fuller Project, on the lookout for bold & accountability-driven stories about global issues affecting women. Pitching guidelines here.
A new global publication, Unbias the News is looking for underreported stories with global relevance which break through geographical or structural barriers. Free writing workshops and networking included in commission. Fee ranges from €250-500. Deadline 18th April.
The Third Pole are looking for stories from Central Asian journalists on environmental pollution, climate change, water, wildlife, and the Aral Sea, in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Send pitches to ryskeldi.satke@chinadialogue.net
Earth Journalism Network@earthjournalismAre you a journalist in South America, Central America, or the Caribbean looking to report on environmental policy in your region? Pitch us! We're offering small grants to support interested journalists. Apply by April 27:earthjournalism.netInvestigating Environmental Policy in Latin America
9:14 AM · Apr 14, 202116 Reposts · 15 LikesTegwyn Hughes at The Pigeon is looking for long-form stories about Northern and Eastern Canada. Pitching details here.
Explore Magazine want outdoor adventure stories. Pitch the online editor at alisonh@mypassionmedia.com.
Natasha Bernal is looking for pitches for WIRED Business - particularly clever ideas for UK/Europe stories or investigations into tech companies. Guidelines here.
ABC in Australia are hiring a Visual Journalist to join the New South Wales news team. They particularly encourage applications from Indigenous journalists. Other roles available here.
FEMINA in Mumbai are looking for a social media editor, a fashion features writer, and assistant digital editor. Send cover letters and samples to careers@wwm.co.in.
Lots of internships going at NATO.
TimeOut is looking for a freelance writer/editor to work on UK travel news and features this spring and summer. DM James Manning with links to relevant work.
Events
Catch this free webinar on Tuesday 20th April on “Battling Deep Fakes and Misinformation – Media’s Role and Responsibility.”
Interested in business journalism? See for yourself in this webinar on Wednesday 21st April.
The Global Investigative Journalism Network is hosting another interesting webinar on 29th April. Watch if you're a journalist in Asia for tips and tools on how to better market investigative stories.
The Earth Journalism Network is hosting an Earth Day webinar on 20th April. Sign up to hear experts discussing the science of zoonotic diseases.
Reading List
Listen to this episode of The Inoculation podcast to hear journalist Laura Oliver discuss common pitfalls and good practices when reporting on vaccines. Read the guide she published with the European Journalism Centre: A Freelancer's Guide for Reporting on Vaccines.
Interesting reporting by The New Humanitarian on how Indigenous communities in the Amazon are organising their own vaccine procurement after feeling failed by the Brazilian Health Ministry.
Did you know that Germans are obsessed with lüften - “the act, or art, of ventilating their homes”? Me neither. Apparently it’s undermining efforts to make buildings more energy efficient.
Read this amazing thread on tips for creative writing.
In the pandemic-era, Nigerian organisations are using radio to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
Want to read a book written by a journalist? Search this thread.
Writing Work
That exciting scoop I said I was working on? I helped out the Education Editor at The Sunday Times, reporting on sexual assault at harassment at private schools - and had my first two news stories in print. The best bit was the amount of girls and women who came to me after the first piece came out, eager to tell their story for future investigations. I’ll be working on a more in depth piece for VICE in the next few weeks, so stay tuned!
Anecdote of the week
We had sports day at school - earlier than you would in the UK probably because of the heat. The theme was Tokyo 2021 Olympics, and all the teachers were given matching Tokyo T-shirts. Each class made a banner and paraded down from the school building to the playground, along with a paper Olympic torch (see below). It was all pretty cute, and much more fun than the hayfeverish day at an athletics track in South London that I experienced as a kid.
